CD Projekt Red’sThe Witcherseries brought a once-niche fantasy series into the mainstream with widely successful sequels, spin-offs, and eventual adaptations to different mediums. After 15 years,CD Projekt Red has announced a remake ofThe Witcherusing the Unreal Engine 5.The Witcher Remakewas previously referred to as Canis Majoris and is still very easily in development, outsourced to the Polish studio Fool’s Theory that includes formerWitcherdevelopers. CD Projekt Red will still have creative control over the project.
The original game was made using a limited budget using a borrowed and modified version of BioWare’s Aurora Engine, leading to several limiting issues. The gamewas received fairly well at the time of its release, thoughseveral aspects ofThe Witcherdid not get better with time, especially in light of its better-received sequels. While the game has merits that make it worth revisiting,The Witcher Remakehas a lot of room to make improvements for a definitive release.
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The Witcher Remake Needs Graphical Updates
It goes without saying thatThe Witcher Remakeis going to be leaps and bounds better in terms of graphical quality compared to the original game.Some exceptional-looking games are being made with Unreal Engine 5, and this will make the many environments inThe Witcher Remakelook better than they have before - likely far beyond the graphical quality presented inThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. From murky swamps, the bustling streets of Vizima, and serene lakeside fields, the locations ofThe Witchercan only benefit from a graphical upgrade if they keep the same atmosphere.
Something from the originalWitchergame that won’t translate as well if they are kept one-to-one is the character models. One of the most infamous parts ofThe Witcheris how most of the characters look strange up-close. They drift into uncanny valley territory and look almost alien, particularlycharacters like Geralt and Zoltan. Changes in character designs can be seen as the games progressed, making Geralt ofThe Witcher 3look completely different from the original game.The Witcher Remakeshould use similar models to the ones inThe Witcher 3with extra upgrades.
The Witcher Remake Could Make Story Adjustments
The Witcherhad the difficult task of trying tofollow up on theWitcherbook series. Those books left off on a note that seemed like a fairly decisive end for Geralt’s journey, so the games were in a tough spot having to continue the story. This resulted in a narrative that got better as each game went on, though many of the concepts from the first game did not lead anywhere. CD Projekt Red could not have known how successfulThe Witcherseries would be, so it resulted in much of the first game being pretty fragmented.
One character that is a focal point ofThe Witcher’s story isAlvin, a child with magical powers that is a clear stand-in for Ciri- who book readers know is occupied with other things at the time of the game. There are some credible theories about Alvin among the fanbase that make them a more interesting character, but the game itself does not give enough time to develop him well.The Witcher Remakeshould add some more nuance to the character, and perhaps add some more support to these fan theories through extra quests and dialogue.
In general,The Witcher Remakecould add a lot more emotional nuance to the story. The voice actors and quest designers were just getting to know these characters, so they did not have as much of a grasp on their emotions as in the second or third games. For example, there is a returning character from the books, Princess Adda, whom Geralt has helped before. Lifting her curse in the books was a huge moment for both characters, and should have had more impact in the games. It also does not help that the connection between these two characters is madecreepy by being rewarded a “romance card"upon completion.
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The Witcher Remake Should Overhaul Combat, But Keep Its Identity
The Witcher’s combat differs greatlyfrom other entries in the series, further making it a black sheep. While the other mainline games are standard action-RPGs,The Witcheruses different camera styles and three fighting stances to place an emphasis on the situational uses of Geralt’s kit. However, this was not done with as much required input as the other games, so combat boils down to clicking the enemy in a certain stance until they die.
The Witcher Remakewould ideally keep the different stances that set its original iteration apart, while also focusing more on engaging action. A similar comparison can be madeto theNiohgames that use different stancesto control the speed, power, and range of attacks while also letting the player control their character freely. By havingThe Witcher Remakeutilize a similar combat style, it could still retain its identity while appealing to modern audiences.
The Witcheris a great game that often gets overshadowed by others in its series due to outdated systems. It is a game that’s still worth playing for fans of theWitcherseries, and hopefullyThe Witcher Remakeis a good opportunity to introduce new players to the game’s unique identity.
The Witcher Remakeis in development.
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