The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt vs Elden Ring
The short answer
The Witcher 3 for stories, Elden Ring for exploration. The Witcher 3's side quests are the best-written in any open world and its combat is merely adequate. Elden Ring reverses that exactly: the combat is superb and the story is fragments you assemble yourself.
What they have in common
Both are huge open worlds with strong art direction and both reward wandering off the main path — for completely different payoffs.
Pick The Witcher 3 if you want to be told a story.
Full voice acting, real characters, and side quests that would be main quests anywhere else. Blood and Wine is one of the best expansions ever made. The combat never gets better than fine.
Pick Elden Ring if you want to be shown a world.
Nothing is explained and nothing is marked. What you get instead is the best combat in the genre and a map that keeps opening downward.
Frequently asked questions
Should I play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or Elden Ring?
The Witcher 3 for stories, Elden Ring for exploration. The Witcher 3's side quests are the best-written in any open world and its combat is merely adequate. Elden Ring reverses that exactly: the combat is superb and the story is fragments you assemble yourself.
What do The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Elden Ring have in common?
Both are huge open worlds with strong art direction and both reward wandering off the main path — for completely different payoffs.
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Buy This Game
* Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
More head-to-heads are on the comparisons page.
