[Review] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: A Role-Playing Masterpiece

BillMurphy

Almost without noticing, I’ve fallen in love with Geralt of Rivia. It’s not weird, or even sexual, so don’t giggle. If you’re playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, chances are you’re with me. After two fantastic earlier entries of the series, it feels like CD Projekt Red has nearly perfected the art of the role-playing this now classic fantasy icon. Geralt isn’t some dark brooding hero that we get too much of. He’s a father, a man with a heart of gold, a sense of justice in an unjust world, and basically? He just wants to go home, take a hot bath, and not have there be any weird magical crabs biting his jibbly bits. In short, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt may be my new all-time favorite RPG.

Read on for our full review.

TheHiveLeader

I give this review a 10/10.

Mighty_Platypus

Originally posted by TheHiveLeader

I give this review a 10/10.

That is impressive considering your resume Hive. I love your first impressions, so if you say the review is a 10/10 then the 9/10 must be spot on! I think you are onto something here btw, maybe you can start a review of reviews, and/or reviews of first impressions that others have done. Could be quite hilarious.

BillMurphy

A review of a review of someone else's review perhaps?

cheyane

Dropping all my MMORPGs for this one. Was going to wait for the price to drop but went ahead and bought it at Amazon UK.

YashaX

Originally posted by cheyane
Dropping all my MMORPGs for this one. Was going to wait for the price to drop but went ahead and bought it at Amazon UK.

It really is an amazing game. A few times as I was playing I started to feel the open world was a bit off in someway, and then some incredible quest comes along that blows my mind. Seriously, some of the quests and story telling are the best I have experienced in any game- like Bill says its a combination of the visual story telling and the actual substance of the stories.

I recommend playing it at night in a darkened room with headphones on for the best experience (it has some horror elements that work well in that environment).

Unknown

I think the mediocre combat drags down an otherwise great RPG.

JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

 

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells.

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

 

This would be similar to games like Assassin's creed, and Batman: Arkham City in which you can sort of choose slight differences and focuses on what you want to specialize in. But I wouldn't consider it an RPG. I do like how there is multiple endings, and that is + on player choice, still wouldn't really consider it a true RPG though.

Sovrath

Originally posted by JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

 

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells.

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

 

This would be similar to games like Assassin's creed, and Batman: Arkham City in which you can sort of choose slight differences and focuses on what you want to specialize in. But I wouldn't consider it an RPG. I do like how there is multiple endings, and that is + on player choice, still wouldn't really consider it a true RPG though.

While I can't detract from your opinion I still disagree.

It's as I've been saying, when an actor takes a part his/her character is not the same as the person that did it before. Heck, I recently saw a Sweeney Todd that was completely different from any other Sweeney Todd I've seen before.

If one has a penchant for acting and can step into a role then playing this Geralt becomes just that, you playing a role. No different from Hamlet or Willy Loman or Blanche Dubois.

It's how you play it and what you choose to upgrade that makes it "your" Geralt.

I can agree that there are some lines that "I" would never say and that Geralt will say in a cut scene (this can be jarring on how you view  your character) but to my thought it's a minor quibble.

jdnewell

Even with the clunky movement this is one of the best games I have played in years.

Although I do wish Geralt could jump off something more than 5 feet high and survive.  As kids we used to jump off the low point on our roof. Which was at least 10 feet. Yet somehow this would spell instant death to Geralt o.O

But some things can be forgiven as the rest of the game is fantastic.

YashaX

Originally posted by JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

 

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells.

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

 

This would be similar to games like Assassin's creed, and Batman: Arkham City in which you can sort of choose slight differences and focuses on what you want to specialize in. But I wouldn't consider it an RPG. I do like how there is multiple endings, and that is + on player choice, still wouldn't really consider it a true RPG though.

I think you are confused about what a role playing game is.

azarhal

Originally posted by JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells.

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

99% of RPGs have pre-defined protagonists, being able to select a gender or race doesn't change how the story is structured.

You can use axes, maces and a crossbow on top of  swords.

Witchers are trained to use 5 signs in the setting, I fail to see the problem here.

Finally, there is more choices & consequences in The Witcher 3 than in the majority of role-playing games out there, I assure you that my Geralt is totally different from your Geralt outside of being a ~100 years old Witcher with white hair.

laserit

Originally posted by JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

 

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells. 

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

 

This would be similar to games like Assassin's creed, and Batman: Arkham City in which you can sort of choose slight differences and focuses on what you want to specialize in. But I wouldn't consider it an RPG. I do like how there is multiple endings, and that is + on player choice, still wouldn't really consider it a true RPG though.

Respectfully...

You seem to have a very narrow view of what an RPG is or can be.

In the Witcher 3, your Geralt can be very different from my Geralt... From choices we make within the game, choices that have nothing to do with point allocation, looks or names.

Alomar

Spot on review, game has impressed me on all cylinders, with CD Projekt Red putting forth games like this the future looks a lot brighter. I noticed how clunky the movement is right away, while it is annoying at times it takes very little if anything away from how amazing the game is for me. In terms of the bugs, I've encountered 0 bugs in 89 hours though I've had friends stumble upon some, so for me it's been a 9.75/10.

