Best game ever?

[BaaaaL44]

Best game ever?

I want to first point out that I'm not a fanboy ("yea, sure", you may be thinking) and I am aware that the game has numerous issues still unadressed, like the absolutely awful character Pop-in, which I have been trying to get fixed since day 1. Still, I have started a new playthrough to celebrate B&W (and to finally play HoS as well, which I have been postponing until both expansions have been released) and realized that there has never been another game (except MMOs) I managed to clock almost 200 hours into. I have come across statements in the reviews of numerous games claiming 200 hours of gameplay, but I have always completed said games in 80-ish hours, exploring everything. Yet, I have almost 200 hours in TW3, made up of one and a half walkthrough.

I started thinking, and trying to be as objective as possible, given my love for the series, and I came to the conclusion that TW3 is quite poissibly the best single game I have ever played, during my 20 years in the hobby. Sure, I hate pigeonholing games by unjustly compressing them into a single score, disregarding genre specific characteristics, and ranking them, but stay with me. Graphically, TW3 is - again, I think - unmatched by anything I have seen on PC. Dying Light comes close, and probably surpasses TW3 in terms of sheer fidelity and photorealism, but the atmosphere and the map is just amazing here.

The music is fine as well, there are some absolutely great cues, although I'm not a great fan of the combat music with the female chanting. I never ever listen to cinema/game music outside of the associated product, as it takes away the atmosphere imo, but I did listen to TW3 music a few times.
The characters and the story are flawless, I'm not sure what else I could say. The combat is solid, although I admit I could use a difficulty that actually forces the player to make use of the dozens of different decoctions and potions. Even Death March is piss easy just spamming quen and dodging, so all those resources, bombs, oils, they just feel somewhat pointless every now and then. Other than that, the gameplay is perfect, pacing is great, there are loads of stuff to explore, and loot. My only gripe with the game is the XP system, early quests are extremely (and I mean EXTREMELY) easy to outlevel, and getting 8 xp for a quest at level 5 is rather disappointing, even though the story still incentivizes you to do these as well.

Is there anyone who thinks that all in all, TW3 would be their no. 1 game ever if they had to choose?

 

[iCake]

I really like the game, but I don't think I can put it on my number one spot just like that. There are just too many other games I have fond memories of as well. For example, I'd never know which is better Dragon Age: Origins, the Witcher 2 (you must definitely try this one if you haven't, the story there is just amazing, beats the Witcher 3 main plot if you ask me) and the Witcher 3. Cross genre... Mass Effect triology kicks in immediately, then there is Deus Ex HR, Dishonored and so on

One thing you have to give to the Witcher 3, I think it's the only game out there that actually puts together quantity and quality and not just trying to play off of one of those as many other games do. So maybe, just maybe, this can qualify the Witcher 3 as the best game made to this day.

 

[Zultre]

Yep TW3 is my favorite game of all time - been gaming since 1990.
I rarely get into the Lore of games , but TW3 is something else , you fall in love with the universe and characters from the get-go. I even bought the books because of this game and loved every single page of them.
I have said this before and will say it again. TW3 feels like you are playing a well written book.
I am also busy with my second play-through and haven't started HOS or B&W yet , like yourself I left them until I had both. I am taking my sweet time doing everything , exploring everywhere and just immersing myself in the game. It's going to be a sad sad day when I finish it all

 

[BaaaaL44]

I see where you're coming from, that's why I said that I'm not a very big fan of listing favorites just like that. For me personally, DA:O is a huge favorite, but it was never as beautiful as TW3 was, and I missed the open world greatly. TW2 plot indeed is awesome, but IMO it is the weakest link in the series, simply by virtue of being extremely linear, and requring a replay just to make sense of the story, because of how the second chapter branches. ME trilogy is great too, I totally give you that (although I have a mixed opinion about the first one) but again, none of them managed to mix absolutely amazing graphics, open world, and interesting story in quite the same way as TW3. But again, that's just opinion

 

[iCake]

@BaaaaL44

I also see where you're coming from, but I don't view graphics as something essential to a great game. As long as graphics are not hideous and too sub-par to the current gen standards I'm okay with it. After all graphics are not what keeps you in game for longer Speaking of which, comparing DA:O and TW3 in terms of graphics is just unfair, the first one is ancient. I'm sure there'll be games that'll look way better than TW3 after a few years.

Also talking about TW2 is worse than TW3 because you missed the open world. Well, it's not an objective argument, because that clearly comes down to your tastes there. e.g. subjective. Let me be subjective for a moment here as well, won't you? I absolutely love TW2 plot exactly because you might want to do 2 playthroughs to get the entirety of the story, I for one don't really like when all the story twists and turns are handed over to you just like that, as if you're a center of the universe of some kind. Subjective mod off. If you'd like to compare how good TW3 open world is, I'd agree that there is currently none better and TW3 really elevated the bar for these kinds of games.

Last thing, I don't think that there is a truly objective argument when talking about video games. That's why I just try to judge them by the emotions they managed to give me, in that regard, I can't really put a single game on top, not yet anyway.

 

[vesemas228]

Yeap best game ever until the next best game. That's how it works.

As much as its annoying how popular witcher 3 is and you don't want to say it.. if someone seriously asked the question its the best so far.

If you merge the experience with the audio books.. 2 more in english have been released since w3... its a spectacular experience. Id strongly recommend it because w3 still does, though not as much as previous games, assume you know the lore already. The context of the game is so much more meaningful if you know the support cast of characters as well as geralt does. Yen and ciri vessamir are just flashed into existence in w3, where they have huge stories leading up to it from the books and previous games. Even though 3 does a better job than past games you feel almost sorry for people because the lore bonus going in is so huge.

