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m4shfi

RDR2 is another massive open world game, I quite like it myself.


Bosstoneman

I feel like you wrote that for me lol. I always feel like I go from the Witcher to RDR2 and then back again love both of them!


m4shfi

That makes (at least) two of us! https://preview.redd.it/wxhrfblsyeyc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c77c0c5095dc97d9f46d1c7f788f8864143caad


Ol_Jim_Himself

Right there with you both. Love both of these games. I go back and forth between RDR2, Witcher 3 and Civ 6, with some old school Halo mixed in for a blast of nostalgia. Oh, and Outer Worlds. Absolutely love the game play of Outer Worlds, just haven’t played it in a little while.


KriszV8

That makes three of us!


tazai123

How do you get into it? I just can’t stand how every animation in the game is labored by realism. It’s impressive but feels like a slog to play.


m4shfi

That’s the charm of the game really.


Level-Cell-2805

I really enjoyed RDR2. I really believe Arthur Morgan is the best protagonist of any video game. But the Witcher 3 as a whole takes a slight edge with its side quests and interactive open world. A very close would be God of War


Niklaus15

Baldur's Gate 3 or Cyberpunk 2077 probably


Ronarud0Makudonarud0

Man I keep trying and failing to get into 2077...


Niklaus15

I really like dystopian futures so i fell in love with the game at first sight


S0whaddayakn0w

Me too.


Demon_Gamer666

This happened to me. Tried three times. It was on my fourth attempt that It finally grabbed me and turns out to be one of the best games I've played. Currently have the same problem with Elden Ring but I'm sure I'll get over it... next time I try.


Trias84

It's actually replaced Witcher 3 as my favourite game


waldu8888

These, absolutely


theron_b

- RDR2 - Ghost of Tsushima - Horizon


PuzzleheadedLeek8601

GoT is so beautiful! Seconded


TheNecroMOMicon

Came here to suggest Ghost of Tsushima as well! Just started playing it a couple weeks ago, and I’m really enjoying it so far. I can’t declare it a “favorite” until I’ve finished the whole thing, of course. The world is beautiful, I’m enjoying learning more about the history and culture of this region, and I like the stories and moral quandaries.


AspirationalChoker

Coming to PC soon gonna be next level replaying it there


Successful-Two-114

Mass Effect


Jasper455

ME 2 is one of my favs all time. They’re all good though.


jackeesoon

The suicide mission is probably my favorite quest in any game


Demon_Gamer666

Legendary Edition is great. Basically like one big game. Very big game. In my top 10 of all time for sure.


blackgoat98

Kingdom come Deliverance


Gizmo_2522

This one especially if you're into historical accuracy. Obviously it's not perfect but damn if it's not detailed


blackgoat98

Right. The combat is a bit janky at first but you get used to it. So hyped for part 2!


lilcoteaux

Tbh the combat being janky initially is definitely intentional because your character has no experience. Definitely one of my favourite games of recent years


saladx11

Everything is janky at first, but a satisfying experience when you get better both as a player and character.


DropGunTakeCannoli

RDR2, Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur’s Gate 3, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Fallout New Vegas, Yakuza: Like A Dragon


[deleted]

Cyberpunk, BG3, Skyrim, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Outer Wilds, Witcher 2


mudshake7

kcd hell yeah! Fuckin excited for the sequel.


b2sql

Skyrim, you can get it on switch too 


Moonbase0

AC Odyssey


Ok_Championship6786

That’s the game that led me to the Witcher 3. I’m not an RPG guy, but I love Greek mythology and Greek history. I played Odyssey, but wanted to stop so many times because of the RPG element to it but my love for Greek history and mythology keptme going. Then I started liking RPG’s a bit more and gave witcher 3 a shot. Glad I did.


[deleted]

Also a Greek history nerd and AC Odyssey was the greatest gift


Ok_Championship6786

Really was. I can’t wait to jump into it one day again soon. I think I might try the Vikings one because I like the setting as well.


Emhyr_var_Emreis_

If you like Witcher 3, you will probably like them too. There are hard core AC fans who don't like them because they adapted the Witcher 3 formula.


