“Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all.” — Geralt of Rivia
(A screenshot I took in Toussaint)
Yesterday marked the 6 year anniversary of The Witcher 3, so I decided to commemorate this jewel by writing a review on it. Not Spoiler alert: It’s just me fanboying over it.
I posted it on my website first: https://svishwa2005.wixsite.com/elekcktrasdigest/post/an-in-depth-review-of-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt
Intro
The Witcher 1 and 2 were cult classics, but their sequel blew the ball out of the park. The Polish company CD Projekt Red’s (CDPR) The Witcher 3 was released to critical acclaim on the Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch and is now compatible with Xbox Series X and the PS5. Not without reason, this masterpiece is claimed by many, including me, to be CD Projekt Red’s Magnum Opus. More than being the best game made by the Polish developer, it won Game of The Year and many more accolades. However, I believe it to be something more; it is one of the treasures of the generation.
Game Mechanics
The Witcher 3 is more than a hack and slash game; there are intricate mechanics like signs, potions, oils, bombs, and weapon types. The potions focus less on restoring your HP and stamina and more on augmenting your skills as a Witcher, thus paying homage to the lore. The oils increase damage dealt towards a certain type of monster or human (they are often the same). I expected something more complicated like poison effects or incapacitating enemies. That is where bombs come in; they deal damage, freeze enemies, blind people, and poison them, quite useful when Geralt is dealing with a group of enemies. However, these mechanics play second fiddle to your steel and silver sword, the staple of a Witcher’s trade. While some may complain about this balance, it creates a more balanced experience since Geralt feels less overpowered and gimmicky.
Speaking of combat, the swordplay is supremely satisfying, responsive and jaw-dropping. It takes a bit of time to get used to the counter system, but everything else is as easy as pie. Nothing beats the feeling of cleanly slaughtering a buffoon who thought that fighting The White Wolf was a good idea. Geralt puts this even better “Why [do] Men Throw Their Lives Away Attacking an Armed Witcher…I’ll Never Know. Something About My Face?”.
The enemies vary greatly, so fighting a griffin and a drowner are never the same. This encourages the player to observe the monster’s patterns and find an opening rather than going in headfirst with no plan. I find this approach more immersive since it places you in Geralt’s shoes as he only has one life and would not sacrifice it for a contract worth a hundred crowns.
These mechanics are simple enough for RPG beginners to pick up and deep enough for the average RPG player. However, experienced RPG players and longtime Witcher fans may be underwhelmed at the oversimplification of these mechanics from the previous games. After playing the earlier entries in the franchise, I wholeheartedly agree with the latter group. However, I feel that this shift was necessary to make it more available for a mainstream audience. Alas, there is no situation where no one wins, a central part of The Witcher 3’s take on morality.
Music
Marcin Przybyłowicz, Mikołaj Stroiński, and Percival did an amazing job with the soundtrack. Some tracks convey deep sorrow; others create excitement and the rest simply set the atmosphere for the game. The incessant lutes and drums remind the players of the Taverns of Novigrad while the vocalization and harps bring back memories of Skellige. These tracks are also unique to each region, so they capture the vibe of the place’s culture perfectly, be it the sound of Novigrad’s big city or the quaint villages of White Orchard and Velen.
The combat music is second to none; it hypes the player up for their dangerous encounter. It is also supremely satisfying to battle a pack of drowners while it feels like some troubadours are cheering you on. Furthermore, it pays homage to the lore’s Slavic origins while adding modern twists to keep the players engaged.
My favourite track must be “Geralt of Rivia” because it masterfully encapsulates Geralt’s journey as he reunites with Yennefer and Ciri, his family.
Graphics
Six years later, the graphics are still as gorgeous as they were in 2015. The sunrises are so vivid, the cityscapes are perfectly detailed, and the little objects have so much care put into them. For instance, some barrels have a weathered look whereas others do not. Speaking of cities, the cobblestones of Novigrad are perfectly shaded and give off a rugged atmosphere compared to the shining marble of Vizima’s castle.
Furthermore, the colours are eye-catching but not overly saturated to draw attention away from the narrative. If you still do not believe me, watch some 4k footage of the Witcher 3 and prepare to be amazed by its beauty.
