THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT 100% COMPLETED WITH A NAKED GERALT!
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
227 hours playtime
78 of 78 achievements
Oh wow, I have so many things to say about the game I don’t even know where to begin. I started playing Witcher 3 about a year ago with the intention of getting as many achievements as I possibly could. I never believed I could 100% it as it had difficulty related achievements so my plan was to get to at least 98% completion or so.
After getting every achievement except difficulty related ones, Blood and Wine DLC was released during summer time when I had no access to my gaming setup so I couldn’t play it. When I decided to return to the game it was about after 6-7 months during when I completely forgot how to play the game. I eventually picked up those horrible controls again and finished Blood and Wine. 2 achievements remained: “Complete the game on Death March difficulty” + “Complete the game on Death March or Blood and Broken Bones difficulty” meaning that my job was done because I was never gonna go for those anyway. Until I was motivated by my friend to play Death March and she also watched me play the entire game on Death March to continue motivation and support. If it hadn’t been for her inspiration, I wouldn’t have dreamed of going after this no matter how many times I’ve heard from others that it was easy. So, thank you Dani <3
My Death March run deserves its own huge paragraph as I’ve done some crazy things I really want to document on this post so I’ll get to that towards the end. Until then I’ll talk about my overall feelings about the game.
I’ll start with the negatives first. Witcher 3 has some of the worst combat I’ve ever seen in an RPG. Okay, I have not played that many RPGs and I definitely did not play Witcher 1 and 2 so I am probably not the person to trust on this but I still hated it. Geralt was too stiff, controls were unresponsive and I hate the target lock thing. I don’t understand why the game makes me roll towards a boss as if I was pressing W while I am, in fact, pressing A or D to roll towards the sides or use Igni behind my back while I was trying to target someone in the front. I also can’t grasp the lack of jumping during combat. The jump button becomes roll button once you engage in combat and there is no way you can jump, this was my cause of death a number of times. Witcher 3 is a fantastic game for sure but I’d prefer the combat in Dragon’s Dogma any day! The only problem I had with Witcher 3 was combat and controls so negatives have already reached their conclusion.
Let’s move on to the positives. Story felt quite intriguing though I wasn’t much of a fan of how they handled it. This is because Geralt had to interrupt his important quest to find Ciri to do a bunch of leg work for important NPCs to get the main story going in order to find her. Story itself felt epic but I was just baffled at the constant interruption to find Ciri. Music is absolutely fantastic, especially during Ladies of the Wood storyline (absolutely my most favourite storyline also accompanied by the best music in the game!). I actually set that music as my ringtone :P Game has really great quests with a lot of details and steps behind them. Even side quests have their own little storylines. Yes I had to find a frying pan for an old lady during the beginning but even that was a very refreshing change as I’m so used to traditional but extremely boring “Collect X things”, “Kill X enemies” types of side quests. Witcher 3 has none of these. Witcher Contracts are really fun quests which mainly end up in some boss fight though they start to feel quite repetitive because all of them involve Geralt using his Witcher senses to find the monster’s tracks and then kill it once you follow them. I actually found the bosses in the Witcher Contracts to be harder than some of the bosses you face during campaign. Last but not least GWENT is simply the most entertaining card game I’ve ever played! Fantastic mechanics and very enjoyable!!!
Ok I got all the basic stuff out of the way so I’ll start talking about my Death March run. Due to my hatred towards its combat and controls I never would have imagined myself going for this. After I was motivated, I started grinding a lot to go for it on NG+. About 30 hours or so went into preparation stages alone. Gathering alchemy formulas, crafting highest quality potions/oils/bombs/decoctions, rearranging and testing talents, getting the best equipment (which ended up being useless for reasons I’ll state soon), visiting every place of power in game to get extra ability points to unlock more talents so on and on… I was already super scared and ready to rage quit after facing my first enemy even before I started that playthrough.
