The Witcher 3 is an expansive action-RPG with elements of Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls V (Xbox 360, 2011) and Red Dead Redemption II (Rockstar, 2018). I'm usually not a fan of lengthy intros but one in Witcher 3 has a Game of Thrones vibe complete with the gratuitous violence and nudity. If you're looking for a fully-realized fantasy world this game has you covered with bustling townships, medieval castles, creepy caves, and haunted towers. You can travel through the rugged wilderness on horse and fast travel to places you've already visited. From lush forests to crumbling ruins, the degree of detail in the scenery is pretty fantastic. There are enough side quests to keep you busy for months, considering everywhere you go there's some poor slob screaming for help. Personally I'm not interested in collecting flowers or helping some ugly widow. I prefer to stick to the main storyline which is well acted with intelligent dialog. I also like how that dotted line on my radar leads the way. So whata Witcher, you ask? Apparently they are outcasts of society with the ability to wield magic in addition to bludgeoning whatever gets in their way. Our hero is one bleach-blonde badass and his main squeeze is a dead ringer for Kate Beckensale. I was impressed that you have a full set of spells right off the bat like the ability to start fires. The Witcher III broods atmosphere but its PC roots show through here and there. Some of the text is awfully small and the animation feels stiff, especially during combat. It's easy to move about freely in the open wilderness but in tight spots like caves you tend to get caught on rocks and the camera is all over the place. The hack-and-slash combat feels very mechanical and unsatisfying. The story feels like a never-ending stack of quests. I need to find this object so some guy will give me a clue so I can find some witch who will give me a clue to find a location... wait a minute,The game helps you along when you get stuck and you can use the left trigger to enable your "Witcher sense". This ability highlights clues in the scenery but I found its dream-like, fisheye view nauseating. The game auto-saves often which is great because you never know when you're about to die. Once I fought off an army of soldiers single-handed only to die after getting bitten by a dog. After a while the game's degree of tedium began to exceed my threshold. I got so sick of hitting A to pick up every little mushroom or herb. I hate the concept of "crafting" so the idea of repairing weapons, brewing potions, and applying oils turns my stomach. I enjoyed the spectacle of The Witcher 3 but once a game starts feeling like a chore it's usually time to move on. © Copyright 2020 The Video Game Critic.