Back in 2015, one game became the runaway choice for Game of The Year. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt became one of the most talked about games of the century with its release, earning 600% more than its predecessor The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

The Witcher 3 received universal acclaim and widespread praise on its release and by August 2016 it has received more than 800 different awards which also included being listed as the top game of the generation by Gamesradar in 2020.

While the sheer success of the game may not have been predicted quite so accurately, there are many reasons as to why it has been such an incredible success.

• The Story

Being based off of a best selling novel series, you would expect this when coming into the game. For anyone who had played the previous two titles, this came as little surprise seeing as they had both received praise for their storyline also.

The Witcher 3 became even more accessible to gamers than its predecessors, especially for newcomers to the series.

Begin your gameplay as Geralt of Rivia, the “star” of The Witcher 3 and explore and understand your allies, enemies and acquaitances who all too have their own lives which will impact upon your gameplay.

It is easy for fans, new and old to the series, to build up their knowledge of the characters as well as the backstory to the game with a helpful in-game encylopaedia. This tool makes the game so much easier to follow and immerse yourself in.

The game isnt linear either. There are three main endings and how you complete the story will all depend on the decisions you make throughout the game. This tailors the game to the individual more which is one of the key reasons for its success.

In too many games of the past, your decisions didnt feel so important, but with The Witcher 3 every act and choice you make will define your path.

• Variety

While following the story is exciting and engrossing, there is so much more for you to do in the game alongside it, with a variety of in-game activities and side quests.

With horse racing and boxing on offer for adrenaline filled fun, players have also become obsessed with the card game Gwent, which has since been expanded out to being its own game. Gwent is similar to other card games played between two people in a casino. Here’s an article to give you even more card game options to dive into.

The world of The Witcher 3 also expanded so much that it made rival role player games (RPGs) look almost small and limited in comparison.

There are so many secrets within the game to discover and what makes The Witcher 3 standout over games like Skyrim which also had plenty to explore, it rewards players with more of the story being told rather than just some loot or equipment.

By creating an RPG game which could almost carry on without the main character shows the sheer depth the developers went into the creation of it, making Geralt of Rivia just one part of what the game is.

• Sound and Visuals

The sheer detail of the lands you can explore is eye-watering. Novigrad is potentially one of the mose dense areas players have seen in an RPG with all facets of the game blending perfectly with minut detail.

Players will want to explore every inch of the game with such immersive and captivating visuals, with each part leading to further discoveries and understanding for your journey in the game.

While the visuals are spectacular, so too is the sound, with attention paid to ensure that the authentic music and vocals draw you in and captivate the player.

The sounds of nature and the surroundings of any area you are in make it well worth plugging in your headphones and immersing yourself completely into the world of The Witcher 3.

What’s more, it doesnt even matter on which platform you play the game, all of the sounds, visuals and gameplay are of the highest quality.

• Looking Ahead

With such incredible success and growth of the series, the inevitable questions looms; so what’s next?

The Witcher 4 is still in development at CD Projekt Red, with plans for two further games coming after it in the series.

A new trilogy is in the works and The Witcher 4 is currently going by the project name ‘Polaris’.

All the details are still subject to change, it may not even be called The Witcher 4, and the suspense will continue to build as we await further information to be released.

For now, just keep on enjoying the world of The Witcher 3 and continue to discover every inch of one of the best RPG games ever made, so far.