The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3 is probably the best open-world RPG ever made, but it still falls prey to some of the genre’s worst traps.

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"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is an action-packed fantasy RPG that lets you explore a vast, war-torn continent as Geralt of Rivia, a monster slayer and Söldner. Your mission is to find Ciri, the Child of Prophecy, a powerful entity that could change the world. The game features updated next-gen graphics, a new photo mode, and additional content inspired by the Netflix series. Immerse yourself in a rich story with intense combat and deep character development.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 231,179 reviews

story37,407 positive mentions

stability1,515 negative mentions

story
79,758 mentions
47 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and intricate character development, following Geralt of Rivia on a quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri, amidst a backdrop of political intrigue and supernatural threats. Players appreciate the game's rich narrative, where choices significantly impact the storyline and character relationships, making every quest feel meaningful, whether part of the main plot or engaging side missions. The expansions, particularly "Hearts of Stone" and "Blood and Wine," are noted for their exceptional storytelling, often rivaling or surpassing the main game, and contributing to the overall immersive experience that keeps players invested for hundreds of hours.
- “The storytelling is phenomenal, and it’s clear that a tremendous amount of care went into crafting this world.”
- “The expansions add depth to the game, with 'Hearts of Stone' delivering a haunting, character-driven tale, and 'Blood and Wine' offering a vibrant new region, Toussaint, alongside a more lighthearted yet equally engaging story.”
- “The main story is a well-written and emotionally resonant tale of family, loss, and redemption, while the side quests are often just as engaging and rewarding.”
- “Love the worldbuilding, but having to know the lore, and the story being influenced by it, was a pain in the ass.”
- “My only complaint really is the ending of the main story is very rushed and half-developed, but the rest is so good.”
- “The main story also moves very slowly as for a long time you’re on an endless quest of searching for ciri.”
graphics
19,539 mentions
64 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" are widely praised for their stunning quality, even years after its 2015 release. Many players note that the visuals still hold up remarkably well against modern titles, especially with the recent next-gen updates that enhance textures, lighting, and overall graphical fidelity, including ray tracing capabilities. While some users report performance issues and graphical glitches post-update, the game's art design, detailed environments, and character models continue to impress, making it a visually captivating experience.
- “With improved visuals, quality-of-life enhancements, and all previously released DLC, the complete edition is the definitive way to experience Geralt’s journey.”
- “The game's stunning visuals and attention to detail bring this world to life, making it one of the most immersive gaming experiences ever created.”
- “The graphics in The Witcher 3 are breathtaking, with highly detailed environments and realistic character models.”
- “The graphics are a bit outdated compared to newer games, but they still look beautiful.”
- “The graphics hold up remarkably well for a game released in 2015, but they are starting to show their age.”
- “The graphics are decent for a game that came out in 2015, but they don't compare to modern titles.”
gameplay
18,915 mentions
47 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its immersive world, engaging story, and rich character development, while others criticize its combat mechanics and repetitive gameplay. Players appreciate the depth of the RPG elements, including crafting and alchemy, but some find the combat clunky and the horse mechanics frustrating. Overall, while the game excels in storytelling and atmosphere, the gameplay can feel dated and lacks the fluidity seen in more modern titles.
- “This edition offers hundreds of hours of gameplay, blending a gripping narrative with rich world-building and immersive exploration.”
- “The gameplay in The Witcher 3 is incredibly deep, combining exploration, monster hunting, and engaging combat.”
- “Its storytelling, world-building, and gameplay mechanics make it an unforgettable RPG experience.”
- “However, when it comes to gameplay, I'd rather just sit in a tavern and play Gwent all day rather than engage in the many slow, boring, and unfun mechanics that this game has to offer.”
- “Gameplay is basically a clunkfest of dodge and spam a button, no thought behind it and the spells are basically just the same with only one being different.”
- “The gameplay is so bad and I've tried to get into it multiple times.”
music
7,388 mentions
56 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt* is widely praised for its exceptional quality and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. Composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz and featuring elements of Slavic folk music, the soundtrack is noted for its haunting melodies and dynamic compositions that adapt to various gameplay scenarios, from intense battles to serene exploration. While some players mention occasional repetitiveness in the tracks, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's status as a masterpiece in the RPG genre.
- “The soundtrack, composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz, blends Slavic folk elements with orchestral compositions, creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that enhances both exploration and combat.”
- “The soundtrack is a standout—arguably the best in any game—perfectly enhancing every moment, from epic battles to quiet exploration.”
- “The music, the combat, the atmosphere, the story, characters, and world-building of this game are incredible; I would even call them perfect.”
- “I hate absolutely hate the music in this game.”
- “The music is so gloomy, I get sleepy sometimes.”