Suffice it to say that yours truly have gone a long way since my first run a year ago when I beat the last boss on easy with 100 water, around 50 raw meat and coughs drowner pheromones (a potion that makes drowners not attack you which is TOTALLY useless against some Wild Hunt boss) and by simply spamming left mouse click for fast attacks and nothing else. No potions, no bombs, no oils, hell even no signs! I guess I was playing a hack and slash game. Death March changed all of this, it also made me realise that I’m capable of a lot more than I give myself credit for. Not to mention it made me feel like a true Witcher which was a blast to play!
Then I decided to add a little twist to my NG+ Death March run. Play as naked Geralt. After the first boss or so I decided to completely remove the armour and play it like that (hence best equipment preparations being useless). Cutscenes were hilarious, even the emotional ones that can make you fight the tears. I and my friend, who watched me play, could not stop giggling the entire time. I admit that this started to feel way too natural so it actually bothered me when Geralt wore armour. This is something I’d recommend for everyone, the game certainly deserves to be experienced that way. A naked man knocking on someone’s door while screaming “Come out! I won’t hurt you!” was something that made me chuckle way too much to the point of waking up my parents at night.
After that playing naked but using swords became too much so I decided to ditch the swords as well (screenshots 6 and 7). But I decided this towards the end. Caranthir, second to last boss, was killed completely with bare hands. I was doing 24 damage per punch which is ridiculous so the boss battle took around 20 minutes or so. The fight was me rolling around, kiting adds and aligning them with boss’ ranged attack to kill them that way and landing 1-2 punches once the boss was isolated. He kept teleporting away so it was a very annoying battle but after 1 death I got the job done. I tried to take down last boss without clothes+swords as well but you start the battle with a sword even if you entered the area without them and once you are in a battle you can’t remove the swords. It worked on Caranthil because once you enter the area, you have 1-2 seconds before engaging in combat to remove them. Beating last boss without clothes was quite annoying due to the 1st phase being extremely unpredictable so after about 5 deaths I decided to use equipment as I was losing patience. Then I beat the last boss with naked Geralt on an easier difficulty just to take screenshots :D
2016 PROGRESS
One of my friends from BLAEO asked why I didn’t make a post about my yearly progress in 2016. I said that I probably did a lot of things so it’d be so hard for me put all of them in a post. Then I decided to check my TSA profile. Maybe the below picture explains why I can’t make that post :D I wish TSA added the pictures of games I actually played on the background of the yearly progress statistics. So far from the below picture Fallout 4 is the only game I’ve played.
I’ve been properly using Steam for about 1.5 years now and in the first 5-6 months I wasn’t even hunting for achievements. In conclusion almost my entire progress you see on my Steam profile was achieved this year. I don’t see 2017 being as fruitful as this one but hopefully I’ll come really close to beating my backlog once and for all.
Again I’m sorry for the huge text. I just love writing, some of you might be surprised to hear that this post is actually rather short especially compared to my updates I used to add on my personal blog. I love trying to be as detailed as I can so it becomes extra enjoyable for me to read those posts in the future when I want to take a stroll down memory lane regarding my gaming progress :P
Happy gaming and enjoy your games everyone. I’m looking forward to reading your updates :)
I sort of agree with you on the combat system.
The target system shouldn’t have been in the tutorial section for it made you believe it was important while it really wasn’t and shouldn’t be used while fighting groups of enemies.
Congratz on 100%
I am still waiting for that one elusive game which can make me go for 100%
Thank you :)
Combat was extremely unresponsive for me. I press space once to roll away but somehow Geralt does that twice, or I press it like 3 times but he doesn’t do it in addition to what I already mentioned on the post. It was annoying and I am not looking forward to seeing the combat in previous games.
I hope you will find that game. While I think that achievement hunting can be quite a detriment sometimes, it still feels so satisfying once everything is completed.
Wow congrats on 100% the witcher 3!!
And those are impressive stats for 2016, keep up the good gaming o/
Thank you so much :) Enjoy your games as well :D
Wow :O That’s some amazing statistics, congrats! And playing nude Geralt looks ridiculous indeed, thanks for the laugh :D
Thank you so much :) And yes naked Geralt was too much even for us at times. I actually died a lot cause I was laughing so much that sometimes my eyes got teary and lost focus and died in one hit :P I really exercised a lot of stomach muscles :P
144 games completed out of 169 played. When I grow up I want to be just like you. Teach me master! xD
But seriously, you deserve the biggest congratz I can give you!
