The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

I had last year a Witcher marathon, playing everything from the first game to Blood & Wine. Every Witcher game is enjoyable and a real gem to its kind, while being extraordinary and quite different from the others.

Witcher 1 had a unique story, Witcher 2 had the best war story, Witcher 3 had a more sentimental main story and Blood & Wine is slow-paced but rewarding. Hearts Of Stones is...well...AN INSANE EXPERIENCE INSPIRED BY FAIRYTALES AND NOT ONLY! It has the best pacing of every Witcher game, some of the most interesting characters and INSANE BOSS FIGHTS!

In a nutshell, if you did not like the main campaign, get on both magnificent dlc's that are by far superior to the main story.

Very well written characters, fun quests, engaging story.

Why can't EA and Ubisoft make stuff like this? I don't get it.

When I finish a game, I never start it again straight away, typically leaving at least a few weeks between playthroughs. Often I never even return to it. 'The Witcher 3' was the exception. As soon as I completed it, I launched it again on Death March (i.e. very hard) difficulty, and began my journey once again. Why did I break my habit of shelving a completed game? The answer: 'The Witcher 3' has *everything*.

In Geralt's third and probably final appearance as a game protagonist, we're taken on an unforgettable adventure. The basic premise of this game is actually very simple: find Ciri. Ciri is a friend of Geralt and the Kaer Morhen Witchers, and she is in grave danger when all the signs indicate that the Wild Hunt are attacking. Supporting this story, as you may expect in a fantasy RPG, is a huge number of side quests. What you may not expect, though, is just how good these can be!

Whilst the Wild Hunt and the myriad other antagonists certainly contribute to 'The Witcher 3' in a brilliant way, I believe that it's the people we get to know (and reunite with, in some cases) who really bring this fantasy to life. Several supporting characters, who would almost certainly receive rather superficial and unsympathetic treatment in a lesser RPG, are written and performed incredibly vividly and imaginatively. One such character is a man you'll meet relatively early in the game - the Bloody Baron.

This couldn't be done, of course, without strong writing. I'd also say, though, that Doug Cockle and the rest of the cast give some outstanding performances - arguably the best I've ever seen in a game. I admit to having never really cared much about the quality of voice acting in a video-game, but 'The Witcher 3' has raised the bar substantially.

You'll connect with 'The Witcher 3', its plot and its many characters, but that isn't all this game offers. The exploration is truly great, too. From the hectic and troubled town of Novigrad, to the brutal mountains and desperate settlements of the Skellige Islands, no two places in this game are alike, and everywhere you go you'll find a story worth hearing.

The game mechanics are very smooth (which is important in some boss fights!), and the interface is accessible for people who don't really care to learn the intricacies of potions, crafting, augmentation and the like.

Overall, this game has provided the most incredible gaming experience I've ever participated in, and I recommend this to... just about everyone!

Pros:

• Great story & characters
• Pretty much a complete game of itself
• World is more colourful and lively
• Great additions to gameplay
• Satisfying conclusion to Geralt's Story
• Some new enemies

Cons:

• None

Verdict: Fantastic value for DLC and differentiation to original WItcher 3 game. Must buy if you already own the game, won't regret it.

10/10

Wow. This game is truly astounding. I went into playing this game not really knowing what to expect, although I had heard good things about it. I have never played any of the first two Witcher games either. I have to admit, it was a weird transition from Bloodborne to the Witcher 3 because of the significant difference in pacing. However, they're two completely different games and the Witcher certainly proved itself to me. From the amazing sceneries to the engaging story, this game is definitely praiseworthy. However, the most compelling part of the story for me was definitely the characters. The character development in this game is amazing, and I truly began to feel a sense of comfort and love for nearly all of the characters. I loved the characters and lore of this game so much, in fact, that I actually played through the game multiple times, covering the main story and various side quests. It is very easy to put in over 150 hours into this game, as I have put in at least 500. Furthermore, I bought all of the books that the game series was based on and I am currently reading them with delight. If buying the entire book series simply because the game was incredible doesn't convince you that this is definitely a worthy buy, then I don't know what will. This game does not fail to impress and I can't wait for the upcoming DLCs. Hopefully you give it a shot, because it is definitely worth your time and money. Congrats to CD Projekt Red for creating such a magnificent experience with the Witcher 3.