-
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
Count me among those that thought HoS was much better.
B&W obviously benefited from a new region to explore, but the story sort of meanders and has weird pacing and mostly unlikable characters - plus, something about its mission design highlighted TW3's gameplay flaws.
HoS was narratively much tighter and seemed to embrace the mechanics that worked.
Also, OP, I loved BotW, but there is no way that's a visual reference. We never even saw that split mountain until E3 2016, a few weeks after B&W was released.
B&W obviously benefited from a new region to explore, but the story sort of meanders and has weird pacing and mostly unlikable characters - plus, something about its mission design highlighted TW3's gameplay flaws.
HoS was narratively much tighter and seemed to embrace the mechanics that worked.
Also, OP, I loved BotW, but there is no way that's a visual reference. We never even saw that split mountain until E3 2016, a few weeks after B&W was released.
Hierophant
Banned
Both are good but Hearts of Stone has too good of a story to pass up compared to BoW
Krappadizzle
Member
When Geralt walks into that inn at the beginning of the game, I was thinking, "Damn you CDProjektRed, you did it again, another sly Zelda reference."
But yes, B&W is one of the best expansions probably ever for a single player RPG. A lot of brand new content for a fair asking price.
But yes, B&W is one of the best expansions probably ever for a single player RPG. A lot of brand new content for a fair asking price.
His Majesty
Banned
HoS story is tighter but B&W still has an awesome story with amazing characters. Game looks phenomenal. Couldn't have imagined a more perfect send off for Geralt.
blankslatenator
Banned
Zelda is whatever it becomes. A Greater Entity than any before it. A True Alpha Game.
darkslayer101
Member
QuixoticNeutral
Member
It isn't Zelda if it doesn't screw around with somebody's conception of the timeline.
BouncyFrag
Member
The conversation between Geralt and his old friend in the cemetery over a bottle of hooch is so good. The subtle questions to Geralt gives you a chance to shape his views and plans for the future allow for role playing.
> almost triggered
RustyNails
Member
Hearts of Stone had the emotional punch, and also had one of the best villains ever created in a videogame. Blood and Wine is a really good expansion because it's more of an exciting adventure. I think the two expansions should be judged separately.
dancingphlower
Member
Easily among the best DLC ever. Ranks up there with Shadow Broker, Old Hunters, and Left Behind.
Freeglader
Member
Couldn't agree with you more
Bedameister
Member
Yep
For me personally it's Burial at Sea Ep. 2 but B&W is the prototype of how an expansion should be done.
For me personally it's Burial at Sea Ep. 2 but B&W is the prototype of how an expansion should be done.
Mr_Antimatter
Member
It's fantastic, yes, but the greatest expansion ever? No, that belongs to Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency.
That legit had enough new content to be released as Total Annihilation 2.
That legit had enough new content to be released as Total Annihilation 2.
lucebuce12
Member
I loved in JoJo's Bizarre adventures when they paid homage to BoTW's timestop ability.
Loved it, both expansions. They should hade made the dyes available to use from the beginning of the game, at least when you get to velen.
Also this is my new favorite (combat) music
For Honor! For Toussaint!
Also this is my new favorite (combat) music
For Honor! For Toussaint!
clarknova156
Member
It is the most fleshed out rewarding expansion I've ever played. Especially when you consider how great the first expansion was and how amazing Witcher 3 already was.
I felt like it was just a reward for playing the series. So fun and yet enough content to stand on its own as a game.
I felt like it was just a reward for playing the series. So fun and yet enough content to stand on its own as a game.
Turin Turambar
Member
HoS and B&W complemented each other very nicely.
HoS has the superior main quest with better story and better unique quests, and B&W gives the player another 'landmass' to have fun, with more side quests in terms of pure content, more things to collect, more enemy camps to clear, a new city to explore, a new art style more 'fairy tale'-like, better graphics with the redone vegetation, new enemies, etc. Just more 'Witcher 3', which is a good thing.
HoS has the superior main quest with better story and better unique quests, and B&W gives the player another 'landmass' to have fun, with more side quests in terms of pure content, more things to collect, more enemy camps to clear, a new city to explore, a new art style more 'fairy tale'-like, better graphics with the redone vegetation, new enemies, etc. Just more 'Witcher 3', which is a good thing.
His Majesty
Banned
oh yes also what an amazing concept
A fairytale land with an expiry date created by the court mage for two spoiled princesses to play in.
RespectThySole
Member
Both Witcher 3 expansions are incredible. Blood & Wine could've been a standalone game with the amount of content it offers and Toussaint has an amazing sense of place. Hearts of Stone has one of the greatest stories in the medium.
Alpha Phoenix
Member
I loved it. I've no idea why some say HoS was better, unless you like that kind of story. But I personally preferred everything about BoW.
Oh shit I almost forgot that part, that was really great and hilarious. That Werewolf part...
Rien
Jelly Belly
I have played Heart of Stone and i think that whole expension stood out with one of the best part of the entire game. Then i sold my ps4 (for the Pro) and the only forgot to upload Witcher 3 savefiles. Now i started all over again and i just hit level 20 and started Skellige. Soon as i hit 30/32 i will start Blood and Wine.
This game is a great game but i have to be honest that its getting a bit boring playing for the second time for me. I hope i dont give up before reaching the expension.
Should have started with the expension in the special mode so i could skip the entire game but thought i would be fun to replay it.
This game is a great game but i have to be honest that its getting a bit boring playing for the second time for me. I hope i dont give up before reaching the expension.
Should have started with the expension in the special mode so i could skip the entire game but thought i would be fun to replay it.
Huh? It's the same combat and if anything mutations give you more options not less. I also don't see how you can say that the landscapes are noticeably worse when Toussaint has a ton of variety
(not to speak of fairy tale land)
eot
Banned
Perfect
The major characters in Hearts of Stone were better, but the places, quests, and secondary characters just weren't as good. Shani playing a major part felt like fanservice of the worst kind.
Blood and Wine just turned out to be a much better cohesive package, even if the major characters driving the story weren't as compelling. My favorite thing about Toussaint is the explanation theorized by Regis that the region turned out the way it did with its beauty and joie de vivre due to its people being carefully cultivated as food for the vampire population.
Blood and Wine just turned out to be a much better cohesive package, even if the major characters driving the story weren't as compelling. My favorite thing about Toussaint is the explanation theorized by Regis that the region turned out the way it did with its beauty and joie de vivre due to its people being carefully cultivated as food for the vampire population.
Dictator93
Member
People saying Hearts of Stone is better are definitely correct, but Blood and Wine is not exactly of low quality (it still oozes CDPR's quality set in TW3s original release).
The best thing about Blood and Wine is the clear growth between it and the main campaign.
CDPR definitely learned some lessons and did a very good job applying them.