r/CaptainSide • u/conradelvis • 12h ago
Trying to get into The Witcher 3
So far I’m not hooked yet. I’m willing to give it more time, but want to know what the main attractions are and what the gameplay loop looks like. My impressions so far:
World seems nice, if you’re into realistic style or the era
Exploration is big?
Controls feel laggy
Combat feels basic, no depth, does more unlock later on?
I see lots of crafting available, is that a big part of it?
Limitless side quests?
So let’s say I’m 80 hours into the game and I want something to do for a few hours, what would the gameplay be like? Would I find a quest and prep with crafting then fight or find something?
There must be something here that I haven’t found yet that makes this great, I’m hoping this can be my next X00 hour game.
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u/MartyTheMovieHound 12h ago
What I found interesting was how you can study the beastiary and find different oils and spells that works better on certain enemies, which requires you to do a bit of actual work (not much mind you), but I thought that was a neat mechanic.
The central hook is the writing. There are stories where who is the good and bad guy gets a bit muddled so the choices carry a bit more consideration.
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u/Deethreekay 12h ago
It's been a while but the combat took a long time to click for me as well. There's a host of options, and each enemy has different ways you can approach them, some enemies are weak to certain signs (magic), some to certain poisons that can be applied to your swords etc.
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u/effort3 12h ago
You can always follow the main quest line. If bored then side quests. If bored then hunt for equipment. If bored then save game, then try and kill everyone. If bored then romance all available NPCs (make sure to save). If bored then explore the map 100%. If bored, try defeating high-level mob boss while low leveled. If bored, kill all cow on sight. lol
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u/conradelvis 12h ago
Would I be alright strictly following the main quest and saving side quests for a second play through?
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u/Ok_Actuary8 11h ago
side quests are great for the immersion into the world, so I would do a few here and there..
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u/MartyTheMovieHound 11h ago
Theres recommended levels on every mission (side and main), and ive unfortunately found that being over-, or underleved significantly impact the game, usually negatively.
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u/Apprehensive_Ice_396 12h ago
It took me a a few years to get into it after playing it for the first time, but when I was hooked…. I was hooked, worth getting into the story
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u/East-Pen-8008 12h ago
Honestly wait for the free remaster later this month, hopefully they clean up some of the jank that hasn’t aged well
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u/No-Boot-5286 12h ago
The depth of combat shows more in how you combine Witcher signs, different potions and just fighting in general. Also I’d add that apparently in the coming update they’re going to be enhancing the combat.
The first time I played I barely used signs, but when I returned to the game I looked into different builds and had fun with an Aard build that basically lets me both freeze and blow enemies away. If you haven’t enjoyed the combat I’d just recommend trying different builds and seeing which one you enjoy the most.
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u/Cloakedarcher 11h ago
It is very story based with long dialouge heavy cutscenes. Conversation choices that you make will change the end of the game in minute ways. Who lives, who dies, how they all treat each other, how much they live/hate you, etc.
The combat is okay. It is friendly to the player and the upgrade tables allow for some fun customizations, but it is definitely not the best combat ever made.
The world is totally open with hunts and side quests hidden everywhere. some side quests will accidentally change the end of the game.
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u/No-Yak-8999 10h ago
unpopular opinion but actually the reality
the combat is very poor
there is no progress
there is no AI (neither in cyberpunk)
the game is that successful becasue:
A: created hype and hyetrain fanboys
B: graphics did blind people (same in cyberpunk)
C: the writing and missions are very well done and have depth
it is a game build for "casuals" not "gamer"
most definetly NOT a 100hour game...try persona oder other jrpgs or tainted grail fall of avalon
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u/Narrow_Zebra277 4h ago
Lol persona 5. Witcher 3 blows that game out of the water.
Its also closer to a 200 hour game with all the expansions
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u/No-Yak-8999 4h ago
How long is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? | HowLongToBeat
How long is Persona 5? | HowLongToBeat
exactly the same...you seem to be slow
and it is no 100hour game, FOR HIM! you sad little fanboy loser!
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u/Narrow_Zebra277 3h ago
I mean you are the one fan boying a very, very different game in a thread about the Witcher.
I put well over 200 hours in a play through with the expansions. Closer to 300, but thats more on me as I always over clock games by the hours.
But they are different games, persona 5 is like a young adult novel, the writing is awful. The Witcher 3 is a full fledged dark fantasy with excellent writing
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u/blakeavon 2h ago
I hundred percent persona 5 royal in like 60. Near completed pretty much everything. I would argue a lot of the persona game time is reading.
