It took me three tries, but CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, widely regarded as one of the best games of all time, has me hook, line, and sinker. It has been ages since I’ve found a game that’s actually hard to stop playing, but The Witcher 3 has a formula to it that makes you guilty in doing so. In my recent play sessions, I have gone hours past my intended initial playtime in the name of looting, exploring, and, simply, enjoying.

A common problem in the genre of open world games is that the open world is, well, empty. That is not the case in The Witcher 3. I am in one of several regions, and I can’t begin to fathom how long it will take to fully traverse to every blip on the world map. It’s rare to go more than 200 steps without reaching an enemy encounter or area of significance. This makes traveling to an objective without a fast-travel take longer than expected, as it’s tempting to discover just what those question marks on the map are hiding.

In addition, conversations with NPC’s are meaningful and long-winded. Everyone has a story to tell, and the vast majority of them are compelling enough that you want to see them through. The Bloody Baron quest in the early goings of the game has immediately elevated itself to be one of my favorite storylines in fantasy gaming yet. For a side-quest to last 3-4 hours is unheard-of, and I know I will be encountering several more like this.

With the knowledge that I am in for an estimated 100+ hours according to howlongtobeat.com, in addition to the two acclaimed expansions I purchased, I know that I am in it for the long haul. I have had an absolute blast and I am just scratching the surface. With a statewide order to stay at home, I have no excuse not to delve as deep as I can into this treasured title, and I know I will be loving every second of it!

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