Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
| Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio |
 CD project RED
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| Publisher |
CD project RED
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| Erstveröffent- lichung |
Windows: October 23, 2018 PS4, Xbox One: December 4, 2018 Switch: January 28, 2020 |
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| platform |
Windows Xbox One PlayStation 4 Nintendo Switch |
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| Game engine | Unity | ||
| genre | RPG , trading card game | ||
| Subject | Fantasy | ||
| Game mode | Single player | ||
| control | Gamepad, or mouse and keyboard | ||
| medium | Download | ||
| language | Language and text in German, among others | ||
| Age rating |
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Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a computer role-playing game released in 2018 by the Polish developer CD Projekt RED . Originally announced in August 2017 as a paid single-player campaign for the computer card game Gwent: The Witcher Card Game , CD Projekt RED abandoned these plans and announced Thronebreaker as a standalone game in August 2018. There is a strong focus on the plot of the role-playing game, although the battles in the game are fought using Gwent cards. These are not based on the beta version by Gwent, but on the homecoming update of the card game that was released at the same time .
The game was released for PC on October 23, 2018 via GOG.com , versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One followed on December 4, 2018. On January 28, 2020, a version for the Nintendo Switch was also released. The game is an offshoot of The Witcher series, which is based on the Geralt saga by the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski .
Gameplay
As a character you steer Queen Meve, as the embodiment of her army, from an isometric perspective through a hand-drawn world, such as the war-torn realms of Lyria and Rivia or the dwarf fortress Mahakam. You collect raw materials and hold conversations in only partially animated, but fully voiced, still images. The serious plot, for which the same writers as for The Witcher 3 were responsible, is given a lot of space, with immediate or later noticeable consequences. Depending on the choices made, Thronebreaker offers 30 different endings. One decides, for example, whether to have traitors or spies executed or pardoned or to give a lynch mob a free hand. These decisions make themselves felt in the game world.
If conflicts arise in the game, with an enemy army, robber gangs or monsters, the following fight is fought using a Gwent card game. Thronebreaker offers three levels of difficulty, whereby the fights or card games can also be skipped if the player only wants to focus on the action. The Gwent games are based on the homecoming update, i.e. with only two rows of cards, changed values and effects, and the new animated playing field. In addition to simple duels, there are often riddles and puzzles, comparable to the Mahakam beer festival or the Saovine festival from the Gwent Beta, which require a well-considered approach. These puzzles were praised as being quite complex and demanding.
New maps have been created for Thronebreaker . Free playable cards can also be used for Gwent. The playing time is given as around 25 to 30 hours.
action
The storyline is set before the first The Witcher game and deals with the Second Northern War, with the Northern Kingdoms fighting off an invasion of the mighty Nilfgaard Empire. As a player you slip into the role of Meve, Queen of Lyria and Rivia. Meve, the attractive but quick-tempered and strict ruler, enjoys the affection of her people. In the turmoil of the enemy invasion, she tries to lead her people, visits war-torn cities and lands and confronts Nilfgaard.
reception
| Magazine / website | Rating |
|---|---|
| GameStar | 83% |
| PC Games | 82% |
| Metacritic | 86% |
| 4players | 80% |
| IGN | 9.4 out of 10 |
| GameSpot | 9 of 10 |
| M! Games | 86% |
“Although I didn't expect a full-fledged role-playing game in Witcher format from Thronebreaker, the first moments felt a little disappointing: Art design and voice output provide a good atmosphere and audiobook charm from the first click, but it has simple exploration and collection I didn't like it at first. Fortunately, the story attracts so much at the latest on the second map that Thronebreaker finally really captivated me! This is not only due to his successful characters and exciting twists, but also to his well-written, often tricky decisions - that's where you can feel the handwriting of CD Projekt! The nicely staged card fights and varied puzzles also entertained me well. "
“Thronebreaker does the almost impossible for me: It creates epic battles and adventures in my head, even though I only put abstract cards on a table. But CD Projekt interweaves characters, stories, rules, game worlds and… well… cards in such a virtuoso manner that I have the most insane mental cinema. (...) In the genre of trading card games, I have never experienced such high-quality and detailed production quality. Yes, Thronebreaker has some weaknesses, especially when it comes to balancing. Nevertheless, it shouldn't be missed by anyone who likes exciting fantasy stories - even if Gwent has so far only had little to do with. "
“Instead of releasing a small extension for Gwent, CD Projekt RED presents a full-fledged tactical role-playing game for soloists, the epic story of which was recorded in German for over 25 hours, including all dialogues. In addition, there are decisions with consequences that have a noticeable effect. Even if the collection of wood, gold and recruits annoyed me at some point, (...) the art designers of the Poles did an excellent job: The game world looks just great, the cards are wonderfully animated. It is even more important that the game mechanics based on Gwent offer so much demand and variety that you always come across pleasant puzzle situations. And deck building is fun too! Anyone who likes trading card games, fantasy in general or, of course, The Witcher in particular, will be really entertained. "
Web links
- Official website
- Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales at Metacritic (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.gamepro.de/artikel/gwent-the-witcher-card-game-release-der-singleplayer-kampagne-auf-2018-verschoben,3322620.html
- ↑ http://www.pcgames.de/Gwent-The-Witcher-Card-Game-Spiel-57346/News/rollenspiel-kartenspiel-cd-projekt-red-thronebreaker-1264035/
- Jump up ↑ https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/gwent-und-thronebreaker-the-witcher-tales-release-atum-haben-fest,3334835.html
- ↑ Jörg Luibl: Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales - Test, Tactics & Strategy. In: 4players.de . January 29, 2020, accessed January 29, 2020 .
- ↑ http://www.pcgames.de/Thronebreaker-The-Witcher-Tales-Spiel-61961/Tests/Review-Kartenspiel-Story-RPG-1268078/
- ↑ http://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PC-CDROM/Test/39051/83430/1/Thronebreaker_The_Witcher_Tales.html
- ↑ http://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PC-CDROM/Test/39051/83430/0/Thronebreaker_The_Witcher_Tales.html
- ↑ https://www.gamestar.de/spiele/thronebreaker-the-witcher-tales,evaluation,13550,9339.html
- ↑ http://www.pcgames.de/Thronebreaker-The-Witcher-Tales-Spiel-61961/Tests/Review-Kartenspiel-Story-RPG-1268078/
- ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/thronebreaker-the-witcher-tales
- ↑ http://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/Allgemein/39051/2178546/Thronebreaker_The_Witcher_Tales-Taktik-Rollenspiel_fuer_Solisten_auf_PC_veroeffentlicht.html
- ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/10/23/thronebreaker-the-witcher-tales-review
- ↑ https://www.gamespot.com/thronebreaker-the-witcher-tales/
- ↑ M! Games , issue 304, January 2019, page 75
- ↑ http://www.pcgames.de/Thronebreaker-The-Witcher-Tales-Spiel-61961/Tests/Review-Kartenspiel-Story-RPG-1268078/
- ↑ https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/thronebreaker-the-witcher-tales-gute-karten-fuer-rollenspieler,3336039,fazit.html
- ↑ http://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht_fazit/PC-CDROM/Test/Fazit_WANY/PC-CDROM/39051/83430/Thronebreaker_The_Witcher_Tales.html
