It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when you should spend as much time with your loved ones as possible – and I’m certainly keen to pay a visit to The Continent where my love waits for me, even if he happens to have a wandering eye towards two sorceresses. I can’t stay too mad at Geralt, I wouldn’t say no to Triss Merigold either. Still, this is about why my virtual husband is the one gift I hope to find under my tree this year..
Quite honestly, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of my favourite games of all time, and it’s something that I play over the holidays every single year. Then, of course, I usually revisit during the year at some point, too. Toussaint truly is lovely in the summer, and the walks myself, Geralt, and Roach have together are beyond magical. Those luscious plains, the stunning vineyard, that shining sun – ah, memories.
The thing is, for the past couple of years, the Christmas period hasn’t been a cause of celebration for me, the loss of my mum hit me greatly, and thus, I turned to videogames more than ever as a source of comfort, one of which just so happens to be The Witcher. However, there’s more to it than a desperate need to escape my once dismal world and join one that’s full of adventure and magic.
The Witcher 3 is a surprisingly wintery game, and I have receipts to back up my claim. Not that I need to, Geralt is my husband, and Christmas is a time to be with family. Still, I’ll explain why Geralt and his most recent adventure are all I need for Christmas. Well, besides the abundance of food, booze, and time with my real loved ones.
Think about it, the entire world of The Witcher exhumes warmth, even if you don’t realise it, and there’s no denying how much people long to feel that way this time of year. It’s a luscious world that features varying environments that emit that warm, soothing feeling that you associate with the cosiness of winter. Not only that, but let’s take a quick look at Novigrad, or any other bustling city in Wild Hunt. You can find all manner of taverns, and stopping for a little tipple of booze is just what the doctor ordered in these cold times.
Plus, what better way to stay warm than by heading out into the wilderness to complete some contracts? Monster-slaying is a tiring business that’s sure to work up a sweat. Seriously, even from the comfort of my own couch, I feel as though I am right there with Geralt as he slaughters dangerous foes such as the Leshen (this beast just so happens to be my favourite, perhaps I’ll explain why another time).
It’s not just Geralt that entices me to this world every Christmas, nor is it the grand adventure that awaits me, though that certainly plays a part in it, but rather it’s the other characters that lure me in too. The multiple interwoven storylines that surround these characters are so intricate at times that it truly feels like unwrapping a layered present.
Triss Merigold is my favourite character just after Geralt, so I don’t hold it against him too much when he strays from me into her arms – I mean, I would too. Her kind and caring nature is soothing, so if Christmas is a tricky time for you, this single character in this ethereal world can serve as a reminder that people care, they’re by your side, and, thanks to certain situations in the game that admittedly don’t pertain to the red-headed sorceress (drag queen Witchers, anyone?), there’s still plenty of laughter.
Besides the aforementioned escapism, The Witcher 3 is a terrific game anyway, one that I can’t recommend enough for those that are yet to experience it, and what better time to dive in than now since the next-gen version is finally out. Plus, there’s a lovely update for all you Switch players out there.
There’s so much content on offer that, with Geralt by your side, I guarantee that you won’t be bored during your Christmas break. You truly do get your money’s worth, from an engaging narrative and interesting side quests to the vast lands of The Continent and some of the best DLC in videogame history. So do yourself a favour this Christmas, and pick up The Witcher 3. I promise you’ll then fully understand why Geralt is all I want for Christmas.