 

Regarding Witcher 3 not being an rpg, you can use axes not just swords as well as the fact there is hundreds of sword options and skins. Playing as Geralt is no different than playing as Commander Shepherd in the Mass Effect games, they not rpg's too? Those "5 spells" dramatically change as you put points into them and upgrade them as you wish throughout the game. I'll admit playing as a pre-determined role is not my favorite rpg style, yet I'd never stop playing pre-determined roles in my rpg's if they were all as good as The Witcher 3 is. Also there are dozens if not more crucial decisions that set one Geralt apart from another, if you think the story options in Witcher 3 are limited you simply haven't played it.

laserit

Originally posted by jdnewell

Even with the clunky movement this is one of the best games I have played in years.

Although I do wish Geralt could jump off something more than 5 feet high and survive.  As kids we used to jump off the low point on our roof. Which was at least 10 feet. Yet somehow this would spell instant death to Geralt o.O

But some things can be forgiven as the rest of the game is fantastic.

Jump and roll

Elvoc

Spot on review..

 

I haven't been this encouraged by a game in a long time. hopefully its a sign of things to come..I haven't stopped playing since it came out. There must be 200K quests..Lol

Panzerbase

A game so good even an MMO site had to bow down to a masterpiece. I can skip wondering if a decent MMO will hit the scenes for quite a long time now.

snoocky

Nice game...too bad it needs a really high end pc...

JDis25

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells.

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

This would be similar to games like Assassin's creed, and Batman: Arkham City in which you can sort of choose slight differences and focuses on what you want to specialize in. But I wouldn't consider it an RPG. I do like how there is multiple endings, and that is + on player choice, still wouldn't really consider it a true RPG though.

While I can't detract from your opinion I still disagree.

It's as I've been saying, when an actor takes a part his/her character is not the same as the person that did it before. Heck, I recently saw a Sweeney Todd that was completely different from any other Sweeney Todd I've seen before.

If one has a penchant for acting and can step into a role then playing this Geralt becomes just that, you playing a role. No different from Hamlet or Willy Loman or Blanche Dubois.

It's how you play it and what you choose to upgrade that makes it "your" Geralt.

I can agree that there are some lines that "I" would never say and that Geralt will say in a cut scene (this can be jarring on how you view  your character) but to my thought it's a minor quibble.

 

So basically every action adventure game is an RPG then? There should be a line and the Witcher walks along the edge of it. While I admit many SP action adventure games have RPG features such as upgrading certain skills over others;the hero, and their abilities are the same, the gameplay is essentially the same. To me Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, Diablo, Path of Exile; these types of games are RPGs. You design your character, you pick the "class" you can choose different skills, your actual "role" is unique etc

The most RPGish element in Witcher is the amount of options and choices in dialogue, which I do find impressive but... If I can bring Skyrim into this, I can basically be anything. I design my character, I can use any type of weapon and specialize in it, any type of magic, any type of armor etc. I can be an assassin, soldier, mercenary, thief, vampire, etc.  

I don't know, it's like Final Fantasy, I consider these games quasi-rpgs (except the MMO versions), because the way I build my team will almost always be different then other people, but it is still the same characters, same story. Witcher sort of falls into the same category for me. But that is just my opinion.

 

Faulkner

Brilliant Game and Fantastic Review!!

Gretelda

a fitting score. this game is epic and every RPG fan should try it.

"Visually, the Witcher 3 is an absolute treat. Though there’s some chatter on the ever-annoying internet about “downgraded graphics”, I dare you to play or watch any bit of Wild Hunt and not be blown away by the world these developers have created."

this is beyond some chatter. many of those that talk about downgrade, love the game and still love CDPR. doesn't mean we are not allowed to talk about the downgrade. which itself is not the problem. almost all multi platform games are by default, downgraded which is fine it is business. the problem lies with how CDPR handled it. the way they championed PC and denied downgrade right till the end then after launch admitting it. even GoG and Steam pages are still using fake screenshots of the game.

a reminder that this is not a hate post. Witcher 3 is probably my GOTY and i love many other aspects of the game. doesn't mean i just blindly accepts anything cause CDPR.

PS since MMORPG.com is reviewing non MMOs i suggest adding Story and Characters in the categorizes you score cause it is even more vital now.

 

 

Sovrath

Originally posted by JDis25

 

So basically every action adventure game is an RPG then? There should be a line and the Witcher walks along the edge of it. While I admit many SP action adventure games have RPG features such as upgrading certain skills over others;the hero, and their abilities are the same, the gameplay is essentially the same. To me Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, Diablo, Path of Exile; these types of games are RPGs. You design your character, you pick the "class" you can choose different skills, your actual "role" is unique etc.

The most RPGish element in Witcher is the amount of options and choices in dialogue, which I do find impressive but... If I can bring Skyrim into this, I can basically be anything. I design my character, I can use any type of weapon and specialize in it, any type of magic, any type of armor etc. I can be an assassin, soldier, mercenary, thief, vampire, etc. 

