By now, a lot of gamers will have enjoyed hours upon hours of gameplay in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which some describe as the greatest game ever made. With intricate, twisting plot lines and side quests, along with hidden treasures, monsters’ nests and Witcher contracts, there is plenty to do to keep gamers involved for months. The game of Gwent tops this off astonishingly well, like icing on a cake.
Gwent is perhaps the most addictive card game ever; it is completely fictional, and only available to play within the universe of The Witcher. Everyone who has played The Witcher will have played at least one hand of Gwent. Some decide not to take up the hobby, but others become hooked and set out on all the side quests to beat the main players and collect all the cards.
If you are unfamiliar with Gwent, it is a card game in which two players each have their own personal set of cards that they have gathered by winning or purchasing them. The cards are all different characters with varying points values. Some of these cards have special abilities as well. The best way to get the hang of the game is to play it a lot, because there are a number of complex rules involved. During missions in The Witcher and while travelling around the sprawling universe, you have many opportunities to buy Gwent cards to improve your deck and give yourself a better chance of winning games. Also, every time you win a game you receive a unique card from the person you beat.
It is purely optional to play this game within a game, but many people have said that this is one of their favourite aspects of the instalment. There are even forums on the internet discussing how to build the very best Gwent deck. There have been mini games within large RPGs like this throughout gaming history, such as darts in GTA, and Chocobo Racing in Final Fantasy VII, but it is hard to think of a game as convoluted, enchanting, and addictive as Gwent.
Because of the roaring success of Gwent, it seems reasonable to think that in the future, other developers may try to create something to rival it. To think of what could work as an engaging side game within the universe of a larger game, developers should look to incorporate games that are already popular in the real world.
A huge number of players enjoy online casino games each day, so drawing aspects from these may provide an addictive quality to rival Gwent. Slot machines such as Rainbow Riches at Wink Bingo and other sites already have fantasy aspects, and this one in particular includes leprechauns and pots of treasure. A slot game within a game, using characters and features of the main game might work. But the rewards would have to be something that the player can use to improve his character in the normal game, in order to give them an incentive to play.
Many Gwent players will be looking for ways they can continue to play Gwent after finishing the Witcher 3. They may also be seeking something to rival Gwent in future games. Developers should bear this in mind.
Garon Cockrell is the Founder and Editor of Pop Culture Beast and host of The Pop Culture Beast Show. He founded the site over seven years ago to have a place on the internet to write about the things he loved. Since then, Garon has become a best-selling author (Demonic and Other Tales), an award winning screenwriter (Best Screenplay 2013 Motor City Nightmares Film Festival), and a cast member on the top rated podcast, Never Not Funny.