Random Recommendations Ep2: The Witcher Wild Hunt

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By chance, I happened to cross paths with the Witcher. What at first felt like a game to kill time with eventually turned to one of my absolute favorite games of all time. I will state that this game takes some time to really get into. I stress, a while, but once the climax draws near you'll wish it wasn't over. It has been a long time since I played a game that had characters I genuinely cared for, characters with depth and charm. I dreaded the end game, what fate would befall these storied characters. Why do I strongly recommend this game? I'll go into details below, but the biggest reason... this is the end of the Witcher. The last game. While I can't recommend the other games (as I have not played them) I must recommend this one.
People
Even with this being the third game in the series, it does a fine job of placing the context and details as the become necessary. It's genuinely clever and well written. Though the numerous exotic names and terms in story may be difficult to keep up with at first, it does not damage the experience. Only enriches. There is a real understanding and realized perspective in this narrative; a simple farmer runs in terror at what he describes to be a 'shimmering sheet of water standing upright' and when you investigate it's merely a portal. Of course a simple peasant who has never dabbled with magic would have no clue about portals. The characters you come across are dynamic, fun, and memorable. Quite honestly, we should also give thanks to the source, this is based off of a Polish book series after all. :D
Choice
A few characters you'll come across are literally two faced; they have their own agenda and they are willing to use you or others to get their work done. Trust is something that should not be thrown about in this world. Simple situations you happen upon unfold in surprising ways making you really think on how you should take action. The Witcher effectively creates a 'grey' world with no obvious good or bad choices. Of course there are those moments that present themselves where you KNOW what you're going to do... though the game may continue to surprise you with the weight of your choices when you least expect it. It's impressive to have made some difficult choices and after putting in so many hours, meet an old face and realize what good or bad has come from your actions. It's not punishing, it doesn't condemn you for poor choices, rather it feels like a living world where not everything will have a pretty story book ending. Choice is actually interesting.
World
I'm sorry Bethesda, but CD Projekt Red just raised the bar... higher than I ever expected. It's true, most people say the world is something that needs to be played to fully realize. The Witcher has a lush decorated and full world brimming with expansive stories and adventures. The landscaping is beautiful and varied. The trees shake and move with the wind, storms feel powerful as you hear branches snap when they shake violently. The variety of colors and green is actually very impressive, how many different types of trees, grass, plants, etc etc that can be seen in one area makes it feel far more real. Now what's a world without character? The Witcher has to be one of the ugliest and depressing worlds out there. Understandably not like desolate grim world of Dark Souls and the like. The setting is a fantastic place to create a lot of 'grey' areas as I mentioned earlier. You venture in a land that has just been invaded and captured by a neighboring country. People are forced to abandon their colors and now serve a new ruler. Those who refuse are hung and displayed on the various roads with posts forbidding anyone to remove their corpses. Women leave their homes and bawl, men are choking and coughing from illness. It's pretty much what a medieval world should be like. Far from romantic. Aesthetics aside, this world has quite a lot worth exploring and I'd highly recommend hunting for unique Witcher armor sets as they can lead to some really unique areas.
Geralt the White Wolf
I will have to say this, I must admit... Geralt is sexy. I don't think I could ever say that for damn near any video game protagonist I can think of. His voice seems generic and overdone at first, it took me a while to warm up to it. The actor does a perfect job actually, as Geralt is literally almost emotionless. (I'll get into that in a bit) He's calm, stoic, but not devoid of personality. Stoicism can be hard to pull off but this guy nails it both in tone and in facial animation. There are subtle changes in his expression, almost unnoticeable but at intense moments you can really feel this statue of a man wrestling with his emotions. Geralt is a Witcher. Witchers are people who are physically altered to hunt and kill monsters. It's a harsh path to become a Witcher, and the more you learn about it, the more you learn to respect and revere these characters who overcame the impossible. Geralt had undergone the most mutation during his training, the results dulled his emotions and greyed his hair. He is not emotionless or uncaring, he simply can't show it like a normal person would. At this point in the story, he is nearing a hundred years old. The world has changed around him and the time of the Witchers is nearing it's end. There are only a few left. There will be no more. He is as many say a relic of an old age. I found Geralt to be an incredible character. Now I'll be delving into the books to read more about this storied White Wolf.
A Simple Wrap Up
Ha ha, I honestly feel like I can write about this for days and never get my point across, if you made it this far, than FUCK YEAH, I hope you're interested in this game. This is a game I can keep playing, one I'm also aiming to play all over again even after having spent an accumulated six days playing. I love fantasy, it's always been a great escape for me, but this game is leaps above any Elder Scrolls I've played. I am greatly looking forward to it's expansions, altogether adding another thirty hours to an already heavy game. There is even an in game card game that is actually pretty damn impressive. After all this time I just got started in it and now I found another avenue to explore. :D This is a game that flat out keeps giving and giving. There is so much to see, to explore, to DO. It never felt like playing another 'fetch quest' like damn near every fucking quest in Elder Scrolls. I guess the only time it did was when I had to find someone's goat... but that was adorable. So, give the Witcher a chance, give it some time to grow on you, by it's end, you'll be amazed at how far the story goes, all the places you'll venture. The one mission with Avalacc'h is something I'll never forget. Purely fantastic. I greatly look forward to whatever else this company puts out. They did ALL of this in three years. Fucking masters at work.

Check out some of the excellent trailers too.


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KenJ91's avatar
Have it on PS4 (which gaming platform your playing it?), I'm still at early parts of the game, don't know how long it is. Difficult at times but as you said it's absolutely beautiful looking and so is story, that also happens to have lot of sex scenes.:P Thought scalies should have been in that game too (for the sex scenes).X3 Hopefully I end up loving it.