The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 still stands as one of the great Western RPGs in gaming, managing to outdo Bioware and Bethesda at their own game. The open-world manages to feel natural and lived-in, avoiding the bland repetitiveness that other games in the genre fall victim to. Geralt’s role as an outcast monster hunter necessitates exploration and roaming, which is made all the more fun through all the great side quests scattered through the game. The Witcher 3 has been held as a gold standard for side quests in gaming for nigh-on a decade for good reason; the deftness of the writing and worldbuilding are second to none. You’ll rarely find a more engaging RPG than The Witcher 3, and that sentiment that still holds true years after its initial release.