The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis a masterpiece of storytelling, gameplay, and world-building. It delivers a satisfying conclusion to Geralt of Rivia’s journey, immersing players in a rich and detailed fantasy world that is a joy to explore. The game’s narrative is expertly crafted, with meaningful choices and consequences that affect the outcome of this deep and captivating tale. As a cherry on top of this unforgettable experience, the game’s many side quests and characters are just as engaging as the main story, adding even more depth and complexity to the world.
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However, do keep in mind that the world ofThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntis not for the faint of heart. The game is filled with terrifying monsters, stomach-churning violence, and many unsettling themes. It’s a harsh and unforgiving place, and the game does not shy away from showing its darker aspects. While the game’s ability to balance its disturbing moments with its heartwarming ones is quite brilliant in its own right, that doesn’t mean that players won’t be deeply disturbed and unsettled by some of the scariest things that happen in the game.
10The Nightmare Geralt Experiences In The Prologue
The game starts off withGeralt finding and training Ciri in Kaer Morhen, serving as the game’s tutorial of sorts. However, this merry moment has a sinister edge, with the end of combat training revealing a gruesome sight.
After Geralt notices that one of the training dummies is bleeding, he rips the sack to reveal a lifeless eye staring back at him. It’s a shocking sight that sets the stage forThe Witcher 3and the events that players would deal with soon after.
9Annabelle Being Eaten Alive By Mice
The tower on Fyke Isle houses one of the best and most nightmarish quests in the game. A maiden called Annabelle was unfairly targeted by a crazy peasant mob that would’ve ravaged her had she not taken a medicine that helped her feign her death.
However, this potion was too strong, and her mind functioned soon after while her body was still paralyzed. The massacre that occurred in the tower attracted mice that ate the dead bodies, eating Annabelle alive as she felt the teeth of these creatures bite into her and inflict a slow, painful death. It was a traumatic moment that led to her becoming a Plague Maiden.
8The Twisted Nature Of The Botchling
The quest where players have to help the spirit of the Bloody Baron’s unborn child is one of the best quests inThe Witcher 3. This child transformed into a monstrous creature known as a botchling that players can either help out or kill.
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Either way, this makes for a chilling encounter as the player interacts with this nightmarish monster, helping in their own way to put this thing out of its misery. It’s one of the many brilliant quests that does a great job of fleshing out the Bloody Baron’s character.
7How Casually The Crones Kidnap And Eat Children
TheLadies of the Wood are some of the most disgusting creatures in the entire game. They cause no end of issues for Geralt and Ciri, and their presence is closely tied to the troubles of the Bloody Baron too.
A really horrifying thing about this trio is their tendency to find orphans and give them a home to rest before using them as meat for their twisted stew. The latest batch that Anna makes causes her mind to snap after facing repeated atrocities over and over again, making the family reunion quite bittersweet indeed.
6The Heinous Way Keira Metz Is Impaled
There aremany sorceresses that players interact with over the course ofThe Witcher 3. One such character is Keira Metz, who is a pretty riveting individual and helps Geralt in his quest to locate Ciri.
If players can’t convince her against meeting Radovid, she meets a horrid fate and is impaled on the stake in a brutal fashion. Players can engage in a quest that lets them recover her body and kill the Witch Hunters guarding it, giving her a decent burial if nothing else.
5Yennefer Torturing Skjall’s Spirit With Necromancy
If there’s one thing players will realize while hanging out with Yennefer, it’s that she will leave no stone unturned while trying to achieve her goal. She’s so adamant about finding Ciri that she would even use dark magic to accomplish her mission.
This can be seen ina rather disturbing moment where Yennefer uses necromancyto force Skjall’s spirit back into his body and make him spill everything he knew about Ciri. Watching Skjall beg for mercy is horrifying and easily one of the most disturbing moments to witness in the game.
4The MO Of The Serial Killer Who Ravaged Novigrad
After saving Dandelion from imprisonment at the hands of the Witch Hunters, disaster strikes — a serial killer targeted his love, Priscilla, and almost killed her. This prompts a search where players attempt to uncover the motive and identity of this twisted figure.
The manner in which this killer disposed of his victims was quite heinous. He keeps the victim alive as he scoops their eyes out & places burning coals in place, forces them to drink formaldehyde, and finally replaces their heart with a Salamander egg.
3The Horrifying Way In Which The Hym Torments Its Victims
One of the most interesting monsters that players can battle against is the Hym, who is torturing a poor man named Udalryk who is wracked by the guilt he feels because of his inability to save his brother. The Hym causes him to mutilate his body, even taking his eye out in a new low.
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The sheer idea of a monster feeding on someone’s trauma is hard to witness, and players can witness another horrifying moment in this regard if they decide to follow Cerys' advice. In a bid to trick the Hym,Geralt almost believes that he threw an infant child into the furnace, causing his guilt to tempt the Hym…only for Cerys to reveal that this moment was a ruse and causing the Hym to die as a result.
2The Angel Statues Who Turn Around To Face The Player
The Witcher 3is the last place anyone would expect to see aDoctor Whoreference, but that’s precisely what happens in the cemetery that players can exploreafter finishing the quest “Witcher Wannabe.” At a glance, nothing is off about this area…until players notice the angel statues, that is.
These statues will move and face Geralt every single time they move out of the camera’s view. It’s a reference to the haunting Weeping Angels fromDoctor Whoand one of the scariest easter eggs in the game.
1That One Fleeting Moment When Players Found Ciri’s Lifeless Body
The journey to find Ciri was a wild ride and finally reaches its conclusion when players reach the Isle of Mists. After helping out some dwarves to reunite, they reveal the body of Ciri, with her eyes rolled up the back of her head.
For a moment, Geralt feels that Ciri is dead and all hope is lost…only for the magic firefly that was guiding him to breathe life into Ciri’s body. The game transitions from a sad and scary moment of loss into an emotional reunion that serves as the perfect way to cap off Geralt’s journey.
The Witcher 3is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch.
