As the clouds approach Geralt’s ship, we fast travel to a different location using the game’s map and are instantaneously surrounded by a plethora of things to explore. Calling our horse with a whistle command, we are off once more into the wilds to find a town called Fairland. On the way, we pass houses and homesteads, farms and forests; we are exposed to a living and breathing world. Wildlife is aplenty, and as part of the overall eco-system of the game, it can all be hunted, skinned, and sold. And what would an open world video game be without bandits and beasts?
Enroute, Geralt stumbles across some bandits, attacking a small cabin on the road. He defeats his foes with ease, transitioning effortlessly between melee combat and magic signs. The owner of the cabin hesitantly thanks Geralt, and Mattsson explains to us that, despite the small size of this event, the defeat of the bandits could have dire repercussions on the overall game later on. It is obvious that in The Witcher 3, consequence accompanies almost every decision made.
Further down the path, Geralt comes across some ancient ruins that blend beautifully into the landscape. Appearing to be thousands of years old, the ruins are home to ancient plants that have recaptured the land, as well as a beast known as a Fiend – a monster that appears to be a terrifying hybrid between a werewolf and elk. The battle with the Fiend plays out like a mini-boss fight, which is fitting, as The Witcher 3 will not have any actual end-game bosses. Enjoying combat in closed spaces, the Fiend has a special ram attack which is intelligently combined with a spell that enshrouds Geralt in darkness, making this foe extremely difficult to see and dangerous in closed quarters. After a challenging and strategic fight, Geralt defeats the beast and, following some much needed rest and meditation by a camp fire, he makes his way to Fairland.
When in Fairland, Geralt encounters a civil dispute between the citizens over the death of a man who was killed by what the village calls “the forest spirit.” The elders of the village believe that the forest spirit is simply angered by a lack of traditional sacrifices; while the younger citizens under the leadership of a man named Sven, say that the forest spirit is actually a beast that mercilessly killing the town’s people. This dispute begins a side-quest in which we can choose what Geralt does. Will he help the elders and make the necessary sacrifices to appease the spirit? Or, will he kill the beast and rid the town of needless killings? There is no certainty behind this type of decision making, as from Geralt’s perspective both sides have a valid argument. For the sake of this demo, we decided to have Geralt track and take down the spirit (or beast) in attempt to help save the village people.
As we search through the forest for tracks to help us identify the beast, we can see where The Witcher 3 shines. The dynamic weather brings in a storm with strong winds that blow through bushes and trees in the most realistic manner I have ever seen—each heavily detailed plant reacts to the directional changes in the wind, the leaves gain a glossy texture as rain begins to fall, and the forest brightens and then returns to darkness as lightning strikes in the distance.
