It's been an amazing year for Geralt of Rivia - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's grizzled lead. The final instalment in CD Projekt Red's gritty trilogy deserves to be right up near the top of any Game of the Year list, and not just because of its overall quality; this is a title that's practically bursting with passion from a truly committed developer.
Set in a land that's rife with danger and dark dealings, this sprawling role-playing release is utterly engrossing from start to finish. Boasting an impressively detailed open world that acts as more of a vehicle for the many twisting and turning storylines that flow through it, Wild Hunt ends up feeling more focussed than its competitors in the sandbox space. Put simply, Geralt's journey is almost all killer with very little filler - and that's something of a rarity when it comes to this crowded genre.
"Geralt's journey is almost all killer with very little filler - and that's something of a rarity when it comes to this crowded genre"
Superb writing, voice acting, and plot pacing help to keep each and every quest engaging. The game sets the bar for what we should expect from similar releases, with very few stereotypical tasks or dreaded fetch quests hogging all of your time. Of course, stuffing a game with so much meaningful content is no easy task, and for that reason, the sheer amount of effort that the Polish studio has poured into this project should be lauded.
Unashamedly mature in its approach, Geralt's blood-soaked escapades certainly aren't for the faint of heart, but their often brutal nature only serves to make them that much more memorable. This is a game where many optional objectives end up becoming just as enjoyable as tasks that are found within the main story, and that's once again testament to how much care has been applied during the title's development.
Throw in some satisfyingly weighty combat, an addictive levelling system, and a whole lot of loot, and you've got the recipe for one heck of a fantasy adventure. Speaking of fantasy, it's perhaps a little disingenuous to lump The Witcher in with other titles involving dragons, trolls, and magic spells. With a world that's taken directly from a series of novels and short stories from writer Andrzej Sapkowski, Wild Hunt in particular makes fantastic use of existing knowledge, adapting it into something that can be understood and appreciated by both hardcore fans of the property and complete newcomers.
The same can also be said of how Wild Hunt makes itself accessible to those who may not have played the first two titles in the series. Being the first game in the franchise to release on a PlayStation platform, it came with expectations that were built high due to past praise from PC and Xbox players, and what we got is ultimately the complete Witcher package - an RPG that stands head and shoulders above its already solid predecessor.
Something that grizzly old Geralt is fond of doing, let's cut right to the chase: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best RPGs we've ever played.
Did you have fun killing monsters in 2015? Does The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt deserve all of the praise that we've given it over the last seven months or so? Neck some deadly potions in the comments section below.
Comments 39
Booooooooo!!!
Ok, on a realistic note, I'm not surprised that Rocket League and the niche Bloodborne made it higher, but c'mon guys, the Witcher 3 is am achievement in world building and story telling.
Well, as long as you don't put PS4 Journey at number 1.
its not first ????. never played rocket league might have to give it ago if it beat this
@Ash_uk1
I understand Rocket League getting the nod, it has a great hook and it's gameplay first mentality is refreshing.
Still, Push Square, in a completely self-righteous manner, I am disappointed in you!!!
Have to say this one was a bit of a shock was sure this would be either 1st or 2nd with Rocket League in a deserving 3rd place, I reckon Ramsey threatened to mutiny over this In all seriousness, amazing game, one of my favourite games of all time and certainly worthy of a top three placing
It was very close at the top; there was a significant points difference between The Witcher 3 and Fallout 4. I need to get back to The Witcher 3 at some point, because - while I certainly appreciated a lot about it - I feel like I'm the odd one out when I say I didn't really like what I'd played.
I thought the controls were very poor - though the movement has been patched since I played it - and the combat coming off Bloodborne was frankly awful, but maybe that's an unfair comparison. The biggest problem for me, though, is that quests people were raving about - like the Bloody Baron - did absolutely zilch for me. I think it's the fantasy that puts me off - the game's definitely dark, but from what I've seen I don't feel like its writing or art direction embraces it enough. But like I say, I've only played 20 hours, which honestly isn't a large enough slice to fairly judge it.
It's definitely a well crafted game, and like I said, it got very close at the top.
@get2sammyb
Well, considering the Push Square user poll, you are the odd man out.
I don't mind the fantasy setting at all, just the story lines didn't get me going. I found the quainter story of Divinity more compelling really.
This is my #1 and I feel it should have been higher than rocket league. Bloodborne wasn't my cup of tea but I understand why people love it. This should have been #2 if not #1. Rocket league was better than expected but I don't believe it deserved a spot higher than this.
But opinions!
@get2sammyb I feel like the combat in TW3 gets better as you level up and you're given more options. What you see is what you get in Bloodborne from the start, really.
That's it, I'm leaving!
@Hego Mutiny isn't the word - more like massacre.
