Game of the year: Witcher 3

[Battlelyon]

the next patch will do the following. as a hoarder, i'm particularly happy about the ones i bolded.

• A new, alternative (optional) movement response mode for Geralt.
• A player stash for storing items, available in various locations throughout the game. Stash locations are marked on the player's map.
• Crafting and alchemy components no longer add to the overall inventory weight.
• Books are now placed in a dedicated tab in the Inventory and books that have already been read are properly grayed out.
• Multiple sorting options are now available in the Inventory.
• Alchemy formulas and crafting diagrams can be "pinned," meaning all components and ingredients required to make them will be conveniently marked in the Shop panel.
• Dozens of fixes for quest related issues, both major and minor.
• A few performance enhancements, including the optimization of FX, scenes, and general gameplay.
• Various improvements to horse behavior.

Some much needed update there, the inventory system is disastrous. I only wish you can buy a buy a house and store your stuff like skyrim does line the place with trophie heads.

 

[Battlelyon]

Pretty much everything that was keeping it from being Game of the Year lock is fixed there. The movement response and horse behavior issues might go a looong way into making the game less jerky which is really something that you get used to after awhile anyways but its much appreciated.

The inventory system did have a bit of a Mass Effect 1 problem. It looks perfect with the patch now.

I didn't know Fallout 4 would come out this year, so it will have some heavy competition.

 

[Clayton]

I didn't know Fallout 4 would come out this year, so it will have some heavy competition.

I'm not a Fallout fan but I'm keeping an open mind. The Division is probably going to be big, too

 

[cezero]

Witcher 3 update just went live.

It's 7.2 GB. Jesus.

 

[cezero]

Okay, so stashes are few and far between, BUT, since alchemy and crafting materials now weigh nothing, my carry weight has gone from 106 to 68.

I'll weigh in on some of the other features of the update when I start playing. Busy with golf right now.

 

[Battlelyon]

I love the update

 

[Jimeoin]

Got this over a month ago, and oh man It's pretty surprising how it's the only game Iv'e really been playing since, those side quests are so good and never feel worn out

 

[winningTorch]

NG+ being released soon.

 

[Clayton]

The only 2 problems I have with the game so far -

1. If you do at least half of the sidequests and Witcher contracts then you end up way overleveled

2. Game occasionally glitches. I had a conversation with a quest giver once where the quest giver was constantly giving his normal background talk and the conversation simultaneously. Much worse, I had an important now or never mission where we had to escape from a bad situation and the AI got stuck running on a wall and there was nothing I could do to save her.

I need to get into Gwent. Ive been putting it off because I dont want to invest time in a bad version of YugiOh but they are definitely making it a big deal

This game destroys 95% of story driven games out there. The universe and characters feel alive like no other game.

 

[cezero]

The only 2 problems I have with the game so far -

1. If you do at least half of the sidequests and Witcher contracts then you end up way overleveled

2. Game occasionally glitches. I had a conversation with a quest giver once where the quest giver was constantly giving his normal background talk and the conversation simultaneously. Much worse, I had an important now or never mission where we had to escape from a bad situation and the AI got stuck running on a wall and there was nothing I could do to save her.

I need to get into Gwent. Ive been putting it off because I dont want to invest time in a bad version of YugiOh but they are definitely making it a big deal

This game destroys 95% of story driven games out there. The universe and characters feel alive like no other game.

i didn't start gwent until my 2nd playthrough.

it's actually pretty fun once you learn it.

i recommend buying every card you can get from every vendor early on.

the gwent quests work pretty well, because each time you play somebody on a quest, you get a special card from them for the next part of the quest.

 

[Clayton]

I'm oddly enjoying the Quest Names in Witcher 3. Just did a quest called 'Last Wish' which could have been any number of references. Next mission is one called 'Possession' which Im guessing is a Dostoevsky reference but I could be wrong.

