The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an action-adventure RPG based on the prose by Andrzej Sapkowski. It follows the story of legendary monster slayer Geralt of Rivia as he travels the Continent and beyond in search of his and Yennefer's adopted daughter, Ciri. Set in a beautiful open world and backed up by great storytelling, this is a compelling singleplayer experience that any fan of video games should experience at least once.


The main story of the Witcher 3 takes us through the quiet landscape of White Orchard, along the battle-ridden and destroyed land of Velen all the way to the pyres of Novigrad located within Redania. The path is long and the open world can be explored at will. Any village, outpost or cave Geralt enters can have something unique, which will be useful in the battle against the Wild Hunt.

Positives:
+ Compelling storyline that stays true to its source material but never tries to intersect with it. It is a fitting final chapter in Geralt's story that should leave both fans of the novels and newcomers satisfied.
+ Characters are interesting and complex. Whether it is Geralt's true love Yennefer or his dear friend Dandelion, everyone feels in place in the game's story without ever straying too far from their novel origins.
+ Fantastic and rich open world that can be explored at will. The world is your main source of income, whether you accept a lucrative contract or decide to search deep within a cave for lost witcher diagrams, curiosity will always reward you with something, even if it takes your life in the process.
+ A complex combat system that is easy to learn but difficult to master. Playing on lower difficulties will allow you to pass combat encounters with ease, but crank it up to "Death March" and you will soon find out that picking the right swords, signs and oils will be the only way to come out of that encounter alive.
+ Character development is in a league of its own. There are so many possibilities for different playstyles, a huge number of abilities one can master to suit their own preferences. I personally had a lot of fun making my sign build.
+ An enormous amount of quests, contracts and tasks for the witcher to do. You can stumble on a simple contract requiring you to free up a village from a nasty monster or end up in a chain of side quests that sometimes take a few hours to complete.
+ Graphics, especially with the next-gen update are great and not too demanding even for weaker PCs. There is always the option to run the old-gen version as well, in the unlikely scenario where you are totally not able to run this one.
+ Music and ambient sounds are a joy to listen to, especially when exploring the Continent.
+ Gwent is a fun pastime once you have understood the rules and know how to play properly. There are a number of side quests and achievements that heavily focus on it though, which did get repetitive for me.

Negatives:
- There are many issues during cutscenes. Most of the time the game does not unload peds around a cutscene trigger. That means that when you start a cutscene you will often have random NPCs doing goofy or buggy animations while you are trying to listen to important story elements. This is especially common for cutscenes in dense areas such as taverns or streets in Novigrad.
- There are many reused faces, which you will notice quite quickly if you do side quests. This does not apply to any of the important/story/unique characters, they all have their own detailed faces. NPCs, merchants, random quest givers are the ones that suffer from this. It can ruin the immersion!
- Gwent card collection is a bit of a pain to do, if you care for achievements that is. You can easily lock yourself out of the achievement by progressing further into the story and there is no way to go back, unless you have made a manual save prior to the quest that locked you out.

Overall:
The main Witcher 3 game is a fantastic story-driven experience that pushes the limits of what RPGs can be. All of this, by the way, comes from someone who is neither much into RPGs nor into fantasy in general. That alone should tell you how impressive and great this game is. It is a pinnacle in singleplayer experiences and I would wholeheartedly recommend it even if it costed $70. These days you can grab the Complete Edition for something as low as $10 or $15.


This is the first expansion pack (not DLC) for The Witcher 3. It is an adaptation of a Polish folktale regarding the devil and the consequences of one's wish. Geralt's contact with a cursed nobleman, Olgierd von Everec, take him on a trip around Oxenfurt where he slowly learns what it means to have a heart of stone.

Positive and negative points listed beneath the expansions are things specific only to them. Most of the points mentioned in the main game section also apply to the expansions as they are still part of the same package.

Positives:
+ Fanstastic story that is my personal favorite in the whole game. It's full of deep heartbreaking moments but also some fun and even goofy ones as well (whoever plays it will know exactly what I mean).
+ Further expanded combat and character abilities. The runewright has some of the best armor enchantments in the game, provided you have the initial coin to set him up.
+ Some of the music, especially in the Painted World, is a great companion piece to a great quest.

Negatives:
Nothing specific that isn't part of the main game's issues.

Overall:
The Hearts of Stone expansion is my favorite part of The Witcher 3, specifically because of its story. With the further refined combat and character progression it is an absolute must that you play this too alongside the base game. The Complete Edition is your friend as it includes both expansions along with the main game.


The second and final expansion of the Witcher 3 is a fitting send off for our protagonist. Geralt is taken to the region of Toussaint, a land of wine and love, where he has to undertake one of the biggest contacts of his life. The scale of this expansion is so large, almost the size of a separate project.

Positive and negative points listed beneath the expansions are things specific only to them. Most of the points mentioned in the main game section also apply to the expansions as they are still part of the same package.