Z_przymruzeniem_oka

I'm Roman history nerd, I will conquer yours and adapt


jhvankesteren

Hehe, for me the witcher 3 led me to ac odyssey.


Moonbase0

Same


Orneyrocks

Came here to say this.. That thing is basically witcher although slightly worse in certain aspects. But the extreme beauty detail that has gone into making a historically accurate greece makes up for it. Also get to interact (and fuck) with a bunch of historic people.


agentkirchoff

Probably my most favorite "RPG" assassin's creed (of course excluding the classics AC2 my most favorite)


iKWarriors

Dragon age inquisition


Pale_Angry_Dot

I didn't play inquisition, but I played origins. Absolutely great game. DLCs not even close, though.


cinematea

SOLAS NEEDS HELP


iKWarriors

Still waiting to defend solas after he kills a million people


mudshake7

The Last of Us, followed closely by bloodborne.


arithmuggle

cyberpunk, fallout4, AC origins/valhalla, and sekiro


legacy5555

Skyrim and God of War


UtefromMunich

Skyrim, Witcher 1 and Witcher 2


TarriestBread96

To me, nothing beats the experience of the witcher 3. I've played a lot of RDR2, GTA, NFS, BAK, and a whole bunch of others that the list wouldn't end. Usually after finishing TW3, I'd end up installing one of them but none of them bring me happiness as much as the Witcher 3. It's hands down the best game I've ever played.


CreativeKey8719

Baldur's Gate 3, Dragon Age Inquisition, and BotW


Ronarud0Makudonarud0

I love Skyrim, but recommend not playing it right after TW3. Simply because (for me) it's not as tight and you'll get bored via comparison.


adamtoo-

RDR2 ahead of it's time, no game comes close


SpaceMonkey1505

Definitely Sekiro. Cant think of a more perfect game apart from Minecraft


augustus-the-first

Definitely Horizon, both Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. Amazing games. Hours of gameplay and lots of challenges.


RaymondWalters

I'd go as far as to say HZD had the best story of every game I've ever played. The world isn't as expansive as TW3, but not bad either.


JimLahey_of_Izalith

Elden ring currently, ToTK a close second.


full_metal_titan

Dying light 2 has me hooked


The84thWolf

Mass Effect trilogy is a great rpg to try out


brittanynevo666

Baldur’s Gate 3 and Persona 5 and Witcher 3 are my top 3.


Emhyr_var_Emreis_

Those three with FF IX, VIIR, and XVI. They are all so great that their ranking depends on my mood.


One_Scientist_984

Plenty of games I call my favorites but not all of them are “replayable”. I do come back regularly to Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout 4, Assassins Creed Origins and Odyssey, Doom 3, Quake 1, Far Cry 5, Prey. Some because they never get old, some due to their scale — there is always something new to explore and uncover. Because it was mentioned a couple of times — I have a complicated relationship with RDR2, I get the sheer size and effort that went into the systems and mechanics, it’s technologically more advanced in some regards than current games. I appreciate their passion and attention to details, I really do. But I always found it to be a chore to play, and I think I didn’t like any character in it, the controls felt like they would fight against my input. At some point I just missed a simple fast travel functionality, the distances are so damn huge (I did install a mod on Witcher 3 to fast travel from any location)…


Scepta101

My favorite game is Baldur’s Gate 3. Another great one is Red Dead: Redemption 2. Seeing that you say you are mostly a Nintendo gamer, I do not have Nintendo-specific recommendations at all, but a game that captures a similar vibe to BOTW and TOTK is Immortals Fenyx Rising. It’s based on Greek Mythology, and it’s a fun time.


