The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt vs Horizon Forbidden West

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: None (Single-Player Only)
• Setting: The Continent (Velen, Novigrad, Skellige Isles, Kaer Morhen, Toussaint - DLC)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
• Unique Feature: Deep Branching Narrative with Meaningful Choices, Mature Storytelling, Gwent Card Game, Witcher Signs Combat, Extensive Alchemy & Crafting, Monster Contracts.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: None (Single-Player Only)
• Setting: The Forbidden West (Fictionalized Western USA - California, Nevada, Utah), Post-Post-Apocalyptic Future
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Windows)
• Unique Feature: Intricate Machine Combat, Vast & Diverse Open World, Advanced Traversal (Flying Mount, Shieldwing, Free Climbing), Deep Lore & Worldbuilding, Visually Stunning Graphics.

• Ciri (Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon - Temporary Playable & AI): During specific story segments, the player takes control of Ciri. She has a unique combat style focused on teleportation (Blink), fast sword attacks, and powerful Elder Blood abilities. When not playable, she sometimes fights alongside Geralt as an AI companion in key narrative moments.
  Human (Elder Blood User)
• Story-Specific AI Companions (Yennefer, Triss, Eskel, Lambert, Zoltan, Vesemir, Roche, Letho, etc.): During various main story quests and major side quests, key characters will temporarily join Geralt as AI-controlled companions. They provide combat support according to their abilities (e.g., Yennefer uses powerful magic, Lambert fights with Witcher skills, Zoltan uses his axe). Their presence is scripted for those missions and they are not persistently commandable.
  Human, Witcher, Dwarf, Sorceress
• Roach (Geralt's Horse): Geralt's loyal steed and primary means of long-distance travel. Can be called almost anywhere in the open world. Allows for mounted combat (swinging swords, using Signs/crossbow from horseback). Can be equipped with saddles (stamina), saddlebags (inventory capacity), and blinders (reduce panic). Trophies can be attached for passive buffs.
  Equus caballus (Various Breeds/Colors)

• Varl (Temporary): Accompanies Aloy on several early to mid-game missions. Provides combat support with his bow and spear, and engages in dialogue that explores their friendship and the unfolding events.
  Human (Nora Brave)
• Zo (Temporary): Joins Aloy for specific quests related to the Utaru tribe and healing the land-gods. Fights with a unique staff and has abilities related to plants and machines.
  Human (Utaru Gravesinger)
• Kotallo (Temporary): Assists Aloy in missions involving the Tenakth tribe and fighting Regalla's rebels. A skilled warrior, even with his injury, using Tenakth weaponry.
  Human (Tenakth Marshal)
• Alva (Temporary): Helps Aloy decipher Old World data and navigate Quen politics during relevant quests. More focused on knowledge and tech than direct combat.
  Human (Quen Diviner)
• Erend (Temporary): Provides heavy combat support with his Oseram hammer and gadgets during missions where he joins Aloy.
  Human (Oseram Vanguard)
• Beta (Contextual): While not a combat companion, Beta's technical expertise is crucial for progressing the story, often working with Aloy remotely or providing vital information.
  Human (Elisabet Sobeck Clone)
• Seyka (Burning Shores DLC - Temporary): Aloy's primary companion throughout the Burning Shores DLC. A skilled warrior and mariner, she fights alongside Aloy with Quen weaponry and assists in navigating the volcanic archipelago.
  Human (Quen Marine)

• Witcher Gear Diagrams (Scavenger Hunts): Hidden diagrams required to craft and upgrade Witcher School armor and swords. Found by following Scavenger Hunt quests, often in dangerous ruins, caves, or monster lairs across all regions.
• Places of Power: Glowing standing stones found throughout the world. Interacting with one for the first time grants Geralt one Ability Point and a temporary significant buff to a specific Witcher Sign. Marked on the map once discovered nearby.
• Gwent Cards: Collectible cards for the in-universe card game, Gwent. Acquired by winning matches against NPCs, purchasing from merchants, or as quest rewards. There are hundreds of cards across different factions (Northern Realms, Nilfgaard, Scoia'tael, Monsters, Skellige - DLC). A major side activity with its own questline ('Collect 'Em All').
• Hidden Treasures & Smuggler's Caches: Marked on the map as '?' points of interest, often guarded by enemies or monsters. Contain loot chests with gear, crafting materials, money, or diagrams. Smuggler's Caches are typically found underwater in Skellige.
• Monster Nests & Bandit Camps: Locations overrun by monsters or bandits. Geralt must defeat all enemies and destroy the nest (for monsters) or loot the main chest (for bandits) to clear the area, earning XP and rewards.
• Guarded Treasures: Specific locations marked on the map, usually guarded by a powerful monster or group of enemies, protecting a valuable loot chest.
• Persons in Distress (Rescues): NPCs captured by bandits or monsters. Rescuing them often unlocks new merchants, Gwent players, or provides other minor rewards. Marked as '?' until approached.
• Spoils of War (Underwater Treasures): Sunken ships or chests in bodies of water, particularly around the Skellige Isles, containing valuable loot. Often requires use of the crossbow against Drowners.
• Books, Letters, Notes (Lore Items): Found extensively throughout the world in houses, ruins, on corpses, etc. Provide rich lore, backstory, hints for quests, or initiate new quests. Contributes to the in-game glossary.

