Game review: The Witcher goes out on a high with third instalment
Monster-slaying brute Geralt shows us a softer side as he hacks his way through his final quest
CD Projekt RED
4.5/5 stars
Since The Witcher series for the PlayStation is one of my all-time favourite video game trilogies, it was with great sadness that I went into Blood and Wine. I wasn’t sad because I thought the expansion would be terrible – quite the opposite in fact; I was sad because this means we’ve come to the end of Geralt’s storyline. Though he may be a brutal, emotionless, monster-slaying machine, he’s also one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing as in a video game. Thankfully, CD Projekt RED has not disappointed, and Geralt’s final adventure is one of his most intriguing and exciting yet.
The story begins like any: it’s another day in the war-torn Northern Realms, and Geralt’s out looking for work. The noticeboards have never let him down before, so we ride into a village and check out the notice pinned to the board. One happens to catch his eye, so he scoops it up, and heads to meet the men who left it behind. What follows is a quick reminder of just how brutal the Northern Realms can be. It’s a good way to introduce the upcoming story, because it helps to remind players of where they’re coming from, which makes Toussaint’s reveal that much more intriguing. It isn’t long before Geralt and his old friends are headed off to the land of love and wine.