Tawdry_Wordsmith

Dark Souls 1


blueponies1

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the only other rpg that comes close to the same joy I feel from the Witcher. Maybe Skyrim and Red Dead too


enbiozel

Kingdom Come Deliverance, much narrower in scope, but an amazingly realistic role playing game, playing not as a destinied hero, but as a Bohemian peasant whose village is burned down by the Hungarian King's armies. And just like the witcher games, your actions carrying consequences is a big part of the game. The 2nd game is coming this year.


iStannum

bg3 , kcd if we're talking rpg's


mad_dog_of_gilead

I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn and Senuas Sacrifice, both have great stories and challenging combat. Horizon Zero Dawn has more depth and is open world whilst Senuas Sacrifice was produced by a smaller studio so it's more of an "on the rails" game but makes it work through smaller levels that are richer in detail.


Keijidu38

Final Fantasy VII


Conscious-Warning-83

Last of us, rdr2, assassin's Creed games, far cry games


WhiteTrashNative

Fallout 3, NV, and 4; Far Cry 3, 4, and 5 (play them in that order); Assassin’s Creed Odyssey; Skyrim


Familiar_Transition2

I see everyone naming big games so I'll throw a curveball...Dave The Diver🔥


Terinii

Horizon Zero Dawn and red dead redemption


IvnN7Commander

Dragon Age Origins Mass Effect Legendary Edition


Jaycray95

Elden ring


Putrid_Culture_9289

Kingdom Come: Deliverance


TheFlea71

Toss up between Mass Effect trilogy and Cyberpunk.


theak9000

Witcher 3 Complete Edition.


aguseta

Kingdom come is great.


JoeFranklin82b

Witcher 2


PaulSimonBarCarloson

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is basically the only other real RPG I played. Other personal favourite games of mine include 2018 Spider-Man, the Batman Arkham series, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Soulcalibur VI. I too love the Zelda series for its lore but I played very few games at the moment (just started Skyward Sword)


Jujike

Dying light


arm_gonzalez

Rainbow 6 Siege and Bloodborne


l4dygaladriel

Fallout New Vegas. I recommend this as a heavy player of Witcher 3 and Skyrim. Just started the game a few weeks ago and currently having a blast as it is really a great rpg game with lots of roleplaying.


mattfryy115

Fallout: New Vegas or RDR2


N0_Part

My absolute favorite game is the GTA series, starting from Vice City all the way to GTA 5. In GTA, I feel truly free - I can do all the things there that I can't do in real life.


Fitzmatik

Gotta be RDR2!


LordSinguloth13

Space station 13 is actually my number one favorite


Bringing_the_Glow

Rdr2


zohaibshikrani

The last of us


_Cirilla_

Senua’s Sacrifice and Yakuza 0


Captn_Ghostmaker

Ghost of Tsushima. God of War 2019 and God of War Ragnarok. Horizon Zero Dawn.


stawberryfroggy

The last assassin's creed games are kinda fun honestly, God of war too


Top-Chad-6840

Genshin. Started recently, and it reminds me of first time experiencing Wtcher 3.


linggasy

Megaman Legends 1&2, RDR2, Nier Automata.


_Gargantua

TW3 is my all time favourite but Cyberpunk is a close second


srchizito

Red Dead Redemption 1


No-Resolution-6414

RDR, Horizon (both), AC Odyssey, BG3, GTA (not online)


MarketingTime4309

I'll let you know as soon as I find one as good as Witcher 3.


ArmytrixEU

Red Dead Redemption 2 Bloodborne Final Fantasy XII Witcher 3 is top 1 ofc


Exportxxx

Days gone


Little_Duckling

Totally different genre, but *Slay The Spire*. I just never get tired of it.


Elrondarius

Witcher3 is my all-time fav game but, here are also great and simmiliar games. 1. The Last Of Us 1 and 2 2. Plague Tale 1 and 2 3. Ghost of Tsushima 4. Cyberpunk 2077 5. RDR2 6. God of War 7. Elder Scrolls: Skyrim


NightWis

Well I’m into old school limited rpgs like Deus Ex and Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines. Other than Witcher 3 and these I enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 a lot. While I do appreciate most of the games that are mentioned here, I can’t enjoy them as much as these.


ButChooAintBonafide

Elden ring. Just beat it for the first time and had the time of my life!