• Survey Drones (Tallneck Data): 10 flying drones that continuously circle a specific area. Aloy must find a way to jump onto and retrieve their data modules. Each drone collected reveals information about Old World landmarks or ecosystems and provides XP/Skill Points.
• Black Boxes (Flight Recorders): 12 recoverable flight recorders from crashed Old World airplanes. Each black box contains an audio log telling a short, often poignant story of the plane's final moments. Collecting them all is part of a side quest for a unique weapon.
• Vista Points: 9 towers emitting a partial image of a pre-war landscape. Aloy must find the exact spot to stand and activate her Focus to align the image with the current environment, revealing a complete glimpse of the Old World location. Provides lore and XP.
• Relic Ruins: 9 Old World ruins containing environmental puzzles that Aloy must solve using her Focus, Pullcaster, and other tools to reach a hidden Ornament (collectible for a side quest) or other valuable loot.
• Signal Lenses (Signals of the Sun - Carja): Lenses from Old World signal towers that need to be collected for a Carja NPC in the Daunt. Often require climbing or light puzzle solving.
• War Totems (Banuk Figures - Easter Egg): Small, hidden Banuk-style figurines representing characters from other PlayStation Studios games (e.g., Kratos, Jin Sakai). A fun Easter egg collectible.
• Machine Strike Pieces & Players: Machine Strike is an in-universe tactical board game. Aloy can collect various machine-themed game pieces (by purchasing or defeating specific machines) and challenge NPC players throughout the Forbidden West to matches.
• Greenshine Fragments/Slivers/Clusters: Valuable crystalline resource found in underwater locations, caves, or as rewards. Used for upgrading high-tier weapons and outfits.
• Ornament Collectibles (From Relic Ruins): Found at the end of each Relic Ruin puzzle. Can be given to an NPC in Las Vegas (Hidden Ember) to create light shows.

• Monster Hunting
• War & Politics
• Moral Ambiguity & Choice
• Destiny & Prophecy
• Found Family
• Love & Loss
• Prejudice & Xenophobia
• Folklore & Slavic Mythology
• The Lesser Evil
• Nature vs. Civilization

• Post-Apocalypse
• Nature Reclaiming Earth
• Tribal Societies
• Ancient Technology & AI
• Environmental Catastrophe (The Blight)
• Discovery & Exploration
• Hope & Sacrifice
• The Burden of Knowledge
• Legacy
• Inter-Tribal Conflict & Cooperation

• Steel Swords: Melee (Primary vs. Humans & Non-Monsters)
  Geralt's primary weapon against human opponents and common animals. Various types exist (e.g., Longclaw, Vitis, various relic swords) with different stats, rune slots, and appearances. Can be crafted or found.
• Silver Swords: Melee (Primary vs. Monsters)
  Geralt's specialized weapon for fighting monsters, as silver is effective against most supernatural creatures. Similar variety and upgrade paths as steel swords (e.g., Aerondight, various Witcher school silver swords).
• Crossbows: Ranged (Utility/Underwater)
  A secondary ranged weapon. Primarily used for grounding flying enemies, underwater combat against Drowners, or triggering environmental interactions. Various bolt types can be crafted (standard, broadhead, explosive, tracking).
• Bombs (Grapeshot, Samum, Dancing Star, Northern Wind, Dimeritium, Moon Dust, Devil's Puffball): Throwable (Area of Effect, Debuff, Utility)
  Craftable alchemical explosives with diverse effects: Grapeshot (shrapnel damage), Samum (stuns), Dancing Star (fire), Northern Wind (freezes), Dimeritium (blocks magic/mutations), Moon Dust (reveals invisible foes), Devil's Puffball (poison cloud).
• Fists (Brawling): Melee (Unarmed)
  Geralt can engage in unarmed combat, particularly during fist fighting side quests and tournaments.
• Witcher Gear Swords (Feline, Griffin, Ursine, Wolven, Viper, Manticore): Craftable/Upgradable (Steel & Silver)
  Specialized sets of swords belonging to different Witcher schools. Each set offers unique stat bonuses and visual styles, often complementing the armor sets of the same school (e.g., Feline swords for fast attacks and bleed, Ursine for strong attacks and adrenaline).
• Relic & Magic Weapons (Unique Named Items): Varied (Steel & Silver)
  Unique named swords found as quest rewards, loot from powerful enemies, or in hidden locations. Often have special properties, higher base damage, or unique visual designs (e.g., Aerondight, Iris, Winter's Blade).

• Hunter Bows: Ranged (Versatile, Elemental Arrows)
  Balanced bows for mid-range combat, capable of firing standard, fire, frost, acid, shock, and advanced hunter arrows. Good for precision and applying elemental effects.
• Sharpshot Bows: Ranged (High Precision, Tear Damage)
  Long-range bows with high damage per shot, excellent for targeting specific machine components to tear them off or hit weak spots. Can use precision arrows and tearblast arrows.
• Warrior Bows: Ranged (Short Range, Rapid Fire)
  Fast-firing bows for close-quarters combat, often with elemental effects. Lower precision but higher rate of fire.
• Blastsling: Ranged (Explosive/Elemental Bombs)
  Launches bombs that explode on impact or with a delay, dealing area damage or applying status effects (explosive, adhesive, frost, acid, shock). Requires aiming trajectory.
• Tripcaster: Trap (Tripwires)
  Deploys tripwires between two points that trigger when enemies pass through, dealing damage or applying elemental effects (shock, explosive, plasma, stun).
• Ropecaster: Utility (Tethering)
  Fires ropes that can tie down machines, temporarily immobilizing them or making them vulnerable to critical strikes. Can also be used to pull down environmental objects.
• Spike Thrower: Ranged (Heavy Projectile, High Damage/Explosive)
  Launches heavy spikes that deal massive impact damage or explode. Excellent against large, armored machines. Can have drill or explosive variants.
• Shredder Gauntlet: Ranged (Ricocheting Disc)
  Launches a serrated disc that shreds components off machines and returns to Aloy. Catching the returning disc charges it for increased damage on the next throw. Can have elemental variants.
• BoltBlaster: Ranged (Rapid Fire Bolts, Elemental)
  A heavy weapon that fires a volley of bolts in rapid succession, similar to a crossbow or minigun. Can be equipped with various elemental bolt types.
• Spear (Melee & Override): Melee / Utility
  Aloy's primary melee weapon for light and heavy attacks, combos, and critical strikes on downed enemies. Also used to silently override machines.
• Traps (Blast, Shock, Stun, etc.): Deployable Utility
  Craftable traps that can be placed on the ground to damage or incapacitate machines and human enemies.
• Valor Surges: Special Abilities (Temporary Buffs/Attacks)
  Powerful, temporary abilities unlocked in the skill tree that consume Valor. Effects range from increased damage, stealth cloaking, powerful AoE attacks, to defensive shields.