141 ^^ I wish it was 3 extra as you mentioned. I’d be 3 games closer to 150 completed games milestone I am currently aiming for :D :D
Thank you so much :) I love my library, it’s full of amazing games. I hope people enjoy the games in their backlogs as well.
I would swear that it was 144. Still impressive nonetheless.
I remember you telling me that you wouldn’t be able to complete the game on deathmarch SEVERAL TIMES and you ended up punching a Wild Hunt boss to death while naked without any reason behind it! I wanted to punch you for each time you told me this would be too hard for you to complete hahah :D. I’m glad those Skype sesssions helped you get through this, I had tons of fun and I’d gladly “help” you finish a game again.
Hahaha :D I hope I can do the same thing for you in Witcher 2 because I know you want those achievements but you also hate the game. I really meant it when I said I was scared of Death March though. That was not a joke at all :P
I’m gonna make you punch Caranthir to death as naked Geralt on Death March as well. Just you wait!
169 games played, 141 completed - that’s such an impressive statistic. Congrats on another big completion!
Thank you so much :)
Witcher 3 has some of the worst combat I’ve ever seen in an RPG.
You’ve seen absolutely nothing. :p
it also made me realise that I’m capable of a lot more than I give myself credit for
I think that is the most important thing. I am seriously so incredibly happy that you’ve been motivated enough to actually do it, Lenor! ♥ Congratulations and please, try believing in your abilities a bit more sometimes. :)
I know, I mentioned I didn’t play that many RPGs, especially the recent ones mainly in 3rd person. I played a lot of them during childhood but they were generally isometric and/or turn-based RPGs like Fallout, Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age Origins etc. So as I said on the post, I am not one to trust. It still doesn’t change that from my own personal experience it has the worst combat :D
Yea uhm I’ll go back to my “I suck, I can’t do anything” mode because that way I have less heartache and disappointment when I fail :) But Witcher 3 was a pleasant surprise :D I definitely agree that Death March provides the most enjoyable Witcher 3 experience :)
I’m hardly talking about recent titles tho. :p Really, don’t you dare touching The Witcher 1 if you think that TW3 has bad combat… Still, for me the award for the most atrocious combat in an RPG I’ve ever encountered goes to Vampire The Masquarade: Redemption. It’s just so bad. IiviI
But you also won’t get the thrill of succeeding. :D It’s hardly something I’m proud of but I’m telling you this anyway: I sucked so horribly at the final boss of Metal Gear Rising and was so incredibly tired after learning his patents for 2 whole hours, but if delivering the final blow wasn’t one of my most satisfying gaming moments then I don’t know what else could be. I^v^I Of course, gaming should never be seen as a chore, but challenging yourself even at small things can be incredibly rewarding! :D
Yea I know that previous Witcher games have far worse combat. I watched a video and even watching the comparison was depressing :D I didn’t really play that many 3rd person RPGs. I think Dragon’s Dogma and Witcher 3 are the only ones. If we count World of Warcraft as well ok then make it 3 :P I am not experienced in that genre (hence the doubts and worries regarding highest difficulty especially after not feeling comfortable with the combat).
That’s an awesome moment you described. I definitely feel the same way especially after Caranthir :) However, I already challenge myself enough in stealth games which is why I seek easy stuff in other genres :(
All hail the Queen of Completionists!!!! And the Queen of Ghost Pacifist Stealth runs, too. :)
I know I’ve told you before, but you are so impressive. Your combination of tenacity, drive, and skill (even if you deny it) are incredible. Playing Death March as naked Geralt– that just sounds as impossible as it is hilarious. Congratulations, Lenor! ♥
I’m glad I kept scrolling down the Activity feed– I almost missed this!
