We’re inching ever closer to joining Geralt and the rest again when The Witcher 3 Remastered is finally in our hands. It’s a game where every quest has something memorable to offer, even if it might be seemingly mundane on the surface. It’s one of the things that made us fall in love with The Continent, but some of those quests are more memorable than the others.
We’re sure you’ve got your favorites too, but here are our picks for the ones we’re going to make a beeline for when we start a new playthrough, just to see how things have changed with all that the remaster is bringing to the table. As always, we like to show our work and are happy to elaborate on why each one deserves a second look.
1. The Cave of Dreams
If you remember this one as vividly as we do. It’s probably already obvious why it’s among the places we’re eager to see the remaster work its magic on. The Skillige Isles are going to look beautiful with the remaster’s new lighting and everything else that’s coming, and the Cave of Dreams is definitely a great place to see it all come together.
Of course, it’s going to be a good idea to come there as part of the mission to assist Blueboy Lagos, which then has Geralt joining the lad and his men on an adventure involving some weird herbs and even weirder hallucinations. Of course, that ethereal blue whale is going to look even better when the light it gives off in a dark cave now comes with ray-traced effects that we can’t wait to see in action.
That isn’t even the only cool effect this one has, and seeing them all is definitely high on our list. Just as soon as we can scrape together the cash to take that ill-fated voyage to the Isles, that is.
2. The Possession
We still can’t believe we listened to Cerys the first time we played this one, and we still feel a touch of reluctance when we listen to her in “that” moment, even though we know her intentions are pure, and that everything’s okay.
But the choice with the oven isn’t the only reason that this is one quest we can’t wait to see the remaster bring to life. Cerys is a great travel buddy for starters, and her efforts to help Jarl Udalryk break free of the Hym definitely have a lot of appeal, without even considering the importance it has to events in Skillige. It also takes us across a lovely portion of the islands, and even a bit of diving. It’s a great opportunity to see the new visuals in action while also getting a good look at how things have improved underwater.
It’s also an opportunity to try the combat system’s improvements on an enemy that’s quite nasty to deal with if you happen to choose the witcher’s way when asked how you’d like to deal with it. And yet, we know we’re going to do as Cerys asks yet again.
3. The Lord of Undvik
You’ve probably thought of a few giant reasons to take this one on, and we can tell you you’re right. With all of the new graphical goodies that the remaster is bringing to the table, you can bet that we’re going to be grabbing as many shots of Octo’s ship as we can, the snow around it being gently lit up by the sun’s rays.
The icy areas that this one takes you to are definitely a great place to see the new ray/path tracing systems in action while taking in views that showcase the harsh conditions and ethereal beauty of Skellige, a contrast that has worked well even in the past. The search for Hjalmar and the eventual fight with that giant are also reasons we’re doing this one right after we meet an’ Crate for the first time.
The Dorve Ruins themselves are reason enough to give this one a shot as soon as you can, and there’s also the matter of that sweet discount you net from all of Skillege’s merchants if things go according to plan.
4. Contract: The Phantom of Eldberg
That nasty enitent is definitely among the harder wraiths to bring down, but the island we fight it on is definitely a good place for the remaster to flex its muscles. There’s that lighthouse, for starters, as well as the fog that comes from a place that’s been taken over by wraiths.
There’s also all that business with Mikkjal, the lighthouse keeper, to contend with, but we’re quite well-versed at getting the man to spill his secrets by this point. We’re definitely going into the lighthouse for that incriminating document after all, but we must admit we’re also doing it for the view, which was already incredible to begin with.
The remaster’s new visuals are sure to give that specific scene a lot of new polish, while the Penitent fight should let us test our mettle against a deadly foe with the new combat improvements- a fight that could let us enjoy ourselves until Mikkjal lights the lighthouse’s fire.
5. Where the Cat and Wolf Play…
The remaster’s improvements are sure to bring the gruesome scene that we discover as Geralt to life in ways that make a visit to Honorton worthwhile. We’re already squemish at the thought of how the extensive damage that a bunch of necrophages can do is going to be presented to us. It was horrifying enough in the original release, and the team behind it is sure to have grinned at the thought of giving it more detail.
