Laurence Wall is a Contributor at DualShockers who has been writing professionally since 2022 and covering games since 2023. He primarily writes guides and lists, with a focus on indie games, RPGs, ARPGs, Soulslikes, MMOs, card games, boss fights, and detailed tutorials.
Before we begin, let’s get this set in stone: The Witcher 3 is undoubtedly one of the greatest RPGs of all time, if not one of the greatest games. Released eleven years ago, this title was way ahead of the curve, weaving beautiful tales, unleashing enchanting ballads, and stunning our younger minds with brutal combat and dazzling magical spells.
So, of course, a remaster was bound to happen. But before I sank my teeth into everything CD Projekt Red had to offer, I decided to go back to the original Witcher 3 and see if it still held up, for comparison's sake.
And honestly, do I even need to answer that question? Even eleven years on, it was still amazing. Even after playing a bunch of stellar games and seeing the graphical fidelity rise higher and higher, The Witcher 3 still wraps you in its warm embrace, holding you close, and whispering, “Welcome back.”
So, I suppose, the real question is, could it get even better? At the top of the mountain, what heights are we yet to climb? And the answer is, yes, of course it can get better, because this is the ultimate way to experience The Witcher 3. Turns out this old diamond required a little polish, and now it sparkles and shimmers anew.
For Those Who Missed It
Ah, but perhaps I’m getting a little bit ahead of myself. Because, chances are, there are those out there who haven’t actually played through The Witcher 3 yet. Maybe they missed the boat the first time around, or perhaps it was just too much of a time commitment, and the moment had passed. Well, for all those folks, now is the perfect time to jump into the world of The Witcher, because it’s never looked or felt better.
Geralt is a Witcher, a mutated warrior who slays monsters for a living. His dear ward Ciri, a young woman born with extraordinary powers and the gift of the Elder Blood, is being chased by the Wild Hunt, who wish to use her powers for evil. Geralt must also search for Ciri and protect her before the Wild Hunt can catch her first.
Along the way, you’ll meet strange, humorous, and cunning folk, clash with terrible beasts, and maybe play a bit of Gwent for good measure. This sprawling open world is full of captivating stories, side quests that take you off the beaten path, and mysteries to unravel. And even once the stories are done, leaving it all behind isn't easy.
This version is the perfect opportunity to experience it all, with both fantastic DLCs included. And of course, if you already own The Witcher 3, you get this remaster for free. In addition, the new Songs of the Past DLC is due out in 2027. Can you imagine getting new content for a game that came out twelve years prior? Crazy, right? And I can’t wait.
A World, Awash With Light and Color
So, after that brief catch-up, what are we actually getting with the remaster? Well, naturally, I have to start with the graphical enhancements. As I mentioned, the original Witcher 3 already looks pretty darn good, but this remaster really brings it up to modern standards.
The characters have been improved, the landscapes touched up, and the plants and wildlife given a major boost. What impressed me most, though, were the lighting improvements. I really noticed this when I delved into the dank blackness of this world's caves and sewer networks.
Let me paint a brief picture: I was trudging through Novigrad’s sodden, bleak underbelly, searching the forgotten tunnels and pipes snaking through the city, when I suddenly heard the familiar bubble of Drowners rising from the water’s murky depths. While the Witcher’s enhanced eyesight certainly helped, I needed to shine some light on the situation. Flames flickered from Geralt’s fingertips, and the Drowners before him burst into flame, an explosion of bright crimson light illuminating the claustrophobic chamber as the fire engulfed his foes.
Okay, that may have been a little dramatic, but honestly, the lighting changes are really noticeable here, and Igni looks better than ever. Of course, this, coupled with the new Ray Tracing tech, makes not only the insides but the world outside look even more glorious. Sometimes you just have to stop, appreciate the sun dappling through the trees, and take it all in.
A Few Mechanical Touch-Ups
But the graphics aren’t the only thing that got a nice upgrade. In fact, a bunch of sore spots got tackled; some I didn’t realize were even a pain until I experienced what it could be like.
