Feature: Three Reasons Why You'll Love Exploring The Witcher 3's Massive Open World on PS4

It may seem like a while off yet, but trust us when we say that it won't be long until you're travelling the countryside as the grizzly Geralt of Rivia. Poised to be the PlayStation 4's first truly open world RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is beginning to look like the real deal, featuring branching storylines, brutal combat, and, of course, an absolutely massive map for you to explore. Developer CD Projekt Red is no stranger to making great games, but The Witcher's third instalment will mark the series' first appearance on a Sony console, and so we thought that we'd put together a few reasons as to why you should be looking forward to jumping into this gritty and downright gorgeous adventure.

It's a world that you'll want to explore

A lot of open world or sandbox games don't get it quite right when it comes to tempting you into exploring the nooks and crannies. Most are content with simply stuffing the map full of collectibles, or peppering it with dozens of optional activities – but neither solution captures what exploration is really about: discovery. The Witcher 3 seems to understand this, and while you'll often be rewarded for straying from the beaten trail and investigating areas that just happen to take your fancy, you likely won't be doing this purely because you know there's a shiny trinket waiting for you when you're done.

Indeed, the game's world is beautifully detailed. It's full of flora and fauna, and in many ways, it fills us with the same sense of wonder that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim did back in 2011. You'll be charging off on your own personal adventures because curiosity got the better of you, not because some farmer from a nearby village told you to go find his lost wedding ring. You may see a river and want to know where it ends up, or you might come across a blood trail that leads into a darkened forest. Either way, you're bound to find your fill of excitement, and this is what open worlds should be about.

Branching quests and storylines will keep things interesting

The Witcher franchise has always included chunks of player choice, but it's a gameplay element that's unsurprisingly going to be more difficult to implement in an open world release. Fortunately, the third instalment will still allow you to shape Geralt's decisions as you see fit – despite sporting a massive map. Making use of a fairly complex system that keeps track of the choices that you've made, the title alters future events based on your prior actions.

For example, you may be given the opportunity to slaughter a group of smugglers for some quick coin, so you head down to their hideout at the docks, ready for a fight. When you arrive, it turns out that they're not too keen on tackling a Witcher, so they offer some of their illegal cargo in exchange for their lives. Suddenly, you're presented with yet another choice, and one that could potentially change upcoming events. Can you really trust these criminals? What's stopping them from hunting you down as soon as you leave the area? It's this kind of process that will keep you engaged in the world, and it's a system that'll no doubt produce a multitude of different outcomes for players to discuss and dissect.

Brutal combat that'll keep you on your toes at all times

There's no question that The Witcher 3's world is a dark and gritty one, and nowhere is that more noticeable than during combat. Geralt is a versatile and deadly fighter, but many of his opponents will force you to be prepared, lest you want to be eaten alive. From packs of hungry wolves and desperate bandits to nests of disgusting swamp creatures, each enemy has its own set of strengths and weaknesses that you'll need to exploit if you're to emerge victorious in the most efficient manner possible.

Preparation has always been a key component of the series, as our hero makes use of potions and poisons to give himself an edge when the going gets rough, and although things have been streamlined here, you'll still have to take the time to research and learn about the beasts that you're hunting. This is partly due to the fact that, unlike in other RPG titles, your foes won't scale to your level. Instead, you may stumble across a location that's filled with monsters far beyond your capabilities, and you'll be swiftly dispatched. As such, you'll find yourself constantly checking your surroundings, and making sure that you're stocked up on the necessary equipment just in case the situation calls for desperate measures. After all, there's nothing quite like a constant sense of dread to keep you fully immersed in a virtual world.

Needless to say, we're quite excited for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but what about you? Are you dying for some more RPG goodness on the PS4, or are you weary of such a gigantic adventure? Sharpen your sword in the comments section below.