With the “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered” a newly revised edition of the popular role-playing game will be released on September 29, 2026. MeinMMO author Linda Baumgartl was particularly looking forward to the modernized combat system. But in the end, everything turned out differently.
When the remaster of “The Witcher 3” was announced at this year’s gamescom, I could hardly have been more excited. The game was one of the first story games that truly impressed me. To this day, it holds a special place in my Steam library – and in my heart. Therefore, I look forward to every opportunity to dive back into adventures with Geralt.
Despite all the enthusiasm, Witcher 3 certainly has its weaknesses. This includes the frequently mentioned and criticized combat system, especially in discussions. And this is where the remaster comes into play. The trailer promised an “enhanced combat” along with numerous other adjustments.
While testing Witcher 3 Remastered, my top goal was to slice through as many monster hordes as possible and enjoy the new system. However, what truly impressed me was a change that I initially had not considered.
The new combat system is the lesser evil
To start with as much action as possible, I went back to an old save, which fortunately was possible without any issues in the remaster. With the silver sword in hand, I headed to the nearest group of monsters, which quickly met their demise.
Is the new combat system good? The answer is a clear maybe.
Yes, the animations are smoother, better flow together, and look great in combination with the new finishers. But that’s also the point. Things may look better. The substantive content of the gameplay, however, has changed little. At least, so little that it hardly changes the gaming experience.
Essentially, it is exactly what you can expect from a remaster: a slight technical modernization with visual enhancement. It is, after all, not a complete remake with revised game mechanics.
Anyone who has been completely unable to engage with the combat system in Witcher 3 will also not find happiness with the remaster. However, for all Witcher fans out there, it is a nice upgrade and definitely the “lesser evil” compared to before.
What specific changes are there? On thewitcher.com you will find all the changes that the remaster has in store. Here are the points that relate specifically to combat:
- The combat behavior of all monsters (except for bosses) has been refined, including their attack patterns, counterattacks, movements, reactions, retreats, and effect applications.
- New finisher animations for Geralt have been added.
- Geralt’s animations when approaching opponents in combat have been improved for smoother gameplay.
- Switching the targeted enemy while moving the camera in combat has been improved.
Geralt becomes a fashion mogul
After testing the new combat system left me slightly disappointed, I set out to explore the other changes. The new graphics, which are definitely nicer compared to the Next-Gen update from 2022, are hard to overlook. They are certainly sleek, even though I personally didn’t need that. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann has shed light on the technical side of the remaster.
What truly captivated me was something I didn’t think was missing so much from Witcher 3: a transmog system. This now finally allows players to change the appearance of weapons and armor to that of other gear without altering their respective stats.
- So, if your strongest equipment in the game is quite ugly, you no longer have to endure the sight.
- Conversely, you can wear your favorite pieces even if their stats are quite poor.
What sounds like quite a minor thing has led me to hours of grinding. To use the appearance of a gear item, you must have it in your inventory. Since hoarding armor and weapons with poor stats hadn’t benefited me much before, my selection options in my save file were quite limited. So I set out to loot as much as possible. In doing so, I could finally appreciate items that I had previously scrapped or simply left behind.
This is also the biggest advantage of this change for me. I now have a motivation to search every corner of the open world for equipment, even if I may not actually need it. This also applies to quests that unlock certain equipment sets. In the past, I often knew beforehand that a particular armor wouldn’t fit my play style. I would then acquire it out of a sense of duty, without any real benefit. Now each piece is a win for my fashion collection, and the grind is more enjoyable than it has been in a long time.
How does the transmog system work exactly? To adjust your equipment visually, you need to speak with the right NPC.
- For armor: Yoana in Crow’s Perch
- For weapons: Hattori in Novigrad
With both NPCs, you must first complete their personal quest to access the transmog system. Under “reforge,” you can then select the appearance you want to give to your current armor. None of the two equipment pieces will break in the process. However, a small fee is required. Adjusted colors from the “Blood and Wine” DLC are carried over.
How much new content is in the remaster? Die-hard Witcher fans might argue that transmog was already possible in Witcher 3: through a mod. Personally, I prefer to play games as close to vanilla
as possible – especially during the first playthrough. Therefore, I had not yet had the pleasure of expressing myself fashionably in Witcher 3. All the more I am pleased that the developers have officially brought this feature into the game.
Similar observations can be made regarding other innovations. Popular mods, which lifted the carry limit, gave infinite breath underwater, or increased boat speed, have also been transferred into the game via the remaster. You will find them as optional adjustments in the settings.
Overall, while The Witcher 3 Remastered doesn’t reinvent the game, it lays a good foundation for the upcoming DLC Songs of the Past, which is set to be released next year. What this new adventure with Witcher Geralt will be about, you can find out here on MeinMMO: The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past finally focuses on the best character in the universe
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