I wouldn't say one is better than the other. They both complement each other, whereas one is smaller, tighter and focused on a storyline the other is bigger, gives you a complete new area to explore with lots of sidequests and a branched storyline that comes together at the end.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Blood and Wine has to be one of the greatest expansions ever made
- Thread starter RoyaleDuke
- Start date
I wouldn't say one is better than the other. They both complement each other, whereas one is smaller, tighter and focused on a storyline the other is bigger, gives you a complete new area to explore with lots of sidequests and a branched storyline that comes together at the end.
You can't be serious with that Zelda nod, OP? Is this some new meme I'm not aware of?
Otherwise I have similar feelings. Stellar expansion with a bright, fun world. I preferred the story of Hearts of Stone, but I enjoy the freedom to explore that is given in Toussaint.
Someone would have to be crazy to consider any of the TW3 expansions to be of low quality. There had been more effort put into them than into some full priced games.
Otherwise I have similar feelings. Stellar expansion with a bright, fun world. I preferred the story of Hearts of Stone, but I enjoy the freedom to explore that is given in Toussaint.
Someone would have to be crazy to consider any of the TW3 expansions to be of low quality. There had been more effort put into them than into some full priced games.
CecilRousso
Member
Definitely one of the better expansions pack ever made, but not better then the base game. Too many of the sidequests are to generic and bland, and two new main types of enemies are mostly just annoying.
Main quest is good though, Regis is a great character, and there are several great Witcher contracts.
Beautiful landscapes, but it's a shame that those two cliffs are just a giant tease though.
Main quest is good though, Regis is a great character, and there are several great Witcher contracts.
Beautiful landscapes, but it's a shame that those two cliffs are just a giant tease though.
Jangowuzhere
Banned
The new enemy types are terrible. Those new stupid plant monsters for example do not feel suited for the game's combat. Also, those new mutations barely add anything to the combat. They add extra baggage onto the leveling, but they don't make any of the games systems anymore exciting. Also, the quest to unlock those mutations was really shit.
There is a horrible color filter used in Blood and Wine.
https://sfx.thelazy.net/games/screenshot/39863/full/
Yes, you can remove it with modding, but the base vanilla expansion just sticks out as ugly to me.
Drillary Clinton
Banned
No debate, it is the best singeplayer expansion ever. It's better than the majority of full games.
Dictator93
Member
I think I just really enjoyed the really melancholic feeling that you get while playing Hearts of Stone as its story ties into great feelings of loss coupled with unfulfilled ambition. Also... Gaunter O'Dimm and his subtle connection into the main quest is really pulled off well. It is incredibly creepy. It is also one of the first times CDPR really made a character that you cannot have much, if any, empathy for.
Haha. Yeah... but then again all you have to do is mention a certain phrase
bloodborn
Zelda: Breath of the wild
Initial release date: March 3, 2017
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine
Initial release date: May 31, 2016
The book of Zechariah: zechariah 14:4
Initial release date: 2500+ years ago
Coreda
Member
Yeah, it's alright in small doses but a mod would be nice. That linked preset goes overboard with the contrast though and the sky is still turquoise. I think there's one on Nexus that's a little better. I'd prefer a more accurate correction closer to the one below that only touches the color balance (center), compared to the original (left) and preset (right):
Hero of Time
Member
Damn right it is, Hearts of Stone too of course. Funny that as DLC it was still the best RPG of the year. I wish more games handled their DLC like CDPR.
GamingPheasant
Banned
And, I just got the worst ending. 
Toss-up between Heart of Stone & this one.
Both Duchess & Douchess dead.
Toss-up between Heart of Stone & this one.
I played the Witcher 3 and got all Witcherarmors to the best, but unfortunaly I have not played the DLCS. I played Witcher on my PC, which I sold, so I do not want to play it on my PS4, because all my progression and nice shining armor would be gone
I do not want to sink another 90 hours in the main game also.....
So GAF is there any way to get the savedata from someone and copy it to my PS4 ?
Or is it worth to just start at heart and stone und play through Blood and Wine, without playing the main game on PS4 ?
I do not want to sink another 90 hours in the main game also.....
So GAF is there any way to get the savedata from someone and copy it to my PS4 ?
Or is it worth to just start at heart and stone und play through Blood and Wine, without playing the main game on PS4 ?
You got to play Breath of the Wild a year later, so I don't think it was so bad.
DarknessTear
Banned
I had a better overall experience with Hearts of Stone, but Blood and Wine is also fantastic.
Lockjaw333
Member
In addition to being the best game ever made IMO, the two DLC packs for Witcher 3 are the best DLC of all time. The value for each is wacky too. Each expansion is larger than most whole games.
I can't decide which one I like better between HoS and B&W. Both fantastic with very different vibes. Just incredible work.
