By Luis Navarro
Think of a game that was a big part of your childhood. The kind of game you would boot up after school and play for hours on end. A game you would think about during the day instead of focusing on classwork.
For me, that was Assassin’s Creed. I’ve always been a bit of a history nerd, and exploring Renaissance Italy as Ezio was everything I could ask for back then. But when I played AC 2 and Brotherhood a year ago, it just wasn’t the same. I could not find that joy or immersiveness I got playing this game when I was younger.
But why?
It’s easy to say that the game might just not be as fun as I remembered it, but the honest answer is that as we grow up, our realities change, and it becomes harder to disconnect from the real world and immerse yourself in a digital, open-world RPG. Yet, there are a handful of games that have persisted from my younger days that continue to draw me in – among them is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Since you’re reading this in a blog that talks primarily about all things The Witcher, it’s safe to assume you share a similar sentiment about the game. No matter how many years pass by, this game keeps us coming back. Set in a sprawling world filled with magic, monsters, and political intrigue, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has captivated players since its release. But what exactly is it about this game that keeps drawing us back more?
Immersive Storytelling
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is not a game in which you’re meant to solely complete the main quest line. I mean, you most definitely can, but it would be like eating your food without any seasoning. Yes, the main story of The Witcher can be a bit bland. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy playing through it, but what sets this game apart from other RPGs is the side quests. These quests are fully fleshed-out adventures in their own right, with their own compelling storylines and characters. There is a reason why the most memorable quests in the game are quest lines like the Bloody Baron.
This award-winning questline follows Geralt as he attempts to help the Bloody Baron find his missing wife and daughter. This quest embodies the qualities that keep the Witcher universe grounded in reality. It is morally gray, full of contradictions, and forces the player to answer questions that have no easy answer. The Bloody Baron questline touches on multiple heavy subjects – murder, domestic abuse, miscarriage, abortion, suicide – and your take on these matters is deeply personal. The game does not insert its opinion but rather lets you act on your personal beliefs and shape the outcome of the quest.
At the heart of The Witcher 3’s enduring allure is its dynamic narrative, where every decision you make affects the world around you. Your choices aren’t just black and white. Throughout the course of the game, you’ll be confronted with complicated and morally ambiguous decisions where there is no correct answer, choices that will leave you wondering if you did the right thing. Whether deciding the fate of the Crookback Bog orphans or choosing who controls the Northern Kingdoms, every decision feels meaningful and impactful.
But it’s not just the quests that shine in The Witcher 3. The game is filled with richly developed characters who feel like real people with their own hopes, fears, and motivations. From Yennefer and Dandelion to the old lady who asks you to look for her pan, each character you encounter leaves a lasting impression due in great part to the game’s impeccable writing and voice acting. The characters in The Witcher 3 feel grounded in reality. As I’ve said before while talking about Geralt’s and Yennefer’s relationship, The Witcher may be fantasy, but it feels deeply real on a human level.
Let’s talk about the world of The Continent itself. The Witcher 3 is primarily set in the war-torn land of the Northern Realms, an expanse filled with dense forests, snow-capped mountains, and bustling cities. Each area feels distinct and handcrafted, with its unique atmosphere – There is no mistaking the foggy marshes of Velen with the windswept peaks of Skellige.
But it’s not just the physical world that’s rich with detail in The Witcher 3. The game is also steeped in lore and history, with a deep backstory that spans centuries. There’s always something new and exciting to discover around every corner, whether you’re chatting with a local or stumbling upon an ancient ruin.