I don't know, it's like Final Fantasy, I consider these games quasi-rpgs (except the MMO versions), because the way I build my team will almost always be different then other people, but it is still the same characters, same story. Witcher sort of falls into the same category for me. But that is just my opinion.

 

Well, name some action adventure games and we'll look at the role play elements.

While Skyrim is a great game and I am still playing and modding it I can't really say it's a great role play game. You apparently think it is because you can "be anything you want".

for me, being anything I want means nothing if your choices have no meaning. There aren't really a lot of meaningful choices in Skyrim and not a lot of them are fleshed out in any intelligent way.

In The Wticher 3 you are playing as a charcter, you are stepping into a "role' just like any actor would.

In a game such as skyrim there isn't much of a role there but that's understandable becuase the story telling elements are weaker.

You can become the head of the mages guild if you do some jobs for the mage's guild. Doesn't make sense really. Heck, I have a character that joined the mage's guild that only has the starter spells. Doesn't make sense just because you did some work for them.

The bard's college is similar.

Your work in the civil war is shallow at best with the exception of the final city you siege where people will treat you differently. That's at least a plus.

Destroying Alduin doesn't get you much as far as recognition.

So yeah, Witcher 3 is an excellent role playing game because you are playing a role you have decisions people react to you. You may not be a thief or a powerful mage but that's not what this story is about.

If most actors followed your idea of "role playing" they wouldn't be doing many plays. Why take a role if 100's if not thousands upon thousands have already played it?

Well, to play it "your way".

Willy Loman dies at the end, no matter what. But it's how you play it that matters.

Velocinox

Why don't reviews ever include one of the most fundamental aspects of any game. How the player controls the character? In some games this is less of a factor but still influences the experience. In an action RPG like W3, DA:I or Skyrim the control scheme is instrumental to a seamless intregration with the character and the world.

And as much as I love the game, from its beauty to the deeper stories than DA:I or Skyrim to how the principle characters each seem three dimensional with their own needs, goals, and regrets. Even to how the main character has underlying hidden agendas that seemingly only he knows (I was talking to the peller after I got the goat back and I asked him some gray question about what the villagers need from him, and at the end the main character asked the peller if he could make a love potion... now who would that be for? Seriously, it begs all kinds of questions.) That all said, the control scheme drags me out of all that immersion with a screeching metal on metal cacophony of disillusionment.

Controlling Geralt (Gerald) is like trying to lead a blind, one-legged drunk. Combine that with the 'find the magic pixel' of looting or igniting lamps, or basically ANY interaction with the environment and it's a lesson in frustration as he stumbles, wheels around aimlessly, or jumps and face plants into the climbable wall he is standing next to instead of... you know... CLIMBING it.

Not to mention the horrible camera distance for third person is close enough for first person without the benefits, but not far enough away to get a real fee for the surroundings. The absolute worst compromise between first person and third with no way to adjust it. Throw in some good old fashioned camera angle hijinks and I'm often left wondering where the enemies are. (Yes, you can lock on, but in multiple mob fights that loses awareness of the other enemies.)

The worst part is if the game wasn't so freaking awesome in so many other respects I could just put the game down, but every time I play it I have to grit my teeth at the horrible hybrid computer/console control method. Witcher, you started as a computer game, remember your roots.

Distopia

Originally posted by JDis25

The Witcher 3 is a great game, and definitely an improvement to Witcher 2. It's more of an open-world action adventure game if you ask me. Some key reasons it isn't an RPG.

 

You can only play as Geralt

You can only use one weapon.

You have the same 5 spells.

Your Geralt is basically the same as my Geralt.

 

This would be similar to games like Assassin's creed, and Batman: Arkham City in which you can sort of choose slight differences and focuses on what you want to specialize in. But I wouldn't consider it an RPG. I do like how there is multiple endings, and that is + on player choice, still wouldn't really consider it a true RPG though.

Is it really all that different than many Jrpgs (FF especially), games like KOTOR, Mass Effect..etc..? To me it isn't. In all of those you play a pre determined character where you shape their decisions.

hinge645

My main complaint is the so called open world. There may be no loading screens for buildings and such but anytime you wander too far off the designated area you are stopped with an annoying message to turn back followed by the map opening so you can do fast travel.

Open world means open. No barriers. It still has barriers.

I'm an explorer. Let me explore. If I wander too far and get raped by some nasties then so be it. I'll learn the areas to avoid.

Keyboard control of Geralt is my second complaint. When running you often have to estimate your stopping position as your character coasts to a stop rather than just stopping.

Lastly the "face things to interact" is a huge pain because of the above issue with movement. You often find yourself doing a little dance just to get Geralt to face the thing you want to interact with.

Other than that, its a great game. I'm really enjoying it.

Tibbz

Hands down one of the best RPGs ive played in quite a while.  I have played Witcher 1/2 and this is leagues better (even though those were fantastic).  Not getting into the debate of this is not a RPG similar to the sandbox user defined arguments it is a MUST get for any gamer.  Even the side quests are engaging and i never find myself ignoring the dialog to get a collect x quest.  Fantastic gameplay, content, story, sound challenge and world.  Control needs some polishing as stated though.    

Don't forget Gwent!  One of the best mini games out there!