What i find crazy is they don't release a full modding kit. The only evidence for doing so is what people did with skyrim mods.. the amount of work that the community has done is insane and the witcher provides a much higher base to work off.

 

[WolvenGear]

This game just gave me the best vibes when I walked around exploring and an old man said: I once had a girl or should I say she once had me. Awesome beatles tune.
Guess they like norwegian wood in toussaint :areukiddingme:

 

[essenthy]

nothing can come close to B&W right now, CDPR are simply far away from any other game devs, the only game that i played lately that gave me this impression is Dark souls 3, anything thats been out this year/past year is not even close to touch it

i dont think i would call it the best game ever, not because its not, but because every " best game " has its own context, its rather the best game made in these late years

 

[alienfriend]

This game are going to be struck in my memory. It's, hand down, the best game i ever played. And i'm a amateur of open-worlds RPG. Skyrim is good but has not this quality of narration of the witcher. It has not this atmosphere too.
The witcher was my best video game experience since i start gaming, and the amazing team that is CDProjeckt take a role in that.
I'm really sad to say good bye to Geralt, i would have gladly buy others maps like Kovir (and i'm not a buyer of DLC normally) for add to this amazing experience. I don't want this game to finish... but sadly, there is no game that have infinite playtime.

 

[dmcaldw]

Witcher 3 is in it's own category so in it's category it is the best game ever . It is a visual and audio book in my opinion everything pushes you along as does reading a good book you keep playing to see what is next. ( like reading chapters in a book you need to keep going . )

I would say it is the best series ever 1,2,,and 3 each have their own soul . Witcher 3 does a great job of trying to bring some of the soul of previous titles while maintaining it's own identity .

Other titles mentioned ME, DAO were great and should have maybe a star put next to them as best ever for their time with a but . The Witcher's first two games were hanging around during that time the fanboy in me felt sorry for people who haven't played The Witcher during this time frame . There lies the problem I think by now Witcher 3 should be allowed to stand by it's self with out comparing it to other games for it is clearly in it's own niche . Once more and more people get introduced to The Witcherverse I think the best ever title will be a yes positively because once you read the books and get a chance to play the other games you see how entwined everything is some close and not so close but there .

I will give you the nod for best ever until Cyber Punk comes out .

 

[verdwhisper]

It is my best game series.

 

[ShinGnosis]

The competitors for best ever RPG one the grandest possible scale:

* Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 played back-to-back with the same characters and all DLC

* Mass Effect 1, 2 & 3 played back-to-back with one character and all DLC

* Witcher 1, 2 & 3 played back-to-back with one character and all DLC

If i had to choose one it would be very hard indeed, but Witcher 3 is a massive achievement and CDPR is my favorite RPG developer right now together with Obsidian.

 

[Rawls]

It's so hard to say anything is the "best" game because of all the subjectivity that's involved. It is certainly one of my favorite games (along with the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the Mass Effect Trilogy, the Last of Us and Final Fantasy XII). I think I could probably say it is the most technically impressive game I've ever played as far as blending world design, quest design and graphics. But best ... I prefer to keep away from such proclamations.

 

[cyberpunkforever]

yes, abslutely, the best game to date. in every aspect.

 

[LordBeleth]

Yes, this game for now is number 1 in my list. I would give CDP Game of The Year title again for Blood And Wine, unless something like Deus Ex shows more epicness (I doubt to be honest). So... Yes. This guys from Poland have brought us the game which is destined to be on of the best games ever. I can add nothig, The guys above have already said everyhing what I think about this brilliant masterpiece and I even dare to say that it's not just a game but a piece of art.

 

[Mezziaz]

While the game is very good, for me Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings might be that game that takes the top spot.

My opinion might change though after I finish Blood and Wine as Heart of Stone changed my opinion of TW3 somewhat for the better and mods have been great so far at erasing the bigger issues I have had with the game.

 

[andrewlucas]

Yes, best game ever. So far. Managed to surpass Mass Effect for me.

 

[Smurfin]

It's one of the best games ever. It's so detailed in many aspects like facial expressions, vocal tones, atmospheres, musics, character motions, the world is so big and beautiful, the stories and side stories, combat, character build, mount, GWENT, and a lot more. Even pins, buttons, ribbons, stitches etc on clothes and armors are visible, well placed and thought.

(Back then when I looked at my Griffin Armor sets, I thought damn these armor sets are ugly, I even hated the color, but as the time went by and having observed the detail of it many times, I like it a lot now, it's a well thought and well made sets of armor, there are the chainmail part, plates, leather, 'spongy' parts for thickness, the beer belly part, buttons, etc. I even like the color now, green like military uniform.)

With Hearts of Stone and especially Blood and Wine, these expansions complete the game. Back then I was so disappointed with how level and the abundant loot were kinda pointless, but now with the additions of enchantment, new mutation, new tier of gears, more stuffs that need money, I want to loot even more now and it's a bit scarce in Blood and Wine but that's fine, it gives me incentive to do the ? quests all over the map to farm money and I am still broke, I even haggle for payment now xD. The combat is also more thrilling now, more variety to what Geralt has at disposal in combat, and the character build system makes it so Geralt won't be too OP and can try different build and combinations in combat. Inventory system and weight distribution is more reasonable and less tedious to micromanage.