My all time favorite game, I just can't leave in in the past and keep coming back to play it. I have probably around 700 hours in it. I played this game in full 4 times, in two separate instances even completing everything on the map there is (unmarked encounters and all skellige loot too). Its hard to write review to do this game justice. In short graphics are still very good (especially with mods that they provided support for). Atmosphere is incredible, beside setting I really must highlight soundtracks as they are one of the best ones I've ever heard in game or movie. Nitpicking - fire, water, folliage could be better, also draw distance could be higher (adjustable). You can always find things to be made better :) I really liked gameplay (enemies, mechanics), its engaging but not too hard so it doesn't harm story telling. Except on Death march where everything is a chore to kill, tehnical diffculty not higher HP is what should make game harder. Similar goes for new game+ which I ddin't like, its better to just start from null. Now the main thing in this game is really the story. The main one is okay, you get involved, its interesting, with ups and downs, quite enjoyable. But it has problems with rushed ending, it emphasizes Wild hunt a lot but show us very little of them and decisions that determin outcomes are questionable. Despite that I still liked it, due to all great side missions and "3D - belivable" characters. BOW expansion is just the best, story, setting, music, writing, chracters. Superb. Almost the same goes for HOS, but mission "Great heist" - its too cliche and doesn't fit. Game as such has a lot of appropriation from movies and especially folklore. But its mostly very well done, fitting and a lot of times amusing. TLDR; Graphics and gameplay are great. Game has a vast world thats full of missions, encounters, easter eggs,... Its also thematic and stories are very well made and interesting, but some still have room for improvment.
The only thing that is really good is the graphics, amount of detail and lightning is just amazing. It really is visually well desinged game. Other than that theres not much else that would make game worth the purchase. Starting with gameplay mechanics - shooting is mediocre, hacking is just plain boring and stealth is too easy but still takes long and there is no point (reward) for doing it. Driving is abysmal (awful controling and AI makes it a pain), it takes ages to get anywhere and its the main way to get around. Also the navigation on minimap is impossible to follow as it doesn't zoom out. Map itself is so cluttered and unreadable its useless. Fast traveling points are not named so I just guessed most of the time. Verticality may be nice idea but its not really "gamer friendly" (elevators tahe forever). Crafting has no point, progression is so fast, its way better to just equipe random weapon you find thats higher level. Invenotry is thus useless as its just cyling loot-sell. And the same goes for skill tree, if I'd never open it, I'd never notice any difference. But the real problem, the reason why I bought this game, is the story and its chracters. The story is predictable. its chliche and it doesn't venture into any real problematic topics. It doesn't portray the world as absurd or really anything. It barley addresses it at all. It shows no though life, struggles, its hollow. And same goes for characters that have no depth at all. I don't care about anyone. And V, I "made" the character thus I'd expect some freedom in the path he takes, the morals he has. But I don't get that freedom and I have no idea why he'd have some of his opinios and it feels forced. Also side misisons go in the same bin as main story and the world has no interesting side activites. Its empty. Also shops are useless. Oh and also phone is the worst. Bugs weren't that bad imo. TLDR; Graphics are great, but story doesn't deliver (not even close) and gameplay is (below) average.
