The Witcher

The Witcher is the game that put CD Projekt RED on the international RPG map — the studio's first adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, set in the same morally gray world that would later anchor The Witcher 2 and 3. You play Geralt of Rivia, a monster slayer who returns to Kaer Morhen, the last witcher stronghold, just as it comes under attack by a mysterious order. The fight is won at the cost of the secret mutagen recipe used to make more witchers — and that's where the story begins.

The game emphasizes story and character development above all else, with a narrative that branches and recombines based on decisions that rarely have a clean moral answer. Three different endings cap the main storyline depending on the political and personal choices you make along the way, and quests routinely offer multiple legitimate solutions rather than a fixed path. The combat layer runs in real time and is built around six distinct sword-fighting styles based on real medieval techniques, supplemented by an alchemy system, signs (magical abilities) and modifiable equipment.

The Enhanced Edition Director's Cut is the form most players will encounter today: over 5,000 rewritten and re-recorded lines of dialogue, more than 200 new gesture animations, a completely redone German localization, reduced loading times, and a character differentiation system that randomizes NPC appearances to prevent the original game's twin problem. The package ships with a D'jinni Adventure Editor, two extra adventures totaling over five hours, the official soundtrack, an inspired-by music album, the official game guide, and two world maps.