The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Strategic Preview

Master Crafting, Alchemy and combat while exploring the biggest game in the Witcher franchise to date.

This past week, fans of The Witcher series received news that the latest game, Wild Hunt, was delayed from its February 2015 release, bumped three months to give the developers time to improve its intricate and harrowing world. This should be great news in the long run, since it gives the team even more time to make this the best entry, and one heck of a finale for its star Geralt.

Recommended Videos

In The Witcher 3, the tyrannical Empire of Nilfgaard returns, burning down villages and overtaking the Northern Kingdoms. However, their work is child’s play compared to the Wild Hunt, a dark and sinister force that threatens to destroy mankind. Geralt rises once more, vowing to stop his enemies. Suffice to say, he certainly has his hands full.

To call The Witcher 3 a typical action game would be an understatement. With each combat scenario you enter, you’ll be able to use a number of weapon and alchemy-based moves to attack foes. This includes short-range attacks with a variety of swords (including new ones that you can create over the course of your journey), long-range shots with your crossbow, and the alchemy attacks, which range in unique magic abilities. For instance, one provides Geralt with a short burst of fire, while another resembles a short-range ground stomp. Both can effectively do mild damage to enemies, giving Geralt all the time he needs to finish them off.

With a new influence system, players will see their choices with Geralt’s skill set take effect right away. For instance, increasing his strength will let him take down tough foes with ease, while bumping up his Alchemy can have a greater effect when he’s surrounded.

Between the human foes from Nilfgaard and the Wild Hunt riders, Geralt must adapt and use all of his skills to track down and eventually destroy these opponents. When he’s not letting his sword do the work, he calls upon his Witcher Senses, channeling abilities that can help make sense of everything, from tracks to destroyed debris. The 35-minute gameplay demo, included below, highlights some of this.

In addition to improving combat skills, The Witcher 3 also lets you work within both Alchemy and Crafting systems, so you can improve the techniques and tools Geralt uses. You’ll gain access to better spiritual attacks, as well as crafting stronger weaponry when the situation calls for it, like with stronger foes later on in the game. There are hundreds of possibilities available in both categories, giving you numerous options for how you want to play.

On top of that, The Witcher 3 will feature an open world that’s 35 times larger than the previous game in the series – and The Witcher 2 was big in its own right. This’ll let you take on missions as you come upon them, or explore to find new items to add to your inventory. Who knows, you might feel like going on a wild hunt, tracking adversaries and visiting villages where you can talk with fellow tanneries and leather workers to equip yourself with better items.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this game, however, is the introduction of a secondary character. Ciri, an “ashen-haired girl from an ancient prophecy” (according to CD Projekt Red) will have her own set of skills and abilities to unlock over the course of the game, as well as a story all her own. She’s quite handy with a sword, and can also use her speed and agility to get around, with the special blink technique. The developer hasn’t said to what extent she’ll be playable, but you can get a better look at her in action below.

With an additional character, a deeper-than-ever combat and role-playing element system, and the kind of presentation that will make incredible use of the PC and console hardware at hand, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has all the necessary elements to be a classic conclusion to the franchise, even if we have to wait a bit longer for it.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will release on May 19th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

 

Ready to stand against the Wild Hunt? Pre-order Prima’s official strategy guide right now. The official standard edition game guide and eguide provide a comprehensive walkthrough to help make decisions, navigate the vast area of the Northern Kingdoms, and reach the ending you want. The collector’s edition adds even more detail, with 48 pages of bonus content.

The Witcher 3 Official Game Guides


Prima Games is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article What the Heck is Going on With the Fortnite Item Shop Lately?
Screenshot of a skin in Fortnite.
Read Article Lightyear Frontier Early Access Impressions | Titanfarm
Lightyear Frontier Co-op Group
Read Article Share Your Dragon’s Dogma 2 Adventures with Prima Games’ Pawns (Just Don’t Give Us Dragonsplague)
Related Content
Read Article What the Heck is Going on With the Fortnite Item Shop Lately?
Screenshot of a skin in Fortnite.
Read Article Lightyear Frontier Early Access Impressions | Titanfarm
Lightyear Frontier Co-op Group
Read Article Share Your Dragon’s Dogma 2 Adventures with Prima Games’ Pawns (Just Don’t Give Us Dragonsplague)
Author
Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.