• Witcher School Gear Sets (Feline, Griffin, Ursine, Wolven, Viper, Manticore): Sets of matching Chest Armor, Gauntlets, Trousers, and Boots belonging to different Witcher schools. Each set offers specific stat bonuses tailored to a playstyle (e.g., Feline for light armor/fast attacks/crit, Ursine for heavy armor/strong attacks/adrenaline, Griffin for medium armor/Sign intensity). These sets can be crafted using diagrams found via Scavenger Hunt quests and upgraded through multiple tiers (Basic, Enhanced, Superior, Mastercrafted, Grandmaster - with DLC).
• Common, Magic, Master, Relic Armor Pieces: Non-Witcher gear armor pieces found as loot, purchased from merchants, or crafted. Categorized by rarity (Common - grey, Magic - blue, Master - yellow/orange, Relic - gold/brown) which influences their base stats, number of rune slots, and potential for unique perks. Can be mixed and matched.
• Armor Runestones & Glyphs: Enhancements that can be socketed into armor pieces with available slots. Runestones (typically for swords) and Glyphs (for armor) provide passive bonuses like increased Sign intensity, elemental resistance, health regeneration, or reduced damage from specific enemy types.
• Heavy, Medium, Light Armor Types: Armor pieces are generally classified as Light, Medium, or Heavy, affecting Geralt's stamina regeneration rate (Light armor regenerates stamina fastest, Heavy slowest). Certain character skills in the General tree can mitigate these penalties or provide bonuses based on armor type.

• Outfits (Nora, Carja, Oseram, Utaru, Tenakth, Quen - various tiers): Aloy can equip various outfits, each consisting of a single piece that covers head and body (though headpieces can often be toggled off visually). Outfits provide base defensive stats (Melee, Ranged, Elemental Resistances) and come with inherent perks or skills (e.g., +Stealth, +Concentration, +Heavy Weapon Damage). Outfits are color-coded by rarity (Uncommon to Legendary) and can be upgraded at workbenches to improve stats and unlock/upgrade weave slots for further customization with Coils (mods).
• Weaves (Coils): Mods that can be inserted into the weave slots of outfits and weapons. They provide specific stat boosts (e.g., +% Fire Damage, +Melee Defense, +Critical Hit Chance) or unique perks. Weaves also have rarity tiers.
• Face Paints: Cosmetic items that Aloy can apply, representing different tribal affiliations or styles. Unlocked through quests or progression. Do not provide stat bonuses.
• Dyes: Players can collect special plants to unlock dyes, which can be used at Dyer merchants to change the color scheme of most outfits, allowing for visual customization.

• Witcher School Gear (Armor Sets: Feline, Griffin, Ursine, Wolven, Viper, Manticore, Grandmaster variants): Geralt can craft and upgrade full sets of armor (Chest, Gauntlets, Trousers, Boots) belonging to different Witcher schools. Each set provides unique stat bonuses tailored to specific playstyles (e.g., Feline for light armor/fast attacks, Ursine for heavy armor/strong attacks, Griffin for Sign intensity). Visuals change with each upgrade tier (Basic, Enhanced, Superior, Mastercrafted, Grandmaster).
• Common, Magic, Master, Relic Armor Pieces: A vast array of non-Witcher gear armor pieces found as loot, purchased, or crafted. These include gambesons, leather jackets, plate armor pieces, trousers, boots, and gauntlets. Categorized by rarity, influencing stats and rune slots. Can be mixed and matched.
• Formal Attire (Doublets, Pourpoints - e.g., for Novigrad/Toussaint noblesse): Specific outfits required for certain quests or to fit in with high society, particularly in Novigrad and Toussaint. Often more ornate and less combat-focused.
• Dyes (Blood and Wine DLC): The Blood and Wine expansion introduced armor dyes, allowing players to change the color of most Witcher gear and some other armor pieces using specific dye formulas and ingredients.
• Hairstyles & Beards: Geralt can visit barbers in towns and cities to change his hairstyle and beard style. His beard also grows dynamically over time if not shaved.
• Trophies (Monster Trophies for Roach): Defeating certain powerful monsters or winning horse races can reward Geralt with trophies that can be equipped to his horse, Roach, providing small passive bonuses (e.g., +% gold, +% dismemberment chance). These are also visually displayed on Roach.