- “The soundtrack can become repetitive after a while and the game still has some bugs that could have been fixed with more recent updates.”
atmosphere
2,303 mentions
61 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is widely praised for its immersive and richly detailed world, enhanced by stunning graphics, a haunting soundtrack, and dynamic weather effects. Players appreciate the unique atmospheres of different regions, from the dark, gritty swamps of Velen to the vibrant landscapes of Toussaint, all contributing to a deeply engaging experience. The game's ability to evoke a range of emotions through its environment, character interactions, and storytelling solidifies its reputation as one of the most atmospheric games ever created.
- “The soundtrack, composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz, blends Slavic folk elements with orchestral compositions, creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that enhances both exploration and combat.”
- “The atmosphere, aided by the enhanced visuals, pulls you into the world in a way that very few games manage to do.”
- “The game's atmosphere and attention to detail are breathtaking, immersing you in a world brimming with life and mystery.”
- “For a world rife with war, famine, and death, there are moments where the visual style feels too clean or too fantasy-romanticized, missing the opportunity to dive deeper into a more visceral atmosphere.”
- “The high point of the game are the opening cinematics which create a sense of urgency and a world hanging precariously on the brink, but it's all downhill from there and the atmosphere quickly fizzles out to nothing.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and packed with realism.”
optimization
2,089 mentions
37 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The optimization of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" has received mixed feedback, particularly following the recent next-gen update. While many players praise its overall performance and ability to run smoothly on a variety of systems, others report significant issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and poor performance with ray tracing enabled. Despite these concerns, the game is often noted for its stunning graphics and immersive world, with some users successfully achieving good performance through various tweaks and settings adjustments.
- “Performance has been tuned to perfection, with smoother frame rates and quicker load times, even on high-end systems.”
- “The game is very well optimized and will run quite well even on lower end modern machines and is very stable - in my 200+ hour run I only encountered a couple of minor bugs or glitches and not a single crash.”
- “The optimization is fantastic as well; frame drops & stuttering are practically nonexistent and the vram usage is simply impressive; at ultra textures I am yet to ever see the game exceed 3gb of vram, and often it doesn’t even hit 2.”
- “I have a pretty powerful gaming PC and I still face performance issues like minor stuttering from time to time.”
- “But it's poorly optimized, so don't expect to get too many FPS on max graphics, especially if you turn ray tracing on.”
- “The next-gen update was an improvement and got me into the game again on Steam, but performance issues and a lot of bugs have been fixed since the launch of the update.”
emotional
1,987 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is widely praised, with players highlighting its deeply engaging storytelling, complex character arcs, and the weight of moral choices that resonate long after decisions are made. Many reviews reflect on the emotional rollercoaster experienced throughout the game, with moments of joy, heartbreak, and introspection, particularly in quests like the "Bloody Baron" and the relationships between Geralt and characters like Ciri and Yennefer. The game's ability to evoke genuine emotional responses, from laughter to tears, solidifies its status as a masterpiece in narrative-driven gaming.
- “Its blend of emotional storytelling, complex characters, and vast exploration sets a standard few games can match.”
- “The story of Geralt's quest to find Ciri is filled with emotional moments, complex characters, and morally grey decisions that significantly impact the game's outcome.”
- “By the end, 'Blood and Wine' not only provides closure to Geralt’s journey but also grants players a deeply satisfying and emotional farewell, complete with a vineyard estate for Geralt to retire in—a rare and touching gesture for an RPG protagonist.”
- “A depressing and frustrating experience with a boring story, bland quests, and an empty open world that makes you wanna close the game after 5 minutes because even staring at a wall is more exciting.”
- “If at any point I get to points in this game where I feel like it validates itself, I will change my review accordingly, but for now, the actual game feels like a boring story with clunky game mechanics and a lot of confusion.”
- “Eventually you might just find yourself skipping most of them out of boredom, which is sad, since this game has few other really strong areas that are let down by dull gameplay and boring storytelling.”
stability
1,694 mentions
10 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" has received mixed feedback from players. While many report a generally smooth experience with minimal game-breaking bugs, others highlight persistent issues such as occasional freezes, glitches, and performance drops, particularly with the horse mechanics and during cutscenes. Despite these drawbacks, most players find the minor glitches to be humorous rather than detrimental, and many appreciate the ongoing updates aimed at improving stability.
- “Great story lines, great dialogue, visually pretty, pretty much bug free.”
- “The game is great, runs great, but it's a little too open world for a game that's all about story.”
- “Incredibly polished, smooth, and bug free.”
- “10-15 sec lag after dialog and sometimes game freezes.”
- “Game ran fairly good for the most part, but I think it crashed about 5 times throughout my playthrough and there were some minor bugs and glitches here and there, especially towards the end of the game.”