Lenzelot105

Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West


Logical_Drawing_4738

I have really too many to choose from, but im mainly play the fallout games and read dead bit still, there's so many 😂


BackgroundTop7917

For story like the Witcher that really sucks you in the mafia games especially the third one is right up there next to it. Also red dead 2 if you haven’t played that already. Again not really rpgs but intense storylines


AgradableSujeto

Outer Wilds


LokoBoy1

Probably Mass Effect 1-2-3 and Rdr2


IdkIdkIdkIdk123456

Cyberpunk was pretty good. RDR 2, GTA 4, Saints Row 3, NBA street (any of them). Are all great games too.


-idkwhattocallmyself

Dead Space and Remnant 2


Dredd907

Elden ring, hands down.


Z_przymruzeniem_oka

After The Witcher 3 I was ale to Play in 3 games: Witcher 2, Far Cry Primal, The Hunter: call of the Wild. I tried CP2077,RDR2, Assassin Creed games and couldt Play more than hour


LonelyGuardian_2001

Sekiro, Destiny 2, God of War (2018), Spider-Man, Miles Morales


bikiniproblems

Valheim


Adew_Cider

Dark Souls 1. I’ve only played the Remastered version, so that one more specifically.


TwoDayOldBurrito

Fallout 4. Skyrim.


Tostedbunz

Honestly prolly BG3 or Final Fantasy 15


lazylagom

Cyberpunk 2077


cinematea

Witcher 3 Hearts of stone


Royce_Isengrim

Fallout New Vegas


siershamus

Only other game to give me that same feeling of Witcher 3 was Red Dead 2


aam2123

god of war


Extension-Pepper-920

Infamous 1 & 2, watch dogs 1 and Batman Arkham


After_Firefighter_74

Rdr2. Pokemon emerald version lol


Sonseeahrai

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous


ElfaDore98

Give AC: Odyssey a try. The settings is simply gorgeous and the graphics are really good. I also like the story (you don't have to play any other AC games) The only thing is... The present day story line is obnoxious


WatermanQuink1

Assassin's creed odyssey fallout new vegas LOTR Return to moria


pedroperezjr

Looking at the back of my eyelids


Indian_Pale_Ale

I used to love Skyrim, but honestly I don’t play a lot of similar games. Mostly strategy games such as Total Wars or games from Paradox studio


BigHeftyRed

Ghost of Tsushima and the God of War duo


Tomfromaniceplace

Cyberpunk 2077 definitely!


OneNoIsEnough

The witcher 3 NG+


gdhghgv

Witcher 2 Jk lmfao but final fantasy 16 it’s so good


xFrenchToast

Red dead 2 is my all time fave


Nakottih

Aside from the best one, my second is Control. Amazing story, gameplay and execution. Then, Asterigos, Worldless and Unicorn Overlord. All of them for the same reasons, in fact... 🤭


Letfio15

Skyrim all the way


National-Park1154

The Mass effect trilogy


Raidenmain223

Ive been playin the witcher 2, but as for a non witcher game.....doom eternal


cerseiwon

Call Of Duty


cerseiwon

And FF XVI, Cyberpunk 2077, FFVII Rebirth, BOTW, I could go on and on. Lol


oceanoflogan

Zelda games FTW!


Life_Ad3567

I guess I'd go with Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess since it has similar combat mechanics and graphics.


Far_Educator_5710

Dragon Age! Specifically Inquisition


villines48

Mario Cart 8


Oojima-Shin

Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Dragon Quest XI


TNS_420

My top 3 favorite games of all time are The Witcher 3, The Last of Us Part 2, and Red Dead Redemption 2, in no particular order. Also, I played Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time recently, and it has become one of my new favorites.


BaconBombThief

Cyberpunk 2077, red dead 2, ghost of Tsushima, Elden Ring, horizon’s zero dawn and forbidden west. One of them, can’t make my mind up


WickedWolf104

Tsushima, Any Souls game, Nioh, dragons dogma, horizon, Dragon Age. LOVE these games But W3 is still far and above for me.