I can't imagine 10-13 year olds playing this game. Way too many mature references. Also a lot of alignment conflicts for people who try to play Geralt a certain way. He obviously plays himself off as Lawful Neutral but his love interests are all Chaotic Good, Neutral or Evil. But each society has a different set of laws which shape each character and justice is mostly irrelevant for a wandering Jedi/Vampire Hunter D mercenary. Id imagine that if I was playing this like Geralt actually would, Id skip at least 2/3 of the optional quests and just do the Witcher contracts and the ones that help out friends.

 

[Payton]

Game is freaking awesome... I mainly like an immersive story and it certainly has that. I also like satisfying combat and enjoy being jumped by bandits on the street and getting to set them on fire, cut them in half or decapitate them... Its a good, "How ya like me now?" sense of accomplishment...

Yeah, I didn't much care for Gwent at first, but now I go out of my way to play and complete those quests, though sadly I hit one of the tournaments before I was ready and lost my first game.... BOOOOOO!!!! Oh well...

Occasional graphic issues don't really bug me, I usually accept that every game has some minor glitches and move on and something of this scope was bound to have a few. Its only happened with one story arc so far, but appreciated how the game explained how my choices affected the outcome... Who have thunk. Thought I was doing the right thing. Only once, I believe, did I go back to a previous save and change something I did because I didn't like the outcome...

One thing I think I would like is for the map to update when you have cleared a monster nest or bandit camp or what have you... There are some where I am hopelessly outmatched and want to come back to when I'm more powerful, and some that I clear, but on the map I cannot tell which ones I still need to go back to...

I do love the open world... I can play according to my mood. Sometimes I fast travel to advance the story, and sometimes I take the long way around to an objective to see what else is out there. Like someone said, I will probably advance my levels beyond the main story arc? But I'm one of those who gets frustrated playing over the same battle 10 times, so that doesn't bother me much...

This game is an instant top 5 all time for me...

 

[Clayton]

I do love the open world... I can play according to my mood. Sometimes I fast travel to advance the story, and sometimes I take the long way around to an objective to see what else is out there. Like someone said, I will probably advance my levels beyond the main story arc? But I'm one of those who gets frustrated playing over the same battle 10 times, so that doesn't bother me much...

This game is an instant top 5 all time for me...

If you play the game in a manner where you have fun just gearing up in a town and then exploring the unknown parts of the map, I highly recommend avoiding the missions called Treasure Hunts until later on.

Before I got my first set of Treasure Hunt weapons, I was switching out gear all of the time but now I rarely find anything that beats the gear.

 

[Battlelyon]

Game is freaking awesome... I mainly like an immersive story and it certainly has that. I also like satisfying combat and enjoy being jumped by bandits on the street and getting to set them on fire, cut them in half or decapitate them... Its a good, "How ya like me now?" sense of accomplishment...

Yeah, I didn't much care for Gwent at first, but now I go out of my way to play and complete those quests, though sadly I hit one of the tournaments before I was ready and lost my first game.... BOOOOOO!!!! Oh well...

Occasional graphic issues don't really bug me, I usually accept that every game has some minor glitches and move on and something of this scope was bound to have a few. Its only happened with one story arc so far, but appreciated how the game explained how my choices affected the outcome... Who have thunk. Thought I was doing the right thing. Only once, I believe, did I go back to a previous save and change something I did because I didn't like the outcome...

One thing I think I would like is for the map to update when you have cleared a monster nest or bandit camp or what have you... There are some where I am hopelessly outmatched and want to come back to when I'm more powerful, and some that I clear, but on the map I cannot tell which ones I still need to go back to...

I do love the open world... I can play according to my mood. Sometimes I fast travel to advance the story, and sometimes I take the long way around to an objective to see what else is out there. Like someone said, I will probably advance my levels beyond the main story arc? But I'm one of those who gets frustrated playing over the same battle 10 times, so that doesn't bother me much...

This game is an instant top 5 all time for me...

