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GAME REVIEW: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt—’Have A Witchin’ Good Time’

 
 
Overview
 

Published by: CD Projekt RED
 
Developed by: CD Projekt RED
 
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
 
Genre(s): action role-playing
 
Mode(s): single player
 
Game Type: , ,
 
FG RATING
95%
95/ 100


User Rating
no ratings yet

 

Raves


massive world, rich and engaging side quests, well designed loot and crafting system, highly immersive, 150-400 hours, dozens of free DLC, growing beard

Rants


voice acting sometimes subpar, unreliable controls, riddled with minor glitches,


0
Posted July 21, 2015 by

 
FULL REVIEW
 
 

CD Projekt RED has been pushing the boundaries of action role-playing for years with The Witcher series; setting trends, and innovating the genre with each successive release. Now, they’ve pushed once more with what is perhaps their most ambitious entry, proving time and again why they are gods when it comes to action role-playing. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has done so many things right that it’s easily one of the best games I’ve played in recent years.

SPECIFICATIONS:

The PS4 version of the game was used for the purpose of this review. See PC specifications below:

Minimum requirements:
OS: 64-bit Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1). DirectX 11 is necessary to run the game.
Processor: Intel CPU Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz, AMD CPU Phenom II X4 940
Graphics: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 660 or AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870
RAM: 6GB
Disk space: 40 GB

Recommended requirements:
OS: 64-bit Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1). DirectX 11 is necessary to run the game.
Processor: Intel CPU Core i7 3770 3,4 GHz, AMD CPU AMD FX-8350 4 GHz
Graphics: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 770 or AMD GPU Radeon R9 290
RAM: 6GB
Disk space: 40 GB

STORY

From the aftermaths of the previous game, the world faces a new order, with the invasion of Nilfgaard and the influx of monsters plaguing the Northern Realms. But beyond the war between Kingdoms lies an even bigger threat — The Wild Hunt. The world is unaware of the true danger the Wild Hunt possesses. But luckily, for now, they only seek one person in particular: the one individual Destiny itself bestowed upon Geralt(our hero), the one soul he considers kin.

The story picks right off the previous game (The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings) which can be off-putting for newcomers like myself, having barely played the first two games. Thankfully, the story doesn’t draw too much from previous events, instead of focusing mainly on current events. The game does provide a glossary, however, books, and a compendium that comes with the physical game package; should you wish to learn more about the world of The Witcher.

GAMEPLAY

The controls have been completely revamped from previous games, being more in line with modern game standards. Combat is similar in vain to the Batman: Arkham series albeit occasionally unresponsive which can be really frustrating at times especially when playing on the higher difficulties. The Witcher 3 also maintains its rich formula of RPG elements; populating the world with loot, offering solid crafting/alchemy mechanics, and providing a well-balanced skill point system. Without going into detail, I can say that these gameplay elements are not only satisfactory for RPG fans but also simple and intuitive enough for the more action-oriented gamer to enjoy.

The game also has a strong emphasis on choices and consequences. Almost every action you take, be it for main quests or mere sidequests, results in completely different outcomes. Naturally, the game offers a variety of endings, over 30 in fact, which is unheard of compared to non-linear games in recent years.

The core formula of every gameplay mechanic in The Witcher is fine-tuned, which is good considering that there are loads of things to do in this game (Main quests, Secondary Quests, Treasure Hunts, and my personal favorite; Witcher Contracts). Even with all the quests following the same formula, they are more often than not, different enough that it doesn’t get too boring and repetitive.

Then there’s Gwent. Gwent is a card dueling game that Geralt can play against certain NPCs. It’s simply tons of fun to play. You’ll soon catch yourself scouring the northern realms for rare cards and worthy opponents, completely distracted from the impending doom you’re trying to prevent.

 

“Third village this week…”

 

VISUALS & PERFORMANCE

Witcher 3 is absolutely gorgeous! If I had my way, I’d fill this review up with screenshots. But screenshots won’t really do any good because the game looks best in motion.

Graphically, the game doesn’t offer anything too far above what your average current-gen game is already offering, but what’s really breathtaking is how well all the graphical elements work in unison. The overall atmosphere and ambiance when playing the game are phenomenal. The lighting complimented every object, naturally working with the day and night system, and each object in the world is subject to winds and water. All these elements synchronize with one another in perfect harmony.

But see, that’s the thing; each element worked in coalesce with each other so well that it felt like a believable ‘living world’. While exploring, it felt like it could actually be me walking around the Northern Realms. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so immersed in a sandbox’s world like this before. Literally, half of my overall playtime you can probably blame just walking. Admiring every nook and cranny and staring blankly into the sunset for an unhealthy amount of time. If it weren’t for the absolute synergy of all these elements, the locales may as well be as stiff and unappreciated as Dragon Age: Inquisition’s (sorry, not sorry).

On consoles, the game runs smoothly, save for some areas heavily populated in water and smoke. It’s also riddled with glitches for all platforms, some of which have since been patched. For PC, as long as you’re well above the minimum requirements posted above, the game will run just as good as the console version, potentially better if you’ve got the rig.

“Kept’ya waiting, huh..?”

VERDICT

There was never any doubt. This game is worth buying. The world is massive and riddled with content, not to mention over a dozen free DLCs. The storyline and its writing are very well done. That, coupled with a solid gameplay system, rich intuitive role-playing elements, and fantastic visuals make for a damn witching experience. You are getting more out of this game than you normally would with games at the same price point. If you weren’t a fan then, you will be.

For gaming reviews and more, keep it here on Flipgeeks!


Dian Raval

 
Dian is a writer for Flipgeeks who, in his spare time, stares at a wall in his basement. If you'd like to discuss music, video games, or the infinite wisdom of concrete, follow him on twitter @iburnandfume or subscribe to his YouTube channel @iburnandfume. He's pretty much iburnandfume in everything. Apparently he... burns and fumes.


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