One of the greatest role-playing games released in recent years has beenThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The title made a huge impact on the public and turned its developer CD Projekt Red into a household name. Meanwhile,The Witcherfranchise is more alive than ever with several spin-offs includingaWitcherNetflix series, and next-gen physical editions ofThe Witcher 3will be available starting January 26.
AlthoughThe Witcher 3is over seven years old, players still want to immerse themselves in its world and experience Geralt of Rivia’s adventures. In addition to its well-told main story with an exceptional cast of characters, the game offers what many fans believe are some of the finest side-quests in the medium. One of the most beloved by fans is undoubtedlythe mission of the Bloody Baron.
RELATED:The Witcher 3 Economy Mod Gets Next-Gen Update
Bloody Baron Makes for One of Geralt of Rivia’s Trickiest Quests
The Bloody Baron quest is one of the best examples of how player decisions have an effect on the development ofThe Witcher 3’s story, which the game treats in a way that few other RPGs manage. The rest of the main campaign is full of excellent quests, but this story stands out by forcing the player to investigate, empathize, and delve into a mystery that expands far beyond what they could have imagined at the start.
The way this story depicts the effects of alcoholism on an individual and their environment is incredibly powerful, and the Bloody Baron himself is a character full of rough edges to explore.Few video game families are as dysfunctional as this one, and their problems aren’t simple to untangle - they come from many sides. The game does a good job of showing realistic facets of a familial relationship and abuse.
Bloody Baron and the Horrors of War
Throughout the course of this questline, the player finds a man who has been through the horrors of medieval warfare, only to come home and have his demons come with him. It’s a classic broken family scenario, and even if Geralt tries and fix it, there’s no guarantee that they will ever get a happy ending. It really drives home that sometimes there isn’t a good option, just a choice between “bad” and “worse.” It also is a great reminder of thehuman stories behindThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s impactful narrative, because the quest is not about killing monsters; it’s about humans and their tragedies trying to navigate a world that is far from black and white.
The end result can vary greatly, and neither conclusion is entirely happy. The Baron either comes to terms with his own inner turmoil and faces the grief that continues to consume him, or it can all continue to fall apart until a grand crescendo thatCD Projekt Redpulls off well. The overall atmosphere of this side quest is very dark, and establishes a series of ultimatums that few other games would dare to touch, especially in such a mainline release. For these reasons, the Bloody Baron remains a benchmark in RPG storytelling, a high point in a gaming experience absolutely packed with them.
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:How the Witcher 1 Remake’s Geralt Will Differ From The Witcher 3
