Joe Vargas was screaming. If you’ve ever watched a video by The Angry Joe Show, that isn’t exactly breaking news, but back in 2015, the stakes felt different. CD Projekt Red had just dropped The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and the gaming world was holding its breath. We weren’t sure if the ambitious Polish studio could actually pivot from the linear-ish corridors of the second game into a massive, sprawling open world without losing the plot.
Then came the AngryJoe The Witcher 3 review.
It wasn't just another video in a sea of YouTube uploads. It became a cultural touchstone for the fandom. While other outlets were focused on technical jargon or frame rates, Joe was busy losing his mind over a botchling. He was dissecting the morality of the Bloody Baron questline with a level of raw, unscripted passion that you just didn't see on major corporate gaming sites. Honestly, it’s one of those rare moments where a critic’s energy perfectly matched the sheer scale of the game they were covering.
The 10/10 Heard 'Round the World
It’s easy to forget how skeptical people were. Open-world fatigue was already setting in by 2015. We had seen too many map-markers and "Go here, kill five wolves" quests. When Joe sat down in his iconic blue chair, wearing the "Angry" shirt, he didn't just give a thumbs up. He handed out a 10/10 with a "Badass Seal of Approval."
That mattered.
Joe has a reputation for being, well, angry. He’s the guy who shreds publishers for microtransactions and broken launches. So, when he spends over thirty minutes gushing about the writing in a side quest involving a goat and a pellar, people listen. He emphasized that the "side quests" in The Witcher 3 weren't actually side quests. They were stories. This distinction changed the way we talked about RPG design for the next decade.
He didn't ignore the flaws, though. You might remember him complaining about the combat—which, let’s be real, is kinda floaty—and the occasional Roach-on-a-roof glitch. But his core argument was that the soul of the game outweighed the clunkiness.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Review
Looking back, some folks think Joe was just caught up in the hype. They argue he was too lenient on the technical mess that was the launch version on consoles. But if you actually rewatch the AngryJoe The Witcher 3 coverage, he was pretty vocal about the "downgrade" controversy.
Remember that? The pre-release trailers looked like a different game compared to the retail version. Joe didn't shy away from that. He called it out. But he made a nuance-heavy point that resonates even today: a graphical haircut doesn't kill a masterpiece if the bones of the world are this strong.
He focused on the "Grey Morality." In his review, he breaks down how Geralt isn't a hero. He’s a guy trying to get paid in a world where everyone is a different shade of terrible. Joe’s breakdown of the "Family Matters" quest is probably the best summary of why The Witcher 3 works. He didn't just summarize the plot; he explained how the game makes you feel like a failure even when you "win."
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The Impact on CD Projekt Red’s Reputation
Joe's relationship with CDPR became a bit of a saga in itself. Because he championed The Witcher 3 so hard, he became the de facto voice of the community's expectations. This set a massive bar.
When Cyberpunk 2077 eventually rolled around, the contrast was staggering. Fans went back to his Witcher 3 review to see where the magic went. In the AngryJoe The Witcher 3 video, he praised the "completeness" of the package. There were no "Live Service" hooks. No "Buy the ending" DLC. Just a massive, 100-hour epic that respected the player's time and wallet.
Joe famously highlighted the 16 free DLCs CDPR gave out—little things like new hairstyles or armor sets. By today’s standards, where a skin costs $20 in Diablo IV or Modern Warfare, that seems like a fever dream. Joe’s vocal support of this "pro-consumer" move helped cement CDPR as the "good guys" of the industry for a long time, a reputation they've had to work incredibly hard to rebuild lately.
Why You Should Rewatch It Now
If you're playing the "Next-Gen" update on PS5 or Xbox Series X, or if you've just finished the Netflix series (and are maybe a bit disappointed), going back to Joe’s review is a trip. It captures the exact moment the RPG genre shifted.
- The Scenery: Joe spends a lot of time just looking at the sunsets. It sounds silly, but he was one of the few reviewers to articulate how the atmosphere of Velen—the mud, the hanging bodies, the oppressive rain—contributes to the storytelling.
- The Monster Hunts: He broke down the "preparatory" aspect of the game. Using oils, reading the bestiary, and actually feeling like a professional monster hunter.
- The Music: Joe often uses the game’s soundtrack in his reviews, but here, he specifically calls out Marcin Przybyłowicz’s work. That "Lelele" combat music? Joe was an early adopter of that meme energy.
It’s a long video. He goes on tangents. He does sketches with Other Joe. It’s messy and loud. But it’s authentic. That’s why it has millions of views and continues to be cited in "Best Games of All Time" discussions.
The Realistic Take on the Witcher 3 Legacy
The truth is, The Witcher 3 isn't perfect. The inventory system was a nightmare until three patches later. The horse controls like a shopping cart with one broken wheel. Geralt takes fall damage if he steps off a curb too quickly.
Joe acknowledged these things, but he framed them as "charms" or minor annoyances compared to the emotional weight of Ciri’s journey. This is a lesson in games journalism that seems lost sometimes. You can be critical without being cynical. You can be angry at the industry while being absolutely in love with the art it produces.
The AngryJoe The Witcher 3 review isn't just a critique; it's a time capsule of an era when we realized that open-world games could have "prestige TV" quality writing. It's about the moment we realized that side content could be better than the main story.
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If you haven't seen the video in a few years, it’s worth a look. Especially the part where he loses it over the scale of Novigrad. Seeing someone genuinely surprised by the scope of a city—not because of its square footage, but because of its density—is a reminder of what made that game special.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Players
If you’re diving back into the Continent or starting for the first time because of the "Joe-hype," here is how to actually enjoy the game in 2026:
- Ignore the Question Marks: Joe's biggest gripe (and ours) is the "Skelly-loot" in the water of Skellige. Don't feel the need to clear the map. It’s a recipe for burnout. Focus on the quests with actual names.
- Play on Blood and Broken Bones Difficulty: As Joe noted, the combat can be a bit simple on easy modes. Forcing yourself to use potions and signs makes the "Witcher" fantasy feel real.
- Don't Rush to Novigrad: Spend time in White Orchard and Velen. The atmosphere Joe raved about is thickest in the swamps.
- Get the Expansions: Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are arguably better than the base game. Joe’s coverage of these followed the same "Seal of Approval" path, and for good reason. Hearts of Stone has some of the best villain writing in the history of the medium.
The gaming landscape has changed. We have Elden Ring now. We have Baldur’s Gate 3. The bar is higher. But the way Joe talked about The Witcher 3 reminds us why those games even exist. They are all standing on the shoulders of the giant that Joe screamed about for thirty-seven minutes straight.
Check the "Next-Gen" settings before you start. Turn on the "Quick Sign Casting" option. It fixes one of the biggest complaints Joe had about the clunky radial menu. It makes the combat flow way better, closer to the "dance" described in the books. Turn off the "fish-eye" effect on Witcher Senses too. Your eyes will thank you.