I can't decide which one I like better between HoS and B&W. Both fantastic with very different vibes. Just incredible work.
Yeah it's reaching. Having that sort of image isn't exactly original.
Blood and Wine was a decent expansion, but it really was only the setting that set itself apart. The story wasn't that interesting compared to Hearts of Stone, and the side missions/quests were not very interesting. I swear, every mission was "go kill the piranha plants from MARIO."
AND I HATE THOSE THINGS. They might go down as my least favorite RPG enemy, ever.
Anyway, good expansion, not amazing. Beautiful setting.
And, I just got the worst ending.
Both Duchess & Douchess dead.
Toss-up between Heart of Stone & this one.
That's not the worst ending. It actually was perhaps the best ending (most realistic), since it actually was INTERESTING and made more sense given the characters and their interplay/personalities.
Fata1moose
Banned
It's only the best expansion if you remove the yellow/green filter via mods, otherwise it's only the 2nd best expansion ever.
Edit: Wow people already talked about that in this thread, it really was a disservice to a great looking region.
Edit: Wow people already talked about that in this thread, it really was a disservice to a great looking region.
But man, that one dream quest that just kept going on and on and on.
wild wild rice
Member
I got bored after a few hours and never went back to it. I just didn't find it that interesting, I'm not sure if it's because I had had enough of the game or what.
Hearts of stone on the other hand was absolutely captivating.
Hearts of stone on the other hand was absolutely captivating.
So, I never managed to finish TW3 on PC. I loved the game, but the combat became a bit of a chore and I got burnt out about 1-2 hours from the end (a stupid place to stop, I know).
How's the performance on ps4 now? I originally played on PC at 60fps/max settings, I know it's going to sting downgrading but if it's a stable 30 at least I'll be fine. If it has constant dips etc... I think I might wait till my next PC build.
I just want to finish it and play the DLC finally!
How's the performance on ps4 now? I originally played on PC at 60fps/max settings, I know it's going to sting downgrading but if it's a stable 30 at least I'll be fine. If it has constant dips etc... I think I might wait till my next PC build.
I just want to finish it and play the DLC finally!
You are out of your goddamned mind, to put it mildly.
Yet another subtle reference to BOTW.
Also noticed a few other subtle references to BOTW. Geralt is a male protagonist, Link is a male protagonist in BOTW, coincidence? I think not.
Let's not forget that this game has music playing in the background and you can ride a horse... just like BOTW. CDPR, we're on to you.
Yuuuup.
iShouldGoPro
Member
Just when I start to think that I'm clever, I see a post like this and I rethink my position
ThreePiMatt
Member
Literally just finished this up last night. That story really takes a turn at the end. Seems like it really go a number of different ways. Might have to go back and reload a previous save.
I liked the story and chars in HoS a lot more (except the bromance between Geralt and Regis), in fact I thought the villains were pretty meh in Blood and Wine. But the whole new region was really cool and it had some really fun sidequests.
Yep, better than any full game released last year. DOOM came close for me but still not better than BOTW.
Doubt anything this gen is gonna surpass the witcher 3 + expansions.
Yep, better than any full game released last year. DOOM came close for me but still not better than BOTW.
Doubt anything this gen is gonna surpass the witcher 3 + expansions.
Human Trashcan
Banned
ayup. I thought B&W was kind of underwhelming narratively, especially as it also had to function as a send-off for the series, of sorts.
dripdripsplash
Member
Blood and Wine was released before BOTW.
I mean, The Witcher 3 is the greatest game ever made, so of course everything it touches is gold.
It picked up at the end. The final "mission" had my blood pumping (so glad I got happy ending by accident, the bad one is brutal).
Linkstrikesback
Member
And, I just got the worst ending.
Both Duchess & Douchess dead.
Toss-up between Heart of Stone & this one.
That's not even the worst ending necessarily.
Of course OP, It won GOTY 2016 over full-priced games
Lmao
almostjuliuscaesar
Member
CDPR won a firm place in my heart with the base game, but the two expansion games, specifically B&W, man...
Just start the expansions separately, there's an option for that.
Hearts of Stone has a fantastic story. I think of it as a short novel in narrative senses, and B&W as an old tale. The styles are completely different from each other. But given Geralt literally lives in a fairy-tale land, it made sense that such different worlds would coexist.
I disagree with most of that. I thought the plants and the centipedes were great additions. For the plants I used golden oriole and it was a nice touch that you can trap the centipedes with yrden. I always like when the game makes me use more of my potions/magic/bombs to be effective. I also found a couple of great mutation combinations, my favorite is the one that increases your damage for every hit and guarantees dismemberment. Combine that with the increased whirl range runes from HoS and Geralt turns into a human blender.
I'll give you the color filter though I personally didn't mind it too much but that doesn't really have anything to do with the landscape per se. Toussaint is a great new area.