Witcher 3 Review

Little did I know that earlier this year in May I would be introduced to what would become one of my favorite games of all time, Witcher 3. Being familiar with the series but only having played Witcher 2 when it released on Xbox 360 I knew what to expect when it came to the characters and settings. What I didn't know is that CD Projekt Red (CPDR) would elevate everything that was in the previous entry to a whole new level in Witcher 3.

I have played and beaten most of the mainstream open world RPG's gamers are familiar with and simply put - CDPR has set a new standard for what the expect going forward in this genre. It's not a game that everyone will instantly fall in love with, and it may not be a game even after spending time with that you will want to go back to. It is a massive game that doesn't exactly hold your hand when it comes to it's game mechanics whether it be the crafting system or the combat. With that in mind I can understand where some might find the game a little daunting at first but I promise it all eventually becomes second nature and your reward for completing it is being able to say you experienced one of the finest RPG's ever crafted.

So what do you do in the Witcher? Well, you take on the role of Geralt of Rivia, a lone white haired scarred Witcher. You are in search of essentially your daughter Ciri who has been stolen from you by a new threat known as the Wild Hunt. Through your journey to rescue Ciri you will be thrown into a ton of various scenarios all ranging from family troubles, political assassinations, haunted mansions, or helping Skellige find it's new leader. Bound by no strict moral obligation or forced to do anyone's will he roams the world ridding it of its monsters, just as long as someone has the coin to pay him for doing so. If a monster isn't of interest to you maybe recovering a lost treasure buried at the bottom of the ocean is. If that doesn't sound interesting you can compete in a horse race or a bar fight or search for legendary Witcher gear/swords. If you simply need to relax, well Geralt is not short on people who are willing to help him warm a bed. Like any true RPG there are simply a ton of things to do and while most can feel like filler in other open world RPG's CDPR did a wonderful job in making everything feel organic, and every single quest no matter how big or small feels rooted in the world and has its own unique story.

From a graphical standpoint the game is simply a stunner and till this day one of the best looking games you can pop into your respective console/PC. I feel as if there are so many times that scenes could be mistaken as a painting. Riding horseback through a field full of various colored flowers with a creek bed to your right as the sun breaks to your left really creates a beautiful scene. So many of these moments occur where I simply had to stop and slowly pan the camera around to really admire the work that CDPR poured into his game. Whether you're wading through a swamp infested with drowners as the fog slowly hovers over the swampy waters, or riding cliff-side up a snow capped mountain as a fork-tail gives chase each area is crafted with so much atmosphere that they truly feel like unique places coexisting in one massive world.  My share button through my two play-thru's got quite the work out over my 400 hours of adventuring.

In regards to setting the right atmosphere music and sound is just as important as graphics. Having an intense fight with a challenging enemy wouldn't mean much if the music was distracting due it not fitting the scenario. Luckily CDPR didn't cut corners when it came to the music. Whether you are involved in an intense fight, exploring the open world of a region or grabbing a pint at the nearest bar the music matches the setting perfectly and keeps you involved in that setting. My favorite piece throughout the entire game is the music when exploring the Skellige isles. With its Nordic setting Skellige was in my opinion the most fascinating and beautiful area in the Witcher 3. While beautiful, it was the music coexisting with the scenery that seemed to tie everything together and really make the isles come to life. No matter what your current objective or goal is you'll find that the music is always there to help make your current situation feel all that much more impactful as you continue on your journey.

We have established that the game is both beautiful and sounds great but what about game-play? You know the thing you do during your long stay. Game-play can come across as a mixed bag. While it's better than Witcher 2 and therefore feels like an improvement to those coming from the previous game it may feel a little stiff to completely new players. There are multiple ways to encounter your enemy and there is no one single way to do things. You will have to learn the effects of each type of attack to maximize Geralt's chance of triumphing over his foe. You have at your disposal your trusty Steel and Silver sword, grenades, oils, potions, and of course Signs. Signs function as magic in the world of the Witcher and what's great is through your entire journey you can beef Geralt up to simply being a unstoppable butcher with his sword; or you can focus entirely on his Signs and melt every enemy you come across. The best way to play I found was to mix the two. While there may not necessarily be built in combos, you can clearly form your own style and see what works best for you. So what I meant earlier by it possibly coming off a little stiff is when encountered with multiple enemies it can get a little frustrating without patience in how to plan out your attacks. You can lock onto an enemy and then simply flick the stick to move to a different one and so forth. It works for the most part but for whatever reason occasionally when trying to do so - due to it not performing perfectly you might find yourself open to an attack and possibly killed. I found it infinitely easier unless dealing with maybe just 1 or 2 enemies to simply stay in free flow combat until you're actually going in for the attack. This keeps you from forcing your camera to focus on one enemy while leaving your back open to someone from behind. I wouldn't even necessarily say the game-play is bad just don't go into expecting it to control like Dante from Devil May Cry and you will be fine. Be patient, learn the systems and what works best and you will quickly learn why most avoid the Witcher at all cost.

I could honestly continue to go on and on due to my passion for this franchise and most importantly the last entry in Geralt's journey. Where most third titles in a trilogy seem to falter and go out with a whimper rather than a bang, CDPR ensured that Witcher 3 closes out Geralt's story with the utmost respect to the players and fans of this universe; and gave gamers one of the best gaming experiences of 2015. With the newly released Hearts of Stone expansion that was welcomed with raving reviews, and the soon to be released Blood and Wine expansions 1st quarter of 2016 there is always reason to revisit the world of the Witcher and see what CDPR has cooked up to continue making this journey a memorable one. While it can be nit-picked for some of its control nuances or odd glitches you can come across which seem to be pretty standard in these types of games (looking at you, Fallout). None of this ever detracts from the overall experience and if I was forced to give it a score on a basic scale from 1-10 I would have to give it a 10. At this exact moment I can confidently say it will keep its place among one of my favorite games ever, and if CDPR ever decides to revisit the world of the Witcher, I will be there day one without question. I strongly urge anyone who is a RPG fan in search of a wonderful story who has the time to truly give this game the attention it deserves to buy a copy immediately and support CDPR, you wont regret it.