Game Review: ‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” is the final entry into the saga that began with 2007’s “The Witcher.” And it shows: with this game, developer CD Projekt RED went all out, giving us an enormous, seamless world to explore, deep role-playing and combat mechanics, and Ciri, daughter of series protagonist Geralt.

 

But there’s more to “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” than its mystifying sense of scale. At its core, it’s a tale of humanity amidst hardship, of happiness snatched from the jaws of tragedy. And it’s one you’re not likely to soon forget.

 

 

The hunter and the hunted

 

You are the witcher, Geralt of Rivia: a hardened warrior who butchers monsters for money. Your exploits have taken you to bloody battlefields and made you the target of powerful forces. But nothing has prepared you for this. As the prophesied child of the Elder Blood, your surrogate daughter, Ciri, is a living weapon capable of bringing about the end. Pursuing her is the Wild Hunt, spectral riders known to be portents of doom, and who leave only destruction in their wake. Will you find Ciri in time to save her? Or will darkness engulf all?

 

From the start, “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” sets itself up as a more personal story – one thankfully populated by intriguing, well-written characters. But this seemingly humbler tale gradually grows in scope as the stakes rise. A plague of suffering afflicts the lands, and whether or not you turn a blind eye to it is your choice. Just remember that those choices have consequences, some of which are immediately recognizable in the way they alter the environment. Others are more abstruse, and will only make themselves known towards the game’s climax.

 

Your ability to influence people’s stories goes a long way in making you feel that you’re an inextricable part of this world. It’s a feeling that’s both powerful and frightening. One thing is certain, though; it grants you a sense of immersion few other role-playing titles have achieved.

 

 

Built for killing

 

Playing a part in the evolution of this virtual realm means dealing with its inhabitants both human and non-human.

 

To witchers, monsters are dangerous beings incapable of reason. They come in two forms – non-magical and magical. For wolves and bears, a steel blade will do the trick; but for wraiths and hags, you’ll need silver. In addition to melee weapons, you can snipe enemies from afar with your one-handed crossbow, or chuck a bomb at them for a variety of explosive effects.

 

Combat in “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” has been streamlined. It is now more fluid and natural, making for exhilarating battles.

 

Melee attacks come in powerful but slow and quick but weak varieties. With precise timing, they can be chained together to create combos, and can even culminate in a brutal coup de grace. Geralt’s defense game consists of dodging and rolling, as well as a parry that can connect to a riposte. He’s not a big fan of shields, but he can create one using magic.

 

Speaking of magic, spells in “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” come in the form of “signs.” There are five types available to him, from a telekinetic assault that blasts opponents off their feet to one that can temporarily control minds. You can mix them up with your melee strikes in combat, or they can be used in less life-threatening situations, such as when you want to light a torch or force open a door.

 

Geralt’s alchemical skills are nothing to scoff at, either. Imbibing potions provides him with buffs, such as improved health regeneration or the ability to see in absolute darkness. There’s one caveat – potions are poisonous, so they must be used judiciously.

 

All your skills, from the offensive to the exotic, can be upgraded by spending points on skill trees. You can’t make Geralt invulnerable to all damage, but you can raise his tolerance to potion toxicity, give his magical shield the capacity to absorb and reflect damage, and enhance his reflexes. You can make him a more lethal warrior or a better spellcaster. The character customization possibilities are legion. And if you’re unhappy with Geralt’s current build, he can quaff a potion that resets his ability points for reallocation.

 

 

A realm sundered by turmoil

 

Geralt will need to put those skills to good use if he wants to right the wrongs of a world ruled by malice. Racial tensions are high. Many personal tales of woe are to be found in the human settlements dotting the continent and its outlying islands. Somewhere, a woman is being battered by her husband. Elsewhere, an old man is hoping for the return of his missing son. Suffering is endemic in these regions, and you will feel it as keenly as a knife in the chest.

 

Monsters are at the center of many misfortunes. Outside inns, Witcher Contracts are posted on notice boards, offering a price for every murderous beast slain. Most quests climax with a battle against the most powerful creatures you’ll encounter.

 

Quest variety is one of the game’s strong suits. While you can expect the done-to-death fetch quest every now and then, you’ll also be busy with territorial conflicts, murder and missing person investigations, horse races, and collectible playing card competitions. Some of the most exciting sequences even have you playing as Ciri.

 

Aside from quests, you’ll be traveling from one end of the world to another collecting items, dismantling bandit camps and monsters nests, and discovering sights of power. In “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,” you’ll never want for activities; there are so many things to do it’ll takes you hundreds of hours just to unearth every secret treasure and participate in every event. Simply surveying the world map – crowded with points of interest as it is – is staggering.

 

And what a massive open world it is, uninterrupted by area segmentation and loading times. Whether on horseback or on foot, you’re free to roam anywhere. You’ll be watching the sunrise from atop a mountain, wading through the murky waters of a haunted bog, or sailing across turbulent waters to the Skellige Isles. The amount of freedom you have to do as you desire is mind-boggling.

 

It helps that the game is visually splendorous, crammed with detail that breathes life into the world. Grass rustles in the wind. Crumbling walls are crawling with vines. A ferocious storm is ravaging the countryside. Unpleasant sights, such as corpses hanging from a tree, or ghouls feeding on the dead on bloodsoaked battlefields, evoke a visceral disgust often reserved for genuine adversity. The monsters are particularly well-done, ranging from the enigmatic, forest-dwelling Leshen to the repulsive Botchling – a pathetic creature born from dead babies.

 

 

The hunt begins

 

As Geralt of Rivia, you are an agent of change in a vast, living world – one that’s a confluence of the beautiful and the hideous, the cherished and the obscene. There is nothing about it that is unmemorable. Add to this a supply of wonderful characters, robust combat mechanics, and a multitude of ways to customize your experience, and “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” becomes a title unparalleled on almost every level.

 

What better way to end one of the finest role-playing game trilogies of all time?

 

Rating: 9/10

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

 

— TJD, GMA News