'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition' next-gen update impressions
You might have missed it or postponed your gaming plans over the end of year rush (I know I did), but mid-December saw the launch of the much anticipated, and delayed, next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition. The game launched as a free upgrade for PC owners as well as last-gen consoles but also as a standalone purchase on new systems. For many, it might be the first time getting into the game as it was the case for myself; and while I am nowhere close to finishing this expansive title that can take up to 100 hours to complete, I can share some thoughts on how the title holds up on new systems after having spent some time with it.
For me, it was an opportune time to finally get into The Witcher 3 as I recently finished The Witcher 2 and was itching to experience more of Geralt of Rivia’s adventures. The Witcher 3 is not lacking in such adventures with its open-world universe that teems with original side-quests on top of the two expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, included in the Complete Edition. The mediaeval fantasy setting is brought to life with its detailed environments, original characters and fluid combats.
The story, which still holds up well today, is still the same as when the game launched on last-gen systems as this is more akin to a soft “remaster” of sorts. What this version brings is some quality of life upgrades that make the game feel more like a contemporary one. Sign casting, which didn’t feel too intuitive in The Witcher 2, is now faster; tweaks to the map that dynamically hide it when not engaged in combat make for a more immersive experience while you take in the gorgeous landscapes; and the new Photo Mode now enable you to immortalise and share those landscapes.
When The Witcher 3 first launched, there were some notable bugs (although not as much as Cyberpunk 2077), and these have been (mostly) ironed out in the next-gen update. ‘Mostly’ because some players have experienced issues with this version but my experience with it on the Xbox Series S has been flawless.
As for the visuals, the next gen update brings support for dynamic resolution scaling, DLSS and Ray Tracing on supported systems. On the Series S, there’s the option to toggle between Performance Mode and Quality Mode. The latter aims for a gameplay at 30 fps while delivering increased resolution and better image fidelity. Performance Mode on the other hand favours smoother gameplay over visual quality with up to 60fps performance. I’ve mostly opted for the latter as the game already looks good on the small screen that I am playing on.
Despite those visual enhancements, there are times that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition reminds us that it is an upgrade of an old-gen game. Some NPCs can look more bland than others while other models’ animations might not be natural. However, these are minor gripes that can easily be overlooked.
This next-gen update to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition makes it the best way to experience the game, especially if you’ve been planning to do so and haven’t gotten around to. It’s a huge time-sink but an enjoyable and immersive one that holds up well on new systems.
