Gaming has come a very long way in terms of interactive narratives and the medium has several works to be proud of. But as impressive as your Mass Effects and Dragon Ages are, the complete moral polarization of the choices presented in these games has become almost comical. In layman’s terms, choosing between Christ-like benevolence and jet-black satanic tyranny has gotten pretty old. The Witcher 2 sidesteps this cliché by creating a gray, ambiguous world that abandons right and wrong for a much more complex focus on choices and consequences. From the very first chapter, the game bombards you with a series of confrontations that will give you pause as to how to proceed.

Typically, games that attempt to introduce truly adult themes into their narrative structure usually just come across as unironically juvenile; The Witcher 2 handles its incredibly mature tone with an unflinching, unapologetic sophistication that demands you take it seriously (and no, I’m not just talking about the amazing breast textures in all of those wonderfully detailed sex scenes). You’re constantly encountering instances of racially motivated violence, rape and prostitution. Every faction and political figure is corrupt to some degree. Even your closest friends have their own agendas that don’t necessarily involve you.