The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Complete Edition Review
[Review] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
Posted on Oct 14, 2019 by (@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch
System: Switch
Release date: Oct xv, 2019
Developer: CD Projekt Red / Saber Interactive
Publisher: CD Projekt Reddish
As I wait at my Switch'due south abode-screen, I find myself questioning the reality of whatever timeline it is that I've ended up in. Super Mario Odyssey'south icon is nestled neatly betwixt that of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and I can't quite figure out if I'm dreaming or if I'yard just overtired. Existential nightmare aside, I've been tasked with reviewing The Witcher 3 on Switch, and despite having had months to adjust to the game's presence on Nintendo's hybrid, I notwithstanding can't quite wrap my caput around the idea of it being real. Not only is it really real, only it's the full bundle too – the base game in its entirety along with every fleck of DLC – all present and accounted for, and all on a single 32GB cartridge. I have two questions: How? Followed closely past: How good?
The strength of CD Projekt Red'due south work in developing their interpretation of the Witcher franchise has always lied in the studio'south ample ability to craft a mature, and homo story that has palpable weight and consequence. In this entry, Geralt of Rivia (that's you) has been tasked with tracking downward his former ward Ciri, who is existence pursued by The Wild Chase – a sort of motley crew of high-fantasy Darth Vaders that hail from a parallel dimension. This is all framed against the backdrop of tense military occupation by an invading force, which in turn occupies the minds and motivations of many whom Geralt meets over the course of his journey. Information technology's not the about original story ever to exist told, merely the style in which the writing, character design and voice acting all come together is a true credit to the RPG genre. Almost every graphic symbol you meet has their own fix of intentions, hidden backside a veil of self-preserving misdirection. Many characters you would presume to be set-dressing by any other game'due south standards oftentimes end up engrossing yous with tragic tales of their past and present, so much and then in fact, that I am completely guilty of totally forgetting nearly the main quest at diverse junctures simply to pursue side activities, and to further my agreement of the game'southward globe and its people.
Selection is a central element of The Witcher iii, and the extent to which you can bear upon the earth around you puts other RPGs to shame, peculiarly when you consider the fact that Geralt of Rivia is a pre-determined graphic symbol complete with his ain set of ideals and motives. CD Projekt Red has really mastered the positive aspects of this by putting you in situations that non only challenge his morality every bit a graphic symbol, but also yours as a player. I frequently found myself controller downwardly, manus on chin, brow furrowed, and genuinely weighing upward the pros and cons of whatever impulse it was that I was almost to act on (if simply I applied the aforementioned amount of diligence to my actual real life, I'd be at least 2 stone lighter). This is a good fourth dimension to mention the delicacy of some of the game's subject area matter, as It can exist rather heavy. I experience as though some series newcomers may be defenseless off guard past this, and could potentially even find the game hard to stomach at points. Just be aware that the age rating adorning the game's encompass-art is completely justified in this particular case, and is not present solely considering of the many split instances of gore and nudity. For me, that translates into the biggest thumbs-up physically possible, especially considering the tact and grace with which the game's writers take managed to approach the subject area affair in question. For others, this may be a huge plough-off, and that'due south fine likewise.
One specific concern I had going into the Witcher iii was in how CD Projekt Ruddy would tackle the blueprint of an open up-world. Previously, the series took place in a variety of smaller hubs that were packed with detail and atmosphere, and I feared some of that immersion would be lost equally the game spread itself out over hundreds of foursquare miles of wide open terrain. I needn't accept worried – the alter has added so much more to the experience than it has taken away, fifty-fifty if there is a slight whiff of Ubisoft emanating from the way in which the world opens upwardly to you as you explore. Large question marks fill upward your mini-map as events unfold, which in the offset may prove slightly underwhelming and formulaic as you traverse from point to indicate, merely once you lot realize your expectations are constantly being either exceeded or subverted by each new location and consequence yous uncover, you become increasingly excited every fourth dimension a new marker gets added to your map. There is often no fashion to tell what awaits around each corner of the game's environment, and the level of creativity and variety on brandish is lightning in a canteen.
