The Witcher 3 remains as CD Projekt Red's magnum opus even after seven years following its release. Still, one can't deny the fact that it's fast becoming outdated, both technically and from a gameplay perspective. Thanks to its "moddability" though, players can get more out of their Witcher 3 experience. Some mods even change up the game enough to breathe new life into it.
These mods are more than just a few tweaks here and there. Some of them are passion projects whom the developers and authors worked on for several years. As such, they also tend to bring a lot to the table and are no doubt ambitious in scope or implementation. For players who want a makeover of sorts for The Witcher 3, these mods should fill in while they wait for The Witcher 4.
8 The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project
- Purpose: Texture improvements
- Author: Halk Hogan PL
- Download link
Upon seeing the game again after so long, what immediately stands out would be the game's low-resolution textures. They don't look great with today's higher-frequency and larger monitors. So when playing The Witcher 3 on a contemporary system, it's almost mandatory to have this mod.
It's a wide-encompassing overhaul of the game's old textures. The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project will replace large chunks of the game's textures with higher-resolution models. This is most noticeable on ground textures, building walls, roofing, and rocks. Do keep in mind that this mod might increase the VRAM or graphics card memory usage.
7 E3FX
- Purpose: Lighting and atmosphere overhaul
- Author: Drogean
- Download link
Its unfortunate that The Witcher 3 was one of those games that got graphically downgraded from their E3 trailer demo. But it had to happen to make it more viable for older-generation consoles. Some PC players did with that there was a way to get that E3 demo quality back.
That's why one of them created the E3FX mod. This one is a Reshade framework that changes up the game's lighting to be more in tune with the E3 demo. It gives the game a more eerie and darker appearance with lighting that looks less drab or overcast. It will require specific settings to achieve a more accurate E3 demo look, but the instructions are all there on the mod's page.
6 HDMR - HD Monsters Reworked mod
- Purpose: Monster makeover
- Author: Denroth
- Download link
Monsters are the stars of the show in The Witcher 3 (apart from the main characters) and even they need a touch-up. A lot of these monsters— particularly the ones being hunted in Contract quests, have some noticeably poor textures.
That's probably the game's way of saving players some framerates or VRAM usage, especially if there are multiple of these monsters on-screen. That kind of conservation isn't needed now for the typical gaming hardware. So a mod like HDMR - HD Monsters Reworked mod will give these monsters the visual update they need.
5 Ghost Mode
- Purpose: Gameplay overhaul & balancing
- Author: Wasteland Ghost aka wghost81
- Download link
By now, The Witcher 3's gameplay loop and systems are as familiar as the back of one's hand. It's high time to shake things up once more, and Ghost Mode from one of the most proficient modders for The Witcher 3 is akin to a huge balance update for the game.
Ghost Mode primarily addresses bugged or underperforming skills or aspects of gameplay. This will open up the game for other playstyles that are now viable. Crafting, loot, and economy are also drastically changed while still maintaining lore-friendliness and the developer's vision.
4 Witcher 3 - Enhanced Edition
- Purpose: Realistic and less tedious gameplay overhaul
- Author: Dedicated W3EE Mod Team
- Download link
Witcher 3 - Enhanced Edition is another gameplay overhaul mod that seems to have been made by several people. It emulates the "Enhanced Edition" update philosophies for older Witcher games where the developers tune and balance the game to its best and most ideal version.
This Enhanced Edition mod focuses more on gameplay, however. It aims to provide a more realistic approach to player actions while keeping Geralt's tedious activities more minimal compared to the vanilla game. The most notable difference when using this mod is through Geralt's actions. Combat is more dynamic and intricate; players will have to adjust their approach.
3 Geralt HairWorks Colors And Styles
- Purpose: Visual overhaul & customization for hair
- Author: Rivianbleidd
- Download link
HairWorks in The Witcher 3 was a certified FPS killer back in the day, and it still is now depending on the PC. But for those who have beefier systems and can spare a dozen average FPS digits, then the Geralt HairWorks Colors and Styles mod is a thing of beauty.
It enhances Geralt's hair to look more natural and realistic. That means a bigger framerate hit. Moreover, players can also opt for dark hair color for Geralt as the mod allows for it. This mod works with all the hairstyles in the game, but players might want to be mindful of the framerate hit.
2 The Enhancement System
- Purpose: Gameplay overhaul for the enhancement system
- Author: Mangekyoumadara1987
- Download link
The Witcher 3's enhancement system is meaty enough as far as gameplay mechanics go, but it lacks depth and versatility. The Enhancement System mod addresses that issue and even makes certain obsolete swords more powerful or viable compared to the crafted and overpowered ones.
This mod is an overhaul to The Witcher 3's enhancement system and allows more players to tinker with their swords better. Relic Swords get most of the attention here as they're in need of good balancing. In addition, players can also use Wild Hunt weapons and enhance them, for more gameplay variety.
1 FCR3 - Immersion And Gameplay Tweaks
- Purpose: Gameplay and balance overhaul
- Author: Andrzej Kwiatkowski
- Download link
Some Witcher 3 developers are so dedicated to the game, they even released an unofficial update and gameplay overhaul to implement their ideal vision for the game. The FCR3 - Immersion and Gameplay Tweaks is one such mod for The Witcher 3.
It's a collection of tweaks, overhauls, and fixes for the game based on the mod author's preferences and the original intention for the game's design. It just so happens that the mod author is a senior gameplay designer for The Witcher 3. There's a long list of what got changed or implemented on the mod page as proof of the developer's dedication.
The Witcher 3 was released on May 18th, 2015, and is available on the PC, Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch