RPGWatch - The Witcher 3 Review

I am finding that the no loading-screens aspect and design of the world gives me a feeling and atmosphere that I have not really felt since the first Dungeon Siege, when I already marveled at going from a big outside area through enormous dungeons and then out the other end. I can hardly believe it's all connected and streamed without breaking the immersion.

I've also played the game for 25+ hours now and I have no idea where that time went. I usually get distracted rather easily these days. I guess everything just adds up to an experience in which you can easily lose yourself.

Bonus: I just found my first boat after emerging from a dungeon and found a small island nearby with a underwater treasure hunt. I don't think I've ever see such a nicely hand-crafted, beautiful and seamlessly above/under water area in any game…
 
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One thing that many haven't mentioned, is that the loading time (from a save file or death) is amazingly fast for a huge open world game like this. Much faster than PoE, which to me is rather surprising, and a big change to how slow CDP's earlier witcher games were to load. I only wish that I could skip through the cartoons at the beginning, which slow things up considerably if there is much recapped.
 
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SteveTownsend said:
I am finding the same issue as mentioned here regarding the sheer volume of quests rapidly moving me past the point where I should be doing the story. I think I may try completing the story at the quideline levels and then going back to replay, ignoring the story and just, well, being a Witcher. Has anybody tried this?

But heck, what a game this is. Thanks for the hard work that went into this review. Now get some sleep.
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I did this:

A bit of the main story.
Explore on my own.
Witcher or treasure quest or two.
Gwent.
Gwent.
More Exploring.
Side quest
Gwent.
More side questing
Back to the main story.
Back to exploring.
ETC.

I saved a lot of the main quest until I had done my fill of side questing, exploring etc.

Though I did have to track down the girl of my dreams Triss.
 
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DArtagnan said:
As well as a completely different setting, different scope, different combat system, elaborate crafting system, item modification system, advanced CCG, underwater exploration, choices and consequences, magic system, dialogue system with influence options, dungeons, and so on.

Yeah, it's exactly the same game, really :)

RDR is a fantastic western game - but it's tiny in comparison to Witcher 3 - and most of the optional content is generic and repetitive. Dialogue happens in cutscenes with no choices at all. Witcher 3 has a shit load of hand-written optional content on a much higher level than anything RDR could hope for - and every conversation has multiple choices, and many with multiple outcomes.

It's superficially similar in some ways - and at the same time completely and utterly different.

With all that said, I get that it's fun to pretend it's GTA or RDR - because you can somehow belittle it by saying that. You must have said it at least a dozen times already - and you're just dying to get a negative reaction out of a fan.

That's your thing and it's fine :)
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I honestly have to ask what is wrong with you? You think I mentioned those games as a slight, when both those games are quite good, the presentation of the world is done in a similar way, which was my point.

Play GTA, the mission/quest layout presentation is very similar, obviously the setting is different as well as the inventory system and other systems, but it does play in the same vein. I like the game a lot and have been playing it…it's not some perceived slight that some of you weirdo's are trying to twist it into being.

If you like the witcher 3 and haven't played those games, I am willing to bet you would find them quite interesting. Obviously they are not really at the same depth of inventory system, but they do have a basic leveling system etc.
To be honest Dart, this is the usual crap from you. If anything, this shows your ignorance of the games in question.
 
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Thrasher said:
Did you explore everything doable in Velen before moving on?
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No, I did everything possible in White Orchard.

Once in Velen I spent sometime there, saved enough money do pay for the trip to Skellige. After that I was all over the place, spent a evening just exploring Kaer Morhen areas and cool loot.
 
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CDPR made a grand game. Those three Crones. Goddammit, like they popped-out right from my childhood nightmares.
 
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The Witcher series has one big advantage over other games:
It's based on a great book series with memorable characters and an interesting fantasy world. I recommend to read the books.
 
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rune_74 said:
I honestly have to ask what is wrong with you? You think I mentioned those games as a slight, when both those games are quite good, the presentation of the world is done in a similar way, which was my point.
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There are likely many things wrong with me, I don't think we have the time to go into that :)

Yes, they're both open world games - and they both have established open world game features - like maps and optional quests/content. That's where it ends, pretty much.

Play GTA, the mission/quest layout presentation is very similar, obviously the setting is different as well as the inventory system and other systems, but it does play in the same vein. I like the game a lot and have been playing it…it's not some perceived slight that some of you weirdo's are trying to twist it into being.
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I've played them all, and I can't see anything except superficial similarities. One game is an action/driving game made up of shallow repetitive content and a linear story with non-interactive cutscenes - and the other is a meaty RPG of staggering scope with complex systems and C&C.

If you like the witcher 3 and haven't played those games, I am willing to bet you would find them quite interesting. Obviously they are not really at the same depth of inventory system, but they do have a basic leveling system etc.
To be honest Dart, this is the usual crap from you. If anything, this shows your ignorance of the games in question.
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I do find them interesting. But I also have eyes and a brain, which means I can see how different they are.

But if you prefer to consider a sense of reality the same as being ignorant - then I'm fine with that.

We all see things in different ways :)
 
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DArtagnan said:
One game is an action/driving game made up of shallow repetitive content and a linear story with non-interactive cutscenes - and the other is a meaty RPG of staggering scope with complex systems and C&C.
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But…they both have icons on the map! ;)
 
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Thrasher said:
I only wish that I could skip through the cartoons at the beginning, which slow things up considerably if there is much recapped.
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It's not been an issue for me, because the loading has always been longer than the cartoon intros so far (I assume the game is loading while it's playing them). I suppose there are people with faster loading times and have to spam the space bar. The game doesn't show a skip button prompt when it's done loading while still playing the story recap, then?
 
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I think the whole dumb discussion stems from how people play both games. As in, look at map, see nice icon, drive/ride over to icon, get quest, do quest, look at map, repeat. In that regard, they can feel similar… if you play both games like that.
 
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Thaurin said:
I think the whole dumb discussion stems from how people play both games. As in, look at map, see nice icon, drive/ride over to icon, get quest, do quest, look at map, repeat. In that regard, they can feel similar… if you play both games like that.
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If you miss what actually happens during quests, dialogue, exploration, level-ups, crafting and combat - then sure :)

They're similar games on the surface because they're open world games with free-roaming and they have maps.

But you might as well say Arkham City is just like Skyrim if you use that logic.
 
DArtagnan said:
But you might as well say Arkham City is just like Skyrim if you use that logic.
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Well, I wouldn't know as I haven't played Arkham City. If you can run around the city on your way to the next quest and get distracted by a nice cave on the way so you forget all about your quest, then yes. :)
 
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Thaurin said:
Well, I wouldn't know as I haven't played Arkham City. If you can run around the city on your way to the next quest and get distracted by a nice cave on the way so you forget all about your quest, then yes. :)
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The setting is different, but it's an open world with freeform exploration and optional content. It also has a map with markers you can explore at will and set waypoints.

You also have quests and hidden objects.

You also have combat and progression.

You gain access to new gear as you progress.

You also have a main quest you can focus on, if you choose.

Yeah, it's the same game as Skyrim :)
 
You forgot to draw reference to Thaurin's ignorance Dart, not only are you slacking, you're becoming senile with loss of memory and direction! :kitty::faq:
 
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