*Full Disclaimer: this semi-review comes with “only” around ninety hours played on the base game and first DLC: Hearts of Stone, a far cry from a complete playthrough of all quests, points of interests, and items. Also, this list may have slight spoilers.
With both summer break and a brand new DLC (downloadable content) called Blood and Wine right around the corner, here are some of the top reasons why you should pick up Witcher 3 by CD Pojekt Red (Not a typo FYI):
1. It has great replay value.
Most choices you make during the whole game greatly affect the outcome and ending. With a plethora of dialogue options that may or may not alter game play, you are always constantly challenged to consider the moral consequences of your actions. For instance during a particular quest involving a family quarrel between an alcoholic father and his wife & daughter, if the player allows the wife and daughter to leave behind the abusive father, he will ultimately commit suicide. On the other hand, if the player forces a family meeting, the player will unintentionally cause a mass murder of children in a different area. Seemingly unrelated events may have relations that most players are unaware the first time playing through. Going back multiple times allows a player not only to choose different moral choices but also to re-evaluate decisions.
2. It has a seemingly human story.
Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt provides a vivid experience layered with human motifs despite being a fantasy game. In short, the Witcher 3 is a mature story filled with betrayal, guilt, and moral ambiguity arising from the complex decision making process. The characters and citizens in the world are grim, begging for even a sliver of hope in a war-torn world filled with monsters. Everyone across all the quests have a purpose and background influencing their choices and by extension yours.
3. Never ending map.
Seriously, the map is huge. If you try to go in a straight line through the whole map, it would take you hours (Trust me. I tried.). But, it's not all dead space. Away from the main road, exploration provides an outlet to any of the quests that may grow dull or require a higher level. Exploring not only awards you with better items but also supplies you with luscious stories of the people and their interactions.
4. The side quests are never boring.
Tying into the number 1 and 4, the side quests are where the game truly shines. Superficially, the quests are shown as mundane tasks of defeat this enemy or find this treasure. But spend even one second into reading, and you will be rewarded with a rich story. Every monster has its background regarding how it became to be and its previous relations with human society.
5. The game mechanics.
Of course. How can a game be discussed without mentioning how it flows. On the one hand, Witcher 3 implements older sword fighting techniques of other role-playing games namely the “hack and slash” techniques. But even this is such a minor flaw, as Witcher 3's implementation is solid and feels like an extension of your mind. Every slash or sign feels smooth and controlled. Witcher-3's complex system of armor, swords, bombs, alchemy, and character enhancements all serve to aid anyone person's play style. You could be a defensive tank finding the right moments to strike. You could be a sign expert using magic to deal with all kinds of enemies. The possibilities are endless. The enemies you face are as equally complex as their back story. Each different kind of monster has its own advantages ranging from teleportation to aerial damage. In particular, bosses generally have a background the player can explore to gain more information of its weaknesses only further adding to the complexity of the game's advanced mechanics.
