Game of the Year 2015

Game of the Year 2015: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was always going to be good, but I don’t think anyone was prepared for just how good it was going to end up. Developer CD Projekt Red’s third iteration of the Witcher franchise is, put simply, a masterpiece.

Not only is it stunningly beautiful, but it’s vast open world is simply a joy to explore, filled with fully-fleshed out characters and well realised characters, as well as side-quests just as compelling as the main story. Importantly, while the world of Witcher 3 might be able to compete for star of the show, its main plot is in close contention, being is highly enjoyable and easily able to anchor the huge scale of the game.  What’s most exciting is how deeply the game delves into smaller stories; NPCs have complex back stories that slowly come to life; nothing is immediately as it seems, and the complexity and accessibility of these stories is one of the game’s greatest strengths. This ultimately helps to lend the world a sense of density and life that many open world games seem to lack; instead of populating the world with a myriad of arbitrary collectables, CD Projekt Red instead chooses to focus on the human element of the world, and the game benefits for it.

The Witcher 3 is easily our Game of the Year, and will arguably go down as one of the greatest games of all time

Storyline aside, the combat system is excellent. The wide array of monsters, ranging from majestic griffins to the horrifying botchling, all employing different patterns of behaviour and attack that must be learned in order to save Geralt from a grisly death. The game employs an almost rhythmic approach to combat, with counters and attacks needed to be carefully timed and chained in order to attach effectively; a refreshing change from the typical button mashing. Wild Hunt’s graphics are also stunning, with gorgeous landscapes, elaborate character design, and genuinely fascinating monsters, which meld together with the interweaving storylines to make the world of The Witcher 3 feel deeper and more real than ever before. With an estimated 200 hours of consistently excellent gameplay, engagingly human characters and a rich world to explore, The Witcher 3 is easily our Game of the Year, and will arguably go down as one of the greatest games of all time.

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