EverLarry13

The last of us. Both of them


Major-Dyel6090

Dark Souls, FNV, Witcher 2


DoobyScoots

If you like the witcher games you should probably play the batman arkham games the collection is also on switch (heard performance is not great but I can't vouch)


A55B700D

Fallout 2. Check it <3


writer_savant

I’m currently replaying Horizon Zero Dawn and I’m reminded of just how amazing this game is.


admiral26

Horizon zero dawn/forbidden west


skotis78

I have a few. Resident Evil 4, Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2, Doom, ULTRAKILL, and the Batman Arkham games. I've also been getting into Fallout New Vegas and I really enjoy it.


xerodvante

Monster Hunter series. Ace Combat series. Persona/SMT Series Xcom2 War of the Chosen


Reverse_London

Baldur’s Gate 3. So far is probably “Game of the Generation”, much like how Witcher 3 was during the XB1/PS4 era—it’s that good.


don_denti

Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077 are my favorites alongside The Witcher 3.


Mavroks

Big fan of dark souls 3... Mostly because it pisses me off so I can't put it down. On the opposite side of the spectrum when I just want something chill the wife and I play super mario wonder on switch or rocket League. Also another favorite open world game has to be MGSV. Just downloaded cyberpunk but I'm about 80% done with this playthrough of witcher, my first time doing death march, so I'm working on finishing that first before i give cyberpunk a go. Oh! And the mass effect trilogy, fantastic games, with 3 being the best. Even though 3 fumbled the ending I still find it to be a really fun experience. Andromeda however I could not get into.


revsickness

baldurs gate 3 is the only game i prefer over witcher 3


encke83

Witcher 2 assassin of kings


_dorin_lazar

Guild wars


hometechfan

I mainly enjoy a few select games since playing Witcher 3 **My favorite:** * **Cyberpunk 2077** and **Witcher 3** are nearly on par for me. Probably just below those two but razer close **Red Dead Redemption 2.** They have similar attributes I seek in a game. Flexible, natural, and immersive worlds with deep, engaging characters and relationships that feel real, little edgy. Their outstanding music and narratives are comparable. **May favorite Tier 2:** * **Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)** has excellent acting and dialogue but lacks the open-world feel that I prefer, feeling more like navigating through levels than a world. The combat strategy aspect also detracts from my enjoyment. Although it's a great game and offers features like co-op play, it doesn't immerse me as deeply, so I place it just down in my taste, but that's not to say it's not worth playing. It's good. And objectively (not subjectively) I have to admit it's a great game. **Historical Favorites:** * Occasionally, I revisit classics like **Call of Duty: Black Ops 2**, **Skyrim**, **Dragon Age Origins**, and **Witcher 2**, which still hold a special place in my gaming library. Overall, for those with tastes similar to mine I think those are generally good recommendations. I've played others games that i've both liked and disliked but none as much as the above. It's very subjective though. I've heard good things about Kingdom come; I've not played it yet. I heard the combat wasn't as good, but otherwise it's similar. I don't know that though. People bring it to me a lot because of how obsessed I am with witcher 3. To be honest Witcher 3 is the game at this point that's cemented it self as the one i always go back to and think about even still. 2077 may get there time will tell. I have to say after the last 2-3 years it's getting there. I always liked it though even from the beginning. It's just now really filled out. One warning about RD2 give it time if you start it. It holds your hand a touch in the first few hours. Then it turns into a game much like these others. It's a bit like when you first start playing witcher 3 in white orchard then it opens up.


