The Witcher 3

Time for a game of the year review, introducing Witcher 3.

The story, which is the central point of this RPG, where you are once again thrust into the role of Geralt of Rivia. He is not the usual blank state we usually receive, he is pragmatic and world weary and most people already love/hate him. As you play through his personal, fairly relatable story (once you strip the fantasy away) you realize that the choices you make may lead to completely different conclusions, but masterfully all choices presented are all in character. By that I mean, whether to spare a scumbag’s life to suffer or kill him in a quiet indignant rage, these are both things you can see Geralt do and do not throw you out of the experience (looking at you L.A. Noire).

With the amazing ensemble of character’s you meet are very personable and all fit in nicely with the lore provided. From love interests to close friends, and even villainous enemies, all seem just right for the world conjured around you.
Speaking of the world, the map is packed. You have 1 (1½?) mini locations, and 2 regular places to go (Not including DLC). These maps are huge, with collectibles worth collecting, monsters and bandits aplenty and contracts to collect in the small villages around the place. The collectibles can be ingredients for alchemy or armour schematics which is how you’ll improve your character outside of levelling. You have 2 main areas which beautifully contrast, the luscious land of Novigrad and the harsh islands of Skellige. It is an absolute pleasure to explore everything here, though keep an eye out for monsters, as some are too tough for you to handle and you will get flattened unless you are the pinnacle of witcher greatness.

Character skills are fantastic, I ended up playing majority of the game as a lightweight swordsman, who dabbled in signs and alchemy. As I progressed through the game I must admit I starting leaning towards alchemy because quite frankly it is possible to be ridiculously powerful. The beauty is that all are perfectly valid playstyles, I’d recommend playing though a couple of times and purposefully play differently each time.

In terms of gameplay, initially I found that button mashing could see me through but that notion is quickly beaten out of you after the prologue. It looks like a button masher but you aren’t winning many fights that way. A cautious and deliberate approach tends to work best. Movement can be changed from normal to alternative. I’d recommend alternative for beginners as it is more responsive and arcade-y. Normal movement is slightly more sluggish but realistic. Riding Roach is easy, though he can get stuck at weird obstacles. Thankfully Roach can explain this if you get the DLC, which is as much reason as I need to get it.

Graphics are bright, colours are vivid which is a nice break away from the shades of brown and grey that Middle Earth: Shadow of War put me through. Features are sharp, and textures are detailed. So no complaints on the graphics front, although controversially I don’t think they are hugely important compared to gameplay.

Hints and tips, some advice from me:-

– Lore is fun but not important so don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy the game.
– If your dead set on Alchemy, it’ll benefit in the long run to kill every monster you meet.
– In terms of game breaking, if you get a max skill on the dodge and master the timing (which is fairly forgiving) you can’t take damage mid-dodge.
– Alchemy skills can make up any deficiencies you have in your playstyle but this is for a more patient player.
– Witcher gear is amazing and you should always look to wear it, but don’t be afraid to swap it out for better gear until you can upgrade the witcher stuff. Monsters won’t care and will try to maul you no matter what you look like.
– Early on, invest in the sign that help your conversations. This nets you extra XP and makes you feel like a Jedi.
– Upgrade Roach, the horse can hold extra gear for you. Also practice combat off him, it is tricky but if you can manage it then you’ll feel like a Lord of the Rings hero. Also one hit kills for the win.
– Keep an eye on your weapons condition, make sure it doesn’t break with kits or a blacksmith.
– Money is important, convert it at a bank! Also try and be frugal with it, upgrading gear takes some cash.
– Contracts and quests will come with level advice; this is pretty accurate. I found the room for error to be about 5 levels lower on easy but on the harder difficulties it is spot on.
– Also random monsters have recommended levels, better to run and live most of the time. Thankfully Roach can outpace them all.
– When it comes to Skellige, you have to get there by boat. I’d recommend going there as soon as you can, as a lot of quests are level specific and if you out level them too much then you get negligible XP. Get to Skellige then fast travel between the 2 areas to max out your XP potential.
– Beware there is a chance that you cannot look at unicorns the same way after a playthrough.