The Witcher 3 Remastered – Switch 2 Review

The Witcher 3 is one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs of all time. It offers one of the most intriguing stories, with engaging combat and RPG mechanics. Although the new Remastered version of The Witcher 3 performs and looks well on other platforms, how does it play on Nintendo Switch 2? The Witcher 3 Remastered version offers better visuals, a new combat system, and several quality-of-life improvements. Moreover, the plus point is that owners of the original game get a free upgrade to the Remastered version. Here is our review of The Witcher 3 Remastered on Nintendo Switch 2, developed and published by CD Projekt Red.

Gameplay

Although the core gameplay style of the game remains the same, the Remastered version makes the overall progression more intuitive. Unlike the original game, the Remastered version brings a newly designed Skill Tree. This new Skill Tree design offers a true branching hierarchy, allowing players to strengthen Geralt effectively and test out new builds. As questing is crucial in The Witcher 3, all available quests are now visible on the map, allowing you to pursue them easily.

In addition to progression, one of the most noticeable improvements in gameplay is the movement for Geralt and Roach (horse). Geralt’s vaulting, climbing, and jumping are greatly improved and smoother, and the animations for them are polished. There is a new horse sensitivity slider that you can tweak to make Roach’s control more refined. Overall, the traversal is better than ever in The Witcher 3.

Another great gameplay feature is Transmog, determined by “Reforge” in the game. You can reforge the gear to change its appearance to any other while keeping all the original stats. As The Witcher 3 Remastered includes all of the DLCs of the game, you can use the dyes from other DLCs for creative gear appearances.

Combat

Combat is better than ever in The Witcher 3 Remastered. The Devs have improved all of Geralt’s moves, including basic attacks, signs, and dodging. Even if you perform regular attacks, they feel more responsive and smooth. The animations for them are enhanced, making the combat more appealing. In addition to the smoothness, there are new finishers that Geralt performs during combat. These brutal finishers are the star of combat, as they add a cinematic flair to your fights. The camera angle feels more dynamic throughout the fight, allowing players to keep track of the foes. Moreover, the Enemy AI is improved, allowing enemies to follow a smarter pattern for attacks.

Performance

When it comes to performance, Nintendo Switch 2 handles The Witcher 3 Remastered better than the original version. It runs at a stable 30 to 40 FPS, overcoming the problems of the original Switch 1 port, where it struggles at 30 FPS. However, this performance can be underwhelming for some players, especially if they were expecting 60 FPS. In addition to this performance, it is crucial to mention that the game runs at 720p on handheld and 1080p while Docked. Although it does not sound a lot, it is still an improvement from 540p & 720p resolution of the original port.

Sound & Visuals

The sound remains one of the strongest factors in The Witcher 3 Remastered. You can distinctly hear the layered environmental effects of forests, caves, wind, and critters during your traversals. Moreover, the dialogue delivery feels clearer, making the immersion stronger.

When it comes to the visuals, they are better than ever and look crisp on Nintendo Switch 2. The lighting and atmosphere feel more immersive, and all the blurriness of environmental assets is fixed on Switch 2. You can also spot the more detailed faces on character models. However, there are some hair rendering issues, which become more prominent in certain lighting.

Verdict – Score 9.5/10

The Witcher 3 Remastered does justice to the original port on the Switch console. It delivers promisingly on all the factors of a great RPG, providing strong narrative, gameplay, combat, and visuals. Players can finally experience The Witcher 3 as it was intended by the developers on the Switch console with the Remastered version. It runs better and feels smoother, providing a stable 30 to 40 FPS at 720p (handheld) and 1080p (docked). The redesign of the Skill Tree makes the progression better, and the improved movement design makes the traversal smooth. I highly recommend The Witcher 3 Remastered to any Switch user to experience this gem on a Switch 2 console and uncover one of the greatest RPGs ever.

The Witcher 3 Remastered is now available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.