The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Developed by CD Projekt RED
Published by WB Games
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Reviewed by Brian M. Sammons
The newest game based off of the dark fantasy series of books by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt….
Get it.
(drops the mic and walks away)
Now sometimes I watch, read, play something so damn good that’s how I want to review it. It seems like such a no-brainer to me that everyone should get it, I’m at a loss as to what to say. But hell, I’m paid the big bucks (ha) to review stuff, so I guess let’s get too it. But yeah, if you want to save some time, just get this game. It’s freaking amazing.
Still there? Okay…
If you’ve never played the two previous games, or read any of the books, then let me give you the quick bio. Geralt of Rivia is a witcher, a warrior and member of genetically-altered monster hunters that ply their trade in a fantasy world for coin. Very mercenary, witchers walk the gray line between being a hero and being feared and despised by the very people they save from werewolves, vampires, trolls, ghosts, various other undead things, and other creatures of legend and folklore. To give them an edge in their constant battles with supernatural creatures, witchers aren’t born, they’re made. As children they are forced to undergo harsh training and magical mutation that gives them yellow cat-eyes, enhanced senses, and a deadening of emotions so that they don’t feel fear, or much of anything, as deeply as others. Armed with their signature two swords, one made of steel for the killing of the usual fantasy races such as humans, elves, and dwarves, and the other one being silver for all the monsters they hunt, they do sure stand out in a crowd, and with Geralt’s trademarked prematurely gray hair, he’s even more unique.
What sets the Witcher stories and games apart from the usual fantasy fare is their adult nature and dark themes. These are not written for kids, far more like George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (a.k.a. Game of Thrones) series than J. R. R. Tolkien and the like. Here you will find lust, sex, bloody murder, political intrigue, the dark side of the human condition, and yes, plenty of monsters. There are lots of examples of that in this game, one that stayed with me was the mission to stop an undead creature born of an unwanted fetus that is now attacking mothers and suckling from them in the night. Yeah, no fairies, dancing fools in yellow boots, Keebler-like elves, or other cutesy elements sometimes found in fantasy, this is dark stuff, folks. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of Butterbeer, then you might want to avoid this game. That said, The Witcher 3 is more than doom and gloom. It is a bright, beautiful, colorful, and vibrant with some of the best looking graphics to come out for next gen consoles yet. It is also laugh out loud funny at times. If that’s not enough, it is also packed with hours and hours and hours of sword-swinging adventure. If you are one of those gamers that want a lot for bang for your buck, then you will find that this game is banging. The combat system is fun but not overly complex and there’s plenty of gear to find and make for all you loot whores out there.
So the game is beautiful, rich, and there’s a lot to do without ever getting bored. Hell, I didn’t even mention the in-game collectible card game that you can play, or not, as you see fit. In all ways this is a great game, and surprisingly, so is the team that made it. CD Projekt RED not only made a huge, sprawling, open world full of missions, side missions, countless colorful characters and frightening monsters, but they keep adding to it with new missions, weapon and armor packs, and outfits. And all that can be downloaded for free. Yes, in this day when almost every other company strips things out of games so they can then sell them back to you at a premium in an attempt to nickel and dime you to death, The Witcher 3 is giving you more stuff, all the time, for free. Combine that with how good this game is and, like I said at the start, get it.
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is a great game. Even if you’re not into the whole sword and sorcery thing, I’m betting you’ll like it. There are strong horror elements here for fans of that genre, as well this being one of the best detective games ever made. Yeah, no fooling, Batman Arkham Asylum and L.A. Noir have nothing on Witcher 3 in that department. If I gave number ratings here, this would be a 10 out of 10. Is it perfect? No, there are tiny bugs here and there, but all the checks in the positive column far outweigh the few in the negative column. So yeah, in closing, Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt – get it.
