"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" won the grand prize at the 2015 Game Awards on Thursday night, beating out several popular games including "Fallout 4" and "Metal Gear Solid V."
Why do people love this game so much?
CD Projekt RED "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" is a stunning open world role-playing action adventure game, set in a beautiful fantasy world.
But there's another, more profound reason to appreciate "The Witcher 3", even if you don't love video games: It is a massive, living world. And we do mean living.
Unlike past "Witcher" titles, "The Witcher 3" is an actual open world with no real restrictions. This is the world map compared to other worlds from popular video games:
NeoGAF The world size in "The Witcher 3" is bigger than what you'll find in most blockbuster video games.
"The Witcher 3" is more than just size: the landscape is constantly evolving. Like many games, there's a day and night cycle with dynamic weather. But you'll see tons of non-playable characters everywhere you go, and they all have their daily routines for working and living in general.
But what's incredible is that all the characters living in this world are affected by its random events, and they'll react realistically to events unfolding around them. If it starts raining or storming, you'll see them running indoors to find shelter. You might come across two random characters getting into an argument, and you'll have a chance to intervene or let it escalate into violence. You can always choose to not take part in any world events.
CD Projekt RED This is just one part of one area of one town in "The Witcher 3."
If that weren't enough, "The Witcher 3" features a living economy. That's right, a real economy, where the prices of goods are dictated by the conditions of each area and location. Prices for fish will be cheaper in towns closer to water, for example, while coal will be cheaper to buy in towns close to any mining areas.
And everything you do has a purpose. Your character - Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a "witcher" - is morally gray, letting you mold your character as you go. Townspeople might not take kindly to witchers like you, but how you react to situations will color your reputation and your overall game.
You might see a group of people trying to kill a soldier on the side of the road - do you save the innocent soldier, even if that means killing a group of furious peasants? Your deeds, both big and small, will shape your game.
You can spend hundreds of hours playing "The Witcher 3." And though it does have a main storyline and plot, the game features 36 possible "end states," all of which depend on your various actions throughout the game. This level of intricacy and attention to detail is why so many critics and players love "The Witcher 3" as a true role-playing game that promises unique, dynamic fun. It's no wonder it won "Game of the Year."