The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Is it truly the best?
Look, we know. We know that you think The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the best game in CD Projekt Red’s acclaimed RPG game series. We know it. We get it. We’ve seen the YouTube montages, the fanart, the cosplay, and the threads on Reddit, Discord, and Beyond where people talk about how much they love the game – and how much they love Ciri. And we agree. It’s a fantastic game. Immensely so. We played it for over 200 hours, after all.
But is it truly better than The Witcher, the first game that kicked off the series back in 2007? Or are people – including us – just blinded by nostalgia? We asked fans of the series to explain why they think The Witcher 3 is the best, and why they think it stands above the rest.
The graphics
“The graphics are stunning,” one fan says, “and are an improvement in every aspect over the previous titles in the series.” From the sunsets to the detailed environments, The Witcher 3 is a visual treat, and there’s no doubt that it pushed the limits of what the PC of that time could offer – something only matched by Cyberpunk 2077.
While some fans of the first game mention the graphics being dated, others call it a significant improvement in gameplay, as well as an expansion of the beautiful world of The Witcher.
The atmosphere
The Witcher 3’s sound design is a large part of what makes the game immersive. The howling wind, the sound of your horse’s hooves on the road, and the beautiful music all add to the world of The Witcher and the sense that you’re part of something greater.
The atmosphere is also created by the story itself. Part of what makes The Witcher 3 so compelling is its depth and complexity. The writers at CD Projekt Red do a great job at keeping you invested, and lead you down paths you don’t expect – something fans of the books will know is a strength of the series.
The side quests
Many side quests in The Witcher 3 are expansive, with their own lore and interesting characters. The Witcher 3 gets even better with the two expansions, with many fans calling Hearts of Stone a masterpiece. The second expansion, Blood and Wine, is also praised for its engaging story.
Some fans of the first game mention that the quests in The Witcher 2 were more interesting than in the first game. Others mention that they have failed quests due to unclear instructions or timing issues. However, the vast majority of players praise the storytelling and world-building in The Witcher 3.
Others
While some fans note that The Witcher 2 greatly improved on the initial gameplay mechanics of The Witcher, others mention that they had to get used to them.
