Witcher 3 Remastered looks worse than original fans say
The release of a side-by-side comparison clip featuring The Witcher 3 and its upcoming remaster has ignited a lively debate among fans, pitting nostalgic expectations against bleeding-edge visual technology. While the remaster boasts impressive graphical upgrades, the reaction suggests that some players found the visual evolution less than ideal.
The clip, which showcases Geralt casting Igni on a group of drowners in the swamp, offered a stark visual contrast. Although the remaster delivered much greater detail, particularly in Geralt’s armor and the definition of the water, the resulting reflections proved to be a point of contention among the community.
The core of the discussion revolved around the implementation of ray tracing. This advanced rendering technique is what separates the remaster from the original, and it directly accounts for the noticeable shifts in the environment. In the original game, the fire reflected in the brackish water was a simple orange-ish blur. In the remaster, the ray tracing introduced deeper, more complex light interactions, which resulted in a different atmospheric look.
Differences in environment design were equally apparent. The way the fog manifested in the two versions also varies significantly. Where the original featured defined clouds of fog floating above the ground, the remaster opted for a more atmospheric approach to the distant haze, fundamentally altering the mood of the swamp.
Some viewers felt that despite the technical advancements, the visual results were divisive. One user noted that while the game added ray tracing, it seemed to result in inferior water reflections, fog effects, and even some armor textures in certain areas, suggesting that the remaster didn’t necessarily deliver a superior look.
The disagreements ranged from technical scrutiny to outright skepticism. One observer questioned whether the footage had been swapped, pointing out that the new drowners looked wetter while the original characters appeared more scaly or mucky. This highlights how intensely visual fidelity impacts perception.
For players who are wary of these visual changes, there are options available. On PC, users can roll back to earlier build versions, offering a way to revert to a preferred visual state. Furthermore, players can manage their updates by turning off automatic updates if they wish to avoid certain changes. For those planning to upgrade, the good news is that save data will carry over seamlessly when the remaster is released.
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