Basically, the combat doesn’t flow as smoothly as it should. Frame rate drops don’t help either (although I found this to be a rare issue), and the camera can make it difficult to navigate the environment and fight at the same time. You can dodge and roll with perfect timing, but often Geralt doesn’t respond fast enough, leading to lost health, or even death. This is especially apparent when trying to skillfully dodge an attacking monster. The main reason for this is Geralt’s overly sluggish response.

In practice, though, the combat, whilst solid, needs some work. In fact, it’s more streamlined than before, which actually makes it more enjoyable in my opinion, at least on paper. The combat here is much the same as the system seen in Witcher 2. You’ll also become more comfortable with game’s combat, an area where, even as a stalwart Witcherfan, I feel the game lets itself down. However, many deaths, some wins, and a few successful missions later, and you begin to level up and get stronger. You can even stumble into some actual side quests, and be quickly thrown into a battle with enemies who’ll quickly stomp you into the ground, with your only choice to flee and fail the quest. Even in the early stages, it’s common to encounter a group of high level enemies you’ll have little chance of defeating, and if you play on the harder difficulties, even healing is difficult, relying on food, which can become scarce as you’re forced to guzzle down wild banquets to get some health back. It’s very easy to get into major trouble, as the game doesn’t try to make things easy for you. You have a goal, as is common with RPGs, but you can also wander around, exploring the world and picking up side quests.Īt first, the game is easily one of the most daunting I’ve played in a long time. Where to go, what to do?Īs soon as the game begins, and you finish the short tutorial, you’re set free in the large opening area.

Soon, however, events escalate, as these things always do, and you become embroiled in all sorts of events, including going up against the titular Wild Hunt. As the story opens, Geralt is looking for his lost love, Yennifer.

This means you can effectively carry over your progress and character from the last game. Events have moved on since the second game, and early on you’re asked a series of questions about your previous actions (in quite a clever way). It’s into this new, open world we reprise our role as Geralt, one of the greatest Witchers.

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