GameSided’s Top 10 Game of the Year 2015 List

GameSided Game of the Year 2015 – #1: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

205 points (one 1st place vote, one 2nd place vote, five total votes)

Developer: CD Projekt RED

Publisher: CD Projekt RED (Distributor: Warner Bros. in North America)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt may be the definitive version of any open-world action-RPG we’ve seen so far. The conclusion of Geralt’s story within this realm sees Geralt bring an end to the Wild Hunt while entertaining the varying factions of the world as a for-hire, magically infused hunter known as a Witcher.

CD Projekt RED spent their time crafting an excellent world to explore, one that feels lived-in and full. Small towns are littered throughout the countryside, each with their tale to tell. Monsters are tailored to their locale, coming in an out of hiding based on the time of day. The world is so expansive you have to take boats and ride on horseback to explore it all without the basis of fast travel. The Nordic-inspired countryside is so beautiful that traveling its expanses feels just as rewarding as the game’s combat.

There’s so much to do in The Witcher 3 that you can get lost in the side quests alone. Gwent offers a rewarding card-based gameplay system that even blends into questing and romancing options. Small towns throughout have Help Wanted post boards that are complete with varying tasks and quests to accomplish. That’s all before you even get to the combat, which boasts a symbiotic reliance on switching up combat swings, parrying and magical abilities. The crafting system brings depth and complexity in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming, but just.

It all adds up to a complex world that deserves all the praise it receives. The free DLC, which includes story quests and a New Game + mode, in addition to story expansions, proves The Witcher 3 brings a universe worth going back to, time and time again.

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