• Tribal Outfits (Nora, Carja, Oseram, Banuk, Utaru, Tenakth, Quen): Aloy can acquire and wear numerous outfits inspired by the game's various tribes. Each outfit provides defensive stats and unique perks suited to different playstyles (e.g., stealth, ranged combat, melee, machine overriding, elemental resistance). Outfits are color-coded by rarity and can be upgraded. A transmog system allows players to apply the appearance of any owned outfit while retaining the stats of another.
• Special Outfits (Pre-order, Deluxe, Legendary): Unique outfits obtained through pre-orders, special game editions, or by crafting/purchasing legendary tier gear. These often have powerful perks and distinct visual designs.
• Face Paints: Cosmetic face paints representing different tribes or personal markings can be applied to Aloy. Unlocked through quests, merchants, or exploration.
• Outfit Dyes: Players can collect specific dye plants from the environment and use them at Dyer merchants to change the color schemes of most outfits, offering a layer of visual personalization.
• Headpiece Toggle: Most outfits come with a headpiece, but players have the option to visually toggle it off while still retaining its stats and perks, allowing them to see Aloy's face.

The game features several large, distinct open-world regions rather than one single contiguous map. These include: White Orchard (prologue area), Velen & Novigrad (a massive combined region of swamps, forests, battlefields, and the large city of Novigrad), Skellige Isles (an archipelago of mountainous, Viking-inspired islands), Kaer Morhen (a smaller mountainous region with the Witcher keep), and later through DLCs, Toussaint (a vibrant, fairy-tale duchy). The total landmass is estimated to be very large (e.g., Velen/Novigrad alone is often cited as over 100 sq km, with Skellige adding another significant portion). Each region is densely packed with quests, points of interest, monster nests, and hidden treasures.

The Forbidden West is a vast and diverse open world, significantly larger than the map of Zero Dawn. Key regions include: The Daunt (a Carja borderland), No Man's Land (arid plains), Plainsong (Utaru farmlands), The Shining Wastes (deserts), Scalding Spear (Tenakth Sky Clan capital), The Stand of the Sentinels (Tenakth Lowland Clan territory), The Long Coast (beaches and ruins, leading to San Francisco), Isle of Spires (ruined San Francisco, Quen landing site), and underwater environments. The map is rich in verticality, dense jungles, arid deserts, snowy mountains, and submerged ruins. The 'Burning Shores' DLC adds a new volcanic archipelago region (former Los Angeles).

• Roach (Geralt's Horse): Primary Mount / Living Vehicle
  Geralt's loyal and ever-present horse (regardless of how many times a 'Roach' might perish, the next one is also named Roach). Essential for traversing the vast open world. Can be called with a whistle. Allows for mounted combat, and can be equipped with saddles (for stamina), saddlebags (for increased inventory weight), blinders (to reduce panic), and trophies (for passive buffs).
• Boats (Skiffs, Sailboats): Watercraft
  Used for navigating rivers, lakes, and the seas around the Skellige Isles. Includes small rowboats/skiffs and larger sailboats. Some boats are equipped with a fast travel point. Vulnerable to Sirens and other aquatic threats.
• Fast Travel (Signposts): Map Traversal Mechanic
  Once Geralt discovers a Signpost in the world, he can use it (or any other discovered Signpost) to instantly travel to any other known Signpost location, greatly reducing travel time across large distances.

• Mountable Machines (Charger, Bristleback, Clawstrider, Sunwing): Overridden Machine Mounts (Land & Air)
  Aloy can override various machines to use as mounts. Chargers are fast ground mounts. Bristlebacks are slower but can dig for resources. Clawstriders are combat-capable ground mounts. Sunwings are flying mounts essential for aerial traversal and accessing high areas.
• Shieldwing: Personal Glider
  An energy glider deployed by Aloy to safely descend from great heights, glide across gaps, and perform aerial maneuvers. An essential traversal tool.
• Pullcaster: Grappling Tool / Utility
  A versatile tool that functions as a grappling hook to pull Aloy towards specific anchor points, pull down destructible walls or objects, and retrieve out-of-reach loot. Also used in combat to pull enemies or expose weak points.
• Boats / Rafts (Contextual): Simple Watercraft
  In some underwater or flooded areas, Aloy might find or use simple rafts or interact with small boats for short-distance water traversal, though these are not primary controllable vehicles like in other games.

