In this long and sprawling adventure, The Witcher 3 concludes Geralt’s journey satisfyingly… and that’s not even getting into the awesome combat, graphics, characters, lore, and everything else along the same lines. There aren’t many games that feel as fresh as CD Projekt Red’s masterpiece, but for any person who wishes to enjoy a similar experience, here are some of the best action RPGs like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
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Updated on November 16, 2022 by Mark Sammut: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Completed Edition’s next-gen update has been officially announced for December 14, 2022. CD Projekt Red’s seminal RPG is fantastic on any console, but the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S’s power should reduce some frustrations found in the game’s last-gen versions. While waiting for the update to drop, fans can check out these upcoming games like The Witcher 3.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring has taken the gaming world by storm in a way that the popular but still niche Dark Souls games never quite managed. Set in a vast world that demands to be explored, Elden Ring mostly leaves players to their own devices as they traverse the unknown in search of the Great Runes. Unsurprisingly, this journey proves to be extremely difficult.
Honestly, Elden Ring’s combat, lore presentation, and pacing are not that similar to The Witcher 3 – FromSoftware’s game is very much its own beast. That said, when it comes to action open-world RPGs, both releases are game-changers and deliver experiences that are hard to top.
Planescape: Torment
Describing Planescape: Torment as an “action RPG” is generous since its combat is static and one-note. That said, the bland battles are worth putting up with to experience everything else this classic has to offer. While The Witcher 3 is generally treated as the standard-bearer for quality writing in RPGs, Planescape: Torment held that title for a very long time.
More importantly, the game’s story, world-building, and dialogue have aged quite well. Permitting someone goes in with realistic expectations, Planescape: Torment is still a must-play RPG and one of the best extensions of the Dungeons & Dragons universe.
Get it on Steam here!
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Anime visuals, party-based combat, and a fantasy setting with sprinkles of sci-fi, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has little in common with The Witcher 3 on the surface. However, both games have similar strengths as they deliver well-written stories set within massive worlds defined by political strife. Like CD Projekt Red’s masterpiece, the Switch exclusive dedicates a great deal of time and effort to exploring its main characters and their relationships.
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Ultimately, Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s biggest strength is its ability to immerse players in a fully-realized setting drenched in history, conflict, and nuance. The combat system takes a while to reveal all of its depth, but it does expand nicely as the lengthy campaign progresses.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Any of the last few Assassin’s Creed games are safe picks for those seeking epic adventures; however, Odyssey gets the nod when it comes to games like The Witcher 3 since it marked the point when Ubisoft’s series fully embraced role-playing elements. Dialogue options and branching paths are integrated into the storyline, providing players with more agency than in previous Assassin’s Creed titles.
The open-world is enormous and blends history with fiction, creating a landscape littered with jaw-dropping vistas and neat details. Although not quite reaching The Witcher 3 level, Odyssey’s story is solid enough, as are the combat and progression systems.
Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
Kingdoms of Amalur excels in different areas than The Witcher 3. Its story is a bit uninspired and doesn’t become anything more than just serviceable; conversely, the game’s combat is smooth, fast-paced, flexible, and creative. The protagonist lacks Geralt’s personality; however, Kingdoms of Amalur’s customization options provide players with plenty of room to create their own heroes.
The Witcher 3 and Kingdoms of Amalur both take place in rich fantasy settings that are visually captivating, although the latter’s world is far more colorful than the former. For those seeking an action-heavy RPG, this game is the way to go.
GreedFall
Placing the player in the boots of a noble emissary exploring a mostly undeveloped island, GreedFall offers a large and dynamic map to uncover. The third-person view that mixes a nice range of melee weapons and firearms gives this ARPG a unique feel that will resonate well with fans of The Witcher games.
There are a ton of cool, original monsters to meet and slay, though the vibrant natural world offers more than just combat. Players can romance various companions along the way, build diplomatic relations with powerful politicians, and bring peace to the divided factions crowding the island.
Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red’s follow-up to The Witcher 3 had big shoes to fill; unfortunately, Cyberpunk 2077’s launch was anything but smooth, with the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game being riddled with bugs. On PC and next-gen consoles, the action RPG is a far more enjoyable experience, allowing for the game’s strengths to shine through more clearly.
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Cyberpunk 2077’s greatest achievement is Night City, a bustling metropolis filled with skyscrapers stamped with the sigils of corporations that tower over gang-torn streets. Although it trades a third-person perspective for FPS gameplay, Cyberpunk 2077’s engrossing storytelling, convincing NPCs, and dense world are deeply reminiscent of The Witcher 3.
