I’ve played a ton of Soulslikes. I’ve played Sekiro, Ghost of Tsushima, and plenty of games with incredibly polished, precise combat systems.
And yet, to this day, I’ve never understood why The Witcher 3’s combat is so often described as “sloppy”, “clunky” or outright bad.
To me, it’s one of the most uniquely satisfying combat systems in an RPG.
Geralt isn’t supposed to feel like a knight trading blows. When the combat clicks, it almost feels like a rhythm game. You’re constantly moving, dodging, sidestepping, countering and attacking in rhythm with your opponent. Geralt spins and flows around enemies to the point where fights can feel less like traditional sword combat and more like a dance.
And then there’s everything surrounding the actual swordplay: researching what you’re fighting, choosing the right oil, preparing potions and decoctions, managing Signs, exploiting weaknesses and adapting your approach depending on the monster.
That preparation is part of the combat system. You’re not just controlling a guy with two swords. You’re role-playing a professional monster hunter.
Is it as mechanically tight as Sekiro? Obviously not. That isn’t what I’m arguing. But I’ve never understood how we went from “this combat has some imperfections” to “The Witcher 3 has terrible combat.”
At its best, it’s fluid, deliberate, incredibly stylish and almost choreographed.
Maybe I’m insane, but I absolutely love The Witcher 3’s combat. Am I the only one?