Oh you make me blush, come on :P Thank you so much for all the extremely nice words you said ^^ I’ll repeat this again naked Geralt run is a must for everyone :D
Yea lots of updates today, I love how active this website is. My post will not be visible by tomorrow :P
You didn’t have to leave the group. You posted 3 replies on forums which is a lot more than most of the members ever did :P
Well, when you stop achieving impressive things, I’ll stop telling you how impressive I think they are. :P Let me know when you’ve completed your ghost pacifist run of The Witcher 3. (j/k)
I almost wish there were a forum-like structure or something so I can tell what activity updates I’ve read. I like reading people’s comments on other activities almost as much as comments on my own updates. :)
I know I didn’t have to leave– thank you, Lenor. But I joined the group for a specific purpose to be a guest gifter and get the game in the hands of a real stealth fan/purist/etc. Having accomplished that goal (and perused your forums of course, and tried chat a couple of times), I decided I should probably leave. I’m generally pretty inactive in Steam groups so it’s hard to justify my membership at times.
Okay great then this means you’ll stop soon :D I only have hard stuff left in my library and I don’t really know how 2017 will be for my backlog. I’ll still try my best though. I agree with what you said, I enjoy reading people’s replies to other updates as well :)
Alright then, well even if it was for only a couple of days it was a pleasure to have you there :D Thanks for everything ^^
Congratulations on your massive achievement. What an incredible feat! :)
Thank you so much, you are too kind :)
Like many others, I’m very impressed by your stats! Congratulations for 100%ing TW3 especially as naked Geralt:) I quit playing TW2 due to the combat, even though the first game got me into the Witcher universe and I’ve read all the English translations of the novels.
How do you manage so many games a year, if I may ask? Pure tenacity, a goal set, or do you usually play shorter games between longer ones like Dishonored and The Witcher?
Thank you so much :D I didn’t read the last 2 novels yet but I might start the books from scratch as I don’t remember much.
It’s a mix of everything you said plus I have more time than someone who works like 7-8 hours a day so this means more gaming time for me. I mainly know what I want to play and when I want to play it. Some mood swings and an untimely gift could change that but then I make slight adjustments to my plans and continue that way.
Thanks for the reply:) I see, well then I may send a friend request in order to keep motivated by reading your feed updates. Cheers!
I don’t really write anything on Steam feed though :) I just post some screenshots here and there :P
What a fantastic start to 2017! Massive congrats on completing The Witcher 3! :D
Thank you :) I agree, The Witcher 3 is possibly the best 1st game to 100% to start the new year :D
That’s a lot of progres you’ve made in 2016. Especially with so much dedication on a single game! Congratulations and here’s to a great 2017! :D
Thank you so much :) May you and everybody else have a great 2017 as well :D
This can sound a bit repetitive, but…. Congratulatioooons! \o/ A well deserved congratulations completing The Witcher and not only that but also doing this as naked Geralt :p
I don’t know The Witcher enough trying to convince myself to finish the first one but play a game like that without armour and/or weapons can’t be that easy You gave me an idea about that btw ;p
Is curious to read that about its controls, but I think people say so many good things about the game and forget this detail. But I’m sure it is much better than The Witcher 1, what is one of the reasons I don’t like it that much.
I wish now I had watched that fight using only your hands hahaha would be fun :D
I’m glad you had the right motivation and managed to complete another game :3 and I already saw that image, but again, wow, what progress in 2016 \o/ I wanna be just like you when I grow up
it also made me realise that I’m capable of a lot more than I give myself credit for
I always thought you could do much more than you think :D and I’m glad that completing The Witcher made you realize this. You can do everything Lenor! :3
Thank you so much :D
The Witcher 3 is truly a fantastic game. You should definitely play it one day :) It set a really high standard for RPG games.
No I can’t do everything at all :P
I'm so late I might as well not comment at all but what the heck I'm too stubborn and I'm already here!
So here I am, playing TW3 on "Sword and Story" difficulty, fully armored, doing my best, and dying all the time. I mean. WHAT ARE YOU? How can you possibly beat a boss with your FISTS and die ONCE and COMPLETE the game and- *grumbles grumbles*
I admire your resilience and skill. And your 93% avg. game completion rate. Thanks for being alive and making us, meek mortals, feel like dust in the wind.
