10 Best Games Like Witcher 3

The first Witcher game was a fun, though now dated, action game experience that introduced fans to a violent fantasy world deeply inspired by Slavic mythology. Its sequel, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, was a much-improved game that received critical and commercial acclaim. But it wasn’t until The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released in 2015 that the franchise because a household name and staple of video game culture.

The Witcher 3 took everything that made the first two games good and polished them into a beautiful and well-written game that players couldn’t get enough of. Luckily, those looking for their next open-world fix have plenty of games to choose from.

Monster Hunter: World

One of the best parts of The Witcher 3 is learning about each monstrous threat and deciding how to best take them down. There is no “one size fits all” solution to enemies, and players must adapt to each new set of weaknesses and resistances.

Similarly, Monster Hunter: World tasks players with facing giant creatures that each have their own set of strong and weak points. Selecting which equipment to use and how to approach confrontations is a critical element in defeating and capturing enemies.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has always toyed with supernatural and fantastic elements, but they were initially small additions on top of a largely grounded setting and narrative. Recently, however, games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Odyssey have included DLC that focuses almost exclusively on mythology and folklore.

Players that enjoy learning about Slavic mythology in The Witcher games will likely find similar satisfaction in taking on creatures like Fenrir the Wolf and Medusa the Gorgon in Assassin’s Creed. While this shift in focus has been unpopular with fans of the more grounded settings, these experiences certainly make for flashy fights.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring takes inspiration from several pantheons of mythology and fiction, but it interprets and combines them into something wholly original and terrifying. One major difference between The Witcher 3 and Elden Ring is that Geralt almost always feels in control when he faces monsters; The Tarnished is always facing an uphill battle against the games several powerful bosses.

However, research is a key to victory in both games. In Elden Ring, players must study enemy movement patterns and attacks to discover the best way to survive.

Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls franchise has been around for decades, but the fifth mainline game, Skyrim, has become a pop-culture staple. In both Skyrim and The Witcher, players are presented with a vast world filled with warring factions, supernatural mysteries, and memorable NPCs.

Much like The Witcher 3, there are Skyrim has the best base quests. Furthermore, the Dawnguard expansion feels even more like The Witcher with the addition of vampires and werewolves. However, one thing that separates Skyrim is that the player character is a blank slate who can be made to look and act any way the player likes.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

With its cartoony character designs and bright colors, Immortals Fenyx Rising may not seem to have much in common with The Witcher 3. While it’s true that The Legend of Zelda franchise more directly inspires this game, there’s still plenty for Geralt fans to enjoy.

While The Witcher 3 focuses on Slavic folklore, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a vivid interpretation of Greek (and, via DLC, various Asian) mythology. Both games task players with combatting larger-than-life monsters to protect the land and the people in it.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Taking place in the American West around the turn of the 20th century and Red Dead Redemption 2 is full of historical accuracy. This tale of cowboys and outlaws is a far cry from the high fantasy setting of The Witcher 3, but the two games have several structural elements in common.

Both take place in expertly-crafted open worlds filled with memorable landmarks and people, and they both boast some of the highest-quality narrative writing in the medium. Players who enjoyed the depth of characterization in The Witcher 3 will find similar things to like among Dutch’s Gang.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War

Middle Earth: Shadow of War plays fast and loose with Lord of the Rings lore, but what it lacks in adherence to canon, it makes up for with exciting gameplay and interesting enemies. Like Geralt, Talion is a fierce combatant who can use a mixture of weaponry and supernatural abilities to take down his enemies.

One of the big selling points for Shadow of War is the Nemesis System. As the player takes down leadership in Sauron’s army, many will grow, change, and reappear based on what happens to them. This creates more personalization and meaning in what could otherwise be a game without memorable opponents.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Each game in the Dragon Age series has strengths and weaknesses, but it’s Dragon Age: Inquisition that most closely resembles The Witcher 3. While it isn’t a complete open world, Inquisition features huge maps filled with magic and monsters for players to take down.

Like The Witcher 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition is a threequel that serves as a great jumping-in point for new players while respecting the narratives that have come before it. A new Dragon Age game is currently in development, though its release date is unknown.

Cyberpunk 2077

The Witcher series is one of several popular video games based on books, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when CD Projekt Red announced that it would also adapt a pre-existing universe for its next big franchise. Cyberpunk 2077, based on a series of popular table-top RPGs, attempted to create another riveting world filled with detailed environments and rich characters.

While this game has proven more divisive than The Witcher, fans of the latter will still find a lot to love in the former. In particular, Night City is filled with phenomenal side-quests that rival the main narrative in quality.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Science fiction and fantasy have always shared some aspects despite their cosmetic differences, so it makes sense that fans of The Witcher 3 will find a lot to like in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This bundle collects the first three Mass Effect games into a single package with boosted visuals and almost all released DLC.

Commander Shepard is more of a blank slate for customization than Geralt, but both are surrounded by memorable companions and enemies who are developed with high-quality dialogue and memorable quests.

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