The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt [2015]

[Nonek]

I have to agree with you Mr Deranged, the Aen Elle did not fulfill the potential they had shown before, after all they were the pioneers who were working on the genes that made Ciri what she is. Personally (and I think i've stated this before) i'd have had almost the same situation but i'd have rolled in a number of playable flashbacks to Geralts time among the Dearg Rhudri, and ultimately his escape thanks to Ciri. This could have arisen organically much like the flasbacks in the second game and illustrated the characters and danger they represent to the Witcher and his world.

 

I'd have also made another change: I would have the Aen Elle somehow have turned, under Eredin's leadership, to the service of the White Frost and thus account for their elemental powers and poisoning of the Erl King. They would serve the elemental force in order to spare their own world, or for individuals like Eredin more likely for personal power, and thus be granted a measure of its influence. The transformation of the White Frost from a natural phenomena on the Witcher's world to a semi sentient entity swallowing worlds required something like this, a little more setup as well, and some warning that there are wolves in the shadows as Geralt faces down the Hunt.

 

I did like the fact that this turned out to be not Geralts story, that he was neither protagonist or hero, and this fit with the books which quickly dispatched the Witcher in favour of his ward. However I don't think that it was done in a well explained enough fashion, and it also needed as good an opponent and foil as Letho or Jacque/Alvin. The game in my opinion suffered because of this, even though i'm still enjoying it and remain very satisfied.

[Tel Aviv]

Geralt was supposed to infiltrate the Hunt at one point, wasn't he? Shame it was cut - it might have given Eredin and his buddies some much needed face time.

[the_dog_days]

I don't think there was anything to gain from giving the Aen Elle more screen time. At the end of the day, the Witcher series has always been Geralt's personal quest. Epic events happen around him, but usually he doesn't start it, doesn't end it, and isn't the target of these events. The Witcher 3 is about finding your daughter and making sure she's free to live her life the way she chooses.

[WDeranged]

I'd have also made another change: I would have the Aen Elle somehow have turned, under Eredin's leadership, to the service of the White Frost and thus account for their elemental powers and poisoning of the Erl King. They would serve the elemental force in order to spare their own world, or for individuals like Eredin more likely for personal power, and thus be granted a measure of its influence. The transformation of the White Frost from a natural phenomena on the Witcher's world to a semi sentient entity swallowing worlds required something like this, a little more setup as well, and some warning that there are wolves in the shadows as Geralt faces down the Hunt.

 

This is similar to what I initially thought was going on, but like you I'm still satisfied with what I got.  I had 80 solid hours of fun and I must have skipped half the sidequests, replay value is going to be huge.

 

 

I don't think there was anything to gain from giving the Aen Elle more screen time. At the end of the day, the Witcher series has always been Geralt's personal quest. Epic events happen around him, but usually he doesn't start it, doesn't end it, and isn't the target of these events. The Witcher 3 is about finding your daughter and making sure she's free to live her life the way she chooses.

 

I did appreciate the story not being entirely Geralt's but I don't think we got the best possible version of the story, feels like they had to compromise.  Even so, considering the whole package, it's hard to complain 

[Humanoid]

I don't think the novels are really considered a literary achievement of any real sort, just a fairly middle-of-the-road fantasy series which probably had the advantage of competing in a relatively small home market. In a sense it's a big accomplishment for the CDPR writers to turn something so unexceptional in its prior incarnation into a pretty defining work in its new medium. At least it seems that they haven't been too badly hamstrung by the source material, as I guess the setting is less jealously guarded than say, D&D or Star Wars.

[Sakai]

I don't think the novels are really considered a literary achievement of any real sort, just a fairly middle-of-the-road fantasy series which probably had the advantage of competing in a relatively small home market. In a sense it's a big accomplishment for the CDPR writers to turn something so unexceptional in its prior incarnation into a pretty defining work in its new medium. At least it seems that they haven't been too badly hamstrung by the source material, as I guess the setting is less jealously guarded than say, D&D or Star Wars.

