The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine is the newest expansion pack of The Witcher 3, a game that released a year ago. It’s impressive to see this kind of dedication of a developer since Blood and Wine feels like it’s far more than just a new expansion. Blood and Wine sets a new bar for future DLC plans since it feels more like a sequel than an actual expansion.
Geralt of Rivia
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine is the last arc for Geralt of Rivia, meaning we’ll say goodbye to our favorite Witcher. This expansion is a stand-alone expansion, the only thing you need is the base game of course. It has nothing to see with the Hearts of Stone DLC, so you can start Blood and Wine the moment you get it. Keep in mind however that you’ll need a level 34 Witcher to start playing. Don’t have one? No worries, CD Projekt Red added a level 34 Geralt with some awesome gear so everybody can start enjoying this impressive piece of gaming history.
If you’ve played any of The Witcher games before, you know Geralt had it hard. He defeated a lot of monsters in dark and gritty places and lost the respect of a lot of people along the way. In Blood and Wine, things change for Geralt. Instead of venturing through the dark woods, he sets path to the sunny Toussaint. Toussaint, is a place of sun, wine and blood. The perfect place to say goodbye to an iconic character.
Welcome to Toussaint
Compared to the dark worlds of Velen and Novigrad, Toussaint feels like a vacation. The sunny location can best be compared to a place in the South of France or Italy. It’s filled with white castles, vineyards and a lot of sunshine. Thanks to this new setting, Blood and Wine feels more like a true sequel than a DLC expansion. CD Projekt RED created an entirely new setting, filled with interesting locations to discover. But why is Geralt there?
A perfect goodbye
The countess of Toussaint invited the Witcher to take down a deadly beast, a beast that managed to kill four humans already. Since Geralt is considered as one of the best, he takes the job without thinking twice. This story leads him to interesting enemies and nostalgic encounters with some of his older friends. Soon after the first missions, you’ll learn there’s more than meets the eye in Toussaint. The town isn’t as safe or innocent as you first thought and you’ll have to fight in order to survive.
Different from The Witcher 3 and the Hearts of Stone expansion is the lack of puzzles. Blood and Wine focuses more on the combat and decision-making aspects of the franchise. As before, you’ll have to set your path during certain events and this plays a crucial role in the further experience. Always think twice what you’re willing to sacrifice since it can truly change your gaming experience in minutes.
Time to face some new enemies
As said before, Toussaint isn’t always as innocent as you might suspect. Geralt will have to fight against a lot of monsters, including some interesting new ones. The Archespore for example, is a flesh-eating plant that can teleport to one of its seeds it spreads during combat. Besides exotic but dangerous plants, you’ll also face Shaelmaar, a mix of an angel and animal. You’ll have to fight off a lot of enemies in Blood and Wine and due to the lack of puzzles, combat forms the biggest gameplay element.
That’s no need to start worrying, however; the combat is still very strong and plays very fluently. Defeating enemies, especially bosses, is still very tricky and you’ll need some skills to survive. Since the combat is very fluent and easy to learn, you’ll need to use all your acquired skills if you wish to survive. Blood and Wine isn’t an easy game, Geralt won’t leave the scene without a fight so prepare for some challenges!
New mutations
To handle all those enemies, CD Projekt RED included an improvement of the mutations called Greater Mutagens. These Mutagens allow for new mutations for Geralt. These can include more attack damage or an automatic finisher move when the enemy is almost down for good. There are a lot of possibilities if you combine these Mutagens with the traditional Skill Points, using both, you can really equip your Geralt with some deadly moves. Don’t be mistaken however, you can’t create a god-like Geralt that will take down every type of enemy with ease. Each mutation comes with it strengths and weaknesses. Blood and Wine will always prove challenging to beat, even for the most veteran Witcher player.
Decorate everything
Another new feature is decorating. You can still craft a lot of different weapons and gear but you can truly make it your own now. Thanks to different dyes, you can color your outfit so you can truly create a Geralt that fits your style! Besides that, you’ll also own a house and a vineyard in this expansion. The house doesn’t really serve another purpose than an opportunity to decorate it with memorabilia and weapons. Not a lot of gamers will enjoy spending their time with these decorations but it’s a fun thing to have nevertheless, it opens another aspect of the huge Witcher world.
Talking about different aspects, this expansion also comes with some new Gwent cards. The Skellige Deck finally makes it first appearance. This deck was originally planned to release with the base game but Blood and Wine is the first place where you can get your hands on the new deck. It’s an interesting new deck worth checking out with cards that transform certain cards to even better ones. The special power of the deck is that it brings back two random cards from the graveyard during the third round, meaning you’ll always start the third round with two of the previously played cards. It’s an interesting new power and it’s something Gwent fans will get excited for!
Conclusion:
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine doesn’t feel as an expansion since it has so much to offer. You’ll enjoy this expansion for over 25 hours and won’t get bored doing so. New monsters, new Gwent cards and gorgeous new locations all add to this impressive adventure. If you like Wild Hunt and Hearts of Stone, you just need to own this expansion as well. CD Projekt RED didn’t just create an expansion, they created the perfect end for Geralt of Rivia, and he’ll be in our hearts for a very long time to come!