• Geralt of Rivia: Protagonist / Witcher (School of the Wolf)
  The main playable character. A renowned professional monster slayer, mutated and trained from a young age. He is searching for his adoptive daughter, Ciri, while navigating complex political conflicts and personal relationships. Known for his dry wit, pragmatism, and combat prowess.
• Ciri (Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon): Deuteragonist / Child of Prophecy / Witcher Trainee
  The ashen-haired princess of Cintra and possessor of the Elder Blood, granting her immense magical power, including the ability to travel through space and time. Geralt's adoptive daughter, pursued by the Wild Hunt. Playable in specific story segments, showcasing her unique teleportation-based combat style.
• Yennefer of Vengerberg: Ally / Sorceress / Geralt's True Love
  A powerful and ambitious sorceress from the Lodge of Sorceresses, Geralt's on-again, off-again lover, and a mother figure to Ciri. Known for her striking beauty (violets and gooseberries scent), sharp intellect, and complex morality.
• Triss Merigold: Ally / Sorceress / Geralt's Friend & Potential Love Interest
  A skilled Temerian sorceress, close friend to Geralt and Yennefer, and another important figure in Ciri's life. Known for her kindness, loyalty, and powerful fire magic. A potential romantic interest for Geralt.
• Vesemir: Ally / Witcher Mentor (School of the Wolf)
  The oldest and most experienced Witcher at Kaer Morhen, serving as a father figure and mentor to Geralt and other Witchers. Wise, grizzled, and highly skilled.
• Dandelion (Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove): Ally / Bard / Geralt's Best Friend
  A flamboyant and renowned poet, minstrel, and Geralt's loyal (if sometimes troublesome) best friend. Often provides comic relief and narrates parts of the story through his ballads.
• Zoltan Chivay: Ally / Dwarf Warrior / Geralt's Friend
  A boisterous and fiercely loyal dwarven warrior and friend of Geralt and Dandelion. Always ready for a fight or a game of Gwent.
• Emperor Emhyr var Emreis (The White Flame Dancing on the Barrows of his Foes): Antagonist / Ruler of Nilfgaard / Ciri's Biological Father
  The powerful and ruthless Emperor of Nilfgaard, waging war against the Northern Kingdoms. He is Ciri's biological father and seeks to find her for political and personal reasons.
• Eredin Bréacc Glas (King of the Wild Hunt): Main Antagonist / Leader of the Wild Hunt
  The fearsome king of the Aen Elle elves from another dimension, leader of the spectral Wild Hunt. He relentlessly pursues Ciri to harness her Elder Blood power for his own purposes.
• Imlerith & Caranthir Ar-Feiniel: Antagonists / Generals of the Wild Hunt
  Two of Eredin's most powerful generals. Imlerith is a brutal warrior, while Caranthir is a skilled mage specializing in ice and teleportation.
• Phillip Strenger (The Bloody Baron): Key NPC / Warlord of Velen
  A complex and tragic figure, a former Temerian soldier who has become the self-proclaimed ruler of Velen. His questline to find his missing wife and daughter is a major, dark storyline.
• Keira Metz: Ally / Sorceress / Former Advisor to King Foltest
  A sorceress hiding in Velen after the witch hunts. She assists Geralt with information and magic, and has her own ambitions.
• Sigismund Dijkstra: Key NPC / Former Head of Redanian Intelligence / Novigrad Underworld Figure
  A cunning spymaster and influential figure in Novigrad's criminal underworld. Often an information broker for Geralt, with his own political agenda.
• Crach an Craite: Ally / Jarl of Clan an Craite (Skellige)
  A powerful and honorable Skellige Jarl, uncle to Ciri through his sister Calanthe, and a friend to Geralt and Yennefer. Father of Hjalmar and Cerys.
• Avallac'h (Crevan Espane aep Caomhan Macha): Key NPC / Aen Saevherne (Elven Sage)
  An ancient and knowledgeable elven sage with a deep connection to Ciri and the Elder Blood. His motives are often enigmatic, acting as both a guide and a manipulator.

• Aloy: Protagonist / Nora Machine Hunter / Seeker
  The main playable character. A skilled hunter, archer, and machine overrider. Haunted by her origins as a clone of Dr. Elisabet Sobeck, she ventures into the Forbidden West to find a cure for the Blight and save life on Earth. Known for her intelligence, compassion, and determination.
• Varl: Ally / Nora Brave / Aloy's Companion
  A loyal friend and companion to Aloy from the Nora tribe. He follows her into the Forbidden West, providing support and a connection to her past. He undergoes his own journey of growth and finding his place.
• Erend: Ally / Oseram Vanguard Captain
  A boisterous and strong Oseram warrior, captain of the Carja Vanguard. He reunites with Aloy in the Forbidden West and assists her, often providing comic relief and brute force.
• Zo: Ally / Utaru Gravesinger
  A calm and spiritual member of the agrarian Utaru tribe. She is a 'Gravesinger,' tending to the tribe's land-gods (machines that sustain their crops). She joins Aloy to help heal the land and her people.
• Kotallo: Ally / Tenakth Sky Clan Marshal
  A stoic and honorable Tenakth warrior from the Sky Clan who lost an arm in battle. Initially distrustful, he becomes a steadfast ally to Aloy, grappling with his injury and his duty to his people.
• Alva: Ally / Quen Diviner
  A curious and intelligent Diviner from the overseas Quen tribe. She possesses knowledge of Old World technology through her tribe's limited Focus-like devices. She aids Aloy in understanding ancient data.
• Sylens: Ambiguous Figure / Researcher & Schemer
  The enigmatic and highly intelligent researcher obsessed with Old World knowledge and technology. His motives are often unclear, and he manipulates events for his own purposes, sometimes aligning with Aloy, sometimes opposing her.
• Beta: Supporting Character / Elisabet Sobeck Clone
  Another clone of Dr. Elisabet Sobeck, created and raised in isolation by Far Zenith. She is highly intelligent but socially anxious and initially fearful. Her relationship with Aloy is central to the plot.
• Regalla: Antagonist / Tenakth Rebel Leader
  A fierce Tenakth warrior leading a rebellion against Chief Hekarro. She is fueled by a desire for revenge against the Carja and allies herself with Sylens to acquire machine overriding technology.
• Tilda van der Meer: Antagonist / Far Zenith Member
  A prominent member of Far Zenith, an organization of immortal Old World humans who fled Earth. She has a complex past connection with Elisabet Sobeck and plays a key role in Far Zenith's plans.
• Gerard Bieri: Antagonist / Far Zenith Leader
  The apparent leader of the Far Zenith expedition to Earth. Arrogant and dismissive of current human life on Earth.
• Hekarro: Supporting Character / Tenakth Chief
  The wise and respected chief of the Tenakth tribe, seeking to unite its three clans and resist Regalla's rebellion.
• GAIA: AI / Earth's Terraforming System
  The benevolent AI created by Elisabet Sobeck to restore life to Earth. Aloy seeks to recover GAIA's subordinate functions to repair the biosphere and stop the Blight.
• Walter Londra (Burning Shores DLC): Antagonist (DLC) / Far Zenith Member
  A Far Zenith member who established a cult-like following in the Burning Shores region, posing a new threat that Aloy and Seyka must confront.
• Seyka (Burning Shores DLC): Ally / Quen Marine (DLC)
  A resourceful and determined Quen marine encountered in the Burning Shores DLC. She teams up with Aloy to find her missing sister and confront Londra. A potential romantic interest for Aloy.

