It quite literally is just an upgraded Baldur's Gate III in so many ways, without the drawbacks of the DnD rulebook. Peak RPG experience.
Honestly, this game is just breathtaking in every possible way. 10/10
Around 70 hours into the game (two seperate playthroughs, one alone and one with friends) and I merely got into the second act. The world is full with details and great stories all along. Main story looking to be the best and most intriguing of any video game I've played so far. Looking to do a full review once I completed a playthrough.
I have been a Gwent player since its very first days and I have seen the game change for the better and for worse. I got Thronebreaker as soon as it came out, because it seemed like the new Gwent with some extras, hoping for some relaxing single-player games and puzzles. Little did I know Thronebreaker is only partially about Gwent. Narration and story-telling blew me out - it is flat out superb. Finely written story is accompanied by beautiful 2D animated scenes and, most notably, fully voiced. Yes, all of the characters, even the narrator. Every mundane banter, every cutscene. And it is not just any voice-over: quality, variety and acting are what you would expect from AAA titles, not a little spin-off game. Speaking about little... it is not. I remember those single-player campaigns from Hearthstone that were similarly priced. I was of course expecting more from CDProjekt, but they still managed to surprise me positively. The game offers you more gameplay than majority of blockbusters. Don't get me wrong - many games offer 50+ hours of gameplay by forcing you to repeat certain portions of the game, or by filling it with mindless, repetitive activities and FEDEX quests. It's not the case. Here we are speaking about story-driven gameplay with Gwent puzzles and battles here and there. I have seen some complaints about the difficulty level. I believe for experienced Gwent players that may be valid - although for most of us difficulty would seem about right. I still found myself struggling a little bit with some of the puzzles, but even on the highest difficulty standard battles do not pose a great challenge for anybody that is well accommodated with Gwent. This is a game that I can with clear consciousness recommend to anybody. It has a lot to offer for fans of puzzles, visual novels, card games, RPGs, and Witcher universe. If you're a fan of any of the above, you'll have a great time. If you're a fan of all of the above, JUST GET IT!
I've been playing all the Elder Scrolls games with burning passion but this game might even take the edge over all of them. Saying that each minute is packed with tension here is certainly not an overexaggeration since CDPR has done a seriously great job in creating the most vivid open world I've yet seen. 10/10 from me!
