The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
The Witcher comes to the Playstation and what a memorable journey. Geralt and his story have never been told to this perfection. The world is alive and the creators of the game went to extra lengths to work out pacing, the world's environment and wonders to a point no other RPG has ever done before. The Witcher III is an all-time great experience that will be talked about for generations.
In the Wild Hunt you play as Geralt and you are tasked to find your adopted daughter Ciri. Ciri, however, is not a damsel in distress. In certain sections you get to fight as her with distinctive powers. Throughout your journey you ride the country side with your trusted horse Roach who you can someone with a simple whistle. The environments are breathtaking and the developers made it a point for you to steer of course to enjoy the sights. What is so compelling is the realism of how the towns look and overall world of the Witcher. All terrains are a sight to hold, from destroyed villages to snowy mountaintops and lush green forests, the Wild Hunt shines like no other.
The characters you meet along the way breathe life into Geralt's tale. Never before has interactions with NPCs make you care so much as to what becomes of those people you meet. The detail put in to the interactions and the voice acting are a new high in video games. Characters from previous installments make appearances as well but you do not have to stress if you did not get a chance to play previous titles. The developers give enough information through the interactions Geralt has with these individuals that it feels seamless. Topics from politics to the unnatural are touched about in a way that makes you drift to the lands Geralt visits and wish you were right there with him.
Lets focus on a strong point of Geralt's interactions, the women in his life. Yes, Geralt is able to romance a few women but its the strengths of some of their characteristics, instics and persona that stand out; Yenefer and her smart personality and mother-like affection for Ciri, Triss and her can do attitude and woman appeal, and Ciri who is a really strong fighter and daughter like character to Geralt. These women give out powerful performances and I wish games would be made about their adventures. There are also countless characters that are just so appealing that bring strong performances to this play.
Gamewise, Geralt wields two types of swords which you can select by either pressing left or right on the cross button. Geralt could also use magic and you can increase the potency of his magic by acquiring skill points throughout the world. You then have a skills tree that gives you option what you want to improve through alchemy. The alchemy in the game is massive.There are so many herbs, monster pieces and other necessities needed to create concoctions that you can spend hours doing field work which can be a great game in itself. Armor and swords can also be created through synthesis once you purchase the items or find stronger recipes through exploring and finding hidden chests or treasures.
As mentioned earlier, the voice acting is so well done that you can feel that you are watching an oscar winning film (this game is better than most movies). Geralt's inhuman emotion is portrayed to a tee but his humanity shows when needed and when it does he is believable and sympathetic. Ciri's resolve is also a strong acting performance as so are the acting from the rest of the cast. You cannot just talk about the voice acting without mentioning the music. Each melody fits every single locale and moment that helps bring drama, tension and love to the Wild Hunt.
Graphically, the game is gorgeous. Its vistas and detail to everything from towns to mountains, wildlife and characters and the overall artistry is unmatched. The facial expressions and movements are spot on. Everything is so real. The world is beyond believable. Even the details of the monsters are top notch. Weather effects are done nicely and you can spend hours just strolling around taking in the world in its ever changing day settings. A sunrise and sundown have never felt so wondrous.
The only gripe I had with the game is that sometimes you can die from a small fall. You fight beasts and human enemies throughout the adventure besting them but a 10 foot fall would kill Geralt off. Like Assassin's Creed you sometimes can get stuck against an object and you have to go around or jump away. This issue was mentioned because no game is perfect. I can attest that the movement of battles are pretty smooth for the most part and riding your horse is fluid and fun. The menu screen is also easy to navigate. The controls are mostly well done.
After finishing The Witcher III I can safely say that this is automatically the game of the year and one of the best RPGs ever made; it is an instant classic. The story of Geralt's search of his beloved Ciri and the decisions you make along the road make a huge impact on worldly events. Never before has politics been placed ina game that did not feel like a hindrance. Fighting monsters was a joy as it is also a plus when they look so good. The music was vert beautiful and evoked a feeling of awe as you got to the end of the story. The only thing I can say as a negative is that the story came to an end. This game is a masterpiece and I wished it continued on in a never ending narrative. You do not want to miss Geralt but this will be a memory of joy when you think about his latest adventure. The Witcher III is beautiful and its setting is what a fantasy tale should be. Side quests meant something. They were not added just to fill a void. They all tied to a particle part of the country side or the game as a whole. Wandering around rewarded you with great extras. Finding weapons and concoctions were a good reason to keep exploring. The Witcher III will be talked about and praised for years to come. Long live Geralt the Wolf.
Score: 9.7
Pros:
- Beautiful looking world
- Great soundtrack
- Great cast and acting
- Geralt is just such a great protagonist
- Perfect story and end
Cons:
- Annoying falls that lead to cheap death.
Update!
The Witcher III won 5 awards in 2015. List of accolades:
2015 Game Awards
1st Place - Overall Game of the Year
1st Place - Best Graphics
1st Place - Music/Sound
1st Place - Best RPG
1st Place - Best Story
2nd Place - Best DLC (Hearts of Stone)
Reviewed by: Dark Knight Squall