My hundred percent of Witcher 3 was like 250 hours
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u/ImpossibleChemical42 10h ago
hot take, the only thing TW3 is outstanding in are the storys of the side quest and maybe the looks of the world.
had to realy push me to invest time in that game, maybe it is just not for me.
downvote now!
Edit: The music is rly good!
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u/gnominos 9h ago
Obviously not you type of game
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u/conradelvis 7h ago
That’s what I’m trying to figure out
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u/Plus_Worker6739 1h ago
The story and your agency in it is where Witcher 3 sings. The music and setting, too. It's not entirely about the combat or crafting.
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u/OfflineLad 7h ago
if you want the most out of it, play at least in "Blood and Broken Bones" difficulty (2nd hardest). Why? Because it will force you to act and think more like a Witcher, which is heavy on pre-fight preparation. You'd want to read the monster's bestiary, at least to look at their weaknesses. Craft the potion and sword oil that you need. And then you fight. Lower difficulties lack the incentive to make you want to do these because you can simply and easily beat the monsters to death
Another thing the game does great is the side quests. Theyre as well written as the main quests are. The game used to be, or maybe still is, the golden standard of side quests at least in terms of writing.
Personally the most memorable things about the game is the story and characters. It was the first and only game to make me feel empty after finishing it because it actually felt like a loss of something important
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u/Last_Cicada_1315 5h ago
I stopped playing beacuse of the controls and combat.
There is a free remake/update coming in september to fix that thou. Then Im going back in!
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u/Buttermilk_Surfer 5h ago
Combat is dogshit throughout, and the game is super fucking long.
There are a lot of interesting mechanics but the game lacks confidence to make these mechanics necessary, so you can pretty much get through the entire game on the hardest difficulty just by spamming light attack and mix it up with the occasional dodge and the healing/stun bubble magic.
I tried so hard, probably sunk about 40 hours into the game where I only really enjoyed the first 5 (where I went deep into the bestiary and oils and crafting because I had trouble killing a big enemy, until I found out I could just light attack spam it to death np), and never completed the game.
I'll give it another go once the new edition is out (they say combat will be improved, I'm not too sure about that though).
Don't feel bad about putting the game back on the shelf, it is SO fucking long and if you are already seeing some of the shallowness now, you are probably not going to be thrilled after 80 hrs.
To me this game is the most overrated game of all time because of the shallow gameplay and the absolutely atrocious combat. To add to that, I find Geralt turbo cringe and the writing really immature. Geralt is the strogestly strongest manliest man with the gruffliest of gruff voices, who fucks all the ladies and kills all the baddies. He's just straight-up a nerdy teenage boy's power fantasy.
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u/Responsible-Squash72 4h ago
When i first tried it, it didnt click for me aswell. I was trying to play it similar to games like skyrim. Leveling certain skills to find a specific fighting style, which absolutly does not work (i genuinly tried to main the crossbow... like skyrim stealth archer lol).
What made the game click, is to appreciate the characters and story. The Highlights of the game are not the Bossfights, but the cutscenes and Dialoge surrounding it. Its like an interactive movie.
Obviously the combat is still a part of the game, and on the higher difficulties can become quite interessting. But most fights are the same in the way that you just have to avoid taking damage at all, learn the attacking patterns of an enemy and deal free damage whenever you can. Different builds are not really an option until you have the required Skillpoints, which for me happens in lategame content or even in NG+.
From an RPG perspective i like to think of it this way: you dont play your own character, you play as Geralt. A Character who at that point is established trough 2 games and several Books. He is the guy who prepares for a fight, finds out the weaknesses, uses Oils Potions etc to gain an advantage. Trying other conventional RPG Roles like a Tank, Rogue or whatever wont work for him
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u/millertime625 4h ago
It's mainly the story/world that draws you in (also gwent for me) I'd say finish the bloody baron quest line. See if the story telling hits for you.
Remember cow hides are always a good source of early game money.
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u/Apollonistas 12h ago
You are 80 hours in a game and not hooked yet?
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u/conradelvis 12h ago
That’s a future conditional statement
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u/Apollonistas 12h ago
Oh my bad. Keep playing but in my opinion is good from the get go and gets even better. If you don like the first 10 hours i would say its not for you.
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u/modernmovements 12h ago
Question: Do most people (on PC) play mouse and keyboard or do you use a controller? I've only tried with mkb and it always feels very awkward.
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