Toussaint
Being The Witcher 3’s final and largest expansion, CD Projekt Red went all out in creating a stunning new locale for Geralt to explore in Blood and Wine. Players will travel to Toussaint, a land seemingly ripped right from the pages of fairy tales, full of color and unparalleled splendor. The beautiful vistas, along with the kind people who inhabit them, will serve as the backdrop for a dark story with twists and turns that await players at every corner.
Toussaint is more than just a location for a story, though. With its unique culture and interesting lore, players will experience Blood and Wine a bit differently than what they’re used to. Side quests, enemies, contracts, and the world itself is molded around the lives of the people of Toussaint. Geralt will be able to place himself into the very center of every aspect, helping to make this country just as engaging as Velen, Novigrad, or the Skellige Isles.
You Don’t Need to Play Wild Hunt First to Enjoy Blood and Wine
Although you do need to own The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in order to download and play Blood and Wine, you don’t need to have played the main game. Like of Hearts of Stone before it, Blood and Wine presents the option to jump in with an already leveled up Geralt. This is perfect for those who want to get right into the newest expansion, or for those who may feel that they are a bit too overpowered for the new area.
If you choose to start fresh, you will receive a level 34 Geralt with all of the skill points you would normally have up to that point. You can then assign these however you want to customize his skill and perk set. You will also be given blueprints for up to Superior level Witcher armor of each school, as well as enough materials to make one complete set. A substantial amount of Crowns, crafting resources, and consumables will be placed into your inventory as well, along with some highly useful oils.
The entirety of Blood and Wine can be enjoyed this way, along with all quests pertaining to Hearts of Stone. The only thing that will be blocked from you are Wild Hunt story quests.
Side Quests Galore
Fans of the Witcher 3 were a bit disappointed with the lack of meaningful side content in Hearts of Stone. There was a bit, but nothing like what Wild Hunt introduced. You’ll be happy to know, though, that Blood and Wine is full of Secondary Quests, Contracts, and Treasure Hunts.
Most provide a peek into the lives of those living in the beautiful land of Toussaint, while others pull the veil off of the horrors of this countryside. There are great rewards, and even powerful new abilities awaiting those who venture away from the main story.
Dying Armor
Finally, you can add a bit of your own personal touch to your armor. There are dyes that you can purchase from vendors, loot from chests, or obtain from slain enemies that can be applied to your Witcher Gear in Blood and Wine. These dyes help you roam the lands a lot more stylishly, casting aside the normal grays and browns of these highly coveted gear sets.
Unfortunately, these dyes can’t be used on some of the more… let’s say ‘comical’ pieces of armor. Those earlier obtained chest pieces, and oven mitts will still look just as ridiculous as they did when Wild Hunt launched. But that’s part of their charm anyway, right?
Mutations
This should pique the interest of those who have already amassed quite a bit of power in The Witcher 3. Blood and Wine introduces Mutations, not to be confused with Mutagens, a new way to alter your perks and abilities.
This system is unlocked through the story, and proves to be very useful to those who take the time to utilize it. Using Ability Points alongside Mutagens, players will be able to add powerful new sets of perks to Geralt, such as the ability to have Signs cause critical damage. These Mutations can even unlock more Ability Slots, making for one seriously well-trained Witcher roaming Toussaint.
Dynamic Points of Interest
Dynamic Points of Interest is a new map system that directly affects gameplay. For certain areas in Toussaint, interacting with points such as camps and strongholds will have an effect on the surrounding points. As an example, if you take out a large hideout housing bandits or monsters, there will be less of that enemy type in camps, caves, and other locations in the vicinity.
This new element adds more life to the world outside of missions. Geralt has always been able to influence NPCs with his actions, but now even the smaller choices of what points to check out have an effect on the world, potentially making life a bit easier for him.
Tons of New Gear Including Grandmaster Witcher Sets
Blood and Wine wouldn’t be a proper RPG expansion if it didn’t come with a ton of new gear for players to collect. Geralt will be facing powerful new enemies as he moves through this new land, so he’ll need powerful new armor and weapons to give himself a fighting chance. With well over 100 pieces you’ll have your work cut out for you as you endeavor to collect them all.
The best parts are the Grandmaster Witcher sets. Not only are these further upgraded pieces a sight to behold, but they now have perks that you can unlock as you equip more pieces of the set.
Such Beautiful Menus
One of the major issues that The Witcher 3 has suffered from is its menu system. While there were plenty of categories in an attempt to add some sort of organization to the madness, it would often be quite difficult to find what you were looking for. That’s much less of a problem with Blood and Wine.
Everything is clean and easy to follow, allowing for quick navigation, and an understanding of all the crap you’re undoubtedly going to pick up. Books have been moved to the Glossary for easy perusal, subsections have been added to all of the previously existing tabs, and shortcuts for easier browsing are thrown in as well. One of Geralt’s greatest foes has been tidied up quite nicely.
Centipedes
Okay, well not just centipedes, although they are among the creepiest of the new enemies in Blood and Wine. The new enemies you’ll face include new forms of vampires, murderous plants, fairy tale inspired monstrosities, giants, and more. They each bring a new dynamic to the combat, while also existing to help scare the wits out of Geralt.
A lot of the new enemies are much less confined as well. While the surface of Toussaint may look safe and beautiful, straying off of nearly every road often spells death for even some of the most seasoned of warriors.
Gwent!
Of course, CDPR couldn’t forget about Gwent. This mini-game proved to be one of The Witcher 3’s greatest attractions. The need for strategy, and the fun of collecting every single card added hours upon hours to the main game. Blood and Wine introduces a brand new deck to the fold, the Skellige Gwent Deck. New cards, new heroes, new perks, and a whole new level of strategy for Gwent lovers to enjoy.
Blood and Wine brings a lot to the table, so there’s plenty to enjoy for fans and newcomers alike. If you want to learn even more about the story and action that awaits you, be sure to check out our review.
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