Positives:
+ Great finale to our hero's journey. While the Hearts of Stone story is my favorite, you can't go wrong with any narrative arc in The Witcher 3.
+ Massive overhaul of character progression and combat in this expansion. New Witcher mutations for Geralt to play around with, grandmaster quality Witcher gear and dyes to look the part while slaying monsters and bandits.
+ Proper vineyard where our hero can rest, harvest plants and tend to his armor and weapons (I don't want to give out too much as this is part of the story).
+ Another great soundtrack, especially ambient music when traversing the pretty landscapes of this southern paradise.

Negatives:
- Yet more Gwent card collection related quests. Unlike the base game, however, you can collect all cards of the new Skellige deck at any point during your playthrough.

Overall:
The closing chapter in Geralt's journey is a satisfying ending to the Witcher trilogy. With its massive scale and overhaul of gameplay, this is another must-play for everyone who thinks of picking up the game. If it wasn't clear yet, the Complete Edition is what you want to purchase. All of the content is absolutely worth it if you want the full experience. The game goes on sale very frequently so you have no excuse to not pick it up.

Thanks for reading this lengthy review and thanks to my friend for gifting me the game!

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an action-adventure game following the end of the 19th century, the end of the Wild West. The prequel follows the story of Dutch van der Linde's gang of outlaws, fiercely fighting to escape the inevitable faith in store for them, the new "modern" world. The second game presents us with a brand new protagonist, Arthur Morgan. Just like the original's protagonist John Marston, he is also an outlaw - Dutch van der Linde's most trusted associate. Honorable at heart, but at the same time stuck on a crossroad between what's right and what he believes is right. Taken on a massive rollercoaster ride through the ~50h campaign, our main protagonist evolves so much when his world views get taken apart.

Positives:
+ A massive open-world that feels like a living and breathing creature, filled with breathtaking views. From the gorgeous snowy mountains to the giant muddy streets of Saint Denis, all the way back west to the deserted town of Armadillo. The world "talks" and responds to you and your actions.
+ The most detailed animal wildlife featured in any video game so far. Incredibly extensive list of different animal species that act just like they would in real life.
+ Technologically astounding weather system, most probably the best weather system of any video game so far as well. You will "feel" when it's hot outside or when a massive storm approaches.
+ Rich AI behaviour for all NPCs, they remember the player's actions! Whether he robs a store or helps someone in need, everything reflects on those around him. They also have daily routines - eating, sleeping, doing some work, etc. Rockstar nailed this part here compared to GTA V.
+ Incredible story, full of twists and turns, pinnacle of what video games have to offer. Rockstar made us care so much for some characters on our screens. Thanks to incredibly mature writing and the phenomenal delivery of the actors who portrayed them, those characters feel so alive and real. As if they are right in front of us. The protagonist is the main focus, but the side cast in this game is also staggering and adds so much to the whole experience.
+ Huge emphasis on realism in this game, even more than GTA IV or even the original RDR. The stamina, health, and deadeye cores drain over time, there is a need to eat and sleep in the game to replenish them. They drain quicker if the player is poisoned or has a sickness. Weapons also have to be picked up from the horse, we can't carry all of them on our back like in GTA. This is not to everyone's liking, but it's important to note that this game is artistic, and art is often not appreciated by all.
+ Incredible cast of actors that poured their heart and soul into these characters, possibly the best ensemble in any video game.
+ Great and extensive customization options - Arthur's hair and beard grow over time. There are loads of different clothing, beard and hairstyle options. Same applies to weapon and horse customization.
+ Astonishing soundtrack that deserves to be heard at least once, by everyone. Absolutely vital part of the whole experience this game presents.

Negatives:

I am almost at loss, but there are minor things that could have been better in this overall masterpiece.

- A lot of emphasis on animal hunting and plant collecting. This applies to people who want to 100% the game, of course. If you plan to start this journey be warned, you are bound to get fed up by the amount of hunting and picking you have to do.
- Gambler Challenge 8 (Soul Draining!!)
- The missions are a lot slower and "calm" compared to GTA V, for example. This is necessary, as it goes hand in hand with the heavy narrative-driven experience. I am absolutely fine with this and can appreciate the decision. You need to be aware, however, if you are primarily a GTA fan or don't have patience to take this game slow, like it should be taken.
- Not exactly a negative, but I will put it here anyway. The game requires QUITE a powerful computer in order to run smoothly on high settings.

Overall:
Red Dead Redemption 2 is true art. If the original was a masterpiece among video games, this one is a masterpiece in all of entertainment. Elegantly and masterfully crafted, even after 4 years, this is the best example of games being on par with movies and books. Featuring one of the vastest and most detailed open-worlds, arguably the best story in video game history and the most detailed wildlife in gaming. All this brought to life by an astonishing cast of talented actors makes RDR 2 a concrete 10/10! Game of the decade and one of the best pieces of entertainment of all time.

Thank you for reading this lengthy review. A small point to mention is that the score and everything mentioned concerns only RDR 2 and not its Online mode. I know how poorly Rockstar treated the online for this game, but I've never really cared for it so it does not bother me personally.

For anyone interested in doing 100%, I have a great guide you can follow, which features optimal strategies and routes!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2487669306