What keeps me playing? Exploration, exploration and exploration one more time. Love that after 200+ hours I still discover some new hidden places.
Purely for a sense of closure. If not for that I would have stopped playing. I cannot express my utter disappointment with TW 3 in almost every facet except aesthetics. An okay if not redundant and simple action game that offers little in the way of role-playing and continuity, it has caused CDPR to fall from my small circle of trusted developers. Because of it I'll not be purchasing Cyberpunk nor recommending any future title that follows the same vein as TW 3.
What in God's name are you talking about? Witcher 3 is the entire worlds' GOTY and CDPR won many developer of the year awards. You've not giving any type of specifcs whatsoever, just randomly bashing the best game of 2015.. and one of the best games of all-time. Wondering if you're a troll or for real.. if for real, mind elaborating instead of just throwing out meaningless, blanket statements?
The not a role-playing game that was supposed to end an RPG trilogy but is actually a disjointed stand-alone.
@calasade
Very thorough elaboration, and indeed, the things you typed down are true but you have to consider some aspects:
Concerning the transparency of the quests: I have had quite a few quests where the outcome was exactly as expected, yet I was baffled at others. This is not so much the fault of the game as it is - and I can only assume - "your fault" for having a lot of experience.
Like you seem to do, I aswell prefer a challenge so I've tried following tracks without the Witcher sense but often times it's strictly impossible, like during night time or in very densely grassy areas.
Another point you made is the ambiguous motivation. It's true, people who have neither read the books nor played the first two games have no idea who Ciri and for that matter any other character is. Seeing as TW3 is the most welcoming game for newcomers also doesn't shed any light on the background. I've read the books aswell and to me it's no problem as it seems like CDPR knows we are initiated and everything feels more natural this way. There's no need for clunky exposition, if that makes sense to you.
These are just examples, what I want to say is that ofcourse the game could have been even better, but how can one deliver that in a video game so rich, with so many goals? Nevermind budget, due date and what not.
When I first started TW 3, I thought it would be my GOTY and CDPR my dev of the year, but boy, did that change with getting farther into the game.
Note: RedEngine 3 is STELLAR. Best game engine I've seen bar none and I think that is the main basis for TW 3's success.
As for the game itself, I've listed my reasons of dislike and malcontent in another thread, but I'll summarize my issues with TW 3 here.
Tedium -- If I have to use my Witcher sense to follow yet another scent-trail or perform yet another lame "investigation"...
More Tedium -- Most of the quests are transparent. No surprises or mystery to the majority of quests I've taken.
Yet More Tedium -- Talk to person. Go here. Do this. Go all the way back. Talk to person. Return to quest location. Do that. Go all the way back. Talk to person. Return to quest location. Finish. See person for reward.
Yet Even More Tedium -- Same quest formula used again and again and again and again and...well, you get the point.
Simplicity -- WItcher sense takes out 90% of the challenge for too many quests.
Strategy Unnecessary -- I've not yet needed to facilitate strategic combat beyond making sure to have swallow at the ready and dodge at the proper time to avoid injury.
Dumbed-down to the nth degree.
Shallow Role-playing -- Decisions in the game have thus far had little impact beyond the immediate.
Nearly Forced Relationship -- Yennefer. If you want to follow book canon and dictate what a character should/must do, don't call the game an RPG because it isn't. It then becomes a linear action game based on linear books. Granted, those books are excellent, but a game that follows a book too closely is rather boring. Just like a movie based on a novel, the novel is 99% of the time better. Read the book, forget the game. In the words of Sheldon Cooper, no processor can compare to imagination.
Ambiguous Motivation -- I've read the books so I know why Ciri is important to Geralt. That importance, however, is not underscored in the game, nor is it explained how she came to Kaer Morhen and why she is so powerful other than a mention of "Elder Blood". The family unit that was Yen, Geralt, and Ciri is only touched upon. Little to no backstory explaining why Yen and Ciri are so dear to Geralt means little to no emotional involvement for the gamer and a whole ton of confusion for those who romanced Triss in 1 & 2 without reading the books. TW 3 is Muddled, weak, and (again because this cannot be stressed strongly enough) dictating. As an adventure/action game, it is okay. As an RPG? Flat out sucks.
Lack of continuity -- Many gamer decisions made in TW 2 are either not mentioned or blatantly nullified depending on which of the sixteen endings were chosen in TW 2. This despite a promise the opposite would be true.
Tamed Down Content -- Lingerie in sex scenes? When there is nudity elsewhere? When previous games were not squeamish over sex? Childish, moronic, hypocritical. Granted, this is a small irritant but it puts CDPR in a bad light because this sort of thing is woefully reminiscent of Dragon Age. Comes across as just plain silly in the Witcher. Shouldn't half-ass sex scenes. Either do them right or fade to black after a kiss or what have you.
No Auto Loot on Herbs -- Seriously, could they not have designed the game to grab all herbs when you click gather on them? I can understand picking and choosing or taking all on items, but herbs. I tell you, my thumb's getting carpal tunnel. And, oh yeah, how about being able to loot from horseback? Getting off and on Roach to pick up things gets old real fast.
Perhaps they should have named this game in a way that sets it apart from 1 & 2 and just called it Tedium Witcher. Tagline:
There are more reasons but I awoke only moments ago and haven't yet had coffee, so my brain is a little foggy. The aforementioned should provide the gist, though.
Well thank you for elaborating at least.. and while you bring up some points, I think many of the things you listed are just re-hashes of things you previously stated.
This is one of the only games I've ever played in my life, where just existing within the world, being there, is something captivating enough to keep me playing; the only other example I remember out of the top of my head is STALKER.
In TW3 I don't even need to have quests or combat or tasks to do, just walking and riding the horse and seeing the nature and everything is just enough, its like it makes me blindly keep playing even though I'm not actually doing anything or have any plans.