10 Games like The Witcher 3 to play while you wait for The Witcher 4

The Witcher 4 is still some way off, with no release date set, but if you're looking for games like The Witcher 3 in the meantime, we've got you covered. Whether you're burnt out on TW3, got an itch after watching the recently released The Witcher season 4 on Netflix, or just looking for something new, we've put together a list that can sate your thirst for a great new open world, another one of the best RPGs, or a combination of the two.

Whatever it is that appeals to you in The Witcher 3, be that the monster-hunting contracts, the grim tone, or the hours of exploration on offer, we've searched high and low to bring you this list of 10 great games to fill that Witchery void. So, let's get started and find the next game that can keep you entertained while you wait for The Witcher 4.

The best games like The Witcher 3 to play right now

10. Red Dead Redemption 2

Developer: Rockstar
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC

Rockstar's gargantuan magnum opus is a fine place to start once you're getting bored with the medieval world of The Witcher 3. Whilst it might offer a jarring departure from Wild Hunt's in-depth melee combat system, Red Dead Redemption 2 delivers a similarly rich world full of life and uniquely affords players the agency to interact with every moving part.

Arthur Morgan's story is engaging, involved, and driven by emotion, resulting in bombastic set pieces that make use of the game's crunchy gunplay and peerless open-world setting, which covers multiple biomes and a variety of wildlife that you can hunt and catalog. If you enjoyed the detail and care behind The Witcher 3's many quests, Rockstar's open-world tour de force offers similar delights, with some truly memorable characters and a branching, novelesque story that never drops the ball.

Read our Red Dead Redemption 2 review

9. Dragon’s Dogma 2

Developer: Capcom
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

While it had some performance issues at launch, Dragon's Dogma 2 has matured into a more polished game about slaying gigantic monsters. The monsters are many and varied, as are the loadouts that you can use to take them on. It even does a couple of things better than The Witcher 3, for example, allowing you to clamber all over the monsters during the fight, like a latter-day Shadow of the Colossus.

The open world isn't as big as that of The Witcher 3, but it is rich with content and gorgeous to boot. If you're the kind of Witcher 3 player who spent yonks completing every monster contract that you could, you'll get a big kick out of Dragon's Dogma 2.

Read our Dragon's Dogma 2 review

8. Cyberpunk 2077

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platforms: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2

Speaking of games that had shonky launches, Cyberpunk 2077 is notorious for its state at launch, and it's likely put a lot of people off playing it. That’s a shame, since today, the game is utterly superb. This should come as no surprise given that, like The Witcher 3, it was developed by CD Projekt Red, who brought their quest design and worldbuilding skills to Cyberpunk 2077.

In many ways, Cyberpunk feels like a modern successor to both Syndicate and Deus Ex, combining corporate governance, resistance, and the ability to modify your body to your heart's content. You may have to swap Roach for an AI-driven cab, and your swords for…actually, also swords, but if you loved The Witcher 3, the odds are that you're going to absolutely love Cyberpunk 2077.

Read our Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review

7. Monster Hunter: World

Developer: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC

If you really took a liking to the monster-hunting aspect of The Witcher 3, you should feel right at home with Monster Hunter World. Capcom's mainstream dambuster is a focused battler with plenty of complex mechanics for you to sink your teeth into.

If you've always wanted to bring your friends along for the Griffin-tracking ride, then World is one of those games like The Witcher 3, which provides the perfect cooperative framework and a hellishly addictive progression system. Regardless, if you get bored of playing with the default characters, you can even dress up as Geralt himself and perform some acrobatic Insect Glaive takedowns on Leshen, thanks to the crossover event!

Read our Monster Hunter World review

6. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Developer: Bethesda
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC

Sure, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is an easy choice for a list of games like The Witcher 3, but that doesn't mean it isn't the right choice. When it came out in 2011, Skyrim set the standard for fantasy RPG games, mixing a fully realized magical world with the freedom to roam around, discovering secrets, monsters, and a passion for alchemy at your leisure.