Micro-Transactions
Fortunately, the Witcher 3 does not have any microtransactions, something I wish more single-player games implemented. Instead, CD Projekt Red uploaded free cosmetic and armour DLC; I love this dedication to their fanbase! Well, that comment aged like milk.
CDPR also crafted two amazing DLCs that I will review in another post. However, I can say that I am grateful that the developers put time into creating the masterpieces named Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine rather than pointless gear packs or time savers (Cough Ubisoft Cough). That topic belongs in another review, so I will leave it there.
Story
I could write an essay analyzing the storytelling in The Witcher 3, but I will save that for another day. Rather, the topic here is how CDPR weaves a narrative and not the content. The main story is essentially a wild goose chase for Ciri, Geralt’s adoptive daughter. But throughout the story, Geralt meets many new characters and helps them with their troubles in return for information about his daughter.
Here is where it gets interesting, these characters often have side quest branches of their own, like the Bloody Baron of Velen. These side quests are not your cookie-cutter fetch quests or assassination quests but are rather mini-stories for the player to indulge in. Think of it as an appetizer for the main story. But that does not diminish the quality of these stories, the Bloody Baron questline was quite possibly the best in the base game; it was certainly my favourite. It dealt with the complexities of love, marriage, anger, and destiny. More importantly, it highlights the core message of The Witcher 3 “The world is not black and white; it is made up of shades of grey”.
There are some difficult choices you need to make in these side quests, and they often have no impact on your ending, but can change how you perceive things in real life. This certainly happened to me. The narrative of these quests is noteworthy. CDPR does not hold your hand throughout by explaining everything you see. Instead, you need to rely on nearby tomes or your journal to discern the truth or hidden information. Furthermore, you can never predict what happens next. I was investigating this woman’s death when I found out that her husband, who transformed into a werewolf, killed her. On top of that, it turned out that the woman’s sister led her to the werewolf’s cave to kill her and steal the man for herself. This heart-wrenching and twisting story culminates with Geralt having to choose between sparing the werewolf or letting her get butchered by the werewolf. No matter what you choose, you will have to kill the werewolf. Thus, it all comes down to morality; Is it right for the werewolf to take another life or is it a form of payback? Either way, you are merely an observer in another person’s story and their conflict with ethics. This made me feel like a judge of sorts, but I doubted myself every bit of the way; That is the mark of a great story.
CDPR just makes it known that they are not messing around since this quest happens at level 7, quite early in your journey. The sheer perfection of some of The Witcher 3’s side-quests outdoes the quality and depth of other triple-A games’ main story. I found that the Bloody Baron questline was better crafted than the entirety of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey; One left me in tears and the other left me underwhelmed, I think you can discern the rest.
Word Building
The world-building is stupendous in this game. Each location in the Continent has its own story, be it something as simple as a bandit outpost or as important as the keep of Ard Skellig. Furthermore, each city’s ambiance, people, and way of life are completely different from one another. I loved how the timid farmers of White Orchard were the opposite of the rowdy warriors of Skellige. The different cultures changed my interactions and made me feel more immersed in the world since I knew that none of the locations were copy and pasted. The music played a huge role in the world-building as each area’s vibe and people affected the soundtrack; Novigrad’s trademark lute and tambourine were unlike the bagpipes and harps of Ard Skellig.
Furthermore, Velen and White Orchard had melancholic themes since they were just ravaged by the war. Speaking of war, that is one thing the Witcher 3 handles amazingly. CDPR does not beat around the bush by showing the glory of winning war, coming home to a happy nation, and feeling the pride of defending your community. Rather, they show war for what it is, a bloody, brutal, dishonourable affair. The Witcher 3 also focuses on whom war affects the most, the common folk. As I rode through the swamps of Velen and the fields of White Orchard, I was horrified by the bodies of soldiers strewn across the path. It was nothing like the heroism peddled about in fairytales. Oddly enough, I appreciated this realism more than I would have enjoyed false realities about war. While it made me feel disgusted at the evil nature of humanity, it instilled a sense of hope that everything will be ok in the future, a hope I am sure the peasants share.
3D Characters
Where do I start about the characters? They are fleshed out, with unique personalities, vivid costumes, and sheer depth.
