The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition (PlayStation 5) Review

If living under a rock for an extended period, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt focuses on protagonist Geralt of Rivia, tasked with finding damsel in not so much distress Ciri while navigating a war torn and monster ridden landscape.

Freedom was the magic of the Witcher and with so many side-quests and activities, the main plot always seemed to blend seamlessly into whatever peasant or lord needed appeasing at the time. Maps were huge and atmosphere grim, giving a bleak but rewarding experience all round, think Death Stranding with double blades and minus a postbox. At the time very little needed perfecting, with reviewers brandishing the adventures of the White Wolf (which is a much better name all round) a triumph in all areas. So, besides vastly improved loading times and nicer textures, what is worth going back for?

Firstly, the fans have been listened to. Off the bat, some of the most popular fan mods have been included to get things looking as good as they possibly can. All previous DLC is also included which could be a massive draw for a lot of players if they are still squeezing every drip of life out of the main game and are yet to proceed to other lands. All modders have been credited on the end scroll too which is a lovely little touch.

In terms of what CDPR have added, before delving into how good it all looks overall, most updates focus on quality of life. some of the most useful after a few hours of playing are the radial menu, allowing quick item selection and putting an end to those unfair deaths as you toggle for the relevant potion. Quick sign casting has also been added for simpler battling. Possibly not a massive deal for others but certainly for an impatient reviewer not wanting to walk around things is the reworked fall damage. No more sliding off the mountains for you, brave adventurer!

If approaching the Witcher'verse with fresh eyes, darkened only by the Henry Cavill iteration, some new content has been added to make the jump that bit more comfortable. Resident Lute lover Dandelion can be toggled with a Jaskier skin and White Wolf gear can be gained through a short but sweet sidequest allowing you to dress just like the Man of (double) steel himself.

Finally and for a lot of returning players, the most important issue is the new graphical prowess and simply, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has never looked better. Every blade of grass or peasant hut bounces off the screen, making even the grimmest of locales look vibrant. Teleportation is also instant, encouraging exploration of every nook and cranny if not done already.