Deus Ex
Similar to how The Witcher 3 set a new standard for writing in RPGs, particularly for side quests, 2000’s Deus Ex raised the bar when it comes to player freedom. Blending first-person shooter gameplay with RPG concepts like customization and non-linear levels, Ion Storm’s masterpiece was well ahead of its contemporaries in many areas. Even all these years later, few games come close to matching Deus Ex’s stellar level design and immersion, and that includes its highly-regarded sequels.
Deus Ex is a very different experience than The Witcher 3, but they both represent the RPG genre at its best. Although dated in some ways, Ion Storm’s classic holds up very well overall; in fact, Deus Ex can be described as timeless.
Get it on Steam here!
Horizon Forbidden West
An argument could be made that Horizon Forbidden West is an action-adventure title rather than an RPG; however, the PlayStation exclusive takes enough ideas from the latter genre to qualify. Guerrilla Games’ sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn does not deviate too far from its predecessor’s blueprint, opting instead to fine-tune what came before while also offering a bigger sandbox for players to explore. Horizon Forbidden West’s open-world is gorgeous and densely populated with content, be it side quests or challenges.
Like The Witcher 3, Sony’s game emphasizes its main story, building upon the solid base established by Horizon Zero Dawn. While their personalities are not that similar, Aloy and Geralt are both used to being treated as outsiders, although they are willing to lend a helping hand if the need arises. Horizon Forbidden West’s combat starts strong and gradually improves as Aloy unlocks more weapons and abilities.
Grim Dawn
Grim Dawn is an isometric action RPG in the style of Diablo and Titan Quest, therefore, any person contemplating whether they should pick up this game should be aware that it plays nothing like The Witcher 3. Like most entries in this subgenre, Grim Dawn is primarily loot-driven, and the game does not hold back on drops.
Even though it is very much a different type of beast from CD Projekt Red’s RPG, Grim Dawn also envisions a dark fantasy world that has a more grounded aesthetic compared to other similar games. While not the focus, the game’s story is pretty good as well, taking place in a world ravished by a war that left humanity on the brink of annihilation.
Get it on Steam here!
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma is finally receiving a sequel, something that has been a long time coming. Slightly underrated at the time of its release, Dragon’s Dogma gradually garnered a cult following, particularly once the Dark Arisen expansion hit the scene. In some ways, Capcom’s game is the inverse of The Witcher 3 since it excels in combat while not offering too much story excitement.
Dragon’s Dogma unleashes players in a dark fantasy world filled with imaginative and horrifying monsters, most of which pack quite a punch. Even though its map is not especially large, the game makes Gransys seem bigger than it really is by limiting fast travel and cramming a lot of content into a small space.
Alpha Protocol
Before proceeding any further, it should be noted that Alpha Protocol is far rougher around the edges than The Witcher 3. With janky controls, lackluster gameplay, and quite a few bugs, the game’s negatives can be difficult to overlook, but they do not detract from its positives: story and customization. Set in a futuristic sci-fi world, Alpha Protocol centers around a secret agent who goes on worldwide missions, and players are given the freedom to warp Michael Thorton’s personality, skillset, and future.
Alpha Protocol has branching storylines, dialogue options that genuinely matter, and great world-building. This RPG rewards multiple playthroughs, each one better than the last since players steadily become more adept at circumventing the game’s frustrations. In many ways, Alpha Protocol is similar to the first Witcher game, at least in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
Salt & Sanctuary
Exploration and backtracking to previously discovered locations are big components in many ARPG games. Sometimes, when the player comes across an overwhelming foe, it is best to do a tactical retreat and return when better equipped or at a higher level.
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Players seeking such gameplay should check out Salt & Sanctuary for the chance to adventure through deadly and dark areas while dispatching sinister adversaries in excellently implemented combat. The themes of careful resource management and the risk of losing them are features that may stress players out, but in the best way possible, for it encourages them to make wiser decisions in the long-term instead of flippant short-term ones.
Get it on Steam here!
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
No game is exactly like The Witcher 3, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance arguably has the most similar-feeling world. While the latter does not have fantastical creatures, Kingdom Come’s Bohemia is a gritty and dirty place that prioritizes realism above everything else. If The Witcher 3 is a dark fantasy, then Kingdom Come is the version set on Earth.
