Wow, what an epic and fantastic year 2020 was....well it probably was in an alternative universe but here it sucked ass. Everyone has been affected by COVID in some way and even typing the word sends shivers down my spine. Feeling everything creeping in around me I needed a reliable escape and after nearly fives years decided to play Witcher 3 again - this time it was the Game Of The Year Edition with all the downloadable content.
There is nothing better than roast dinner, its reliable, hearty, and - depending on how much you consume - healthy-ish. Over the Christmas period, I had days and days worth of roast dinners. Did I get sick of eating so many of them? Nope. Playing Witcher 3 I found myself was there almost too much game and was it as good as a Christmas roast dinner?
Story
The Witcher series does not do simple when it comes to storytelling - it is filled with politics, revenge, espionage, war, romance and monster slaying. Geralt is a mutant - a skilled fighter with two swords; steel for humans and silver for monsters, on top of that he can perform small amounts of magic referred to as Signs. Witcher 3 sees Geralt trying to find Yennfer his love and Ciri someone who was his ward and like a daughter to him. Things are never simple for Geralt and he will have trade blows politically and physically to get her back. The main storyline is excellent, the side missions are even better. Helping out people who are looking for loved ones, sorting out disputes, helping people get back their land and even some more unusual deeds.
There are two large DLCs for Witcher 3 - Blood and Wine, and Hearts of Stone. The Blood and Wine DLC is set in a brand new area of the game and is clearly inspired by the French with the new area being called Toussant. It is a story filled with wine, lots of it, along with a mysterious assassin, royalty, oh and did I mention, wine. A really solid story that I dare say is better than the main game story itself. Hearts of Stone focuses on a deal with the devil of sorts, partying with a devil, talking cats and dogs and living paintings. The story is many ways in more heart wrenching than any other in the game and is a solid example of CD Projekt Reds commitment to not just phone it in but to really create something new and special.
Overall the main story, side missions and the DLCs are amazing and I would be hard-pressed to think of a game of this size and magnitude that does it better.
Visuals
For a game that has a few years under its belt, it really looks amazing and being honest it puts a few more recent games to shame. The cities in the game look old and grim and tell a story of downtrodden people, back-alley dealings, and other much darker elements. The villages in some ways are a breath of fresh air, open country farmland, animals and something resembling peace if not a hard life - although still, waters run deep. Where the game shines visuals is the open world, the vast lands, mountains and wooded areas. The enemies, especially the monsters, have a lot of unique designs that make monster-hunting all the better.
That all being said the Blood and Wine DLC leaves the rest of the visuals in the main game in the dust. They are fantastic, the buildings, artwork, vineyards, animals, it is just breathtaking and once again shows CD Projekt Red going above and beyond to create fantastic content.
Overall the game looks amazing and I would be really curious to see a little upgrade in the visuals to bring it more up to date. I genuinely feel if this happens few other games will be able to stand above it.
Music
- The Trail
- Commanding The Fury
- Silver For Monsters
- 4. Whispers of Oxenfurt
- Cloak and Dagger
- Forged In Fire
- Drink Up, There's More!
- After The Storm
- The Song Of The Sword Dancer
- The Hunt Is Coming
- Back On The Path
- A Story You Won't Believe
- Fanfare and Flower
- For Honor, For Toussaint
- Wine Wars
- On the Champs-Desoles
Overall a magical and powerful soundtrack that I never got tired of and may even feature some of it myself and Noll's wedding in 2021 (we're having a fantasy RPG themed wedding).
Gameplay
When I say there is a lot to do in The Witcher 3 it is an understatement. The world is huge, the story is huge and the gameplay is no different, I will do my best to try and summarize it all.
Fight, fight, fight! Naturally, there is a lot of killing to be done, roll, sword attack, use a sign to set someone on fire, roll again, throw a bomb. That is just a snapshot of what is involved in combat. The system works pretty well and while the lock-on targeting system is not always 100%, it works well the majority of the time. Everything can be upgraded if you have enough coin and materials. There is a levelling up system that is one of the most satisfying I have experience in a long time. The levelling is steady, every time you level up and upgrade an ability you genuinely feel more powerful and is extremely rewarding.
Need a break from the main story? No problem. There many people who need your help and are willing to pay for it; some are simple, while others take time and patience. There are treasure hunts, quests for new witcher gear, and of course witcher contracts so take down troublesome monsters terrorizing the locals and threatening their livelihoods.
Sick of swords? Like boxing? Got you covered. There are opponents big and small waiting to be defeated to you can be crowned champion - lots of fun and a great way to make coin. Horse racing is another great past time as long as you have the right upgrades for your horse. One of my favourite card games of all time is in this game - Gwent. It's not only about playing the game but also battling to win cards and then getting others from merchants, tavern owners and some unexpected people. It is so much fun and has such a following a stand-alone game was created from it.
Overall the gameplay is really good bar a few glitches, there is so much to do and none of it ever seems to be boring or a waste of time and the DLC adds even more including a home for Geralt and his trusty steed Roach to stay in.
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