In summary why dont you consider W3 to be a RPG ?
Immaterial character progression, terribly useless itemization, for starters.
Probably because it is an action game mostly? Just guessing, i wouldn't know anyway.
You make some pertinent points and I dont disagree with your general sentiment. But I disagree that choices in RPG dont matter, I consider the numerous choices in most RPG I have played as an essential part of what makes it a RPG. And I dont mean choices provided that can change the fundamental narrative because somethings are immutable, for example you have to stop the Wild Hunt in W3
The Witcher 3 is barely an RPG because any combat outcome mostly depends on player's skill, not the character's. Action-heavy, in other words. The other important thing is that the game's role play system disconnected from any C&C stuff, any story events, anything. The only one tiny exception is the axii use in dialogues, otherwise the game just doesn't care what kind of wither are you if combat isn't happening. You just fight stuff and then pick whatever choices you want - that's not how role-play games should work.
As it stated, it's basically just a biased list of cRPG elements which are important to this particular bloger (even if he's sorta famous for playing almost every game in the genre). That's fine but to me seeing random encounters point is rather odd, for example (a few of my favorite cRPGs feature none of that). Not to mention that apparantely he tends to assoсiate himself with his created avatars a little too much I'd say. To me it's absolutely unnecessary. And again, C&C in vacuum means little when they disconnected from the core systems. Referring back to Geralt - any choice he make doesn't leave any imprint on himself, the game doesn't even have the most primitive reputation system.
