The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt (Xboxone, PS4) (Rated Mature)
Sitting down to play a new game is always thrilling, but few games have sucked me into the world like The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt has. Sure it is the third entry in the series, but you do not need any knowledge of the past installments, to thoroughly enjoy this game. I only dabbled in the first Witcher game, and while I spent quite a few hours in the second, this game is so well constructed that from the moment the game begins, I was instantly captivated and immersed in this huge world.
This is a world you will live in, explore, quest in and, experience an incredible story that gives meaningful context to the gameplay. I love playing open world RPG's, games that give me a sand box to go adventure in, or a story to make my own. A few of those experiences managed to create worlds I could really live in, and a story that was as good as any great fantasy film or novel. The Witcher 3's story is as well written as they come, the world is inhabited by so many diverse characters, and each has their own story to tell. Yes there is a main story arc, and it is the main catalyst for the game, but there are so many other stories the game has to tell. And even the smallest most insignificant side quest, has a story that is more than just a reason to kill things. All of the game's stories are treated with the same level of detail as the game's main arc. Each character is brought to life with the same level of nuance, every character you interact with gives performances that are not just well voiced, but truly well acted. The level of emotion you can see in each character is second to none.
This is what makes the world feel so alive, each character I met felt like they had their own story, and often theirs was just as interesting as mine was. And that is not to that Geralt's story is not incredible, it is, and his story hits all the marks I wanted it to. The story has great depth, featuring politics, war, romance and an epic conflict. But what makes it all interesting, is that at its core, this is a very human story, based on finding your long lost daughter. And you just feel emotionally connected to the world, which is very rare. Running around in a world this beautiful would always be fun, but having that connection to the world, makes for the type of experience I play game's for.
There is so much attention to detail in this game, and frankly, it really is staggering to think, that every part of this game is just as well crafted as the last. Yes, the story is on the same level as Lord Of The Rings Or Star Wars, but the world you get to explore is also mind blowing. The world is not just massive and packed with content, it is varied and unique as well. You can simply ride along the road and go from village to village, but you could also explore the forests and swamps to find hidden treasures and things to do. This is not a game about loot, but there is plenty of weapons, armor and other trinkets for you loot fans. Walking through a thickly wooded area, and stumbling upon some small but fascinating story gives you a reason to go off the beaten path. And this is a game about forging your own path in the world, while it is a very story driven, you are the one behind the wheel, and your choices shape the world you inhabit. You can also get Geralt a shave and then watch his beard grow back. Totally random addtiion, but a fantastic little detail.
The world is separated into many distinctive lands, which you can explore at your own pace, and the way the world is constructed really keeps it from ever feeling daunting. While a good portion of the game is about conversations and interacting with other characters, the game is also about exploration and combat. Moving through the world is very easy, Geralt can run, jump or climb in the environment which makes him feel very capable, but you also have your trust steed Roach and access to boats to reach the game's many islands. Controlling all your methods of traversal is intuitive and smooth, the same can also be said about the game's combat, most of the time. The Witcher 3 takes most of its combat queues from the Arkham games, while it does have it's own rhythm, it does play for the most part in the same style as Batman does.
You will be able to move swiftly during combat, dodging or striking with great speed and efficiency, and it is very easy to pick up and hold your own during the game's many battles. 95% of the time, combat felt immaculate, moving from enemy to enemy was smooth, striking your opponents was weighty and satisfying, along with some killer executions and many dismemberments with bloody results. However, there were times that something felt off, I can not quite explain it but it just felt like the game's internal rhythm got out of whack.Which is unfortunate, still these few moments that feel off, does not take away from the times when everything feels right. The games parrying mechanic was a bit strange, but this was the only part of combat that felt off.
But you have more at your disposal than blades, you also have magic abilities to use in combat, these really spice things up and give you more options. You also have a crossbow, used mainly to knock flying enemies out of the sky, it is also good for taking out low-level enemies from a distance. Combat does have a certain tactical edge, while it is never frustrating, combat does require some thought. You can survive on pure reflex, but you will thrive with a bit of thought. You can even fight from horseback, though this is mostly for either low-level mobs of enemies or getting in an attack before you dismount. There is also an investigative mode in the game, where you use your "witcher" sense to find clues in the environment. This does make hunting monsters more than a simple fetch quest, and I did enjoy the added element of solving a mystery or being a detective of sorts. With that said, however, your "witcher" sense does not work as well as it should. Your sense highlights the clues in the environment, but it is often difficult to even see the smaller items, the red outline that should help you find what your looking for, is often extremely difficult to see. Still, it is rewarding to find the clues and solve the mystery at hand, but there were moments when I was slightly frustrated. Fortunately, none of these sections are long or frequent, and some of them manage to rise above the mechanics shortcomings.
Exploring the world and crafting your own stories are a big part of the best moments in The Witcher 3. While I always had an objective to tackle, there were plenty of times I just wandered around the world, looking for loot or monsters to slay. Beyond having fun gameplay and a well-made story, the world is also gorgeous to view. Every new area is as eye-catching as the last, and there were times I just wanted to sit down and observe this stunning world. The color palate is wide, with areas filled with color or areas devoid of any color. It's not just artistically lovely, the world is incredibly well designed with clean textures, spectacular visual effects and meticulously detailed character models.
That is not to say there are not faults in the visual presentation, sadly there are several visual bugs and glitches. There is plenty of pop in, strange animation or character behavior, and the frame rate does wig out at times. Thankfully, this never happened during combat, and most of the time never affected gameplay. Most of the time the glitches take place during cutscenes or story moments, while it is noticeable it did not affect how the game played. With all that said, however, I did experience one game crash, the game had just autosaved so it was not a big deal for me. But it can happen, thankfully most of the time the game has few issues, and almost none of them affect gameplay or become intrusive to the experience.
The other good thing is the developers are working hard to patch the game, so rest assured that your experience will be a hassle free and enjoyable one. There is a staggering amount of content in this game, and your playthrough can easily last over 100 hours. And what really makes those hours tick by, is just how diverse the game's mood can be. There is plenty of action, romance, humor and even tragedy sprinkled all through the game. And as I kept playing all I felt was that sense of awe, few games give me feelings like this. I am not trying to be over indulgent in how I praise this game, but it just is truly that good.
For me, this is one of those games that just has that "it" factor that "magical" quality all games strive for. And while it does have more than a few faults, these never hold the game back from greatness. I firmly believe no game is perfect, no game can truly be flawless, however, a game can get so much right, that none of its faults matter. The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is one of those game's that gets more than enough right, it may not be flawless, but it is a masterpiece. On a side note, a new addition to my reviews will be talking about how the experience is while smoking some bud. No that is not a joke, and if it turns you off, bummer man.
I write about games not to judge them, but because I love talking about games, I also love smoking weed and it goes hand in hand with gaming for me. I do not believe in being oppressed by what is acceptable and what isn't. Anything that improves someone's quality of life, is a good thing. Games are not just fun, they add great joy to my life, weed does the same. Neither gaming nor smoking weed hurt anyone, as long as something adds to a person's life and does not hurt anyone, it should be allowed to be talked about with positivity and not censorship. For me, this is already just a fun world to inhabit, and an incredibly immersive experience. But this is the perfect game to play stoned, you are just so dialed into the world that everything feels more kinetic and vibrant. While combat does require some reflexes, put the difficulty on easy and just soak up the story and atmosphere. It is an awesome trip, one I can't wait to take again.
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