Well, maybe after he gets past the first 15% of the game, he won't have such a negative opinion.
lol nah joking, please take me back <3 <3
But in all seriousness, Bloodborne would be behind this one at every twist and turn, even though I loved it a great deal. Story telling got nothing on the Witcher, the world is not as rich, and comparing the worlds and setting, you have a lot more variety in TW3.
BUT, combat in Bloodborne is an undeniable win over The Witcher. Then again, it is to be expected, as a trademark of the Dark Souls works.
Just to remind everyone of the website forums result;
Platinum: Witcher 3: 287 🏆
Gold: Fallout 4: 177 👑
Silver: Bloodborne: 153 👑
Bronze: Rocket League: 103 👑
Its a mutiny!!!
I would have Bloodborne and Fallout 4 as my top 2 in any order. Loved rocket league but didn't get hooked like everyone else. I have to go back to the Witcher as I did like it but at the time was severely burnt out in the when fantasy thing and didn't give it a fair shake. Been a great year when you literally have 5 different games that could be number 1. I would say RL, Fallout 4, Witcher, Bloodborne, Metal Gear, are all serious contenders for GOTY. I think most will give it to Witcher based mainly on the scope of the game. The only thing that put me off was the copy and paste towns and NPCs. Such a great year for gaming but for me 2016 is even better. NMS, Horizon, Last Guardian, Drake 4, FF15, Far Cry Primal, Eve Valkyrie, Mass Effect, R&C, to me all of these stand a chance to be a GOTY at this point.
Easily the best game this year and this generation so far. In my opinion, NO game even comes close to challenging this for the top spot.
I can see that Bllodbourne (a very Niche game but PS exclusive) and MGSv (a franchise that started out on PS) are likely to get 1 & 2 (unsurprising for a PS based site) and whilst both may be good games in their genre, I can't see how either are considered better than the Witcher 3.
The sheer size and beauty of the various places - from the varied buildings and busy Novigrad to the Viking inspired snowy lands of Ard Skellig and surrounding Islands. Visually this game is stunning - especially the vistas created by the setting sun. The world feels 'lived' in and alive as if everything carries on regardless of you. I like the way that if you clear an abandoned site, settlers move back in and remember you. The amount of dialogue recorded for this game is incredible too. It took me around 150hrs to reach the end and that didn't include doing all the fist fighting, horse racing or Gwent' missions or tracking down all the '?'s on the map. The fact that it has multiple endings and pathways also opens it up for replaying. Seemingly insignificant choices has some big impact too - there is no right and wrong as such but this or that choice and each has some consequences to some one or something. I played on a higher difficulty setting and found that to be challenging and yet rewarding too. Its not the main focus of the game but when needed, it works very well.
I think the Witcher 3 has set a 'standard' for this gen that so far no game even comes close to matching.
@BAMozzy
Amen, the Witcher 3 has its flaws, but it's without a doubt one of the best games of this generation. I beat it back to back, I doubt I'll ever do that again with a 100 plus hour game, but it shows how much I thought of this title.
Grab the pitchforks!!! We're taking a ride to England.
Sorry Geralt, but...
So I'm guessing this means Bloodborne is gonna take home the goty. And rightly so. If anything, the combat and gameplay are unmatched. The bosses, lore, music, atmosphere, the Old Hunters expansion...Bloodborne was the game of 2015, if not the game of the gen so far.
Bloodborne was not the game of 2015 according to the Push Square user poll.......
I mean don't get me wrong I enjoyed Rocket League but it is no way GOTY IMO. Unless we are talking PS+ GOTY.
I haven't played Bloodborne so can't really judge it.
Any news on if we will get DQ11 next year? Or the new Zelda?
I don't know about this choice. I mean Rocket League is a very fun game with friends and that's where it ends for me. On the other hand TW3 is probably the best game released so far this gen. Bloodborne is another fantastic game also. However I really don't feel it deserves to beat TW3 or Bloodborne to top spot. All in my opinion of course
@sub12 I put in over 150hrs on 'Blood and broken bones' difficulty and reached level 35 (I think) in the first 3 weeks (or so) until I reached the conclusion of the story. No other game got a look in, I looked forward to and couldn't wait to get back on and played until 'stupid o'clock' every night as well.
Even though I managed to complete all the main quests and side-quests (apart from the ones I mentioned above), the Treasure hunts and a lot of the points of interest on the map, I still feel that I didn't see everything.
I was constantly stunned by the breathtaking scenery - in particular the changing light and weather that the day/night cycle created. I loved the fact that if you revisited areas that you 'helped' they had changed and remembered your actions. I loved the way that the consequences of your actions were not always apparent but you could see that impact later in the game (if you returned or happened upon certain places. I loved the fact that characters that seemed horrid were not necessarily that bad and vice versa.
