I’ve only played a fraction of The Witcher 3 (both because I haven’t had much time for gaming of late and because there’s a ridiculous amount of content) but it is, safe to say, rather good. I can see why so many people named it Game of the Year. It works, it’s visually lovely, and (most importantly for me) it has compelling narratives. Its plot, sub-plots, and individual ‘scenes’ or missions are strong and there’s story everywhere.
I’m late to the party, but I came across this video a little while ago from the excellent Extra Credits and really wanted to share it. It talks about how noir and detective stories work, and how The Witcher 3 uses these techniques and tropes to create such an absorbing game.
It’s also a useful watch for informing one’s writing in general.