CD Projekt Red's The Witcher series brought a once-niche fantasy series into the mainstream with widely successful sequels, spin-offs, and eventual adaptations to different mediums. After 15 years, CD Projekt Red has announced a remake of The Witcher using the Unreal Engine 5. The Witcher Remake was previously referred to as Canis Majoris and is still very easily in development, outsourced to the Polish studio Fool's Theory that includes former Witcher developers. CD Projekt Red will still have creative control over the project.
The original game was made using a limited budget using a borrowed and modified version of BioWare's Aurora Engine, leading to several limiting issues. The game was received fairly well at the time of its release, though several aspects of The Witcher did not get better with time, especially in light of its better-received sequels. While the game has merits that make it worth revisiting, The Witcher Remake has a lot of room to make improvements for a definitive release.
The Witcher Remake Needs Graphical Updates
It goes without saying that The Witcher Remake is going to be leaps and bounds better in terms of graphical quality compared to the original game. Some exceptional-looking games are being made with Unreal Engine 5, and this will make the many environments in The Witcher Remake look better than they have before - likely far beyond the graphical quality presented in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. From murky swamps, the bustling streets of Vizima, and serene lakeside fields, the locations of The Witcher can only benefit from a graphical upgrade if they keep the same atmosphere.
Something from the original Witcher game that won't translate as well if they are kept one-to-one is the character models. One of the most infamous parts of The Witcher is how most of the characters look strange up-close. They drift into uncanny valley territory and look almost alien, particularly characters like Geralt and Zoltan. Changes in character designs can be seen as the games progressed, making Geralt of The Witcher 3 look completely different from the original game. The Witcher Remake should use similar models to the ones in The Witcher 3 with extra upgrades.
The Witcher Remake Could Make Story Adjustments
The Witcher had the difficult task of trying to follow up on the Witcher book series. Those books left off on a note that seemed like a fairly decisive end for Geralt's journey, so the games were in a tough spot having to continue the story. This resulted in a narrative that got better as each game went on, though many of the concepts from the first game did not lead anywhere. CD Projekt Red could not have known how successful The Witcher series would be, so it resulted in much of the first game being pretty fragmented.
One character that is a focal point of The Witcher's story is Alvin, a child with magical powers that is a clear stand-in for Ciri - who book readers know is occupied with other things at the time of the game. There are some credible theories about Alvin among the fanbase that make them a more interesting character, but the game itself does not give enough time to develop him well. The Witcher Remake should add some more nuance to the character, and perhaps add some more support to these fan theories through extra quests and dialogue.
In general, The Witcher Remake could add a lot more emotional nuance to the story. The voice actors and quest designers were just getting to know these characters, so they did not have as much of a grasp on their emotions as in the second or third games. For example, there is a returning character from the books, Princess Adda, whom Geralt has helped before. Lifting her curse in the books was a huge moment for both characters, and should have had more impact in the games. It also does not help that the connection between these two characters is made creepy by being rewarded a "romance card" upon completion.
The Witcher Remake Should Overhaul Combat, But Keep Its Identity
The Witcher's combat differs greatly from other entries in the series, further making it a black sheep. While the other mainline games are standard action-RPGs, The Witcher uses different camera styles and three fighting stances to place an emphasis on the situational uses of Geralt's kit. However, this was not done with as much required input as the other games, so combat boils down to clicking the enemy in a certain stance until they die.
The Witcher Remake would ideally keep the different stances that set its original iteration apart, while also focusing more on engaging action. A similar comparison can be made to the Nioh games that use different stances to control the speed, power, and range of attacks while also letting the player control their character freely. By having The Witcher Remake utilize a similar combat style, it could still retain its identity while appealing to modern audiences.
The Witcher is a great game that often gets overshadowed by others in its series due to outdated systems. It is a game that's still worth playing for fans of the Witcher series, and hopefully The Witcher Remake is a good opportunity to introduce new players to the game's unique identity.
The Witcher Remake is in development.