A question that we've seen asked around the Internet countless times: do you really need to play The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings in order to understand The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? Since the upcoming open world title is the first entry in the series to venture onto PlayStation platforms, the concern is understandable. If you've been a Sony loyalist for most, if not all, of your gaming life, then the chances are that you're not all too familiar with Geralt of Rivia and his adventures. Fortunately, we can tell you that you don't need to have played the previous titles to get your head around the PlayStation 4 offering.
- You can read our first impressions of The Witcher 3 by clicking here
- If you're interested in how The Witcher 3 runs on PS4, we wrote about that here
It's clear that CD Projekt Red foresaw a possible problem with adding a '3' onto the name of the release. When the game was initially revealed all the way back in 2013, its logo had a clear '3' etched on the end. Now, the logo's been altered, so that a Roman numeral 'III' sits at the bottom of the name – and it's designed to look like claw marks. The change means that it perhaps doesn't scream 'sequel' any more – at least not as much as the old logo did. It was a simple alteration, and in theory, it should help stop newcomers asking whether or not they need to play the previous instalments, if they were to spot the box sitting on a store shelf. Of course, that isn't going to work on the Internet, where everyone already knows that it's called The Witcher 3.
But again, prior experiences aren't strictly necessary. Wild Hunt's plot is a standalone tale, and the story itself can be followed perfectly fine without previous knowledge. The narrative has its twists and turns, and it does cover a lot of ground, but the most important plot points and scenarios are all self-contained within this newest game.
That said, there are numerous returning characters, and not just Geralt himself. It goes without saying that if you've played the first two games, you'll get more out of the cast – but you'll still come to understand and enjoy the involved personalities if you haven't. This is mostly because the dialogue is consistently engaging and fleshed out, so it's easy to keep up with who's doing what and why. Plus, if a returning character does pop up, Geralt will usually mention it, and make it clear that they've met once or twice before.
In truth, the game as a whole is pretty good at introducing you to concepts and stories which have already been detailed in the two older titles. It's a massive role-playing game to get properly stuck into, so learning opportunities certainly aren't lacking, even if you're currently clueless about certain bits and pieces. There's also a meaty glossary to pore over, which is updated almost all of the time as you complete quests and pick up reading materials. It covers everything from the monsters that you face to the characters that you come across, which makes it a handy companion if you happen to forget a face.
It's also worth mentioning that early on in the game, Geralt is questioned about his past escapades – namely the events that occurred in The Witcher 2. This is the title's way of incorporating previous choices into Wild Hunt, but the questions that he's asked won't make much sense if you're unfamiliar with the last game. As such, if you're eager to tailor Geralt's history to your tastes, then we'd suggest watching a video like this one, which attempts to explain what each choice amounts to. This early interrogation is really the only time where you're given dialogue options without much context, so if you do find yourself slightly scuppered, don't be too disheartened.
All in all, you certainly shouldn't be put off trying The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt if you haven't dipped your toes into either of the previous two titles. Yes, prior knowledge does have benefits when interacting with returning characters and wrapping your head around the world and its workings, but it's certainly not necessary. The developer's delivered on its promise of providing an experience that expands the existing franchise, and fans will appreciate that – but at the same time, it proves to be welcoming to newcomers through its thoughtfully crafted world.
You can read our full and final thoughts on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in our review, which will be published before the game is released on the 19th May. Have you played either of the two previous titles? Share your vast knowledge in the comments section below.
Comments 14
Nope
With all the hype for Witcher 3, I bought the first two parts on PC in order to get the story and prepare myself for the game but... I couldn't really get past the first 3h in Witcher 1, the game is simply boring and combat is really unimaginative. Maybe it gets more interesting later, but I follow the rule that that usually the first opinion you shape about the game doesn't change much later... Nevertheless, maybe I'll give it a shot later, then the game gets cheaper
@mateq I felt the same way the first few hours but the game actually opens up to be really good. I definitely feel wild hunt will be much more enjoyable after completing the previous games.. the witcher universe is so massive and fleshed out that it's going to be awesome to finally be able to travel the northern kingdoms in the game after reading the books and playing the games. If you can't get into the first 2 games I'd suggest at least reading the books or even better imo is listen to the audiobooks.. the guy that narrates them is absolutely incredible. It's more like listening to a movie than listening to someone read a book. He has different and frankly awesome voices for all the different characters, he definitely brings the witcher to life with his words. It's great. The first 4 are on audiobook
@mitcHELLspawn I've actually read the books ages ago. Also, I'm Polish so I read them in the original language, and I've got to say, the books are truly amazing, everyone who likes fantasy should read them But that only adds further disappointment to the first game... maybe I should give it another try? or jump straight to the 2nd part as I've heard it's much better?
This double Video Playlist does a great job of summarising the first 2 Witcher games - no spoilers for Witcher 3. It also does a much better job of explaining what those decisions mean in the 'video' linked in this article in the second (Witcher 2) video.
It also tells you who some of the main characters are and their relationship to Geralt, What 'Witchers' are and how they came to be as well as summarising the 2 previous Witcher games main plot lines. It may not be 'essential' viewing as the game will offer this information within it but I think it will certainly help considerably - especially if you have not played either Witcher game before. Even if you have its a great refresher.
@mateq For what it's worth, I didn't enjoy The Witcher, and I felt the Witcher 2 was very flawed. The Witcher 3 is a huge leap beyond both games, in my opinion.
I'm too excited to finally play this. Hurry up and get here Tuesday!
It's today..it's already sitting on my hard drive, timer counting down till 12pm..damn I will be tired tomorrow at work :]
I can't wait to actually get this game...even though it's got a little too much nudity and sex that I'll end up having to play it at night or early in the morning before my kids wake up (which is almost all of my PS4 collection), but still can't wait to get this.
Because I've already pre ordered ESO, I can't afford this game atm, so I shall wait for it to go in the cheap bin and pick it up then, by which time ESO should be good chunk in and be able to switch between the two lol.
@mateq ain't going to lie, the first witcher sucked... Bad... But the second game was amazing. Never beat it as I have not had the time but it truly is an amazing game. The combat was pretty much overhauled to make it feel like your actually doing something. I felt so much in power in the witcher 2 compared to the first game. And from what my gf saw of the third one its combat and gameplay is closer to the second one but with more added features. She basically said JTS the new sky rim and its the big RPG of the year.
@ShogunRok even so, the witcher 2 was a bit flawed but it was still a good game, so seeing that the third game has jumped up since the second, I'm looking forward to it!
Luckily I watched catchup videos of the first game and read up on a few characters last night because the postie delivered my copy this morning (thankyou Shopto).
I've put a few hours into it and I can't keep the smile off my face. Half of that time I've spent just walking, drinking in the scenery. I think I'm going to love this game and probably won't play anything else for the next few weeks/months.
One other problem for me though is since I haven't played the first two, if I started at 3 and it's as great as people say it is then it would possibly make playing the first two a much lesser experience. I had that problem with the first Mass Effect, hopefully 1 & 2 might get remastered for PS4
Tap here to load 14 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...