I've never come around to a game so hard in my life before. I replayed Cyberpunk 2077 after the Edgerunners update and walked away in love after 100+ hours, but I was a Witcher hater for 8 years. Played the beginning (White Orchard) multiple times and bounced off the floaty controls, weightless combat, ugly NPCs/armor, and a story that couldn't grip me. Is this really the game people praise? That sold 50+ million copies? That people call one of the greats?

Then I kept playing. I trudged through White Orchard (something I maintain is one of the worst openings in triple-A gaming). I made it to the Bloody Baron. Then I was good and hooked.

What a gem of a game. I can't believe this was CD Projekt's third game in 8 years. I've even come around to the combat, it's quite nice on harder difficulties and when you engage in the alchemy systems!

I don't think I can say anything to properly convey my feelings on my new obsession of the Witcher world--at least not anything that hasn't been dissected and talked about ad nauseum online. This made me pick up the books, do a NG+ run, and look forward to playing Witcher 2. The fact that we're getting more Witcher in the coming years has me giddy with excitement.