For starters, the combat camera has been improved: it's a little more zoomed out and follows Geralt more accurately as he fights enemies. It’s one of those things you don’t realize until you switch between the 2 versions and notice how much smoother this one feels. What’s more, the signs have had a visual upgrade, looking even more impressive and popping out more in combat.
But it’s not just upgrades for Geralt, as the enemy AI has also been touched up, so you can’t just spam attack and hope to win; you’ll need to use all the tools at your disposal, especially on higher difficulties.
Another major change is the new skill tree you’ll find in the updated menu. If you’re playing on an older file, you’ll be refunded all your points, which you can reallocate as you like. This not only clarifies progression for certain builds, but also expands the number of builds you can create!
It now resembles an actual Skill Tree, not just a grid of squares you have to unlock to progress. Even General Skills now have a tree, which is a pretty massive change. What I loved was the greater acknowledgment of the other Witcher Schools, with the new skills regarding the School of the Viper, Manticore, and Griffin! So if you love theorycrafting and designing brand-new ways to play, you’ll have a field day trying out all these new options.
If you’re playing on an older file, you’ll be refunded all your points, which you can reallocate as you like. This not only clarifies progression for certain builds, but also expands the number of builds you can create.
I, for one, tried to embrace a new strategy, leaving behind my tried-and-true spin-to-win Whirl build, and instead going for something more magical. I invested heavily in Signs, crafted Griffin Gear, and maxed out Yrden to fire off massively powerful Ignis and Aards while inside the circle. This more strategic approach was so much more satisfying, and it really surprised me with how powerful it turned out to be! Honestly, I might have to try out Death March next time.
Sweet, Sweet Quality of Life Upgrades
While I do love the tangible changes, some of the quality-of-life stuff here really smooths out the whole experience. Take the UI, for example, particularly the character menu. Before, it was this awkward row of options that you had to click through to reach your desired section. Now this bar sits at the top, making it much easier to scroll through each screen.
We even got cool new meditation screens that show Geralt kneeling down wherever he is and actually meditating, instead of just pausing on the clock screen. It doesn’t sound like much, but those little immersive touches really go a long way!
And plenty of new cosmetic changes go with it. Now you can change the appearance of your armor or weapons to suit your style, while keeping their all-important stats. And then, once you’ve got everything you like, you can use the new and improved camera to take some awesome screenshots. They really thought of everything.
Some Tiny Nitpicks
And while it's pretty obvious that I absolutely loved my experience playing this remaster, that doesn’t mean it’s 100% perfect in every regard. I mean, with a game this large, a few things always go awry.
For example, throughout my journey, I saw many animation errors where dead enemies would keep standing around, stuck in a looping animation. Often, enemies killed by Aard would do this. In addition, the carrying capacity sometimes bugs out, saying you're overburdened even when you're under the carry threshold.
There was another hilarious bug where I dismounted Roach, which proceeded to teleport me a huge vertical distance, transporting me from a beach right to the top of the cliff above me. But then again, Roach has always been a bit buggy, right? Suppose that’s tradition.
Visually, the lighting changes are spectacular for the most part, but in darker areas the walls sometimes glow with an odd, almost purple shine, making places like the inside of Kaer Morhen look a bit odd. Again, these are super minor things that don't detract from the overall experience, but it’s always worth mentioning.
If you’re coming back to The Witcher 3 after a long break, or if you’ve never played it before, now is the perfect time to immerse yourself in this awe-inspiring world. This was my second playthrough of this title, and honestly, I enjoyed it even more than the first. If you’re looking for a new game to dive into headfirst, then you’ve come to the right place. Lose yourself in the world-building, fall in love with the characters, and soak it all in, because this is an experience to savor.
Beautiful new graphical enhancements
Amazing quality of life features
Brand new skills and skill trees
Improved combat mechanics with new, smarter AI
Still a couple of old bugs
Lighting sometimes looks a little off in some places