The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past Feels Like Embracing an Old Friend After Many Years Apart

At Gamescom, I sat down with CD Projekt Red for a behind-closed-doors look at The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, the all-new expansion being introduced a whopping 11 years after the game’s initial release. While a developer played the game, I saw 45 minutes of content unfold from the expansion, getting a glimpse of the new region, some quests, and some of the fresh combat elements.

Having been a die-hard Witcher fan for many years and having poured around 800 hours into The Witcher 3 (and all associated expansions), I found myself pulled by the heartstrings into Songs of the Past. In a way, it was like coming home after an extremely long voyage, welcomed by a warm, comfortable feeling of familiarity and quiet reassurance that you’re back where you were always meant to be.

Songs of the Past Represents The Future

In Songs of the Past, Geralt of Rivia, the retired witcher extraordinaire, is pulled back into action following a family drama at Dandelion’s home in Letten. This beautiful, rural location boasts expansive vistas, gorgeous waterways, and a countryside reminiscent of Poland and England, but it’s hiding dark and threatening secrets.

We quickly learn that Dandelion, the beloved bard and Geralt’s best friend in the world, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and it’s up to the Butcher of Blaviken himself and Dandelion’s cousin to track him down.

In the preview I saw, things quickly turn awry, with Geralt running into new monsters, such as the ‘Swarmion’, and a fearsome boss character, the Slumbering Knight. Fortunately, age hasn’t dulled his blade, and he’s as spry as ever. He’s also rocking some new equipment, such as the unbelievably impressive ‘chain hook’ tool.

From the moment the preview went live, I was hearing and seeing things that I haven’t experienced for many years. The unmistakable sound of a quest starting, Geralt’s gravelly yet dulcet tones, and the familiar visage of Roach, Geralt’s other faithful companion.

But as this section suggests, Songs of the Past is indicative of the future. That’s because the entire thing will play out on The Witcher 3’s Remastered upgrade. This was revealed by CD Projekt Red at the Opening Night Live showcase, and it’s set to be the single biggest update in the game’s decade-long history.

I saw the update firsthand, and I can attest to the sheer quality of the thing. The animations, the skill tree system, the lighting, the audio, how combat plays out, the UI, the ray-tracing mechanics… Everything has been impacted by this overhaul, and it will easily feel like the game has a new lease on life.

I mean, Songs of the Past would have been perfect even without the update, but paired with it, you’ve got something that should feel worthy of even more awards than the game has already won.

If you’ve played the Blood and Wine expansion, I’ll stress that Songs of the Past feels reminiscent of that. You’re presented with a never-before-visited location that introduces a new visual palette, deep story, side activities, and umpteen opportunities for exploration. It’s as full-fledged a literal expansion as you could have hoped for, and seeing Geralt in action again feels phenomenal, even with the finality of Blood and Wine’s ending.

I can’t say yet if Songs of the Past will lead into The Witcher 4, which is everyone’s expectation, but I’m holding out hope that it will. It’s the perfect opportunity for CD Projekt Red to bridge that gap and officially pass the torch.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s Remastered update drops at the end of September, but if you want Songs of the Past, you’ll need to wait until next year. Are you looking forward to this expansion? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.

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