5 Reasons You Should Play The Witcher

1. The World Of The Witcher Is Amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9k1902eCXs As soon as you leave the prologue/tutorial section of the game and make your way to the outskirts of Vizima, the city where a large portion of the game takes place, you immediately sense that you are in a place that video games haven't quite gone before. The kingdom of Temeria, and its capital city of Vizima, are in turmoil. Political corruption abounds and the leaders of the Kingdom are under threat not only by rebel separatists, but by strange, secretive organizations that lurk in the shadows. Poverty is rampant, as the non-human elves and dwarves are segregated into ghettos, and huge walls separate them from the wealthier human districts. A plague is decimating the city's population, and vicious monsters lurk in the night. Citizens live in a constant state of paranoia and depravity. All hope seems to be lost. The Witcher serves up this scenario with atmosphere so thick, that you can practically feel it on your skin as you play the game. It is not a pleasant world, but yet at the same time, it is a world that you can't help but want to change. Perhaps it has something to do with the ways in which the world of The Witcher reflects our own? It is one of the few games that isn't afraid to confront issues like racism and genocide. It is very much a fantasy world, but yet it somehow feels more immediate. More real. Outside of Vizima are the more sparsely-populated areas, and they retain that unique sense of place just as vividly as the city does. The swamp, whose local denizens practice eerie religious rituals, and where the spirits of fallen, evil men rise from the mud in the form of horrific monstrosities, is one of the creepiest locales I've ever experienced in a video game. There's a rural village where beautiful fields and rolling hills seem like shelter from the storm, until you come across the groups of roaming spectres who want nothing more than to drag you back into their own realm, harshly contrasting the serene environments they inhabit. Underground sewers, caves, and crypts are dank and ominous. Seemingly every corner of this world has a distinct, weighty feel to it, and it is the deep attention to detail and thematic consistency that allows the game's world to work its way into your psyche throughout the entire time you spend with the game. The world of The Witcher isn't just a world you play in, but a world that you feel.