What CD:PR created was a very dynamic, complex world. Not only do we have the different political views of various humans and the way they react to the 'non-humans' but the beasts, monsters etc too. I love the way that sometimes small decisions can have massive consequences for either you or others because of these dynamics. Its not just about the combat or killing but there is emotional content as well as 'down' time - whether that's playing 'Gwent' or just exploring the world and 'treasure hunting'. The supporting cast are not 'fillers' or shallow either.
I must admit I never found the combat to be jerky or problematic. At higher difficulty settings, I needed to go in prepared for battle - equipping the right bombs, using the right sword, using the right magic - the beastiary was comprehensive and invaluable. You certainly can't just keep slashing and expect to win. Even though you play the Witcher predominantly for its 'story', I thought the combat was excellent and required more thought and preparation than a lot of other games.
I can totally understand why this won Game of the Year for so many people/shows/ceremonies etc inc The Game Awards and voted GotY by PushSquares forum users by quite a margin.
Whoa I didn't see that coming! Awesome, nice to see something different, as good as The Witcher 3 is. Fingers crossed for Bloodborne at number 1!
As I said yesterday The Witcher 3 was the finest technical achievement this year but it doesn't quite reach GOTY heights. For many it's a very easy game to give it GOTY because it's an open world game by a popular developer but despite the incredible work by the devs it has some issues. A lot of quests do rinse and repeat (meet quest giver, go to place where beast attacked, track beast then kill it) combat was clunky when it needed Batman Arkham's level of polish and finesse and from a story point of view, there was no real character development. Other then the Baron all the major characters were largely the same at the end then they were at the beginning.The Witcher 3 is a great game and does the whole open world fantasy genre far better then Skyrim ever did but it isn't a masterpiece, that game is Bloodborne.
I can see why Bloodborne will be Number One it nails everything, combat, atmosphere, world design, enemy design, music & lore. There is definitely no other game out there like it, after going back to Bloodborne with The Old Hunters I can safely say Bloodborne is one of the best games this generation. The Witcher3 is an excellent game but does have flaws like combat etc, but you do get used to the combat further into the game. For me it's a hard one as I love both games, but for me Bloodborne just about comes out on top as like I said before thay nail everything with Bloodborne, but both are outstanding game's.
If it wasn't in anyone's top ten they're a bit weird.
Tomorrow is my last day of work (I will be having a 2 week vacation) so I may finally try this one.
It takes a little while to get used to the combat in Witcher 3 but it's well worth it. I promise you it is not just the game of the year but the game of the generation. If you can afford it that little bit more patience you will be well rewarded. Which seems a bit of an ironic thing to say to those who loved Bloodborne so much.
Y'all are assuming Bloodborne and Rocket League made the top ten at all...
@get2sammyb my moneys on need for speed and the order 1886. You loved both of them!
@sinalefa you and me both - install it now!! There's an 18gb patch.
@ShogunRok That genuinely made me lol
@themcnoisy
Funny thing is that I already downloaded all the patches (25GB) but I haven't started it. These mammoth undertakings always require me to be in the right mood, reason why I haven't started Xenoblade X either.
And I even have Hearts of Stone, but I haven't downloaded that one.
@sinalefa The starts pretty cool, sets up the world Nicely. I played upto an inn and have already had a race down some ramparts, fought off a Griffin, learnt how to sword fight, looted a peasants house (he made some pig noise at me) played Gwent, threatened some drunks and rode my horse around. It all feels suitable and one experience rather than lots of individual mechanics like Assasins creed. Go play it!!
It's depressing that you would put a game of this calibre lower than Rocket League, I'm sure that game is a blast but let's be honest, Witcher 3 is basically the most well crafted game for years. I can accept Bloodborne at number 1 though, also brilliant.
This is depressing, i mean rocket league is really good but not a chance facing witcher, bloodborne is really great but still, i think witcher should be in the first place, then bloodborne, then rocket league. Oh n i sold my fallout 4, i don't think it deserve a place in the first 5 top games ever.
The Witcher 3 isn't just my game of this year, it's my game of many many years.
I'm surprised this isn't number one. It's an incredibly fun and well-done RPG. It's #2 on my overall list, behind only Splatoon. The graphics are incredible (probably the best I've ever seen as far as realism goes), the crafting system is fantastic, the combat has just the right amount of depth. I do own Bloodborne, and I don't think it can beat The Witcher 3 in a million years.
That all said, let me just throw my pet peeve out there: the story is really nothing to write home about. It's filled with typical fantasy clichés and dei-ex-machina which, together with the absolutely disproportionate power given to sorceresses, make it hard to take seriously. When it comes to gameplay, though,I stand by my opinion that I haven't played a single PS4 game that can touch it.
Tap here to load 39 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...