And when you combine these things, the result is a world that seems fully alive, but more importantly, it makes you feel like an individual part of a much larger world. This is an aspect of immersion that other games fall into the trap of overcompensating on. I love Skyrim. It’s right up there with The Witcher for me, but being Dragonborn and involved in everything happening in Skyrim can get a bit ridiculous. It puts Daenerys Targaryen to shame with the dozens of titles the Dovahkiin has.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have one of the biggest insults of modern-day gaming – games from AAA studios with little to do. Sure, they can claim their games have 16 times the detail compared to their previous ones, but what good is it if you can’t keep your players engaged because the world feels empty? To put things into perspective, the solo campaign for the most recent Call of Duty Modern Warfare takes 5 hours to complete, while Hearts of Stone (a DLC) will take over 10 hours.
There is just so much to do in The Witcher 3. Some parts of it could easily be considered games on their own – Yes, I’m looking at you Gwent. And while other games also have tons of things to do, not all can provide the quality gamers deserve. Heck, this is something CD Projekt Red struggled with in Cyberpunk 2077. There’s a reason few games have been able to replicate the commercial success of The Witcher 3.
Engaging Combat and Progression
Unlike some RPGs where battles can feel slow and clunky, The Witcher 3’s combat is fast-paced and dynamic, with a focus on timing, positioning, and strategy. Whether you’re wielding a sword, casting signs, or dodging incoming attacks, every encounter feels like a test of your skills as a player.
I’ll admit, at lower difficulties, it can get repetitive just smashing X and Y (fast and strong attacks), but higher difficulties require careful timing and strategy, with players needing to dodge, parry, and counterattack to overcome enemies. The use of signs and elixirs becomes essential during battle. Every encounter feels intense, whether you’re facing off against bandits or a Zeugl. In a way, it reminds me of a more forgiving Dark Souls.
The game also features a robust skill tree system that allows you to customize Geralt’s abilities to suit your playstyle. Want to focus on swordplay and become a master swordsman? You can do that. Prefer to dabble in magic and unleash powerful signs on your enemies? You can do that too. The choice is yours. Additionally, the game’s crafting system allows players to create potions, oils, and bombs, and gear that can give them an edge in combat. The crafting system is intertwined with exploration and resource management, as players need to scavenge for ingredients scattered throughout the game world or purchase them directly from merchants. This incentivizes players to engage with the richly detailed environments, further fostering a sense of immersion and discovery. A subtle detail about crafting in this game that I love is that you only have to craft an item once – all your depleted items are restocked when Geralt meditates as long you have some form of alcohol in your inventory. It would get very tedious having to look for ingredients every single time you want to craft more potions
Put it all together, and you have a combat system that gives players the freedom to create unique builds that best suit their playstyle – What would I do without my Ursine Quen build and heavy use of the Arachas decoction?
Stunning Visuals and Audio
This game has aged like fine wine. Just recently, I booted up the game on my Xbox, and I’m still, to this day, taken aback by how beautiful the game is. The Witcher 3 is a visual masterpiece, with its lush forests, towering mountains, and bustling cities rendered in breathtaking detail. Every inch of the game world feels meticulously crafted, adding to the sense of immersion. The next-gen update only made this game all the more impressive. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve stopped in-game to simply take it all in. This game is a work of art in every sense of the word.
But it’s not just the visuals that impress in The Witcher 3; the audio design is equally outstanding. From the haunting cries of monsters in the distance to the bustling chatter of townsfolk going about their daily lives, the world of The Witcher 3 feels alive with sound. And let’s not forget about the game’s epic music score, which sets the perfect tone for every moment of Geralt’s journey. Nothing like charging into battle while hearing LE LE LE – LE LE LE LE LE – LE LE LE in the background.
Final Thoughts
When The Witcher 3 came out, not many people expected it to become a genre-defining masterpiece.
While the first Witcher game’s story was good, it left a lot to be desired. The sequel, The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings, was a definite improvement over the first one, but still, some aspects of the game left players scratching their heads. So when players were finally able to experience The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it became clear that this game was different not only from its predecessors but from other RPGs as well.This is a game that grows with you as you get older. Every playthrough is different, and the narrative of Geralt’s story is molded by your own experiences in life.
Let us know what makes The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt special for you.
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