10 Times Video Game Realism Went Too Far
9. Dynamic Beard Growth (The Witcher 3)
The Witcher 3 is a game that lets you play as a superhuman monster slayer in a mythic land full of elves, dwarves, werewolves, and other assorted creatures.
It's a game that screams "fantasy" in every possible way, but curiously, developers CD Projekt Red decided to go down the realism route in one particular way that a lot of players didn't expect: your character's facial hair.
In this game, protagonist Geralt Of Rivia's beard will slowly grow over time, allowing you to decide how long you want it to be. If you like, you can shave it off, but if you want those glorious facial locks to flow? Then you can just leave them be.
It's certainly an interesting mechanic, but since it doesn't have any notable impact on the game, it feels a bit needless, like a step too far in terms of character customisation. It's not like you're changing outfits or weapon skins - this is a really small detail, one that most players will barely even notice, or care about.
And look, maintaining your beard is a chore in the real world, so why on earth would you want to do it in a video game? Nobody wants to feel like an unshaven scruff when they boot up their console - that's what reality is for.