The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
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CD Projekt RED's new open-world RPG title, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, was released for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 19 May, 2015. In 2014, fans had been treated to a number of rumours and leaks with regard to the game, leading them to believe that Witcher 3 will indeed be one of the games to look out for in 2015. And so far, it's safe to say, we haven't been let down.

With the release of Wild hunt, fans are set to receive as many as 16 free DLCs, including Temerian Armor, a Beard and Hairstyle Set, and a new Contract to complete the Missing Miners. The Expansion Pass itself, sold separately, contains two new adventures: Hearts of Stone, and Blood and Wine.

But, since this is the biggest Witcher open-world till date, there's a lot to see and do in the world, and you may require a bit of help moving around. Here's a list of tips for the game that will assist you in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt:

  • Geralt's weapons and gear are open to sustaining damage from overuse, but that shouldn't be that big a problem since your overhead HUD will inform you about the state of your weapons. However, to repair anything, you'll need to hire a smith. If a smith is unavailable, you can buy weapon and armour repair kits.
  • Travelling via a boat is the best way to traverse across large water bodies in no time, although it must be noted that these vessels can still be damaged and are susceptible to sinking.
  • Geralt carries two different swords all the time. He will wield the steel sword against humans and creatures, while the silver sword is for monsters. Geralt will automatically draw the sword that matches his nearest opponent. As expected, swords will also deteriorate over time and repairs will be needed to maintain them.
  • Geralt's horse Roach will help you cover long distances across the world. You can call the horse by pressing X on PC and L3 (the Left Analog Stick), for both the PS4 and Xbox One. Geralt is able to mount Roach even when the horse is in motion, and is available almost all the time. However, keep in mind that Roach also has a Stamina bar that will deplete whenever the animal is sprinting.
  • You can gather materials to craft different kinds of bombs, helpful against large number of enemies and monsters. There's the Dragon's Dream bomb that will unleash a cloud of flammable gas which, when ignited, will set enemies on fire. You can even upgrade it to blow up enemies. Apart from that, there's also the Northern Wind bomb that can freeze enemies.
  • When exploring villages, keep a lookout for Notice Boards to learn more about the world. You will also be able to accept some of the game's Secondary Quests via the Notice Boards.
  • Make use of Geralt's Witcher Sense to track monsters and find hidden objects (even clues) in the environment. The Witcher Sense will help you complete a number of quests in the game. To activate Witcher Senses, just press and hold the Right Mouse Button for PC, L2 for the PlayStation 4 and Left Trigger for Xbox One.
  • When engaging an enemy, note that Vitality, Stamina and Level will appear above that person or creature's head. This informs you about your opponent's overall strength. For instance, enemies susceptible to Silver Sword damage will have silver-coloured Vitality. Similarly, if the opponent's level is red (or displayed as a skull), know that it will be a tough fight. There's also a white-coloured level that stands for a weak opponent.
  • Like most other games in the genre, Geralt is open to collecting varied loot from around the world. However, that doesn't mean he can carry loot as per his whims. Geralt can hold up to 60 units of weight on him at any given time. The heavier the loot, the slower he will become. But you can still store loot with Roach. You can buy Saddle Bags from merchants for added space.
  • Geralt can cast as many as five unique signs, as per his strategic requirement. While Yrden will slow enemies down, Igni will set them on fire. Apart from that, there's Aard that lets Geralt throw telekinetic energy blasts toward opponents. It can even be used to break weak objects and extinguish fires. Axii will confuse enemies and may turn the wheel in Geralt's favor, and finally, Quen helps produce a shield that temporarily protects him from damage.
  • While the Witcher 3 offers quite the massive open-world (30pct more than that of Skyrim), it still is possible to cover ground faster with the help of Portals. Geralt can activate Portals, with the help of which he can travel to different areas in the world.

[Source: Prima Games]