Particular citation needs to exist given to how CD Projekt Blood-red has placed the onus on you to figure out much of what'southward going on in the world. On one occasion for example, I found myself wandering into a downtrodden hamlet and finding a scrap of newspaper tacked to the local notice board. It detailed how the locals had been gripped in fear by the presence of a wraith, that had taken up residence in a nearby settlement. I expected to accept some talking head from the local populace tell me where to go and what to practise in social club to fulfill my duty, simply in reality, the villagers I spoke to were barely coherent, and merely offered superstitious wive's tails along with the location of the settlement in question. This left me to enquiry the ghoul myself by sourcing a book in-game which in turn added an entry to my bestiary, summarizing the risks and tactics involved in dealing with said wraith. Once I reached the settlement, I indulged in some more detective work, by using Geralt's Witcher senses to spot various clues that were hidden in the environment that gave a clearer picture as to the location and origin of the wraith. Fighting the anathema itself served every bit an immensely satisfying (and terrifying) crescendo to the events leading upwards to information technology – all of the tidbits I had uncovered gave me a much greater sense of identify and purpose during that quest. Multiply that feel past the hundreds, and you've got yourself a Witcher 3.
Remarkably, the game manages to maintain that land of immersion consistently, even if the moment-to-moment gameplay can occasionally be rather ropey. Geralt and his loyal steed, Roach, have a tendency to go snagged on elements of the environs as you lot explore, and the real-time combat in particular tin at times experience floaty and unresponsive depending on the enemy you're up against. This is redeemed solely by the sheer multifariousness of spells, skills and weaponry you can utilize over the course of the game, and experimentation is a necessity as you level upward and face progressively tougher foes. Yous'll regularly upgrade your weaponry and armor as per standard RPG decree, simply Geralt also has an unabridged suite of bespoke Witcher abilities for you to upgrade and broaden as yous play – burn spells, telekinetic blasts and actual Jedi mind tricks (complete with wavy hand gesture) to name but a few. Even now, as I approach New Game+ with unabashed enthusiasm, I'm still finding new and creative uses for the tools that are bachelor to me in-game.
It's worth mentioning that many who are reading this will already know how they feel about The Witcher 3 – given that it sold over 20 million copies on other systems – and they will but want the elephant in the room promptly addressed and dismissed, then here goes: The Witcher 3 on Switch tin be a rather ugly looking game. The work that CD Projekt Ruddy and Saber Interactive have put into making the experience work on Nintendo's hybrid is technically impressive, but here's the affair – the original Doom running on a graphing reckoner is also technically impressive, but that doesn't necessarily interpret into information technology being nice to look at. The frame rate can stutter and hitch regularly effectually the mid to depression twenties, and many of the creative choices nowadays in The Witcher iii'south design have been impacted in the transition to Switch, particularly around its lighting, natural environments, and dynamic weather systems. Above all else, resolution is where the game suffers the most. Even though the HUD and UI are thankfully rendered at native resolution, the rest of what's happening onscreen can be blurry.
The Verdict
I generally tend to hold technical proficiency rather high on the listing of priorities when discussing Switch ports – later on all, most of these games have all existed previously in a more refined grade and on much more capable hardware. The real question lies in whether the sacrifices fabricated in the name of portable play are justified, and if the core experience nonetheless holds up over time. For me, The Witcher 3 is a game and then arable in creativity and immersive qualities, and then defined by its characters and stories, that the technical shortcomings of the Switch version don't matter a jot to me. The abundance of content contained on that 32GB Switch cartridge is a tantalizing wonder, and although it would be great to be able to take it all in visually as CD Projekt Red originally intended – at a smoother frame-charge per unit and a higher resolution – it'south a true credit to the evolution team that even in such a compromised land, The Witcher 3 all the same shines as both a pivotal achievement in game blueprint, and a breathtakingly human being approach to interactive storytelling.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition review copy provided by CD Projekt Cherry-red for the purposes of this review.
More: CD Projekt Blood-red, highlight, Saber Interactive, The Witcher three: Wild Chase Complete Edition, summit
Source: https://nintendoeverything.com/witcher-3-review-nintendo-switch/
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