The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt celebrated ten years of monster slaying on Could 19, and writer CD Projekt honored the milestone with an anniversary stream starring Geralt voice actor Doug Cockle, a surprising new trailer, and The Witcher 3 value drops throughout platforms for many who aren’t one of many 50 million who’ve already bought it. But, when you might wish to have a good time by booting up The Witcher 3 for yet one more hunt, contemplate as an alternative diving into the books that offered the inspiration for CD Projekt Pink to construct the video games upon.
I purchased The Witcher 3 5 years in the past, however to keep away from one other Recreation of Thrones scenario (the place foolish me watched the present earlier than studying the books), I dedicated to studying all the e-book sequence earlier than putting in the sport. And I’m so glad I did! Andrzej Sapkowski’s two brief story collections and 6 novels all inform an incredible story, in addition to present a lot context and depth for the occasions of The Witcher 3.
When you begin The Witcher 3 with out the information of the books, you’ll be unknowingly hindering the emotional influence of so many characters and quests in The Witcher 3. Take Geralt and Yen, for instance. Their fates are actually tied collectively because of the occasions of the brief story “The Final Want,” and Geralt’s want ensures they by no means stray from the opposite’s orbit for lengthy. But The Witcher 3’s quest of the identical title explores the want’s influence from Yen’s perspective; it’s left her with an uneasy feeling concerning what the 2 really imply to 1 one other, resulting in among the finest quests in all the recreation — one which I don’t assume can emotionally resonate with the identical influence in case you hadn’t examine these two from their from first assembly onward. They’ve each cherished and damage one another over time, however are supposed to be collectively, djinn or no djinn.
Studying the brief story collections and novels may even introduce you to a few of the finest supporting characters present in Witcher canon. The later books largely concern Geralt’s pursuit of a lacking and fleeing Ciri, and alongside the best way he’s joined by his Hansa, a Fellowship of The Ring-like group of fantastic supporting characters. Whilst you actually know Dandelion from the video games, the Hansa additionally consists of the heroic Nilfgaardian soldier Cahir and my private favourite Milva, human ally to the majority-elven guerilla fighters Scoia’tael. Every member of Geralt’s Hansa has a fascinating arc, and the books are maybe price studying for them alone.
With The Witcher 4 too a few years away, now’s the proper time to dive into Sapkowski’s eight-book sequence (with a ninth on the best way!). Not solely will the books enrich your expertise enjoying The Witcher 3, however they’ll additionally present context on why this saga was Ciri’s story all alongside. Sure, the books are instructed largely from Geralt’s perspective and also you embody him within the video games, however his position within the novels is partly to advance Ciri’s plot, to save lots of her from falling within the machinations of evil males like Emhyr and Vilgefortz who wish to use her and her Elder Blood gene to advance their very own schemes.