Geralt is the best character I have ever played in a video game, and I played the Ezio Trilogy! He is charming, but not enough to be an annoying stud. When necessary, he tries to be suave, but his awkwardness often gets a hold of him. He sometimes must make hard decisions and is not used to their work out. But then again, this is something all of us face in this world where morality is becoming increasingly grey. I adore how CDPR created such a complex character plagued with faults, shortcomings, and questions about his choices. But Geralt always does what is right, which is hard to do for anyone, much less a Witcher.
Fortunately, CDPR did not focus entirely on Geralt. The supporting cast is a force to be reckoned with, with deep characters such as Ciri and Yennefer. Ciri is more than a vessel of immense power; She is just a girl who wants a normal life. Fate, however, does not share that view. This conflict manifests itself in Ciri’s introspective personality and unwavering tenacity to protect those she loves, like Yennefer. Yennefer is snarky but also very sweet as she shows in “The Last Wish” quest. However, her sardonic shell does not protect her from Geralt’s love. Rather, it feels like she and Geralt are two halves of the same person; something that resonates more if you read the books as I did. I appreciated this storytelling much more than the standard video game approach of unexplained romance that exists only to serve the player.
The pinnacle of these characters is easily the quest where Geralt, Eskel and Lambert carouse around like drunkards. Gone are their professional covers, they are just children at heart with goofy behaviour. CDPR does a remarkable job balancing the tone in this game, with comedic characters like Dandelion having heartwarming moments. The storytellers do not succumb to clichés by having a standard “comic” or a “dark and brooding” type; the characters are multi-dimensional with different emotions.
Racism
Racism manifests differently in The Witcher 3 and our world. The people of The Continent do not discriminate by skin colour; they discriminate against non-humans like elves and dwarves. I expected there to be a Tolkienesque harmony between the races, but all I encountered in The Witcher 3 was bitter hatred among both sides. As Geralt’s code demands, he stays out of these conflicts to his best capability. Yet, we still observe the effects of racism when Geralt is stunned by the violence against non-humans and mages in Novigrad. To make it more sickening, it is the religion and government of Novigrad that encourages this persecution of anyone different. Fortunately, freedom fighters like the Scotiatel exist, but they play a lesser role in this game compared to the previous two. However, these fighters slaughter all humans, not only the racists, so it brings up the question of whether they are taking it too far. This ties back to the perfectly executed idea of morality in The Witcher 3. Regrettably, no one has a perfect solution for racism in this game, but that does not stop both sides from battling it out regardless.
Sometimes, the elves do not want to be victimized and that makes reconciliation harder for everyone. In one quest, Geralt is berated by an elf for saving her from a group of racist bandits. I hoped to be profusely thanked for my heroic deeds but was instead accused of having ill motives like seeking a reward. Sure, I would have liked some compensation, but that was not why I helped. Furthermore, Geralt’s friend Zoltan experiences constant racism as a dwarf, but he carries on with his life by ignoring it or clashing some heads, usually the latter. By having someone close to the player be a victim, CDPR strengthens my repulsion towards hatred. This is certainly one knot to untangle, but the narrative makes it very intriguing to do so.
Improvements
The Witcher 3 is a masterpiece, but I have few qualms about admitting it. One gripe I have is that Eredin, the antagonist, is not properly developed. He appears in only a couple of scenes, and even then, he often does the same thing, killing people. Unfortunately, this limited narrative and exposure around him make for a poor villain. Often, I found myself questioning if I had any hatred towards Eredin. If only CDPR could have explained his motivations better, we would have had a more complex and genuine villain than just another “boss battle”. Fortunately, CDPR learnt from their faults by creating one of the greatest video game villains, Gaunter O’Dimm, in the Hearts of Stone DLC, but that is a story for another review.
My final complaint is that CDPR did not make a third DLC, perhaps The Witcher 4 will sate my desire; only time will tell.
Conclusion
It would not be an understatement to say that The Witcher 3 changed my life; I have tried to become more introspective as a result. I have come to embrace the grey morality of our world rather than struggle with it. It also opened my eyes to the truth about war and the idea of glory, changing beliefs I had since I was a toddler.
Unfortunately, finishing this game left me with a void in my heart. It is nearly impossible to enjoy any other game now that I have played this work of art. Maybe Red Dead Redemption 2 will soothe my heartache.
