More_Badass
Member
I just finished the Velen section of the Bloody Baron quest line, so spoiler tags would be appreciated
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My experience with RPGs began pretty recently. Fallout 3 was my first RPG, Demon's Souls was my first fantasy RPG, and Skyrim was my first open-world fantasy RPG. Which is probably why Skyrim always had a special place among games for me. The world, the lore, the freedom, the exploration and dungeons and magic, it all felt so fresh compared to other games.
But returning to it recently with the special edition, the luster had dulled. It was still a fun experience, but not the game-changer it was for me those years ago. Playing Witcher 3 for the first time (and my first Witcher game as well), Skyrim's luster drained even more. In almost every respect, The Witcher 3 is the RPG I remembered Skyrim being.
The grim medieval fantasy storytelling and atmosphere is compelling and complex. The landscapes are sprawling and vibrant, with those dense dark forests and trees swaying in the wind and the misty swamps and rolling seas. The lively settlements feel medieval: cramped and muddy and clustered around pitted dirt roads, a perfect juxtaposition to the towering majesty of the cities. Skyrim feels small and artificial in comparison. I used to think the ride up to Whiterun felt grand and impressive....
The creatures feel dangerous, and I like the Monster Hunter-esque structure of needing to modify your weapons and gear to face different monsters. I had been worried about the combat, but surprisingly it's awesome to dodge and slash. Your magic are strategic tools in your arsenal, giving you solid advantages over your enemies, while you still need to evade and attack with confidence. You feel like a skilled swordsman, especially with the occasional dismemberments, decapitations, and finishers.
And of course the great writing and voice acting. Every main quest and side quest has been interesting, the bestiary is great, and the characters unique and memorable. Geralt, and the role of a witcher in general, is fascinating, and how he's treated in the world, among locals and otherwise, makes every conversation and quest compelling, If anything, it made me want more open world RPGs with defined characters; it's so much more engrossing than playing a create-a-character blank slate.
Currently, I'm 10 hours in and just finished the Velen section of Bloody Baron. That storyline and how it progressed caught me completely off-guard.
.
Just got Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine in the current PSN sale. can't wait to dig into those later on. Much like Bloodborne, I just want to learn more, see more, and soak in the atmosphere, characters, and world.
If I have one gripe so far, it's that the monster hunting seems confined to quests/contracts only. I guess I was expecting a more Dragon's Dogma-style world, more dynamic where you'd see towns being attacked or bigger creatures roaming freely for you to hunt. Have I not just played enough?
===
My experience with RPGs began pretty recently. Fallout 3 was my first RPG, Demon's Souls was my first fantasy RPG, and Skyrim was my first open-world fantasy RPG. Which is probably why Skyrim always had a special place among games for me. The world, the lore, the freedom, the exploration and dungeons and magic, it all felt so fresh compared to other games.
But returning to it recently with the special edition, the luster had dulled. It was still a fun experience, but not the game-changer it was for me those years ago. Playing Witcher 3 for the first time (and my first Witcher game as well), Skyrim's luster drained even more. In almost every respect, The Witcher 3 is the RPG I remembered Skyrim being.
The grim medieval fantasy storytelling and atmosphere is compelling and complex. The landscapes are sprawling and vibrant, with those dense dark forests and trees swaying in the wind and the misty swamps and rolling seas. The lively settlements feel medieval: cramped and muddy and clustered around pitted dirt roads, a perfect juxtaposition to the towering majesty of the cities. Skyrim feels small and artificial in comparison. I used to think the ride up to Whiterun felt grand and impressive....
The creatures feel dangerous, and I like the Monster Hunter-esque structure of needing to modify your weapons and gear to face different monsters. I had been worried about the combat, but surprisingly it's awesome to dodge and slash. Your magic are strategic tools in your arsenal, giving you solid advantages over your enemies, while you still need to evade and attack with confidence. You feel like a skilled swordsman, especially with the occasional dismemberments, decapitations, and finishers.
And of course the great writing and voice acting. Every main quest and side quest has been interesting, the bestiary is great, and the characters unique and memorable. Geralt, and the role of a witcher in general, is fascinating, and how he's treated in the world, among locals and otherwise, makes every conversation and quest compelling, If anything, it made me want more open world RPGs with defined characters; it's so much more engrossing than playing a create-a-character blank slate.
Currently, I'm 10 hours in and just finished the Velen section of Bloody Baron. That storyline and how it progressed caught me completely off-guard.
Everything screamed a betrayal and the Baron being some sick GOT Ramsey-esque character and some gruesome secrets going on in that fort. Tragedy and redemption was quite the twist for me
Just got Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine in the current PSN sale. can't wait to dig into those later on. Much like Bloodborne, I just want to learn more, see more, and soak in the atmosphere, characters, and world.
If I have one gripe so far, it's that the monster hunting seems confined to quests/contracts only. I guess I was expecting a more Dragon's Dogma-style world, more dynamic where you'd see towns being attacked or bigger creatures roaming freely for you to hunt. Have I not just played enough?
You've got a long, long way to go and it's all awesome.