Kingdom Come’s open-world is vast, punishing, but also capable of inspiring moments of beauty. The game’s first-person combat comes with a steeping learning curve as players need to master their swordsmanship (or other weapons) to stand a chance in any of the harder battles. Like The Witcher 3, Kingdom Come is an immersive sim that strikes a grim tone and makes players work for every success.
Mass Effect 2
When it comes to games that are similar to The Witcher 3, it goes without saying that most BioWare games from their golden age are a great fit. Mass Effect 2 is one such game that is a must-play for anyone who was invested in the story of The Witcher 3.
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While BioWare games tend to focus more on party interactions, individual character stories, and the like, there will still be enough similarities between Mass Effect 2 and The Witcher 3 to satiate any person’s role-playing urges. The biggest difference between both these games is their settings… which is where the next game on this list comes into the picture.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a compilation containing BioWare’s trilogy, is available on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
If having a high fantasy world is an absolute must for anyone who wishes to play a game like The Witcher 3, then the Dragon Age series would be right up their alley. Pretty much any game in the series can fit the bill, but the modern nuances present in Dragon Age: Inquisition makes it just a tad bit more accessible.
There are several reasons why one should definitely try out Dragon Age: Inquisition if they love The Witcher 3 — the glorious setting, high-stakes plot, and enjoyable combat are just a few of these things.
Bloodborne
The Witcher 3’s combat is awesome, and any player who wishes to enjoy a tighter and more challenging version of this combat should definitely try out Bloodborne.
The fast-paced nature of the game’s combat will definitely feel right at home with the battles in The Witcher 3, and that’s not the only selling point of Bloodborne. The beautiful Gothic world of this game has a number of Lovecraftian elements that make the levels of Bloodborne equally haunting and engrossing to explore.
Elex 2
Be it Gothic or Risen, Piranha Bytes has been creating open-world RPGs for a long time, and Elex 2 is probably the studio’s strongest release to date. As is always the case with the company’s output, this game is a bit too ambitious for its own good, resulting in quite a few clunky moments and a distinct lack of polish. However, if someone can look past its rough edges, they will find an RPG filled with intriguing ideas and one of the more enjoyable traversal systems of the last few years.
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Elex 2 blends fantasy and sci-fi, crafting a post-apocalyptic world that allows for medieval-esque villages to exist alongside alien weaponry and abandoned skyscrapers. The narrative has a humorous and mature edge to it similar to The Witcher 3, although it does not capture the same magic. As far as AA-level RPGs are concerned, this title is better than most of its contemporaries.
Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
High fantasy settings are a dime-a-dozen in video games, and it can be quite challenging to select a game that does justice to its setting. Thankfully, Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor manages to evade this problem since its setting is already as established and legendary as can be.
It certainly helps that the game is extremely fun to play, with the visceral combat being an absolute blast in every sense of the word. People who play Shadow of Mordor will definitely have an extremely positive and enjoyable experience indeed.
Red Dead Redemption 2
It would be impossible to talk about excellent open-world games with RPG elements without mentioning the masterpiece that is Red Dead Redemption 2. A prequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption, which is also a must-play, RDR2 is a meticulously crafted epic that tells a complex narrative during a period of American history defined by change.
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Rockstar Games truly blew everyone’s expectations out of the water with the release of this stellar title, which is arguably the greatest video game Western of all time.
Fallout: New Vegas
The intricate plot and game-altering decisions of The Witcher 3 are one of the game’s biggest selling points, and people who wish to enjoy such consequence-heavy decision-making in their games should definitely try out Fallout: New Vegas.
This game takes everything good about the first two Fallout games and combines them with the modern conveniences introduced in Fallout 3. In the process, Obsidian crafted a sublime role-playing experience that no self-respecting gamer should miss out on.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
While the story of The Witcher 3 is definitely one of the biggest reasons why people love this game, another aspect that should also be highlighted is its fantastic open-world exploration. Therefore, it’s only a given that people who love exploring the beautiful world of The Witcher 3 would also enjoy playing Skyrim, which is considered to be right up there with the best role-playing games ever made, and for good reason.
Through mods and ports, Skyrim has remained relevant for more than a decade, as millions of players have and will continue to immerse themselves in its engrossing lore and world. While Skyrim’s first-person combat has very few similarities with The Witcher 3’s gameplay, both RPGs excel in other areas like their quests and depth.
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