Summary
The Witcher 4has shocked fans across the world with the reveal of its next main character: Cirilla of Cintra.Ciri has become a full-fledged Witcherand has inherited her surrogate father’s character and convictions. Besides the obvious similarities that might appear between the previous games in the franchise and this new title, thereare bound to be some critical differences.
In this list, we will discuss various reasonswhyThe Witcher 4will not be like any other game in the franchise.The most notorious one, of course, will be the absence of Geralt as the main character, but that is not the only thing that’s going to change. Silver and steel swords ready, let’s dive into what’s going to change in the next iteration of the IP that put CD Projekt Red on the map.
6A Return To The Basics Of The Witcher
The Northern Realms Vs. Nilfgaard Is No More
After years of war between the Northern Realms and Nilfgaard, things finally settled up after the defeat of Emhyr Vaar Emrheis during the end-game events ofThe Witcher 3. That is, of course, if players choose the ending where Ciri turns against her biological father and sticks with Geralt for good. It all seems to point to this idea since the conclusion of the previous trilogy was about Ciri resuming her Witcher training in the company of her foster father.
In the trailer, we see a more mature, strong, and Witcher-y Cirilla, and that means that she went ahead with the Trial of the Herbs (Grasses in the American version) and even uses the Silver Chain that Geralt uses to fight the Striga. Things aremoving away from the war-ridden country narrativeand more into a world where superstition is causing trouble for commoners more than the monsters themselves. There is also a stronger emphasis on the morals of being a Witcher, which is the true nature of Sapkowski’s original works.
5A New Worldbuilding Focus Built Over The Author’s Work
So Many Places To Find, So Many Dark Secrets To Unearth
With a huge map created by Sapkowski, the worldbuilding ofThe Witcherholds a lot of surprises for players to explore. Many areas in the three games starring Geralt of Rivia were unavailable to explore. From Kaedwen to Kovir, from Cintra to NIlfgaard, and beyond, there are many more places that need some show-and-tell than just Temeria, Aedirn, and Skellige (and later, Touissant).
With so many possibilities for places to explore and the potential behind Unreal Engine 5, the worldbuilding focus of the game may be nurtured by the author’s work, building from all that culture-rich writing, and then polishing it using next-gen game development tools. It is a chance for CD Projekt Red to shine one again, and they likely won’t disappoint their fans.
4A Familiar Face As Main Character
Something Old, Something New, Something Blue?
All the fans ofThe Witcherbook series know that the entirety of Sapkowski’s work is not only focused on Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher. It is about the bond between him, a Child of Surprise, and her ward, a runaway princess who has also been bound to him by the same arcane law. It is truly wonderful how Sapkowski built the story around three different prophecies: A true prophecy about the end of the world proclaimed by Ithlinne, a fake prophecy created by the human mages to control the monarchs and their offspring, and an ancient magic in the shape of a promise that becomes a self-fulfilled prophecy in the form of an unbreakable bound.
Therefore, when Ciri becomes the protagonist ofThe Witcher 4,it is not only about “a change of main character,” but about fate claiming what is right; a fulfillment of a promise. To think all the events started with a Witcher saving a cursed exiled noble (also bound by the Law of Surprise) and mocking destiny and being instantly slapped in the face by that very same powerful force.Cirilla of Cintra, the Witcher of a new generation, is the consequence of a narrative that has been constructed over more than three decades of exhaustive work.
3A New Witcher School
The Dawn Of A New Age For Monster Hunters
As was revealed in the trailer, and since the events of the past game led to the destruction of the Wolf school, Ciri will have to rebuild from scratch, and as the new representative of this generation’s Witchers, it makes sense that she starts her own school. Some say it will be called School of The Lynx, but this is associated with fan fiction and not any original work from CD Projekt Red or the author of the books. However, as things stand right now, and there are some vague clues in the teaser about the Medallion being not a Wolf, but a Lynx.It all points towards something like that.
The truth is that there’s a high chance for Ciri to be the leader of a new Witcher School, with Geralt as mentor, and Yenneffer/Triss as resident mages. Keira Metz went away with Lambert, so it is very possible they may be trying to create their own Witcher school as well. However, there’s also the possibility of various Witchers from stray schools gathering around Ciri to construct a new shared home. We will have to wait and see, but the reformation of the order as the main narrative is right there in plain sight. That’s a given.
2A New Game Design Perspective
Combat Was Already Fast-Paced, But Now It’s Going To Be Brutal
With the power of Unreal Engine 5, the possibility of the nextWitchergame reaching a new level of fast-paced combat with incredible visuals is ripe for the taking.The Witcher 3’scombat was fast, realistic, unapologetic, and bloody. With the dawn of a new age for action RPGs, with Soulslike leading the charge, there’s a high chance thatThe Witcher 4will also follow the same guidelines.
With the trailer showcasing Ciri’s combat style as being quite similar to Geralt’s but with a more personal imprint, it will be obvious that some gameplay features will revolve around her Magic powers. Witcher signs on one side, swordsmanship on the other, and Source magic as a third skill-tree, perhaps. If the devs tap into the potential ofThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntas a revolutionary RPG, and follow up with a more modern perspective, thenThe Witcher 4will do great, potentially even surpassing expectations.
1A New Game Engine
Needless To Say, The Game Is Going To Look Very Different
The Witcher 4is going to look much, much darker than its predecessor. The Soulslike vibes can be felt miles away, but there’s also a chance for a more detailed and in-depth treatment of the dark fantasy world created by Sapkowski. The potential behind the Polish author’s worldbuilding shouldn’t be wasted by the level designers and artists at CD Projekt Red, who have a lot of fabric to cut from.
When CD Projekt started, the world ofThe Witcherdidn’t look as bright and colorful as when playershit the roads of Touissant duringBlood and Wine.But from 2007 to 2026 there was nearly 20 years of game development experience accumulated.The Witcher 4has all it needs to shine as a next-gen action RPG and as a great excuse for explorer players to lose themselves in new and wondrous virtual landscapes. Those expecting to see more of Gors Velen, Skellige, and the rest of the Northern Realms might be disappointed, but those eagerly waiting to explore the rest of The Road are going to have a blast.