Aww you’re too kind. Thank you so much for visiting here, it’s greatly appreciated :)
I admit I was extremely scared of Deathmarch, I’m glad it worked out cause I was ready to give up without even trying it. I played my first playthrough on easiest difficulty and I initiated boss battles with drowner pheromones and water and kept spamming buttons to drink water as I was about the die constantly and I was creating higher level witcher gear as I couldn’t keep tabs on my level so I had already gotten used to playing the game with naked Geralt :P You are definitely doing much much better than I ever did! :D
Oh don’t say that :( I’m a tiny mortal too and I’m kinda being crumbled under the heavy responsibility of that 93% completion rate I want to keep so much and improve even more.
Again, thanks for visiting this post whether it be old or not :)
I just skimmed through the majority of your posts! Excellent stuff you've got here. I'm glad you liked my little visit, I'll try to keep them regular.
Hahaha! You're too funny. I had never played a Witcher game, so I decided to go easy. Not *too* easy though, mind you. I'm having fun! And that's what matters, right? TW3 is one of those games I just decided I wouldn't try to 100%, I would sit back and enjoy. It's a rare pleasure for me, and a welcomed one.
You took it to the next level! Witcher and game completion rate both. Sad to hear you're crumbling under the weight of it all, but try not to overdo yourself. A friend and I always ramble about getting our completion rates up to, and I dare say we oftentimes go insane with way lower standards than yours. I'm not telling you to give up – that would be ineffective and therefore pointless –, but give yourself time to cherish on what you have already accomplished before leaping onto the next challenge. It makes life, as a whole, that much more pleasant.
Thank you so much :)
I had never played a Witcher game too and I am not even experienced in 3rd person RPG games. Everything felt quite alien to me and Witcher 3 is such a huge game. All those signs, oils, potions, decoctions, monsters having their weaknesses to certain stuff and so on was extremely off putting at first I even took a break from the game for about 2 months after dying like 3-4 times to that Devil by the Well contract (first Witcher contract in the game). Now it’s among my most favourite games of all time.
You are right about everything you said. I’m kinda taking a break from gaming right now. I’m trying to plan everything out without it damaging my completion rate and therefore my psychology. Thank you so much for your valuable advice :) You are pretty great to talk to, everytime I see you on BLAEO I go “hey, there is that friendly face” even though I don’t know you at all :)
Haha I’m taking a 2-month break from it as well. I guess we’re very alike in many regards. I so happy you fought yourself through it and came out of it victorious.
Would you believe it I’m enrolled in Psychology in college? Just wait four years and I’ll take care of your sanity. Haha!
Well, I took that as an invitation to add you on Steam. I hope you don’t mind. I’d love to have you as friend there too, and, as we both can see, we have much to talk about! Thank you so much for the compliment, it means the world. You’re a dear to talk to yourself, so thanks so much for being so kind and courteous!
I am very shy and anxious to friend anyone anywhere so thank you for taking that step :)
Wow it’s amazing that you study psychology :P
Witcher 3 is quite an overwhelming game in the beginning. I hope you find your way into it like I did as it’s such a treat to play ^^ And when in doubt, play a game of GWENT with one of the NPCs! :D
Hmm… If you didn’t like the combat in The Witcher 3, you’ll probably dislike it even more in The Witcher 2. I quit TW2 the first time I played it because the controls felt weird. If it wasn’t for TW3, I probably wouldn’t have given TW2 another chance. On the other hand, combat in TW1 is very different from that in the later games.
TW3 is still the only Witcher game that I like. Dunno… maybe because Yen isn’t in the first two games? :p
Yea I’ll probably hate the combat in previous games even more. I watched some comparison videos of combat for all 3 games and 1st one looks really really bad. I’m watching Dani play Witcher 2 and it doesn’t look as bad but it still is very unresponsive. And Igni looks like a fireball :S I will still play those games but I have no idea when :)
Witcher 3 is way too good and Yen’s sarcasm and humour definitely improve it even more :D I still can’t wait to see the story in Witcher 2 though, need more Roche!