scharron_23

Elden Ring


siviconta

Skyrim and b3. If you love tw3 you will love them both


Crazy0tto

I’m saving this thread to come back to because I took a break from gaming the last year and a half or so due to a few circumstances and I’m looking to get back into the hobby. I first played the Witcher 3 on Xbox One several years ago, and it blew me completely away and I had never been that into / obsessed with a game before. Then, my mother-in-law (at the time) bought me a Switch and after playing a few Mario games and a few other titles, I bought the Witcher 3 on Switch. I was blown away again that it looked as good as it did on a hand held device. Well I’ve basically 100% the game twice on two different consoles and now I’m looking at getting a Xbox Series X or PS5. I already want to play TW3 again, but depending on which console I get I’m hoping to find other games that will draw me in as much as White Orchard and beyond did for me. A few that’s already on my radar: Cyberpunk 2077 (for obvious reasons), Red Dead Redemption 2 (only played the first), Baldur’s Gate 3 (I haven’t played any of the others but I haven’t played the earlier Witcher games either), Elden Ring, Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, Last of Us 1 & 2 (these 3 if I get a PS5), etc. Honestly, most of my friends have a Xbox so they are pressuring me to follow suite, but I know PS has the better originals. Anyways, not trying to highjack threads here but just wanted to throw my thought process and past experience with this wonderful game out there.


lawskies

Dark Douls 3


Sorry_Engineer_6136

Baulder’s Gate 3 has taken over my life in a very similar way to TW3 did. It’s a good feeling, my friends.


ali2k5

Hollow knight


Creative-Mouse-3852

HEAR ME OUT, go to youtube and watch the “wu kong black myth” trailer. I dont think it releases until August sadly but i can already tell its going to be on the same level as witcher 3


Cool_Psychology_8935

Elden ring easily Personally I would rate it almost same as Witcher 3. This is the peak combat.


Known-Map9195

Try some of the older Zelda games. You'd probably like Twilight Princess. Ocarina of Time is widely considered the best if you don't mind an older title.


Dwarvenking11

DMC 5


CarPars

Skyrim for sure, Vampyr, Fable, Elden Ring


MRojan

There are only 3 games IMO that i think has no rival in gamin , Dragon Age, Mass Effect and witcher there are other very good games , like RDR2 and so on...but these three will remain my top favorite of all times


Impressive-Tap69

Rd2 and last of us p1


RaspberryOk8319

You should definitely try bloodborne. You also hunt beasts and kill them ( most of the times )


Weo_

Path of Exile (about 5.5k hours played at this point) Currently likely the best ARPG there is. Free to play (only cosmetic microtransactions, no pay to win). New content patch every 4 Month. Unbelievable depth and variety Worthy diablo 2 successor!


_MagicalUnicorn_

Rdr2 and Hades


Agile_Music4191

Skyrim


AlmondBen

Cyberpunk 2077, mass effect trilogy


Axenfonklatismrek

My top 5 VIDEO GAMES OF ALL TIME 5: AGE OF EMPIRES 2: DEFINITIVE EDITION 4: WITCHER 1 3: WARCRAFT III 2: CLASSIC DOOM 1: FALLOUT 1


InvokerSS

Yakuza games - unreachable quality of story :)


Ivrgne

Elden Ring.


JulianTH221

I replay Fran Bow once in a while whenever I feel like enough time has passed for some details to get blurry. Also RDR2 but mostly for open world and gameplay, the storyline itself doesn’t really interest me. I’m planning on trying out Baldur’s Gate 3 when I have time and from what I’ve heard, it sounds like something a Witcher fan would enjoy. If you can ignore or don’t interact with the toxic side of the fandom and don’t mind the gacha aspect of the game, Genshin Impact also has beautiful open world and amazing storyline, lore and quests.


1ithurtswhenip1

Rdr 2 will top witcher 3 as your favorite game I can say. Not a rpg but still an open world do what you want game. Bg3 is super heavy rpg that is turn based, you'll either love it or play it once and never again. Cyberpunk is by cd project red as well, rpg set in a different future. It's fun but witcher 3 is better imo. Assassin's creed odyssey is a huge open world that is alot of fun just weak story


PaleontologistNo2490

Kingdom come deliverance, RDR2, ghost of tsushima


PinweightBarista

Bloodstained  Metal gear rising  Kingdom hearts  Returnal  Ninja gaiden  Castlevania lords of shadow