Huh? "Unexceptional, middle-of-the-road"?  I'm not sure those who read them would agree. And while i don't read that much, i did read Lord of the Rings among other things. And if Witcher is unexceptional, what the hell that makes LotR then? 

[Humanoid]

I have no love for LoTR, so I wouldn't know - I was bored halfway the first Jackson movie and that's my sum total experience with the LoTR property. It's besides the point though, which is that for most of the world now, the Witcher is a property defined by the video game and not by the novels, which I suspect many who've played the games don't even know exist. And while there could be an argument that the LoTR movies may have surpassed the books as a product, the books still loom large over the property.

 

Yeah yeah, popularity is not quality and all that, but from what I can see reflected in the games such as the Wild Hunt motives discussed above, the backstory of Geralt's friends, seeing a few synopses of short stories that formed the basis for some quests - stuff like that doesn't exactly stand out from your usual high fantasy writing. Maybe there's some secret sauce that's only evident on reading the books, but what the writing in the games does for me is make me want more games, of any setting, done by these writers, and what it doesn't make me want to do is read the novels.

 

I stand by my comment that the Witcher is an exceptional game created from an unexceptional IP, but it's not really any more of a controversial comment than expressing disinterest in any other book, movie or game.

[Sakai]

I stand by my comment that the Witcher is an exceptional game created from an unexceptional IP, but it's not really any more of a controversial comment than expressing disinterest in any other book, movie or game.

Maybe you should read the books first before claiming that? Seems odd to judge something without even knowing anything about it. Or to judge books by playing a game... Btw, a review of Sword of Destiny. Lots of spoilers, so skip to last paragraph if you don't want them.  http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.ru/2015/06/sword-of-destiny-review.html

Edited December 29, 2015 by Sakai

[the_dog_days]

@Humaniod: Assuming that when you say the Witcher Saga was "unexceptional" you are referring to notoriety and not personal taste (in which case I agree with Sakia that you should at least give the first book a try before making a definitive statement like that), you would wrong. There was a movie and TV show of the IP long before there was a video game. It wasn't popular in the US because the US market (publishing houses, not buyers) doesn't like licencing foreign works. It's easier and cheaper to publish a book from an American author than it is to license and translate a foreign novel.

Edited December 29, 2015 by the_dog_days

[Humanoid]

We as people have to make judgement based on limited information because there are countless products out there all competing for attention and only so much time. I don't need to sit through the Star Wars movies to guess that it wouldn't be something up my alley. I don't need to play Metal Gear, or read a Stephen King novel, or listen to a Coldplay album.

 

I can't say for certain that I'm correct in those judgements, but filtering products one is interested in has always been a probability-based process. Consequently statements like those I make about the Witcher are far from definitive, I'd call it educated guesswork. Like reading the synopsis on the back of a book, it's limited, but it is indicative.

 

EDIT: Indeed in this case I went a bit further and explored the wiki, looking at direct full-spoiler summaries of past events, characters, places. Plus there were the lore bits from the in-game codex thingie which did a covered a lot of stuff not directly relevant to the game itself. There are a few unique things for sure, a fair few of which I surmise are inspired by Polish folklore, but in the bigger picture, what I found only just reaffirmed my first impressions. It's more of a chance than I've given the vast majority of products, so I'm fairly comfortable in my judgement at this point.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Humanoid

[Fenixp]

I'd say Humanoid is kinda wrong and right at the same time. Witcher games (especially the third one) are a peak of RPG genre - they're going to be videogaming classics and have clearly overshadowed their source materials. Witcher books are an excellent read and when compared to other modern fantasy literature, it clearly stands out. However, I don't believe these books have what it takes to stand the test of time - Sapkowski is an excellent writer, no doubt about it, but I don't see his books having a lasting appeal outside of the thrill of reading them itself. I'm going to re-read them this year anyway just to get all the references from the games (read them 8 years ago originally) and see if my opinion changes, but ... I don't really think so.

