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Experience the lasting charm of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, a cult RPG still impressive a decade after its 2015 release.
A Taste of the 2015 Gaming Scene
2015 was a powerhouse year for gaming: Bloodborne launched, StarCraft 2 got a Protoss expansion, Dying Light came out, and Until Dawn hit the shelves. Plenty of fantastic games to dive into! Personally, I was eagerly awaiting Fallout 4 after countless playthroughs of New Vegas and the Black Isle duology. Back then, I genuinely believed Todd Howard and Bethesda would create a true Fallout experience. Like the meme from The Hobbit says: never have I been so wrong.
While I was caught up in the release of a game about searching for a son who turned out to be a grandfather, The Witcher 3 slipped past me. Monster slayers, a blond guy named Geralt of Rivia, and the literary universe of Andrzej Sapkowski? It all seemed uninteresting. Despite all the hype and awards for Wild Hunt, I was still recovering from what Todd Howard did to Fallout.
Triggered by the Witcher 4 Trailer: Time to Check Out Wild Hunt
Then the first trailer for The Witcher 4 came out. The clip struck with its haunting Slavic medieval atmosphere right from the start. That sparked an idea: why not give Wild Hunt a try? Everyone I knew was praising The Witcher 3, plus there was a sweet discount. Let’s see how the game holds up 10 years later and if the story of the White Wolf can still compete with modern action and RPG titles in 2025.
May 18 marked The Witcher 3’s 10th anniversary. To celebrate, here are my impressions as a newcomer. A quick disclaimer: I never played the earlier games, haven’t read Sapkowski’s novels, and knew nothing about the Witcher universe going in. This review is based on a 100-hour playthrough at the highest difficulty.
Sceneries Worth Living For
The devs don’t hold back right from the start. Even in 2025, the visuals are so impressive that many recent releases would envy them—especially in the era of the overused Unreal Engine 5. Sure, there were patches improving graphics after Cyberpunk 2077 launched, but if a game can still wow visually after a decade, imagine how stunning it was in 2015!
I’d gladly trade Fallout 4’s bland textures for the breathtaking beauty of Kaer Morhen, Toussaint, or Skellige.
But it’s not just about texture quality. Wild Hunt dazzles with its location design and draw distance. Every stone, log, flower, slain Nilfgaardian, and abandoned Witcher tower is perfectly placed. Any break during your journey guarantees a stylish, jaw-dropping screenshot.
The cutscenes are top-notch too. Combat scenes, dialogues, and camera transitions look as natural as in a movie. You often want to hit pause just to catch every tiny detail. It’s clear CD Projekt RED followed cinematic laws when making The Witcher 3. It’s a shame the next installment will join the crowd of Unreal Engine 5 games while REDengine fades away.
Music That Captures Your Heart
You can slap on any 4K textures, but the real soul of The Witcher 3 is its music. It’s diverse, unusual, and rarely repeats, changing depending on the region. Each track perfectly conveys the spirit of its location.
In Velen, you hear pagan Slavic motifs with wild vocal and instrumental performances. Skellige turns Geralt’s adventure into a northern Scandinavian saga. Kaer Morhen’s slower tunes sound battered, tired, yet still ready to fight. Toussaint is filled with the atmosphere of knightly deeds and spooky vampire tales.
Cutscenes shine even brighter with the soundtrack. Try turning off the music during dialogues or exploration, and most of the vibe evaporates. The Polish band Percival, together with composer Marcin Przybyłowicz, did an incredible job. The music from Wild Hunt is so good you’ll want to listen to it daily, even outside the game.
Balance Issues in Combat
Thanks to the stellar visuals and soundtrack, combat in The Witcher 3 is engrossing. The game offers tons of gear, armor, swords, and signs—its version of magic. I loved experimenting with builds from a powerhouse expert with sweeping Bear School attacks to the quick, deadly moves of the Cat and Wolf schools. Wild Hunt nails progression with skill learning and gear upgrades.
However, two issues stood out. First, dodging feels like something from Souls-like games. Parrying isn’t as effective as dodging in The Witcher 3. Dodges block all incoming damage, even AoE. After a few hours, Geralt moves in combat like he’s been stung in one spot, turning fights into routine by mid-game.
Balance is another problem. On the hardest difficulty, even a basic ghoul can send you to the loading screen with a few bites, which is cool. But some builds turn Geralt into a demi-god. If Geralt could, he’d single-handedly slice through the entire Nilfgaardian army, then Redania and Temeria. This is worsened by insanely powerful armor and weapon sets from DLCs. The final boss of the main story died in under a minute. I wanted a faster fight, but the big bad loved teleporting.
