Preview "The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past": Geralt still has it
At Gamescom, I was able to get a first look at the new expansion for "The Witcher 3". Together with the remastered version, CD Projekt Red proves that the Witcher is far from being a thing of the past.
It has been eleven years since "The Witcher 3" was released, and ten years since the last expansion, "Blood and Wine". Surprisingly, a third one, "Songs of the Past", is coming out next year. With this, CD Projekt Red is simultaneously drumming up interest for "The Witcher 4" and shortening the wait for it. At Gamescom, I saw a nearly one-hour hands-off demo.
It begins with Geralt, the white-haired witcher, waking up in a field somewhere after a night of heavy drinking. I immediately notice: not only has the monster hunter aged, but the facial animations also cannot hide the fact that the game was released during the PS4 and Xbox One generation. However, when it comes to the world, the designers at CD Projekt Red prove that it is not just about the technology.
Off to new shores
"Songs of the Past" is set in Letten. According to the developers, this is located "in the north, somewhere halfway between Kovir and Kaedwen" and thus near the game area of "The Witcher 4". Letten is the home of Geralt's friend Dandelion. The area feels idyllic and colorful. Just watching it makes me want to explore every corner of this world. Even though the underlying engine (Redengine 3) is no longer the newest on the market, it conjures up impressive vistas on the screen.
This is possible not least thanks to the graphical upgrade that is being released alongside the free remastered upgrade. This follows on September 29th and brings numerous improvements. These include prettier ray-tracing lighting, new effects for Geralt's witcher signs, new combat animations, adjusted monster behavior, and much more. If the visual upgrade looks familiar, that is no coincidence. The creator of HD Reworks, one of the most well-known mods for "The Witcher 3", revealed that he is working with CD Projekt Red and that his project will be officially integrated into the game.
Speaking of free: the two previous DLCs, "Hearts of Stone" and "Blood and Wine", are now available for free to everyone who owns "The Witcher 3".
Missing again
After Geralt has sorted his thoughts, he meets a drunkard who is carrying an unusual lute: Dandelion's lute. Geralt could perhaps take it from him kindly, but the majority at this Gamescom presentation wants to see fists fly. That still looks just as clunky as it did ten years ago, but after three hits, the lute is already ours. From there, we continue to the bard's magnificent family estate. There, Geralt has an appointment with his grandmother.
Source: CD Projekt Red
Also visiting is Dandelion's cousin Lilla. There seems to be some tension between her and the grandmother. I enjoy following the conversation, during which Geralt is not quite sure how to behave. It shows why the world of "The Witcher 3" is so fascinating. The characters seem believable and multi-layered, and everyone is hiding some secret.
After it turns out that Dandelion is missing again, Geralt travels with Lilla to a mysterious place called "Garden of Thorns". After a short ride through a wealthy village full of lushly decorated gardens, we leave the last street lamp behind and turn onto a forest path. The vegetation soon becomes so dense that we have to continue on foot.
The huge full moon in the sky shines eerily on the gloomy fairy-tale forest. I expect a werewolf to jump at us at any moment. Instead, Geralt encounters plant monsters that grow poisonous offspring around them. A few gas bombs combined with the Igni fire sign and a few well-aimed blows with the silver sword ensure that the garden waste collection will have a lot to do the next day.
Source: CD Projekt Red
Shortly thereafter, Geralt and Lilla stand before a huge old tree. It reminds me of Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow". Only this wood seems even more threatening. In its roots, we discover a dead deer. The tree seems to be drinking its blood with its thorns. Aren't trees supposed to be vegan? The witcher has no time for ethical discussions, so he simply hacks his way free.
A pinch of "Mortal Kombat"
With that, we approach the end of the demo, which leads us to a dim clearing. Large areas after winding paths always mean one thing in games: there is going to be a fight. So, no one among the Gamescom visitors is surprised that the plant-overgrown skeleton on the ground comes to life.
The fact that CD Projekt Red has tweaked the combat system is most noticeable here. The word "sword dance" perfectly describes Geralt's animations. Despite his advanced age of over 100 years (witchers live significantly longer than normal humans), he moves as light-footed as a ballet dancer.
For the remastered version, CD Projekt Red has revised all witcher signs. They now look significantly more spectacular. Additionally, Geralt receives a chain with which he can briefly tear away the plant shield of the Swarmion – one of the new monsters in Letten. It gets even better at the end. Then he uses the chain to pull the monster towards him and chops its head off with one of the new finisher moves. Scorpion from "Mortal Kombat" would be proud.
Shortly thereafter, the demo ends and I have to say: hats off. It is impressive that "The Witcher 3" still captivates me so much after all these years. The Polish studio proves that it can still tell gripping stories. Together with the gameplay and visual improvements of the remastered version, "Songs of the Past" promises to be a worthy conclusion to "The Witcher 3", or rather, the perfect transition to "The Witcher 4".
As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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