[Sakai]

EDIT: Indeed in this case I went a bit further and explored the wiki, looking at direct full-spoiler summaries of past events, characters, places. Plus there were the lore bits from the in-game codex thingie which did a covered a lot of stuff not directly relevant to the game itself. There are a few unique things for sure, a fair few of which I surmise are inspired by Polish folklore, but in the bigger picture, what I found only just reaffirmed my first impressions. It's more of a chance than I've given the vast majority of products, so I'm fairly comfortable in my judgement at this point.

  I imagine if you read Remark's book synopsis on wiki, they might sound quite dull too. Yet they are anything but. 

[Magnum Opus]

I have to agree with you Mr Deranged, the Aen Elle did not fulfill the potential they had shown before, after all they were the pioneers who were working on the genes that made Ciri what she is. Personally (and I think i've stated this before) i'd have had almost the same situation but i'd have rolled in a number of playable flashbacks to Geralts time among the Dearg Rhudri, and ultimately his escape thanks to Ciri. This could have arisen organically much like the flasbacks in the second game and illustrated the characters and danger they represent to the Witcher and his world.

This point speaks to my only real disappointment with TW3:  The fact that there's really no continuity between the games regarding Eredin.  I should preface this by mentioning that I didn't read the books, didn't read any comics or watch any supplementary material that may or may not have been present regarding the backstory between the games' releases, so I know full well that there are plenty of things that I'm missing, but from that vantage point, the mere fact that we went from calling The Wild Hunt "the Wild Hunt" to the "Aen Elle" and the King of the Wild Hunt being referenced as "Eredin" was a major head-scratcher for me. 

 

I knew all about the first game and its sequel -- played them both multiple times and in multiple ways -- but... now who's this Eredin chap they're referring to?  He's the King of the Hunt, you say?  My goodness, Geralt's getting pretty chummy with a hostile ghost who's living counterpart's been dead for who-knows-how-long... wait, you say those ghosts were just projections of LIVING people?  Elves, no less?  you don't say!

 

That's it right there.  There were far too many instances where they DIDN'T say.  Not in the games, anyway.  Who is Eredin?  How does Geralt know him? Geralt, it was said at the end of TW2, had fully recovered his memory, but no one let ME in on the joke.  It was two-thirds of the way through TW3 before someone let it slip, and only in passing, that Geralt had actually ridden WITH the hunt.  And Ciri herself had only been alluded to previously, and not by name, but now here she was the focus of the third game with the hunt for Yennifer being little more than a sidelight of the introduction.

 

They did an amazing job preserving the continuity of the world -- Kear Morhen intact from the first game, Vesemir and Lambert and the other Wolf School Witchers all accounted for, and accurately too with no hand-waving rewrites that I could see, but Geralt's relationship with the Hunt and the information about the Hunt which Geralt now knew but I didn't... I think there was a LOT more room for the Hunt itself to have been expanded upon in that game.  Particularly at the beginning.

[HoonDing]

Wild Hunt would always have been a disappointment. Centuries of power lifting cannot change the nature of an Elf.

[licketysplit]

I don't think the novels are really considered a literary achievement of any real sort, just a fairly middle-of-the-road fantasy series which probably had the advantage of competing in a relatively small home market. In a sense it's a big accomplishment for the CDPR writers to turn something so unexceptional in its prior incarnation into a pretty defining work in its new medium. At least it seems that they haven't been too badly hamstrung by the source material, as I guess the setting is less jealously guarded than say, D&D or Star Wars.

 

I've read a lot of uninspired fantasy and Sapkowski's work does not share that distinction. The novels have a large fan base overseas and he's well known throughout Europe. The problem is they've been late to be translated into English. 

