Faceoff: 'The Witcher 2' vs. 'Game of Thrones'

Full-frontal nudity, bastards, dwarves and, of course, dragons. If those things sound familiar to TV watchers, it's probably because the new role-playing game "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings," released last week for Xbox 360, bears more than a passing resemblance to HBO's fantasy TV series "Game of Thrones."

Beyond the premium cable staples of gory violence, expletive-heavy language and bodice-ripping sex scenes, "The Witcher 2," based on a series of books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, also contains the complicated political intrigue, backstabbing and nuanced morality of "Game of Thrones."

But the question remains: Could "The Witcher 2" steal the "Game of Thrones" crown as the rightful king of adult-oriented fantasy? Time for a RedEye duel to the death.

Ryan Smith, RedEye special contributor

April 23, 2012