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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a sport I began a number of instances since launch, however by no means completed till enjoying it on Nintendo Change. I do know that model was not even near one of the simplest ways to play it, but it surely was the one which lastly hooked me. I had over 100 hours into the Change model again then and have since been chipping away at extra of the sport’s optionally available content material and even a few of the DLC over time with cross development. The Witcher 3, like No Man’s Sky and Kingdom: Come Deliverance, was an precise miracle port on Change 1 and it stays spectacular to today.

After enjoying Cyberpunk 2077: Final Version on Change 2, I hoped we might see a Change 2 Version improve or one thing for The Witcher 3. When The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered was introduced and confirmed for Change 2, it instantly grew to become my most-anticipated launch on Change 2 for this 12 months. I additionally laughed at how CD Projekt Pink was set to present this main visually upgraded model of top-of-the-line RPGs at no cost to current homeowners together with all DLC whereas different publishers do bare-bones ports with none form of improve path for his or her video games. I’ve had entry to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered on Change 2 for just a few days now alongside the the PS5 Professional and Steam variations.

For Change 2, I used to be curious to see how the remaster scaled each docked and handheld, the brand new management choices, cross development, mod assist, and extra. Whereas I can not touch upon how mod assist will look post-launch, I see two mods accessible pre-release on Change 2, like the opposite variations. Hopefully that is correct mod assist and never very closely restricted like another video games that embody person creations or mods on Change 1/2.

On booting up The Witcher 3 Remastered on Change 2 for the primary time, you’re prompted with a display screen showcasing the 4 enter choices included for numerous elements of the sport: gyroscope mode, movement patterns, mouse sensor, and contact display screen. Word that as of the construct I’ve right now, gyro assist is just current on Change 2 and never on PS5 or PC out of the field.

The Witcher 3 Remastered Change 2 vs Change 1 visuals and efficiency

The Witcher 3 Remastered delivers the most important improve I’ve seen for a Change 2 model of a Change 1 sport. Clearly this has to do with the remaster itself altering issues, however even with out that, it’s unreal how a lot better it appears to be like and feels on Change 2. I checked a number of areas throughout Crooback Lavatory, Novigrad, Skellige, Kaer Morhen, and The Duchy of Toussaint. It felt superb even with out the 120hz setting enabled within the Change 2 console settings. I disabled this so I might do full decision seize utilizing my seize card. You could find some Change 1 and Change 2 docked comparisons beneath:

The Witcher 3 Remastered Change 2 vs Witcher 3 Change load instances

To check load instances, I used the digital model of The Witcher 3 Remastered put in to the Change 2 inside storage, the Change 1 model put in to Change 2 inside storage, the Change 1 model put in to my Change OLED SD card, and likewise the PS5 remaster put in to my base PS5 put in to the interior storage. I measured the time taken to load the title display screen, the time taken to load the identical Blood & Wine save, and quick journey time to Novigrad from Coronata Winery (utterly completely different areas). The outcomes beneath are in seconds.

Word that each model of The Witcher 3 Remastered takes too lengthy for the preliminary load with all the corporate logos and splash animations. I hope a patch lets us skip this or disable it sooner or later. Past that, the Change 2 remaster load instances are nonetheless a bit too lengthy in comparison with the PS5 model for once you’re in sport and even loading saves. I hope that is improved in patches. 

The Witcher 3 Remastered Change 2 points

Past load instances, the one facet of the port that has me hoping for a patch is the hand held picture high quality. It appears to be like notably softer than I anticipated together with some components within the UI. Do not get me mistaken, it is a huge improve over the Change 1 model even performed by way of handheld enhance mode on Change 2 and a improbable moveable model, however I hope we see an optionally available high quality mode patched in that targets 30fps as a substitute of 40fps with higher picture high quality. 

The Witcher 3 Remastered joins No Man’s Sky Nintendo Change 2 Version as the 2 finest upgrades for any Change 1 sport on Change 2. It additionally is instantly the perfect Change 2 port of 2026 alongside Dynasty Warriors: Origins.