The Witcher game series has been one of the most critically acclaimed franchises in recent years. Its developer, CDProjekt RED, seems to have set up to bring quality back to the role-playing genre. They took 4 long years to make the last part of the Witcher trilogy, and this continuation of their previous hit, Witcher 2: The Assassins of Kings, is totally worth it.
Witcher 3 is fashionably open-world, meaning that the playing, controlling the titular Witcher, Geralt, is free to explore several large areas of the fantasy world. No, it is not just one big map, but several, yet the game can still be considered open-world due to the size and scale of every region. Wherever you go, you will find new sights to see and things to do. Witcher 3 has been cured from the plague of open-world games - boring content. its quests are well-written, diverse and not repetitive, unlike some of the most praised examples of the genre like Skyrim. Every monster-slaying contract (in the usual Witcher fashion) is unique and requires almost artistic approach. Flexible and abundant character development system helps you make the witcher you need, from magic specialist to swordplay master. Action mechanics have been updated, following fan complaints, and now combat feels fluid and satisfactory.
The game is heavily story-driven, which is reflected in almost every quest being connected to the story and the characters, at the same time being completely optional. However, if you want, you can forget all about the story and go about discovering new places on the map, sailing, hunting, picking herbs, playing cards or becoming the fist-fighting champion. The amount and the quality of content in the game is so stunning, no comparison can be made to any recent games.
The main quests and the story is typically brilliant. CDProjekt once again delivers clever dialogue, compelling characters and the atmosphere which is spot on when you compare it to the source material. The characters are fully voiced, the scale of events is epic, and the twists and turns will leave no one bored. it would be a crime to reveal the details, as one must try it to enjoy it.
There's almost nothing to be criticized in the game, and it would be perfect in every aspect, if not for the traditional technical issues. Frame rate drops, bugs, compatibility issues - the things we are used to in CDProjekt games. However, all those issues are being solved with regular free patches. And, as if to compensate, the developers continue their tradition of giving out free downloadable content. That alone earns them a lot of respect.
To conclude, it's only fitting to say that if you like good role-playing games, you not just should buy Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, but you downright must do it.
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