Despite having sunk a hundred-plus hours into The Witcher 3, and whether it’s been a few days or a few months between sessions, I’m always impressed whenever I dive back into its world. That has never been truer than when I made my way through the final add-on, Blood and Wine. As with the original campaign, the expansion is a top-notch adventure filled with fantastic writing, great voice acting, meaningful side quests, and satisfying, bloody combat. Oh, and Gwent. A lot of Gwent.
Geralt has been summoned to the Nilfgaardian duchy of Toussaint by Duchess Anna Henrietta. Knights-errant of the realm have been brutally murdered by a beast that is terrorizing the people as they celebrate a popular wine festival. Festivals are as important as tradition in Toussaint, a land that strives to stridently adhere to the chivalric code at all times. In the process, the people inadvertently also adhere to all of the pretensions of the schlockiest high-fantasy novels. That isn’t an insult, either, as this pristine realm, untouched by the wide-ranging conflicts that drove so many into misery in The Wild Hunt, has created a surreal world for players to immerse themselves in as Geralt hunts down the duchy’s boogeyman.
Undertaking the investigation will require players to be to at least level 34. However, the game offers several options as to how to proceed to the new area. Players can integrate the quest into their queue, or skip the main storyline and head straight to the quest waypoint with a level 34 Geralt that is equipped with starting equipment and unallocated experience points. Whichever method is chosen, players will need take a few minutes to orient themselves, as newcomers will find a lot on offer, from alchemy to crafting, and returning players will find an updated interface. They will also need to brush up on their technique because there is a lengthy, monster- and beast-filled adventure ahead of them.
As with the original campaign, CD Projekt has absolutely nailed the writing and voice acting in Blood and Wine. Those are especially critical here because there is a significant amount of dialogue—even more than I was expecting, despite my awareness of the series’ traditional verbosity. The investigation requires interacting with a host of new characters as well as some reunions with several old friends. There are plenty of side quests to keep players busy, from job postings to on-the-spot cries for help, if they are looking to prolong their time with the final piece of new content. As with the original, these range from simple collection jobs to more engaging distractions, whether that is signing on as a participant in a tournament or engaging in a historical reenactment. There is also the added element of the land itself and the novel twists it adds.
The realm’s overtly high-fantasy tone stands in stark contrast to Geralt’s world-weariness. Characters are very much of the ‘tally ho!’ sort, preening about as they charge headlong into a dangerous encounter with wild abandon because honor demands it. While a knight-errant chomps at the bit to prove his worth at any given moment, Geralt observes and simply asks “Why?” Nearly every situation has some sort of comedic bend, whether it’s the goofiness of the situation, the wholehearted over-the-top enthusiasm of the knights, or Geralt’s bewilderment. Jokes range from simple wink-wink nods, as with someone having the initials D.L.C., to those that gently prod the hyper virtuosity of otherwise well-meaning but sheltered warriors. For example, a woman’s love isn’t secured by mere words but by combat. Not just regular combat, either, but by combat with a monster. And even then, it’s not just a run-of-the-mill monster, mind, but a large, overpoweringly dangerous one. That the situation leads to an impossible fight that would lead to near-instant death of the participant isn’t lost on anyone, so as a result, the monster is handicapped. The code has gotten so out of hand that no one wants to bother with realistic goals but would rather artificially reduce the risk to keep up appearances; as long as it’s a guy fighting a giant beast, no one seems to care about the particulars. It’s hard not to be as dumbstruck as Geralt at the sight of all this.
None of that is to say that the game isn’t serious. Geralt’s mission is an important one, as the brutal mutilations of what seem to be honorable victims not only look to be mindless slaughter, but they also threaten the cultural and social norms of the realm. It’s a destabilizing element at the worst time, as crowds pour from the countryside into the city for the ongoing festival. CD Projekt being who they are, the murders aren’t simply the product of a lunatic, but are a message that’s being made in the most gruesome ways possible. Uncovering what’s being said leads to all sorts of plot twists that involve Geralt making his way from remote hamlets to the bustling city center, while doing all of the normal Witcher things: gathering ingredients, tracking leads, and battling monsters. There are also more somber moments as he makes his way through the job postings. The game strikes the perfect tone, even at its most ridiculous, and that’s no small feat—excellent writing all around. A less-obvious feature is how the realm’s virtues rub off on Geralt. Various seemingly innocuous situations present themselves that offer the player the chance to prove their honor by way of an unobtrusive tracking system, a la Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar. While it can be nerve-wracking to not know how an answer will affect the ending, it’s an especially nice touch that adds gravitas to any given encounter.
As Toussaint’s knight-errant habitually demonstrate, being virtuous doesn’t mean being non-violent. Combat carries over from the base game with Geralt having two swords, one for humans and one for monsters, as well as his Witcher powers. I found the interactions so engaging that fighting often seemed like a distraction; but then I would set someone on fire or parry and counter a move and realize that the combat is still awesome. The system is a potent mixture of melee, magic, and items (bombs, potions), along with solid camera and targeting systems that keep enemies in sight. A few of the environments can make maneuvering cumbersome, though; debris, rocks, and other small items obstruct the player’s path and make it easy to get stuck, while enemies tend to be able to bound over or around them. In general, the major encounters aren’t very remarkable, save for some enemies being noticeably more aggressive. New enemy types help to keep things lively, but there are very few eye-catching encounters. That said, combat does benefit from one of several additions introduced in Blood and Wine: mutations.
Mutations are special traits created through the combination of ability points and mutagens. They offer a wide variety of perks, from enemies receiving damage when landing a blow on Geralt, to damage output rising with his level of toxicity, to increased crossbow damage. Unlocking mutations requires tackling a side quest, making it one of the best rewards in the game. Also new is a vineyard at which to lounge, renovate, and manage. Sleeping there also confers bonuses depending on what upgrades have been undertaken. Armor dyes also add an extra touch of customization. While the core of the game remains the same, offering little new for those looking to do more than sniff around with Geralt’s Witcher powers, chat, and battle monsters, but I’d say most people are fine with more of the same, given how good “the same” is.
Overall: 9/10
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine is as good a send-off to one of this generation’s best role-playing games as players could have hoped for. Geralt finds himself on a gruesomely intriguing mission in a land that serves as a great addition as well as the embodiment of a pitch-perfect tongue-in-cheek send-up of high fantasy. A vineyard to upgrade, armor dyes to customize gear, mutations to enhance combat, and a host of great side quests await players who are ready for one more journey.
(This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher.)