We are finally here, folks. 

I was thinking of leaving The Witcher to later in this series. I know I won’t do this justice. There is too much to say – but with the recent announcement that CD Projekt Red are releasing a new series with a focus on Witcher again, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

So, here we go. 

Here’s the thing 

I am unhealthily obsessed with The Witcher. And I’m going to leave that there. 

I played The Witcher 3 as my introduction. It was a little after its release, in 2017. All I remember was starting this game and almost immediately falling in love with it. Oh, and I was super against playing Gwent (huge mistake) which I later also dove into head first (including the standalone game). 

The magic of this game lay in the fact that I could play it with no previous knowledge of The Witcher universe and still form an intense connection with it. It’s a masterclass in weaving stories into a piece of media that entirely encapsulates everything you want to and need to know. 

I’m sure those who haven’t played this game have heard so many praising sentiments and ‘you have to play this’ opinions. You should listen – because they’re right. 

Seven years later, The Witcher 3 holds up. The graphics, gameplay and story are all just as magical as the first time you encounter them (trust me, I play it once a year). Geralt and Roach have provided us with some of the best memes of the decade, and please don’t even get me started on that soundtrack. 

Then you get Blood and Wine and Hearts of Stone (the critically acclaimed DLC). My god, if I could give anyone examples of stories that lead you into mystery you can’t stop soaking up, these would be it. Both take your hand firmly and say ‘drop everything you know about fantasy’. Drop everything you know and look to a new revolution of storytelling. 

However, I think the thing that got me absolutely hooked was the introduction of Yennefer and Ciri. 

Here’s the thing about women

As you have probably picked up, I have a bit of an attachment to the way women are represented in the media I consume. 

Ciri and Yennefer, specifically, were the two that intrigued me. Ciri, of course, is the main chronicle of the game – your whole purpose is to make sure she is alive, and thereafter, stays that way. 

Yennefer is the love interest that is the only right choice. I will never apologise for that opinion. 

Besides the basics of their roles in the game, their characters bring me to realities I want in my personal world. 

Ciri is the classic story of ‘power thrust upon you’. She struggles with the idea that she is the one who can save the universe from imminent destruction, the one who has a rare power to point her world into a better direction. All this, and then she’s also being chased by every John and his horse for their own personal purpose – to be empress, to fall prey to The Wild Hunt, whatever it is. She has to stay hidden. 

She finds the opportunity to stand up and face these literal demons, save the world, and in the best ending of the game – become a witcher – finally finding the place she craved. 

Yennefer, well, is a little bit opposite of that. 

Yes, she also had some kind of power thrust upon her – but she actively seeks to be the most powerful sorceress. At any cost. This presents some issues with how she carries herself, and a lot of people are not super fond of her, but honestly, who cares? She’s a total badass. She pulled herself out and up from literal mud and dirt to be one of the most incredible magic wielders in the world. 

And yet, you can still see her softness in her moments with Geralt. 

Both of these women are not revolutionary representations of women in fantasy stories. However, the pure authenticity of The Witcher universe lends to their tales being something I am drawn to. Despite their hardships, despite how people view them, they fight tooth and nail to be something they can be proud of. They come into their own in the face of agony. 

And that’s where the comfort is, for me. Beyond the beautiful story, stunning world and phenomenal soundtrack, I am in awe of the people this game brings to my screen.