For the longest while, I always put off this game after the first initial questline in Velen because I could not figure out how to progress after the initial stages. However, I gave this game an another shot early last month and I finally beat it today. The Witcher 3 is regarded as one of the greatest games of the last decade with a lot of critical acclaim attributed to it to this day. However, does the game really live up to that hype or is it overhyped slop??
I'll start with the negatives first. The mission structure is lame as hell in general as it usually involves running to location x, maybe collecting something or killing a monster and running back to where you started. Now this wouldn't be a problem if the gameplay was anything above average. I don't think the gameplay is that bad. I personally played RPGs with unfun or bullshit combat (looking at you Xenosaga 2) but the Witcher 3's combat is not fun or anything to be impressed by either. Controls are weird, there isn't much variety in combat besides swordfighting, spellcasting (I wish there were more than 5) and other minor gimmicks. The exploration kind of sucks as well as a result of gameplay being so lackluster.
That being said, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives. The world in the Witcher 3 is beautiful and extremely detailed, which is honestly really impressive for a 2015 game. It feels like every part of this world was given a certain amount of polish from the streets of Novigrad to the mountainous landscapes of Skellige. The music also gives authenticity to this world and immerses you in. There are some really great tracks in this OST. I think the strongest part of this game has to be the writing. The characters in this game are really likable and well-written, the questlines' writing pull you right in and the story is also excellent. If I had to recommend one reason to get this game, it's 100% the writing.
In conclusion, while I don't think the Witcher 3 is a masterpiece or anything, it is a very good game that I'd recommend anyone to give a shot, especially when the game is on sale which it often is. I heard the DLCs are even better but I'll check those out another time.
I'll start with the negatives first. The mission structure is lame as hell in general as it usually involves running to location x, maybe collecting something or killing a monster and running back to where you started. Now this wouldn't be a problem if the gameplay was anything above average. I don't think the gameplay is that bad. I personally played RPGs with unfun or bullshit combat (looking at you Xenosaga 2) but the Witcher 3's combat is not fun or anything to be impressed by either. Controls are weird, there isn't much variety in combat besides swordfighting, spellcasting (I wish there were more than 5) and other minor gimmicks. The exploration kind of sucks as well as a result of gameplay being so lackluster.
That being said, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives. The world in the Witcher 3 is beautiful and extremely detailed, which is honestly really impressive for a 2015 game. It feels like every part of this world was given a certain amount of polish from the streets of Novigrad to the mountainous landscapes of Skellige. The music also gives authenticity to this world and immerses you in. There are some really great tracks in this OST. I think the strongest part of this game has to be the writing. The characters in this game are really likable and well-written, the questlines' writing pull you right in and the story is also excellent. If I had to recommend one reason to get this game, it's 100% the writing.
In conclusion, while I don't think the Witcher 3 is a masterpiece or anything, it is a very good game that I'd recommend anyone to give a shot, especially when the game is on sale which it often is. I heard the DLCs are even better but I'll check those out another time.