GameSided Game of the Year 2015 | Rebekah’s Picks

Rebekah’s Game of the Year – #4: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Good Lord, The Witcher 3 is huge. And I love it.

There are quests everywhere, and everything is beautiful, and I can pretty much go anywhere I want at anytime and focus on whatever objective I want, and most of it feels like it might mean something. While its main story is compelling in of itself, as Geralt searches for his adoptive daughter, Ciri through a world caught in political upheaval. Admittedly, having not played prior games, it was harder to connect with Geralt than it may have been for series veterans. So for me, the smaller interactions were somewhat more compelling, since they required no past commitment.

Then there’s crafting (which I found easy to grasp, apparently it was more difficult in previous games) and collecting (exciting but daunting, given the game’s scope) and combat (a bit too easy, except when it suddenly isn’t, but fun in either case). It is especially satisfying to down something huge, like a big ol wyvern, shooting it out of the sky and dancing with it on the ground.

I doubt I will ever have the patience and concentration to see every last scrap of what The Witcher 3 has to offer, and that’s okay. It means I can return whenever I choose to experience another little facet of Geralt’s story, and witness yet another gorgeous sunset with him from a tree-topped hill.

Next: 3 - Totally fresh!