I have wanted to play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt since its release in 2015; however, I was always hesitant to start because I knew that I would not be able to stop. It only took a few hours of gameplay for The Witcher 3 to turn into my newly discovered obsession. I found myself waking up early on weekends to get an early start. “I’ll only finish one quest tonight” often extended to two or three, and I starting doing something that I usually never do: replaying quests to try different options. 800 hours later (#noragrets), and I’m finally ready to put my controller down. What an experience. Never has a single-player game kept me interested for so long, which speaks volumes about how immersive this game truly is. CD Projekt Red set a very high standard for Triple A games and a strong reputation for themselves.
By far my favorite gaming experience of 2019.

Played with Playstation 4 controller

Positive:
For a game that is 4+ years old, the Witcher 3 really looks amazing. From the strands of Geralt’s hair, to the different landscapes and cities (I especially loved Toussaint), to the weather/lighting, you can really tell that a lot of time was spent to make this game feel as alive as possible. I have never seen a game do the sunspots in your vision as well as this game has managed.
The biggest selling points, in my opinion, are the characters and story telling. Without the magnificent writing and voice acting offered, the Witcher 3 would not have been such an immersive experience. Given how many characters are introduced in the series, it’s amazing how many unique personalities there are. Literally none of the main characters are repetitive, dull, or lack personality. There are countless quests and wonderful moments that I remember vividly and am very fond of, for example, when I received a drawing from a little girl I saved. More impressively so, you even feel a part of the game while in the overworld. Many NPCs will interact with you as you as you walk by. Depending on the city and progression of the game, they will either call you names, spit at you, or praise and greet you. I especially liked that cats hiss at you (Witchers are mutants of sorts and animals dislike that).
Although this may sound contradictory, it is also great that you are allowed to skip dialogue. This is perfect for those who don’t care about the story, but in my case it makes replaying quests (to choose different options) a more pleasant experience, since I don’t have to wait through long cutscenes that I have already seen.
There is SO much content. Even in the base game alone (which took me approximately 75 hours to play through), the world is so vast, full of quests, treasure hunts, contracts, and even fun easter eggs. The Skellege isles alone has over 20 islands that you can explore individually. My favorite discovery by far is when I found dead Tyrion locked up in a cell. To my surprise, I even enjoyed playing Gwent, the card game introduced as a mini-game. Initially I ignored Gwent as a whole, but once I learned how to play it, it quickly became an addiction. I remember spending two full weekends roaming around only to play Gwent and collect new cards. The fact that CD Projekt Red chose to release Gwent as a separate game really goes to show how successful it is.
I absolutely love that the DLCs introduced (Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine) are fully worth their price. Both DLCs add more than 20 hours of gameplay just through the main quest lines alone, but even more if you want to delve deeply into each (highly recommend to do so). I don’t want to give away too much, but both main quests are spectacularly written. New monsters and quests are introduced, and in the case of Blood and Wine, a whole new area, new upgrades (both to your character and weapons), and the opportunity to have your own villa are added. Not to sound too biased but some of my favorite quests are included in Blood and Wine. It is also a nice touch that the developers included a feature which allows you to start the game directly at the DLC (start at level 30 with average equipment) but honestly I would recommend playing through the main game first, as it will make the DLCs that much more special.

Conclusion:
★★★★★ Exceptional
The Witcher 3 is a hell of an experience that will remain deeply engraved in my memory. I mean there aren’t many games out there that allow you to have sex on top of a taxidermied unicorn. I also cannot stress enough how much this game offers for a single-player experience - I could easily spend another delightful 30-50 hours on my current save file without replaying quests or starting a new game (+). Highly recommended!
This game is a steal at full price, and even more so when it’s on sale! What are you waiting for?