• Main Questline (The Wild Hunt & Ciri's Fate)
  A sprawling narrative following Geralt's search for Ciri across Velen, Novigrad, and Skellige, while evading and eventually confronting the otherworldly Wild Hunt. Involves major plot points, character reunions, political intrigue, difficult choices, and epic battles. Culminates in one of several possible endings based on player actions.
• Witcher Contracts
  Monster hunting assignments taken from notice boards or directly from NPCs. Geralt must investigate the monster sighting, track the beast using his Witcher Senses, learn its weaknesses from the Bestiary, prepare accordingly (oils, potions, bombs, Signs), and then slay or deal with the monster. Rewards include coin, XP, and sometimes unique items or diagrams.
• Secondary Quests (Major Side Storylines)
  Often lengthy and narratively rich optional questlines that delve into the stories of key supporting characters (e.g., Yennefer, Triss, Keira Metz, The Bloody Baron, Crach an Craite's children Hjalmar & Cerys, Vernon Roche, Sigismund Dijkstra) or explore significant political or social issues within a region. Many feature impactful choices.
• Treasure Hunts & Scavenger Hunts (Witcher Gear)
  Quests initiated by finding maps or notes that lead to hidden stashes of valuable loot (Treasure Hunts) or diagrams for crafting powerful Witcher School gear (Scavenger Hunts). Often involve exploring ruins, caves, or solving light environmental puzzles.
• Gwent Quests (Card Collection & Tournaments)
  A series of quests related to playing and collecting Gwent cards. Includes challenging unique NPCs to matches to win their rare cards, participating in major Gwent tournaments (like the one at the Passiflora in Novigrad), and ultimately aiming to 'Collect 'Em All'.
• Fistfighting Championships
  A series of unarmed brawling tournaments across Velen, Novigrad, and Skellige, where Geralt fights progressively tougher opponents to become champion of each region.
• Horse Races
  Participate in horse races against NPCs in various regions. Winning races rewards unique horse equipment (saddles, saddlebags, blinders) and money.
• Points of Interest Clearing (Bandit Camps, Monster Nests, Guarded Treasures, etc.)
  Numerous '?' markers on the map that represent small combat encounters or explorable locations. Clearing these provides XP, loot, and contributes to regional completion.
• Hearts of Stone DLC Main Questline
  A dark and compelling new main story involving Geralt making a pact with the enigmatic Gaunter O'Dimm (Master Mirror) to fulfill three impossible tasks for Olgierd von Everec, an immortal nobleman. Set primarily in the northeastern Velen/Novigrad region.
• Blood and Wine DLC Main Questline
  Geralt travels to the vibrant, idyllic duchy of Toussaint to investigate a series of brutal murders. This expansion features a new massive region, a complex storyline involving vampires, knights, and courtly intrigue, and introduces new game mechanics like vineyard management (Corvo Bianco) and Mutations.

• Main Quests (Aloy's Journey to the West)
  A series of narrative-driven quests following Aloy's quest to find a working backup of GAIA, stop the Red Blight, investigate the origins of new, dangerous machines, and confront the threat of Far Zenith and Regalla's rebels. These missions span the entire Forbidden West and involve major story revelations, character interactions, and boss battles.
• Side Quests (Favors & Errands)
  Numerous optional quests given by various NPCs across all tribes and settlements. These offer unique storylines, explore the cultures and conflicts of the Forbidden West, introduce memorable characters, and reward XP, skill points, gear, or valuable resources.
• Cauldrons
  Large, underground machine factories. Aloy must infiltrate these dangerous, puzzle-filled facilities, fight through machine defenses, and override the cauldron's core to unlock new machine override codes, allowing her to convert more machine types to her side.
• Tallnecks
  Colossal, giraffe-like machines that act as mobile radar towers. Aloy must find a way to climb to the top of each Tallneck and override its sensor array to unfog a large portion of the world map, revealing points of interest, settlements, and machine sites.
• Rebel Camps & Outposts
  Fortified camps and smaller outposts controlled by Regalla's rebels. Aloy must defeat the rebel leader in each camp (often involving a mini-boss fight) and clear out all enemies to liberate the area, earning rewards and sometimes unlocking new allies or quests.
• Hunting Grounds
  Specific arenas where Aloy can undertake timed trials focused on different hunting techniques and weapon usage against various machines. Earning higher marks (Quarter, Half, Full Stripes) rewards medals, XP, and unique resources.
• Melee Pits
  Arenas where Aloy can challenge Tenakth warriors in melee combat duels, testing her spear skills and unlocking new melee combos upon victory.
• Salvage Contracts
  Quests given by Oseram salvagers, tasking Aloy with hunting specific machines for rare parts or retrieving valuable scrap from dangerous locations. Rewards often include powerful Oseram weapons or outfits.
• Gauntlet Runs (Machine Races)
  Mounted races against other machine riders, involving navigating a treacherous course while using weapons and abilities to sabotage opponents.
• Burning Shores DLC Main Quests
  A new main storyline set in the volcanic Burning Shores region, where Aloy teams up with Quen marine Seyka to investigate a new Far Zenith threat led by Walter Londra.