- “It's so buggy it's fairly disappointing given its several years old and on its 4.04 release.”
humor
1,559 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is widely praised for its clever writing and engaging character interactions, often blending dark themes with lighthearted moments. Players appreciate Geralt's dry wit and the amusing side quests, which range from absurd to heartfelt, creating a rich tapestry of comedic relief amidst the game's serious narrative. While some bugs and glitches add an unintentional layer of humor, the overall dialogue and character dynamics are highlighted as standout features that enhance the gaming experience.
- “If you’re looking for a game that will have you laughing, crying, and questioning your life choices, look no further.”
- “The dialogue is top-notch, filled with wit, humor, and emotion, and the voice acting brings every character to life in a way that few games manage.”
- “The writing is masterful, deftly balancing moments of wit and humor with poignant reflections on love, loss, and the human condition.”
- “And he says it several times during the story in a monotone voice and it is supposed to be funny.”
- “Or the joke is just not funny and the quest is just tedious.”
- “It's not funny to make jokes about women's waistlines as part of a quest.”
grinding
1,517 mentions
2 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
70 % negative mentions
The aspect of "grinding" in the game has received mixed feedback from users. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of side quests that often feel engaging rather than tedious, some express frustration with the repetitive nature of certain tasks and the need for extensive grinding to level up or gather resources. Overall, the game is seen as having a manageable level of grinding, with many players finding it enjoyable and rewarding, though some aspects, like inventory management and certain quests, can feel tedious at times.
- “The loot and crafting is the best I've seen from an RPG, as it is deep but not tedious to find the materials you need.”
- “Witcher 3 has no grinding.”
- “Fantastic story, side quests that aren't grindy, well-written characters, it's all there.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The pathfinding mechanic using scent or tracks becomes tedious from the first time, and I just don't understand why the developers started and continue to include this boring element in their games.”
- “The sheer volume of side quests and points of interest can be overwhelming, but many of these activities feel like tedious fetch quests or filler content rather than meaningful additions to the world.”
replayability
1,423 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The replayability of "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is widely praised, with many players highlighting its immense value due to branching storylines, multiple endings, and a plethora of side quests that encourage different playthroughs. While some players note that certain quests can be permanently failed, limiting their replay potential, the overall consensus is that the game's depth and the impact of player choices provide a compelling reason to return for multiple runs. Additionally, the presence of a robust modding community and the New Game+ feature further enhance its replayability, making it a standout title in the RPG genre.
- “The replayability is incredibly high, with multiple endings and a wide range of side content.”
- “The game’s replay value is high, thanks to its multiple endings, expansive world, and deep narrative branches that encourage replays.”
- “With its impressive narrative depth, high replayability, and gorgeous world, it stands as one of the greatest RPGs of all time.”
- “Certain quests can be failed if the right conditions are not met, and those quests are not replayable.”
- “The replayability is low, in my opinion (as with most RPGs), but you can make meaningful choices in the story, but it is still the same general storyline.”
- “The game is great, but I imagine, once I have finished the main storyline, and maybe visiting other DLC storylines, outside that there isn't much replayability.”
character development
926 mentions
54 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
Character development in "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is widely praised for its depth and intricacy, with players noting that even minor characters are well-crafted and contribute significantly to the narrative. The game allows for meaningful choices that impact relationships and story outcomes, creating emotional connections with characters like Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend character arcs with immersive storytelling, making each decision feel consequential and enhancing the overall experience.
- “The narrative is complex and mature, offering morally gray choices and rich character development that make each decision feel consequential.”
- “With its immersive storytelling, sprawling open world, and deep character development, it captured the hearts of players and critics alike.”
- “The character development is exceptional, with well-crafted NPCs adding depth to the rich lore.”
- “Characters are so flat and there are hardly any character development at all.”
- “The story drags on forever too without gaining any momentum or seeing any character development and it seems the slow pervy shots of naked people are there for to cover this up and add some excitement back in there in the cheapest way.”
- “The character development is limited to a handful of stale ability trees.”
monetization
246 mentions
10 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
39 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising the absence of microtransactions and loot boxes, which are often seen as detrimental to the gaming experience. Instead, the game offers substantial free DLC and two well-received expansions that add significant content without feeling like cash grabs. However, some users expressed frustration with an intrusive launcher that includes ads, which detracts from the otherwise consumer-friendly approach of the developers.
- “There are no microtransactions to detract from the experience, allowing you to fully immerse yourself without additional costs.”
- “The amount of content you get for money is astounding; there are no microtransactions, cut content sold as DLC, or any of that. You get the full game without having to spend a penny more.”
- “In a time where developers are shoveling incomplete alpha games with microtransactions in our faces at AAA title prices, CD Projekt Red is proof that the future of gaming is a bright one.”
- “Annoying launcher with ads, also trying to nudge you to create an account regularly, instead of accepting that the customer already paid for the game in the first place!”
- “Overall, fun game, just ruined by schemey cash grab types and execs at CDPR looking to scrub for your personal info and sell it.”
- “The game is great, but it's really just an advertising campaign for the real game.”