Ninetoes vs. The Witcher 3 Remastered

Ninetoes loves The Witcher 3. Will the remastered version cement the love or will he want a divorce?

Hey there, gamers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ with a look at The Witcher 3 Remastered. I’ve got my controller in hand and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

I will just come out and say it: I am a Witcher fan. I loved Witcher 2 despite the clunky controls. The graphic ability was pushed to the limit for the Xbox360. Then, when The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt came out on the Xbox One in 2015, I was over the moon. I got lost in the woods, so to speak. The backgrounds would take me out of the game, and I honestly loved just roaming around to see what I could see. Again, CD Projekt Red pushed the graphics and sound to the limit.

On September 29, 2026, an update was released for those who owned the game that brought it to the current generation of consoles (Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5, etc.), and the update was free. The update was also large, 45 GB, added to the already 50GB game. So, what did we get with the update?

In terms of visuals, we got an improved shading model, updated textures and models, improved tone mapping, Ray-Traced hairworks, and Better HDR calibration and motion blur.

For gameplay, the skill tree was completely overhauled. Now we have three ranks to unlock on each skill, and a prerequisite base to unlock the skills.

That is all well and good, but the big question is: How does it play? The answer is pretty much like before, and that is not a bad thing!

When The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt first came out, it was already way ahead of its time. But now? It is even better. The graphics are all around better, giving it more of a movie feel than a video game feel. The sounds are sharper; from the clang of the sword to the wind in the trees, it gives a more immersive feel. This is a definite improvement from the older version.

There is just one place that could use an update, and that is when you are changing screens. As I was playing, I was questioning a merchant, then called him out on a lie; he ran, then the screen went dark with the ouroboros symbol spinning in the corner for twenty-five seconds. When the screen came back, I had a sword in hand and had to face off against a pack of wolves and an angry warg…mission failed.

The only problem I had is that the vibration on the controller was a little extra. It kept throwing me for a loop whenever I would just walk. The way it vibrated made me think something big was coming or I was near a source of power.

As stated before, if you already own the game, the update is free. If you are new to the game, it is going to cost you $49.99 plus tax.

Until the next time, keep your hands dry and your controller tuned!

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing, nor do the views or opinions of Crystal Lake necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or its staff. Thank you for understanding.