Edited December 30, 2015 by licketysplit

[WDeranged]

Here's a little story.  Five years ago I built a very fast PC cos Witcher 2 was due.  The game came out and ran like frigging ass so I forgot it existed and put 1000 hours into Skyrim and New Vegas instead.  This year I built a PC for Witcher 3 + GTA IV, they both run beautifully, best ports I've seen in forever, so I think maybe my new PC will handle W2 better...no, no it does not 

[Fenixp]

best ports I've seen in forever

*Eye twitching*

Witcher 3

*twitch*

Is not a port.

*twitch*

It was developed simultaneously for PC and consoles.

*twitch twitch*

Ports get first created for a device and then, later on, ported to other devices.

*twitch twitch twitch drool*

Edited January 2, 2016 by Fenixp

[WDeranged]

I managed to sort out (Wticher 2) framerate issues by forcing vsync in the nvidia control panel, it's running pretty sweet now.  Funny how time marches on, I remember being blown away by this game's visuals and now I'm merely satisfied 

Edited January 4, 2016 by WDeranged

[mkreku]

It's the prettiest game I've ever played. That says something. The next step would be to make the map more dynamic, like Mad Max (I love how my car is like a monster of metal chewing through concrete and rubble) or Fallout 4 (some fights could be absolutely chaotic with cars exploding all around me while I was running for cover).

[WDeranged]

It's the prettiest game I've ever played. That says something. The next step would be to make the map more dynamic, like Mad Max (I love how my car is like a monster of metal chewing through concrete and rubble) or Fallout 4 (some fights could be absolutely chaotic with cars exploding all around me while I was running for cover).

 

Witcher 3 is definitely one of the prettiest games I've seen, I think the skyboxes could be 'bigger' but on the whole it's quite stunning, especially Skellige.  My only real issue with the game is the static quest levels, it sucks to find an interesting quest and realise it'd be a total push over because I levelled past it.

[Fenixp]

"My son! He was just dragged into the forest by drowners! Can you help me, Witcher!?"

"I would love to help you, my good sir, but I can see the drowners dining on your son are character level 20, whereas I am mere character level 5. I trust the drowners will politely wait for a few weeks because they're good sports. Now if you'll excuse me I will go kill these drowners 20 meters away who look exactly the same but are level 5."

[WDeranged]

"My son! He was just dragged into the forest by drowners! Can you help me, Witcher!?"

"I would love to help you, my good sir, but I can see the drowners dining on your son are character level 20, whereas I am mere character level 5. I trust the drowners will politely wait for a few weeks because they're good sports. Now if you'll excuse me I will go kill these drowners 20 meters away who look exactly the same but are level 5."

 

Exactly, it wouldn't be so bad if higher level variants had new attacks or tactics.  Still, it's better than the entire world being a levelled slog, leaves room for surprises and replay.

[Serrano]

"My son! He was just dragged into the forest by drowners! Can you help me, Witcher!?"

"I would love to help you, my good sir, but I can see the drowners dining on your son are character level 20, whereas I am mere character level 5. I trust the drowners will politely wait for a few weeks because they're good sports. Now if you'll excuse me I will go kill these drowners 20 meters away who look exactly the same but are level 5."

 

It's probably still better on the whole having something to work towards rather than having everywhere be scalable, especially with sub-quests which are hand crafted. 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Serrano

[Fenixp]

It's probably still better on the whole having something to work towards rather than having everywhere be scalable, especially with sub-quests which are hand crafted.

There's more than just two extremes of scaling everything and scaling absolutely nothing at all. Urgent quests could use to be scaled to your level in order to make them more believable. Similarly, scaling main questline would make a lot of sense in order to make supposedly challenging boss fights actually challenging (at least scaling it upwards anyway). Level scaling has been used to great success for ages, the earliest game I know of to use it is Baldur's Gate for random encounters (or was it Baldur's Gate 2?), but I'm sure it reaches much further back than that.

 

Not to mention that Witcher 3 sort of cheats - monsters above your level are artificially strengthened and those below are weakened to make you feel like you're progressing more than you actually are.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Fenixp

[HoonDing]

I would've liked to see those end game level 30 drowners destroy that early game level 15 golem.