Balance issues don’t ruin the game. The devs knew the system was rough and tried fixing it in expansions, where even a leveled-up Geralt gets smacked. But in Blood and Wine, the Witcher becomes even stronger. Eredin in the main story’s finale was almost pitiful compared to Geralt.
One more downside: the Skellige islands. Beautiful as they are, side activities feel sloppy. 80% of the caches are in the sea. Skellige’s story arc lasts about 40 minutes max, with few side quests. You don’t have to clear everything, but I wanted 100% completion. That meant over four dull hours sailing and dying of boredom.
A Mature Game About Human Cruelty
As I mentioned, the Witcher universe was brand new to me. The lore, book plots, and character motives were unknown and fuzzy. But that didn’t stop my immersion. Quests, dialogues, and cutscenes pull you right in. Fans of Sapkowski’s originals or the first two games get loads of rewarding nods to old characters and events.
It’s easy to lose track of time playing The Witcher 3. The dialogues are excellent—no overwriting, no pointless info dumps, no clichéd sob stories about evil villains and pure heroes. Characters are introduced skillfully, and you quickly start empathizing with them, worrying for their fates and wanting to help.
Wild Hunt mixes horror and despair of life on the Continent with lighthearted moments and jokes. Yes, there’s war around, but we helped a troll paint his ship in Redanian colors. Now the monster’s a real sailor!
These moments don’t disrupt the main story. Thanks to this mix, conversations and monologues feel alive. The characters seem like real personalities, not just a bunch of textures and sprites. The authors skillfully juggle our opinions about local folks’ actions. Take the Bloody Baron, Philip Stenger—seems like a nasty villain at first. But get to know him better and his story, and it’s tough to make a clear judgment. Just like in real life.
Geralt — One of the Best Protagonists in Gaming
I’m usually skeptical about “pre-made” RPG characters. Not every studio can create an Arthur Morgan or Harry DuBois—deep, well-crafted protagonists. It’s always easier to let players make themselves. But Geralt’s different.
He’s one of the industry’s best main characters. Not because he’s incredibly strong or charismatic, but because he’s alive. He has lots of strengths like any human, but equally many flaws. He loves friends but grumbles all the time. Can’t decide on a love interest but would die for Ciri. Geralt’s interesting to listen to, you sympathize with him, and you feel his losses and tragedies.
The White Wolf shines especially in the two story expansions. Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine offer content that outclasses the base story. In DLCs, people’s stories take center stage. Geralt reflects more, pondering life’s meaning and his journey. So it’s best to play DLC after finishing the main story, when the White Wolf faces consequences of his choices.
Such a Dirty, Harsh, but Beautiful Witcher World
The rich environment also helps immersion. Minor NPCs constantly interact with Geralt, discussing events on the Continent and commenting on the legendary monster hunter’s travels. Sometimes you just stand for minutes listening to stories in Novigrad or a small village near Vrońce.
I can only imagine the joy fans of Sapkowski’s books and earlier games experienced on first playing Wild Hunt. I probably missed many notes, dialogues, or character comments. But that only adds to the game’s appeal. You want to keep coming back, and the lore’s scale invites exploration. Plus, there’s a New Game+ mode.
The Witcher 3 Will Stay Relevant for Another 10 Years
It’s hard to believe The Witcher 3 came out in 2015: even after 10 years, Wild Hunt impresses more than many recent releases. If someone told me it came out just weeks ago, I’d believe them. I envy those lucky folks who conquered Wild Hunt back in 2015. They had the chance to experience an incredible game while I was stuck liberating settlements in Fallout 4.
Some say it’s time for The Witcher 3 to “make way” as new RPGs like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 or Baldur’s Gate 3 arrive. But Wild Hunt doesn’t need to move. It has forever claimed its spot among legendary games. A cult RPG that will stay relevant for many more years—possibly even after The Witcher 4 launches.
When did you play The Witcher 3: at launch, some time later, or years after release? What are your impressions? Do you agree it’s stood the test of time? If you haven’t played yet, don’t hesitate to dive into the harsh yet beautiful world of the Continent like I did—it’s definitely worth it.
FAQs
- How does The Witcher 3’s graphics hold up after 10 years?
The game still impresses with detailed textures, stunning landscapes, and excellent location design that rivals many modern titles. - Is The Witcher 3’s story accessible to newcomers?
Absolutely. Even without prior knowledge of the books or earlier games, the story and characters are engaging and easy to dive into. - What are some issues with the game’s combat system?
Dodging is more effective than parrying, which can make fights routine mid-game. Some builds also make Geralt too powerful, unbalancing the challenge. - How important is the soundtrack in The Witcher 3?
Very important—it sets the mood of each region and enhances immersion, with music that feels alive and unique. - Does the game have replay value?
Yes! With deep lore, rich side quests, and a New Game+ mode, players keep returning to explore different choices and stories.
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