The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt PS5 Review
Summary: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt provides a next-gen facelift for this immersive role-playing game with its all DLC's and some of the best player mods!
5
Welcome home
Undeniably, the Witcher 3 is one of the best RPG’s and CD Projekt Red should be commended in providing a next-gen upgrade for the PlayStation 5 (reviewed) and Xbox Series X. Additionally if you own either of these games on the PS4 or Xbox One, players automatically get a free upgrade for the PS5/XSX or you can purchase the next-gen versions separately.
So with the popularity of the Netflix series starring Henry Cavill (you’ll be missed Superman and Geralt), including some neat crossover Easter Eggs with the game, this is the perfect time to visit (or revisit *) the amazing open-world game of the Witcher 3 Wild Hunt with all its glorious DLCs, including some of the best player mods as you take on the role the legendary monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia!
* You can port your previous PS4 save into the PlayStation 5 version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Welcome home…
With the ‘new’ release and at its core, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has received a true next-gen graphical update on both the PS5 and XSX. This is more than just a resolution boost as the attention to detail is amazing, particularly the textures used and facial expressions. For next-gen owners, you can play this RPG in performance mode (60 frames per second at 4k) or the fidelity mode that adds ray-tracing capabilities, however the frame rates drops to 30.
PS4 vs PS5 comparison
While the ray-tracing of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is pure graphical eye candy, the faster frame rate was still my preferred option which is more noticeable in terms of speed as you are racing through the world on your trusty steed with its very smooth 60 fps. Irrefutably the original open-world game on the PS4 and PS4 Pro looked fantastic, however the next-gen upgrade takes on a whole new level of detail, lighting and creates more visual depth. Also supporting the gameplay are the improved cutscenes courtesy of the improved character models, textures and special effects that again screams next-gen.
Another highlight of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was its exceptional storytelling and world building as you explore this complex gaming universe with all its intricacies and politics, not to mention evil creatures that roam this world. Add in the fantastic supporting cast such as Vesemir, the leader of the Witchers to Geralt’s love interests’ magicians Yennefer and Trish plus Ciri with our hero acting like a father figure to this princess, the characterisation for the most part is flawless.
Further, it’s the realistic backdrop of the series that makes the game it so compelling and whether that is the racism towards the elves or the war against magicians, it’s quite a complex level of narrative that in my opinion, is still one of the best RPG stories around. For the most part, the gameplay is still the same, however with the speed of the PS5, it does feel faster, smoother and more responsive.
However the tweaks to the controls makes battles more realistic as does the improved user interface which creates a more flowing experience. PlayStation 5 owners will also appreciate the inclusion of adaptive triggers and haptic feedback that build upon that next-gen experience. The only thing I never understood and still don’t… is the card game Gwent but I’ll give it another go on the PS5 to see what all the fuss is about. Our comprehensive PS4 review that is still valid can be found at https://www.impulsegamer.com/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-review-playstation-4/.
Final thoughts?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on the PlayStation 5 is indeed a next-gen experience and while it is the same game at its core, CD Projekt Red have done a commendable job at improving the graphics and tweaking the gameplay to make an already excellent game still relevant on these next-gen consoles. Add in all the DLC’s released, including some of the best player mods and some links to the Netflix series, you really cannot fault this game at all. So whether you’re coming back to the franchise or starting your new journey, the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on the PlayStation 5 is the must have game of 2022 and dare I say 2023.
The game was reviewed on PS5 using a pre-release download code provided by CD Projekt Red.
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