There are some games, that as soon as you step foot into them, overwhelm you with creative intent and artistic authority. That is to say, CD Projekt RED have done the original literary work of Andrzej Sapkowski justice by not only realising plenty of his own tales in digital form, but expanding on the mythos in such a rewarding way, it's made the adventures of Geralt something of a cultural touchstone for Poland. Seriously, Wild Hunt was given to President Obama during his visit - as both developers CD Projekt RED and the Polish PM Donald Tusk are so proud of it, they'll happily show it off for all to see. Funnily enough, that's the mentality that'll go on to define your time in this world, too. It's highly unlikely that outside of the main story missions, no two players will have the same experience, as the gigantic Continent is packed with tons of expertly written quests, items to find, weapons to craft, and - best of all - intricately designed, complex beasts to slay. Twinning Skyrim's expansive verticality with a harsh and bleak Game of Thronesian tone, you'll go from taking down a sky-eclipsing Griffin, to becoming embroiled in some political tensions down the local tavern. It creates all sorts of spiralling loops of gameplay that are just as rewarding as each other, but it's the sheer love of the source material that comes across in every line of dialogue, every etched marking on a piece of the environment and every stitch of clothing on Geralt's ageing frame. CD Projekt RED have completely outdone themselves with one of the most impressive games of all time, in all respects, and if you were looking for one title to truly encapsulate everything we need to see on the newest hardware, it's right here. What's your Game of the Year for 2015? Let us know in the comments, and sign up to whatculture.com/write if you'd like to submit your own content!
