The Witcher 3: Songs of Past looked alright in its behind-closed-doors preview, though I’m more enticed by the remaster’s combat upgrades
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Rock Paper Shotgun's hands-off Gamescom preview of The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past expansion left the outlet more excited about the free Remastered edition's combat overhaul than the paid expansion itself. The preview, jointly run by CD Projekt Red and co-developer Fool's Theory, largely focused on reworked combat, movement, UI and role-playing systems coming to the base game's Remastered version, which launches on 29th September, well ahead of the expansion, and is free to existing owners.
Combat in the remaster looked notably more fluid, with faster, better-strung combos and smarter camera targeting during group fights, addressing long-standing criticism of the original 2015 game. Songs of the Past will add a silver chain weapon that lets Geralt drag enemies in for cinematic finishing moves, alongside a new region called Letten and creatures including the Thornbloom and the hornet-shielded Swarmion; however, the outlet felt the expansion itself still lacked a clear justification for existing, with the free combat improvements proving the more compelling draw.
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In short
- Witcher 3 Remastered's combat overhaul impressed more than paid DLC
- Remaster launches 29 September, free to existing owners
- Songs of the Past expansion adds silver chain weapon, new region Letten
How this story developed
- 2 months ago Rock Paper Shotgun's follow-up Gamescom preview of The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past expansion reinforces its earlier view: the free Remastered edition's combat overhaul looks like the more compelling reason to return to the game than the paid expansion itself.
- 2 months ago Rock Paper Shotgun attended a Gamescom preview of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's upcoming expansion, Songs of the Past, but came away more impressed by the combat overhaul in the game's free Remastered edition, arriving on 29th September ahead of the paid expansion.
- 2 months ago Rock Paper Shotgun's hands-off Gamescom preview of The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past expansion left the outlet more excited about the free Remastered edition's combat overhaul than the paid expansion itself.
Explained simply
The Witcher 3 is CD Projekt Red's 2015 fantasy role-playing game, in which players control monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. The game is getting a free "remaster" update that overhauls its combat, movement and user interface, due for release on 29th September, alongside a separate paid story expansion called Songs of the Past, made in partnership with co-developer Fool's Theory.
Journalists have been given early, closed-door demonstrations of both at the Gamescom industry event in Germany, where publishers show off unreleased games to press ahead of public launch. These previews let outlets like Rock Paper Shotgun form early impressions of upcoming content before it reaches players.
Songs of the Past adds new areas, monsters and weapons to the ten-year-old game, giving longtime fans a reason to return, while the free remaster's changes affect anyone still playing the base game. Because the expansion is paid and the remaster is free, how each is received matters to players deciding where their money and time are best spent.
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