Developer: CD Projekt RED
Publisher: CD Projekt RED
Reviewed On: PS5
Available On: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
Release Date: September 29, 2026
Review Copy Provided By: CD Projekt RED
A game that needs no introduction. You already know what you’re in for, and chances are you’ve already played it. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is as beautiful as the day I beat the final expansion, Blood and Wine, and put it to rest, satisfied that I had completed one of the best games of the century.
You’re definitely going to be excited to hear about the new remastered update that comes for free with your copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. For those who already own the base game, you’re getting that upgrade for free, along with the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions at no extra cost. It’s certainly a generous gesture from CD Projekt Red.
A lot of things have changed since I last played The Witcher 3 a decade ago. This update not only brings visual and performance upgrades but also includes improved combat along with some new animations, a reworked skill system, and a lot of quality-of-life upgrades.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is considered by many, myself included, to be one of the best games of the century. Phenomenal story that changes with your choices, engaging characters, twists that keep you on the edge of your seat, and combat that really made you feel like the badass monster slayer that you’re supposed to be.
With the remaster coming, there’s plenty of reason for veterans to come back into the fray and experience this masterpiece again with the upgraded visuals and enhanced combat. When I first played it on the PlayStation 5, it felt like being reunited with an old friend. Nothing beats that feeling of knowing you’re about to experience something great again.
The update doesn’t change anything about the story and side quests. You still play as Geralt, a renowned monster slayer known as a witcher. Despite being a professional, the Wild Hunt is a personal adventure for Geralt as he’s looking for his adopted daughter, Ciri. Throughout the journey, he runs into complications in both human and not-so-human affairs.
Combat feels as engaging as ever, especially on higher difficulties where making a mistake can be fatal even for players who come in very prepared. Geralt moves around the battlefield like a ballerina, dancing away from his opponent’s attacks with precision. You have an arsenal of choices with some being more effective than others depending on who or what you’re fighting.
One of the best moments of The Witcher 3 is always that part where preparation pays off. You can research ahead of time what you’re fighting and prepare certain potions and bombs that will even the odds in your favor. The more you know what you’re fighting against; the better the chances you’ll be able to beat it.
For example, one of the Witcher Contracts I took on had me investigate a string of murders near a college. It doesn’t take long for Geralt to figure out that he’s dealing with a vampire. I was playing on the hardest difficulty, which meant that a couple of blows would’ve been enough to give me the game over screen.
Once Geralt has properly investigated a scene or defeated an enemy, he’ll gain knowledge in his bestiary. It will tell you what kind of monster you’re dealing with, their weaknesses, and behavior. There’s nothing like studying it before the encounter, applying the necessary oil to your blades, potions to increase your odds, and crafting the right bombs before actually fighting it.
I love how the side quests are handled in The Witcher 3. In that there’s always some sort of surprise that stops it from being a straightforward affair. You take a quest, you do a little bit of detective work, something isn’t quite right, you fight, and then something happens that forces you to make a choice that will affect how that quest ends.
Many of these side quests also tie into the main story. You can choose not to do them, but it’ll affect the story once you’re past the point of no return. You can also choose to do them, but them badly enough that you get the worst possible outcome. Up to you.
Not all stories involve combat and being a Witcher. CD Projekt Red knows when to craft a story that lets you enjoy and explore the world more with other characters. A lot of talking and banter is involved, and it’s an immersive break from always ending everything with your blade.
What surprised me the most is the updated skill system. While the previous one wasn’t bad by any means, it did look sort of stale. CD Projekt Red upgraded it to look a lot more modern and engaging for an RPG. Not only that, it seems that there are a lot of skills that I don’t remember being there. It’s been entirely reworked into something else.
For example, we now have a skill that makes every third heavy or fast attack deal more damage, provided that it was the same type of attack as the previous one, and another, such as having your attack increase for two hits after a successful dodge. It’s been a while since I played the original, but I don’t think this skill was present or at least functioned that way.
Using a really flexible skill tree, you’re able to entirely build up your own Geralt the way you want to. Create your own specialized play style by choosing to invest in swordplay, magic, and alchemy, which have been rebuilt for more engaging gameplay. I also really like the fact that you can customize Geralt’s hairstyle.
Among all the blood, The Witcher 3 created what’s possibly one of the most engaging minigames to partake in. Through his journey, Geralt can play Gwent, which is this nice little card game where you build a deck and use the cards against your opponents’ in order to get the highest number in a best-of-three rounds. You can get really addicted to it, and this minigame was so good that CD Projekt Red even created a separate standalone purely focusing on it.
I played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered on a PlayStation 5. The update adds a lot of improvements to the visuals, making graphics look crisp and sharper than they were in the original. You can choose between Performance mode and Ray Tracing, but I would definitely not recommend the latter, as it seems to dip below 30 frames, especially in crowded cities.
I would highly recommend The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered as the best version to play the game. If you already have the game, the update is free. This is the best time to re-experience Wild Hunt for those who have already beaten it, and the best time for newcomers who haven’t had the chance to play this masterpiece.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered
I would highly recommend The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered as a must own. If you already have the game, the update is free. This is the best time to re-experience Wild Hunt to those have already beaten it and the best time for newcomers who haven't had the chance to play this masterpiece.
The Good
- Free update
- Rebuilt skill tree for more engaging combat
- Masterfully crafted story that remains engaging
- Lovable and memorable characters
- Gwent is the best minigame ever crafted
- Did I mention the update is free?