Available in Standard Edition. A Collector's Edition included a Geralt vs. Griffin statue, SteelBook, artbook, medallion, map. Later, a Game of the Year Edition (or Complete Edition) was released, bundling the base game with both major expansions ('Hearts of Stone' and 'Blood and Wine') and all free DLCs. The Next-Gen Update (Patch 4.0) was a free upgrade for existing owners on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Available in Standard Edition, Special Edition (SteelBook, digital soundtrack, artbook), Digital Deluxe Edition (cosmetic outfits/weapons, digital artbook/soundtrack/comic), Collector's Edition (Tremortusk & Aloy statues, SteelBook, artbook, all Digital Deluxe content), and Regalla Edition (Regalla Tremortusk statue, canvas map, art prints, replica Focus, all Collector's content). The PC version is often the 'Complete Edition' including the Burning Shores DLC.

CD Projekt Red released 16 free DLCs (cosmetic items, small quests, New Game+). Two major paid expansions were released: 'Hearts of Stone' (a lengthy, dark, and story-focused adventure with new characters and a compelling narrative) and 'Blood and Wine' (a massive expansion set in the new region of Toussaint, with a new main storyline, numerous side quests, new monsters, gear, and a player home vineyard). Both expansions are critically acclaimed.

One major story expansion, 'Burning Shores,' has been released (exclusive to PS5 and PC). It takes Aloy to a new volcanic archipelago region (former Los Angeles) to pursue a new threat. Numerous free updates have added features like New Game+, Ultra Hard difficulty, transmog, and quality-of-life improvements.

• Q: Is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt the end of Geralt's story?
  A: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its 'Blood and Wine' expansion are considered the definitive end of Geralt of Rivia's saga as told by CD Projekt Red. While the Witcher universe continues in other media, the developers have stated this game concludes Geralt's main storyline.
• Q: Do I need to play The Witcher 1 and 2 before The Witcher 3?
  A: While The Witcher 3 is designed to be accessible to newcomers, playing the previous games (or at least being familiar with their stories) significantly enhances the understanding of the characters, world politics, and recurring plot threads. The game does allow importing saves from The Witcher 2 on PC to reflect some past choices.
• Q: What is Gwent?
  A: Gwent is an in-universe collectible card game that Geralt can play with numerous NPCs. It involves building decks for different factions (Northern Realms, Nilfgaard, Scoia'tael, Monsters, Skellige) and strategically playing unit and spell cards across three rows to win two out of three rounds. It became so popular it spawned a standalone Gwent game.
• Q: How important are choices in The Witcher 3?
  A: Player choices are extremely important and have far-reaching consequences. Decisions made in main quests, side quests, and even dialogues can affect character relationships, the fate of individuals and communities, regional politics, and ultimately lead to one of several distinct endings for Geralt, Ciri, and the world.
• Q: What are Witcher Contracts?
  A: Witcher Contracts are side quests where Geralt undertakes his professional duty: hunting down and slaying dangerous monsters for a negotiated fee. These typically involve investigation (tracking, examining clues with Witcher Senses), preparation (learning about the monster's weaknesses, brewing appropriate potions/oils), and a challenging boss fight.
• Q: What did the Next-Gen Update (Patch 4.0) change?
  A: The Next-Gen Update, released in December 2022, brought significant visual enhancements like ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion, improved textures and foliage, faster loading times (on supported hardware), new camera options, integrated community-made mods, quality-of-life improvements, and new content inspired by The Witcher Netflix series. It also increased system requirements, particularly for PC.

• Q: Is Horizon Forbidden West a direct sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn?
  A: Yes, Horizon Forbidden West directly continues the story of Aloy, picking up approximately six months after the events of Horizon Zero Dawn.
• Q: Do I need to play Horizon Zero Dawn before Forbidden West?
  A: It is highly recommended. Forbidden West heavily builds upon the lore, characters, and plot threads established in Zero Dawn. While there's a brief recap, playing the first game provides essential context and enhances the emotional impact of the sequel.
• Q: Can Aloy swim underwater in Horizon Forbidden West?
  A: Yes, underwater exploration is a major new feature. Aloy can dive and swim in various bodies of water, discovering submerged ruins, resources, and new machines. She uses a rebreather for extended underwater exploration.
• Q: What is the Shieldwing?
  A: The Shieldwing is a new piece of gear that functions as an energy glider. Aloy can deploy it mid-air after jumping from heights to safely glide across large distances or descend slowly, opening up new traversal possibilities.
• Q: Are there flying mounts in Horizon Forbidden West?
  A: Yes, later in the game, Aloy gains the ability to override and ride Sunwings, which are Pterodactyl-like flying machines, allowing for aerial traversal across the Forbidden West.
• Q: What is Machine Strike?
  A: Machine Strike is an in-universe turn-based tactical board game that Aloy can play against various NPCs. Players collect machine-themed game pieces, each with unique stats and abilities, and battle on a holographic board.

Powered by REDengine 3, The Witcher 3 was renowned for its stunning visuals at launch, showcasing vast, detailed landscapes, realistic weather systems, and expressive character models. The Next-Gen Update (Patch 4.0) significantly enhanced visuals on PC and current-gen consoles, adding ray-traced global illumination and ambient occlusion, improved screen space reflections, higher resolution textures, and denser environments, making it visually competitive with modern titles.

Powered by an updated version of the Decima Engine, the game is renowned for its stunning visual fidelity. It showcases incredibly detailed machine designs, lifelike character animations, lush and diverse environments (from dense jungles to arid deserts and underwater biomes), advanced lighting, volumetric clouds, and realistic weather systems. The level of detail in flora, fauna, and tribal settlements is exceptional. Offers multiple graphics modes on PS5.

Original score composed by Marcin Przybyłowicz and Mikołaj Stroiński, featuring a blend of orchestral arrangements, Slavic folk music influences, and haunting ambient tracks. The soundtrack, particularly tracks like 'The Wolven Storm (Priscilla's Song)' and various battle themes, is highly praised. Sound design is immersive, with distinct monster sounds, environmental ambiances reflecting different regions, and impactful combat effects.