The map does show where nests you haven't completed yet are, the more lit up they are on the map means you haven't destroyed it yet. When you have destroyed the nest it is not as lit up, same goes for hidden treasures that are not opened are lit up more. I know I wish it was easier to see, or just taken off the map if the nest is destroyed. But that is what we have to work with.

 

[Payton]

The map does show where nests you haven't completed yet are, the more lit up they are on the map means you haven't destroyed it yet. When you have destroyed the nest it is not as lit up, same goes for hidden treasures that are not opened are lit up more. I know I wish it was easier to see, or just taken off the map if the nest is destroyed. But that is what we have to work with.

Ah thanks... That helps.

 

[Clayton]

Finally beat the game last night. For me the first 2/3 of the game was the best game Id ever played. The combat was a bit janky but every mission was its own story and every new destination and something worth exploring. For me the last 1/3 of the game has the same legacy as a game like Walking Dead: Season One. Lots of interesting story decisions but the gameplay really took a backseat.

In terms of legacy for me this is on the exact opposite side as Dragon's Dogma which was a game with a nonsensical plot but also had fantastic gameplay, a compelling class system and a really cool "end" boss battle.

 

[Payton]

Finally finished as well... I guess I see what people are saying about how the end becomes a bit linear, but it seems to me that this is where all of your choices merge to give your ending (as well as a few snap decisions you need to make near the end as well.)...

Thought I was going to get an ending that would make me want to try a few more times to get it right, but no... Pretty happy with the outcome...

Spoiler Alert: Ciri lived and Temeria ended up as free as I figure it could have... Would like to have had the chance to lead some rebels against Nilfgaard, but oh well... I think I sort of got over on Emhyr by lying about Ciri's fate and keeping her from him, so that was satisfying enough...

Lot's of complaints about the "head of state" mission (Or whatever the exact name of that mission is), and I have to agree that it kinda was a bit weak. I got a mission fail on it when I started the final sequence, but was never given an option to do any more with regard to that particular mission, so not sure where I went wrong (Sounds like a bug from what I'm reading)...

Anyway, great game...

 

[Clayton]

Finally finished as well... I guess I see what people are saying about how the end becomes a bit linear, but it seems to me that this is where all of your choices merge to give your ending (as well as a few snap decisions you need to make near the end as well.)...

Thought I was going to get an ending that would make me want to try a few more times to get it right, but no... Pretty happy with the outcome...

Spoiler Alert: Ciri lived and Temeria ended up as free as I figure it could have... Would like to have had the chance to lead some rebels against Nilfgaard, but oh well... I think I sort of got over on Emhyr by lying about Ciri's fate and keeping her from him, so that was satisfying enough...

Lot's of complaints about the "head of state" mission (Or whatever the exact name of that mission is), and I have to agree that it kinda was a bit weak. I got a mission fail on it when I started the final sequence, but was never given an option to do any more with regard to that particular mission, so not sure where I went wrong (Sounds like a bug from what I'm reading)...

Anyway, great game...

It wasnt exactly the story getting linear that hampered things for me. It was the forced power creep at the end. The best example of this I can think of is that you spend most of the game knowing that there is a dumpling maker that makes badass weapons. You have to wait till the end of the game to do his quest missions and when you go through the story mission and complete everything, you get a legendary sword. You then can buy a common sword from a vendor less than an hour later that is better in every way. I kinda lost interest in the subquests and finding hidden treasure when they stopped mattering.

Still a great game. Possibly Game of the Year

 

[Battlelyon]

I am with you on that, you do all that work for the master armorer, you are I'm going to get some bad ass armor, it is nothing special, same goes for the Blacksmith mission.

I wear the Great Sun armor, and that is a random loot item.

 

[Payton]

Ah, I probably wasn't bothered by that because I didn't really do the Master Armorer quest. Didn't care as I liked the equipment I was using just fine. (Was using Igni or Aard a lot. ).