It’s been awhile since we’ve last seen some Witcher 3 footage or screenshots, and with the recent news regarding how taxing the game would be on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One, we’ve been made more than curious. Alas, CD Projekt Red figured we deserve some mercy, and have released three new screenshots for our viewing pleasure. Oh, and pleasure is exactly what we’ve gotten from looking at them.
Geralt will surely find some trouble on these filthy but beautifully crafted urban streets!
The details found on these small city streets are astonishing, to say the least.The character models look extremely polished, and animations feel natural. Just look at the boots of that thug that’s getting ready for a kick (and probably, somewhere in the darker corners of his mind, getting ready to be chopped to bits by Geralt). Lighting effects have come a long way since the Witcher 2. The shadows from the tree leafs seen in the top right of the image speak millions about how dynamic lights will look like in the game, and the reflections of the setting sun look amazing on Geralt’s elbow-guards. Lastly, the work that has gone into designing the city (to its smallest detail) is clearly visible. I always had a soft-spot for urban areas in the Witcher series, and I can’t wait to start exploring these filth-riddled streets of the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Swamps are never absent in Witcher games, and The Witcher 3 will not be an exception!
The Witcher 3 wouldn’t be complete without a swamp, would it? I’m very curious to see how horse-riding will interact with water, and whether or not this will be possible at all. The best thing about this screenshot it the surreal realism, accompanied by a lack of color. The artwork definitely shines, and I’m impressed by how they’ve managed to make the game look mature, eerie and absolutely gorgeous at the same time, only through the use of a distinct color palette and some great light effects.
The Witcher 3’s day and night cycles look great! The horse, not so much!
More horse-riding follows, and we get to see a glimpse of a wild and unwelcoming vegetation, amplified by numerous corpses, blood and all. While again everything looks polished, I’m not entirely impressed by how the horse looks here. It definitely feels less polished than other elements in the screenshot. On the other hand, the contrast between the star-filled sky and the dusk light is beautiful. If the Witcher 3’s dynamic day and night cycles will look and feel like this, I won’t find reason to complain.
All-in-all, these are some impressive images, no doubt. While Xbox One and Playstation 4 users have nothing to worry about (well, except for the consoles overheating perhaps), PC users would be wise to consider some major GPU upgrades. The Witcher 3 will have impressive visuals, but will most likely come with a high hardware requirement cost. What’s your take on these screenshots?