Fallout 4 Vs The Witcher 3: Which Is The Best RPG Of 2015?

6. The World

If strong side-quests are the bread of RPGs, then a believable, all-immersive world is the butter. We're dealing with two very different beasts in the Fallout 4 and Witcher 3 worlds. While the former feels densely packed with unique locations and dungeons (or the post-apocalyptic equivalent of), The Witcher 3 wins out in terms of sheer vastness and topographical variety. Plenty of gamers seemed unimpressed by the 'slightly bigger than Skyrim' map size of Fallout 4, but pay no heed to those naysayers, because this is one of the most vibrant, jam-packed open worlds around. You can walk to the top of any hill, and looking around you're guaranteed to see several intriguing points of interest that you can walk towards and find adventure. I was also blown away by the contrast between the countryside and urban Boston. While the city of Boston occupies only a small corner of the map, it feels like a true ruined sprawl, brimming with dangers, tall abandoned buildings that you can climb, and treasures to uncover. When you finally get out of the claustrophobic city alive, you just want to take a deep breath of the irradiated countryside air. The Witcher 3's Continent thrives in its natural beauty; snowy mountaintops, wheat fields blowing in the mind, and mysterious islands surrounded by dark, violent seas. It's the greatest fantasy world in video games, and that's saying a lot. Despite being huge, the world also feels intimate, as you're never too far from a place with a story to tell - whether it's a village populated only by children, a tree with rebels hanging from it, or a haunted house. The fact that around half a year on from its release I'm still being surprised by its dark corners and secrets is a testament to its design, and only time will tell whether Fallout 4 can offer the same kind of longevity.