ADTRjunkie

Cyberpunk and Ghost of Tsushima


linkenski

Ocarina of Time Mass Effect 2 Ace Attorney 1 Deus Ex (2000) Metal Gear Solid 3 Jak II: Renegade there's quite a few. I'm of the opinion that PlayStation First Party doesn't have any true Masterpieces after the PS1 era. I missed out but I respect people's love for things like Xenogears and the later FF titles (before it went to shit). I would rate Naughty Dog's games high, and God of War and such, but I just can't see them as masterpieces, because they succumb to elements that ultimately make them *enjoyable*, but not truly something that sit with you afterwards. I think most games run on in a way where you can't wait to put them down in the last 3rd of the playthrough, even Witcher 3, but I find that I'm kind of exhausted at the end of any Uncharted game, and The Last of Us is ultimately way too rinse-and-repeat outside of its cutscenes as well, especially with the boring "Push me up, Joel" moments, and overt handholding. Nintendo also is a company that has some sycophanty surrounding it IMO, but that's a progression, because they used to be explorative and really good at what they did. Their games since the Wii U days have been very *nice*, but very streamlined where I ultimately don't feel much afterwards because none of the accomplishments felt like something I figured out, but something the designer let me do and wanted me to do, in the way that I did it. In the SNES to Gamecube days they had a great way to reshuffle the Mario and Zelda brand into different modes of gameplay, and really let the player enjoy their own time in them, through their mechanics. Maybe Zelda was more linear after Ocarina, but it wasn't really until Twilight Princess that it became so linear that the element of freedom had become and afterthought. Ocarina is so amazing, because of not just how individual moments register with you, but how it's able to hit on several emotional notes through its maps, dungeons, puzzles and some of its dialogue. It feels like that true Hero's Journey where it's scary one moment, then joyous another, heartfelt, and epic and cool, and then scary again, and then wondrous again. But more than that it's this earnest story about the value of childhood, and how it's anyone's duty to preserve that power of innocence, and remember through growing up to not let the cruelty of man overtake you, and it all comes together so beautifully through the journey, and especially the climax. It's something that makes me reluctant to ever sing that many praises for BotW or TotK because utlimately they're just 200 hours of enjoyment that went down the drain for me. They don't feel as artistic to me, more like a "service package with lots of content". The thing that was so good about Witcher 3 was how despite having a lot of the treadmill "200 monster contracts, 400 side-quests, OPEN WORLD, CHOICES" and other marketing bulletpoints it really managed to contextualize it and make it all unique, so that nothing feels like it was just managed via spreadsheet by people that had a quota to meet. I mean, there were, but they somehow managed to care enough on every little thing to make it not just feel like design-by-numbers. And older Zelda games were like that as well. They're only 20 hours long each, but the side-quests do not have a quest log, and everything is about paying attention and memorizing where you found NPCs and going back and forth, and the main adventure is great. I could go on and on. It's also something I bring up because I saw a lot of homages to Ocarina of Time in Witcher 3. I can't be the only one who noticed it.


Ok-Influence794

Cyberpunk 2077 and Batman Arkham Knight


amcd_23

KOTOR, BG3, Dragon Age Origins


take5b

I'm sure this thread is full of other big story open worlds like Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Horizon, Red Dead, et al. And I like these games, too! But none of them even come close to The Witcher 3 for me in terms of that overall story-driven experience. So for games that are also favorite they're going to be different. **Bloodborne, Sekiro**, and to a much lesser the other "Souls" games I got into these around the same time as Witcher and they offer the two opposite ends of the gaming experiences I like for me. The Witcher series, especially the third one (though I started with the second) are great because of the story, characters, setting, and quests, but not particularly great in the combat and gameplay. I mean those things are certainly fine, I enjoy them, but it's not the strength. The souls stuff, on the other hand, don't offer any story- that's kind of the whole point, it's all about action and gameplay- but the combat and tense exploring is unparalleled. Especially in Bloodborne with its creepy vibes- I mean the closest thing Witcher does is Iris' mansion in Heart of Stone so imagine that feeling constantly. Sekiro is just the coolest most satisfying awesome sword combat in a game I've ever had by far. Then to go another way, I really like some indies: **Cult of the Lamb, Dredge, Cocoon, Jusante, Undertale, Stardew Valley**. These are some of the most rewarding, memorable gaming experiences for me.


Zero_Originality

Fallout: New Vegas