Of course, the fight with Geatan is going to be a major draw in bringing us back to this one. Fighting a fellow Witcher, and one from the agile Cat School no less, is a good way to see how the new combat additions can change the way you approach it. Perhaps the new chain could help keep Gaetan at bay long enough for us to bring him down.
Just remember not to let him drink his potion before the fight, even if he asks nicely. Fool us once and all that.
6. In the Heart of the Woods
The story’s going to bring us to this one anyway, but it’s still a quest that we can’t wait to revisit in the remaster. The Woodland Spirit’s eerie presence in Fayrlund is among the most memorable quest chains in the game, and its narrative significance cannot be understated, given how the Crones essentially paint a target on its back and send a Geralt-shaped missile its way.
Granted, the way this one exposes just how bleak life can get in The Continent, although we’d argue subsequent missions you take on in the quest chain make things a whole lot worse. However, the Woodland Spirit’s eerie hideout, the search for the right horse, and all the visual effects that come with the ritual to set it free,, if you so choose, are all reasons we’re going to rush to get started with this one.
That getting there requires meeting and engaging with the Bloody Baron’s questline is just icing on the cake.
7. Master Armorers
Yoana’s definitely among the more interesting blacksmiths we’ve met in our travels across the worlds of fantasy titles, and helping her one-up her overbearing boss is a victory in and of itself. That we get to have a conveniently located master armorer is also an incentive to get started with this one sooner rather than later if you’re on a new playthrough.
But all of those reasons melt away when we think of where Clan Tordarroch Forge is located. It just so happens to be where The Lord of Undvik takes place, which is an already beautiful part of the Skillge Islands, and is thus a conveniently placed location for an objective that lets you complete two great quests.
The forge itself carries an air of desolation, a sad reminder of Yoanna’s people’s former glory, but those tools are as dependable as ever in the right hands. We can’t wait to do all of this again, and check out any new details on the armor she eventually crafts for us.
8. Of Swords and Dumplings
Yoanna’s a great blacksmith to have in Velen, but what of other places in The Continent? The aptly named Hattori is definitely among the finest blacksmiths around, although convincing him to come out of his self-imposed retirement is a bit of a journey on its own.
The chance to stick it to organized crime is definitely a part of this one’s allure, as is the opportunity to have yet another master blacksmith in our debt, and one who makes some really fine weapons at that! The swords Hattori eventually gives us are also great reasons to dive into this one, and have them at hand to see how they fit into any new systems around gear, and the revamped approach to builds that the remaster is bringing.
Having an ally who can craft all the weapons we could need is definitely a plus.
9. The Volunteer
If The Witcher 3 Remastered is your first time with the game, this is one to remember and worth revisiting. The story of the Redanian soldiers and the peasants’ boats is a tragic one, a story that shows it’s often the ones who are left behind who suffer the effects of a conflict.
If you’re already a veteran of this quest, you know what we’re talking about and have probably already made a note to pick up the red paint from Oxenfurt. Either way, it isn’t a playthrough of The Witcher 3 without a meeting with the titular volunteer of this quest.
10. King’s Gambit
This one’s narrative significance is definitely a good reason to dive into it, especially since we’ve already spoken at length about finishing the quests that precede it. But we’re especially interested in following all the different trails that Geralt’s investigation sends him tracking in this one, their lingering effects now coming with the remaster’s magic to make it all look and feel all the more immersive.
We’re certainly tempted to skip over the way this one ends, though. We’re no fans of Birna’s arrogance ourselves, but man, this one ends on a bleak note. But that’s just life in Skillege. We could just side with Hjalmar, though.
Whatever we decide, this one’s got a lot of fighting to do, and a bevy of combat improvements to test out while doing so!
And there you have it. These are our picks for the quest’s were running straight to, either on foot or with Roach, or by boat carrying us there. You’ve obviously guessed that we love stormy islands with icy mountains in our games from this one, and we’d say that such places are the best ones to enjoy a dose of current-gen goodness on a beloved classic
We’ll see you on The Path pretty soon!
