The Witcher franchise started a global phenomenon that is still going strong a decade after its introduction. The Witcher video game changed the gaming landscape with its emphasis on character development.
The game is known for its intricate storyline within an expansive world filled with immense potential. It could even rival some of the most complex medieval fantasy novels with its storyline and characterization.
When you play The Witcher, you are bringing a character to life complete with difficult decision-making options. With that in mind, Learn let's take a look at what this legendary series is all about.
What Is the Witcher?
The Witcher is an action role-playing video game developed by CD Projekt Red that is based on the novel of the same name. The main storyline follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia who is a monster hunter known as The Witcher.
The first game was released over a decade ago in 2007 and still holds up against many role-playing games today. The first game was well-received and was a critical success.
It later spawned a sequel called The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings in 2011 and the third game in 2015 called The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The Witcher World
The Witcher has always been one of the most innovative games in the industry. The first game caught everyone by surprise with its good use of the Aurora Engine.
The first Witcher game was a dark and foreboding world. It was filled with sights and sounds that would delight fans of the medieval fantasy genre.
The tradition continued with the second Witcher and increased the quality of the game. Witcher 2 raised the bar as it improved on the first game's combat system and visuals.
Players would get to have more meaningful choices and the in-game world was fleshed out further.
Gameplay and Features
The Witcher 3 further extends the limits of what the game can do. This time, the animation is superbly beautiful with more meaningful non-playable characters being able to interact well with your character.
Each NPC has a life of its own and players are fully immersed in the game world. The Witcher series has never shied away from its large scale storytelling complete with difficult decision-making from its players.
The game prides itself on complicated consequences that even in the mere first chapter of the game would affect the outcome of the final acts.
This truly made the game replayable for several more hours as players begin to make drastic changes to how the game is played.
Availability
The first two Witcher games are currently available for PC and Mac with the addition of the Xbox 360 for the second game. The third game is currently available on different platforms such as PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and 5.
Reception and Influence
The Witcher franchise has received countless praise for its world-building especially in the first game. The second game improved upon the combat system which made it even better to play with as it further extends to the Xbox console.
The third Witcher game received universal acclaim when it was released in 2019 because it was an immersive experience from start to end. The narrative and its characters were heavily lauded as well as the consequential gameplay that the entire series has utilized.
The Witcher series has received several Game of the Year awards. The games have also won Best Storytelling, Best Narrative, Visual Design and were nominated in various other categories.
The games were so popular all over the world that it has sold millions of copies worldwide. It has also spawned a television series through Netflix that premiered last year in 2019 with a follow-up series coming in 2021.
Conclusion
The Witcher franchise continues to surprise its fans with downloadable content. The games have proven to be popular amongst various gaming communities and have become a staple at gaming conventions all over the world.
Its immersive world, the charming main character, strong storylines, and unique gameplay, make The Witcher one of the best games of all time.