Unlike The Witcher 3, you create your own character who then flees execution and quickly discovers they are Dragonborn and the only one who can stop the 'the World-Eater' Alduin from killing everyone and everything. That's a lot of responsibility, but along the way, you can also get married, join a guild or two, and even become a werewolf. Skyrim was such a hit that it's since been ported to everything from PSVR to Amazon Alexa, and still has a thriving community of fans, modders, and players.

Read our Skyrim Special Edition review

5. Elden Ring

Developer: FromSoftware
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

When it comes to high-profile open-world games, they don't get much more high-profile than Elden Ring. One of the best-selling games of all time and an absolute masterpiece, Elden Ring is a must for fans of The Witcher 3. It's far harder, being a Fromsoft game, but don't let that put you off, as there's enough build variety to find one that works for you, which will make the game a lot more enjoyable.

The word design is impeccable, matching The Witcher 3 for sheer scope and size, even if there isn't the same level of NPC interaction that you'll find in The Witcher 3. With the Shadow of the Erdtree adding even more content and Elden Ring Nightreign now out in the wild as well, there's never been a better time to play this legendary title.

Read our Elden Ring review

4. Dragon Age: Origins 

Developer: BioWare
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC

Widely considered to be the best in the series, Dragon Age: Origins shares a lot of muscle memory with The Witcher 3, given its medieval setting, diverse cast of characters, and genuinely world-altering dialogue choices. Despite being almost 10 years old now, it still holds up on most modern platforms and certainly had a part to play in fostering the modern RPG renaissance that paved the way for The Witcher 3.

With a hard but fair combat system and snappy, consistent dialogue that complements a 40-hour narrative, this is a classic not to be missed if you're looking for a challenge and consider yourself a fan of games like The Witcher 3.

Read our Dragon Age: Origins review

3. Middle Earth: Shadow of War 

Developer: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC

If you consider The Witcher 3's combat to be the star of the show, you should definitely consider picking up a title from Monolith's Middle-earth series - Shadow of War (aka one of the best Lord of the Rings games of all time). Playing as a budget Aragorn, you'll quickly feel the same endorphin blast as Talion rips and tears his way through Uruk-hais and Orcs in an acrobatic fashion that would make Geralt of Rivia swoon.

Whilst the characterization and emotional heartstrings aren't being tugged quite as hard here, you can certainly still get wrapped up in its lore-rich world via the Nemesis system, where legions of enemies will hold grudges against Talion and track him down through the vast open world.

Read our Middle-earth: Shadow of War review

2. Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Platforms: PS4, PS5, PC

The sequel to the beloved and jaw-dropping Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West is a fantastic game to pick up if you're a fan of The Witcher 3 (and the first game in the Horizon series). With a beautifully rich world that looks absolutely breathtaking on PS5 and a story that will sink its talons in you from the jump, Horizon Forbidden West iterates upon the original's concept in almost every way.

There are even more robotic monsters in the sequel, so expect a challenge at almost every turn. Couple that with some RPG mechanics, and you've got a game that will delight fans of The Witcher 3.

Read our Horizon Forbidden West review

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Developer: Larian Studios
Platforms: PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Baldur's Gate 3 is an absolutely sensational RPG with a massive amount of elasticity when it comes to how quests are completed. If you want to be evil, good, mercenary, or selfless, the chances are that there will be a way to complete a quest in a way that you love. The world isn't as huge as The Witcher 3's, but it's still plenty big, and it has an impressive number of NPC interactions that more than make up for it.

Combine this with its highly technical combat and array of systems that are far more in-depth than The Witcher 3, and you have a game that is easily one of the best RPGs. If you haven't played Baldur's Gate 3 by now, you owe it to yourself to do so. Roll a character and jump into an incredibly polished DnD campaign.

Read our Baldur's Gate 3 review

Can't wait for The Witcher 4? Check out our guide to all the new games heading our way and all the upcoming CD Projekt Red games for more information!