The Best Order to Play The Witcher Video Games
The Witcher is a franchise of role-playing games (RPGs) inspired by the books of the same name. The Witcher video games are known for their somber atmosphere, interesting dialogues, intriguing characters and detailed world. The protagonist of most of The Witcher games, and also the titular character of the series, Geralt of Rivia, is a renowned monster slayer, a witcher.
While the first two The Witcher games, The Witcher (2007) and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, were praised for being high-quality RPGs, perhaps it is reasonable to say that the video game series achieved massive mainstream success with the release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which featured an open world that captivated millions of players worldwide.
Quite often, The Witcher video games are RPGs, in which the player takes the role of the witcher Geralt of Rivia, and embarks on multiple quests to help people, uncover mysteries and take witcher contracts. The games feature adventure, action and branching dialogues, as well as a unique atmosphere that can be a refreshing experience for seasoned RPG players.
What Is the Order of The Witcher Games?
While The Witcher games can be played in any order and enjoyed, for players who want to have the deepest immersion in The Witcher universe, it is suggested to play these games in their chronological story order, which is presented in this article. This is particularly worthwhile considering that The Witcher video games are, in general, RPGs, and due to this reason, are closely tied to the story contained in each game. Understanding the story of The Witcher games, as well as the lore, can greatly enhance the experience of the player while playing these games. That is not to say that it is not possible to play The Witcher games in any order and also understand the story. It is possible to play these games out of their chronological story order and still understand the story. However, if these games are played in their chronological story order, the player will have a more comprehensive understanding of the story events, of the lore and of the motivations and background of some characters. For this reason, for RPG fans, for The Witcher fans, and for players who want to have the most comprehensive story experience possible when playing The Witcher games, it is suggested to play these games in the chronological story order.
Is It Necessary to Play The Witcher Video Games in Story Order?
The Witcher video games can be played and enjoyed in any order, and the player will be able to understand the story even if they have not played other The Witcher games. However, even though it is possible to play and enjoy The Witcher video games in any order, it is suggested to play these games in story order for the best story experience possible.
The Story Timeline Order of The Witcher Video Games
This is the story timeline order of The Witcher video games. In other words, this is the chronological order in which the events of these different games take place. For players who want to experience the story of The Witcher games in a chronological order, this is the best order in which to play these games. It is important to note that this chronological story order of The Witcher games is not identical to the chronological release order of The Witcher games, as, for example, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales was released after The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, while the story events of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales actually take place before The Witcher (2007).
The Witcher: Crimson Trail | The Witcher Mobile
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
The Witcher (2007)
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher Spin-Off Video Games
In the case of these games, I wasn't able to find a clear evidence of exactly when they fit in the continuity of The Witcher games main chronology. This is not to say that these games are not canon to the main story, but rather, that it is unclear as to the exact moment when they would fit in.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
The Witcher Battle Arena
Which Is The Best The Witcher Game to Start?
While answers may vary, usually the recommended game to start The Witcher video games series is either The Witcher (2007) or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The best game to start depends on what kind of experience the player wants, and this will be explained.
For players who want to have a comprehensive story experience and understand the lore of The Witcher universe, it is suggested to start with The Witcher (2007), or, if possible, with Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, because the events of this game take place before the events of The Witcher (2007). However, The Witcher (2007) is a very good introduction to The Witcher universe, and I suggest starting with The Witcher (2007). Starting with this game will give the player a very good understanding and notion of the world of The Witcher, as well as of some important characters.
For players who want to have a more seamless gameplay combined with open world exploration, perhaps The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a better choice to start than The Witcher (2007). There are some players who have diffuculty adapting to the unique style of combat gameplay of The Witcher (2007), and in these cases, starting with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt could provide for a smoother experience.
How Is the Combat in The Witcher (2007) Played?
The Witcher (2007) has a unique combat system that divides players. Unfortunately, there are people that, because of its unique combat system, give up on the game and on the chance of experiencing a very high quality RPG. For this reason, I strongly suggest RPG fans to read this section to the end so that they can have a better understanding of the combat system of The Witcher (2007) and give this jewel of a game another try.
The Witcher (2007), instead of featuring a hack-and-slash combat gameplay often seen in third-person RPGs of the late 2000s and early 2010s, features a point-and-click rhythm combat system. In other words, the combat is mostly operated through the mouse, with the player having to click at the right moments in order to perform combos. When the player clicks at the right moment, Geralt performs more consecutive attacks, and the attacks are also stronger, as a reward for clicking at the right time. This unique combat system may require some practice for some players, but it gets easier with time.
If you are interested in the story timeline order of RPG video games, you may also be interested in checking out the story timeline orders of Dungeons & Dragons, Final Fantasy and The Elder Scrolls.
Sources of Research: