Witching hour: Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone review | Technobubble

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Hungry like the wolf?

Correction, are you hungry for more of the "White Wolf" Geralt of Rivia? That's essentially the heart of the question as the first DLC expansion for " The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt " sees the light of day. Or the full moon. Yes, we love puns that make no sense over here.

Seriously, though, downloadable content for video games can sometimes feel like filler ripoff. Will the "Hearts of Stone" DLC fall under the same trap or be more in line with Wild Hunt's stellar first outing? It's a key question for sure, given the excellent job that CD Projekt RED has done with the most recent game in the series so far.

In the new expansion, we are introduced to our newest character Olgierd von Everec, who hires Geralt for a certain, um, monstrous task. As is the case for many tales, however, things are not as they seem and everyone's favorite Witcher finds himself in a sticky situation. Again. The good news for Geralt is he gets some worthy company — in the form of a beautiful lass, of course. Yup, that sounds just like a Geralt situation, alright. This time, we are reintroduced to an old friend, Shani, who appeared in the first Witcher game. Overall, the clever medic makes a good addition to the game, adding color in more ways than one. Gaunter O'Dimm, the merchant who helped you on your way to Yennefer, plays a key role in the plot as well, adding to the expansions solid stable of characters.

As you begin your journey, you will also meet an Ofieri merchant, who introduces you the Runewords mechanic. The system helps you apply special and powerful buffs that change the way you play. Although there are only a few to choose from, it is amazing what they can let you do once applied. These include enhancing your weapons and armor or helping you with your adrenaline for more powerful attacks. You also get new Ofieri armor diagrams for gear that's very well made and durable. There is a merchant near the Runeword master who can help you decode them so you can take your spoils to the armorer for crafting.

Hearts of Stone also throws in new and tougher monsters and bosses that actually put up a good fight. These range from a very powerful sand mage to a shrieking, painting nightwraith. Then you've got the giant spiders known as Arachnomorphs, which not only attack in groups but defend their own as well. They can be super tricky because they can catch you in their spider webs, which makes you unable to attack for a short time.

The best part of the expansion, however, is just how well written the tale between Geralt, Olgierd and Gaunter is. The story is rich in detail and intense moments and you also get to see Geralt exhibit more human emotion. Olgierd also comes off as a misunderstood character while the sly and cunning Gaunter also has a fantastic portrayal. The dynamic between the three characters is well done and makes you learn things about Geralt that you would have never learned in the regular game.

Anchoring the plot are Geralt's debts, which require him to tap into his inner genie and grant three wishes. More accurately, he needs to facilitate the fulfillment of these wishes, which are very personal and take you down a terrifying path as well. At the end, you'll find yourself making a key decision, ultimately finding out what it truly means to have a heart of stone.

— Maleny Duren contributed to this review

FINAL THOUGHTS

All in all, Hearts of Stone is a breathtaking experience that builds on the excellence of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. If the well crafted story doesn't reel you in, the gameplay and new monsters and bosses likely will. If you loved Wild Hunt, you'll definitely want to give Hearts of Stone a shot.