Original score composed by Joris de Man, The Flight, Niels van der Leest, and Oleksa Lozowchuk, featuring epic orchestral themes, tribal chants, and ethereal melodies that capture the beauty and danger of the Forbidden West. Sound design is intricate, with unique vocalizations for each machine, realistic environmental sounds, and impactful weapon effects.

Features a customizable HUD displaying health, stamina, toxicity, equipped Signs, and a mini-map. A radial menu allows quick selection of Signs, potions, bombs, and pocket items. Inventory, character (skills, gear), alchemy, crafting, journal, and world map are accessed through a comprehensive menu system. The Bestiary provides information on monsters and their weaknesses.

Features an immersive HUD with health, Focus meter, weapon/ammo selection, and contextual prompts. The Focus (AR device) highlights machine weak points, tracks, and hackable objects. Menus for inventory, crafting, skills, map, and collectibles are detailed. The world map is extensive with various filters. Dynamic HUD options allow for customization.

The original release had limited accessibility options. The Next-Gen Update and subsequent patches improved this, adding features like customizable subtitles (size, background), options for font size, HUD scaling, control remapping (PC), options to reduce camera motion/head bob, and gameplay settings like auto-looting and alternative QTE inputs.

Offers a comprehensive suite of accessibility options, including fully remappable controls, extensive subtitle and caption customization, difficulty settings (including Custom mode), aim assist options, options to simplify QTEs, options for motion blur/camera shake, co-pilot mode, dead zone adjustments, auto-sprint, auto-heal, auto-concentration, and various visual/audio cues for gameplay elements.

• Official PC system requirements from CD Projekt Red. The game received a 'Next-Gen Update' (Patch 4.0) in December 2022 which significantly upgraded visuals (including ray tracing) and increased system demands. The requirements below reflect both original and updated recommendations where appropriate.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop models of listed desktop GPUs may work if their performance is comparable, but TGP (Total Graphics Power) and cooling are critical. **The Next-Gen Update makes the game very demanding at higher settings, especially with ray tracing.**
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Good TGP is important for consistent performance, especially with RT.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Robust cooling is essential for sustained performance.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A good CPU is needed for the dense world and NPC interactions.
• Laptop Consideration: R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM benefits performance.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Next-Gen Update added support for NVIDIA DLSS (Super Resolution & Frame Generation), AMD FSR 2, and Intel XeSS.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: NVIDIA HairWorks (very demanding), Shadow Quality, Foliage Visibility Range, Grass Density, Texture Quality, Ambient Occlusion, Water Quality, and Ray Tracing (Global Illumination, Reflections, Shadows, AO - Next-Gen Update) heavily impact performance.
• Game Name: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

• Official PC system requirements from Guerrilla Games/Nixxes. Performance can vary significantly depending on specific hardware, settings, areas in-game (especially dense jungles or machine-heavy encounters), and background applications. An SSD is MANDATORY. The game is visually stunning and very demanding at higher settings.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop models of listed desktop GPUs will require comparable performance, high TGP (Total Graphics Power), and excellent cooling. **Horizon Forbidden West is a demanding title on PC; high-end laptop hardware is necessary for higher resolutions and settings to maintain smooth framerates. Upscaling is highly recommended.**
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP is crucial for performance.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Robust cooling is essential to prevent severe thermal throttling, especially with detailed environments.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Laptops with sustained high CPU power limits will perform better due to complex world simulation and machine AI.
• Laptop Consideration: R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM (DDR5 preferred for newer systems) is highly beneficial.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended for optimal framerates.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS 3 (Super Resolution & Frame Generation), AMD FSR 2.2, and Intel XeSS. DirectStorage API support for faster loading on compatible NVMe SSDs.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality, Model Quality, Shadow Quality, Reflections Quality, Volumetric Clouds, Level of Detail, Hair Quality, and Anisotropic Filtering heavily impact performance. Using upscaling is highly recommended for higher resolutions/settings.
• Game Name: Horizon Forbidden West

• Upscaling Tech: Next-Gen Update added support for NVIDIA DLSS (Super Resolution & Frame Generation), AMD FSR 2, and Intel XeSS.
• Key Settings Impact: NVIDIA HairWorks (very demanding), Shadow Quality, Foliage Visibility Range, Grass Density, Texture Quality, Ambient Occlusion, Water Quality, and Ray Tracing (Global Illumination, Reflections, Shadows, AO - Next-Gen Update) heavily impact performance.

• Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS 3 (Super Resolution & Frame Generation), AMD FSR 2.2, and Intel XeSS. DirectStorage API support for faster loading on compatible NVMe SSDs.
• Key Settings Impact: Texture Quality, Model Quality, Shadow Quality, Reflections Quality, Volumetric Clouds, Level of Detail, Hair Quality, and Anisotropic Filtering heavily impact performance. Using upscaling is highly recommended for higher resolutions/settings.

• G P U T G P: Good TGP is important for consistent performance, especially with RT.
• Cooling Thermals: Robust cooling is essential for sustained performance.
• C P U Power Limits: A good CPU is needed for the dense world and NPC interactions.
• R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM benefits performance.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP is crucial for performance.
• Cooling Thermals: Robust cooling is essential to prevent severe thermal throttling, especially with detailed environments.
• C P U Power Limits: Laptops with sustained high CPU power limits will perform better due to complex world simulation and machine AI.
• R A M Speed Dual Channel: Fast dual-channel RAM (DDR5 preferred for newer systems) is highly beneficial.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Using a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is highly recommended for optimal framerates.