Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales Reviews

I wish I could say this game is good all the way until the end, but the final bossfight on bonebreaker difficulty is a frustrating mess and a half. The worst thing is that you as the player don't get to have additional resources to try a different setup.

Absolutely fantastic game. Took a while for me to get into it but once i did it was hard to put down. The puzzles are very creative.

Great storytelling and a fun, but challenging PVE version of modern Gwent.

A queen’s war — with cards, choices, and consequences. Thronebreaker blends emotional storytelling with tactical card-based combat in the Witcher universe. It’s more than a spin-off — it’s a full RPG experience with depth, heart, and unforgettable moments. 🟢 + Rich, branching narrative 🟢 + Memorable protagonist (Meve is a beast) 🟢 + Smart puzzles & card battles 🟢 + Beautiful art and voice acting 🔴 – Not ideal if you dislike card mechanics (but give it a chance!) 10/10 – A criminally underrated Witcher masterpiece.

Super story with hard decisions to make. It has some really hard moral problems with what to do (usually choosing a punishment for someone) and I haven't seen in other games such a difficult choices.

If you're looking for a game that shows off what this medium can achieve as an art form, Thronebreaker does so impeccably well. Interweaving the story with its gameplay mechanics, Thronebreaker achieves a certain level of player immersion that is rarely seen. Set in the original Witcher saga, Thronebreaker takes heed to not only pay homage to the books, but also add much appreciated lore that ties the games in. This game respects the source material as much as Witcher 2, more so than Witcher 3, and adds much more flavor to what was and what it tries to be, than Witcher 1. That's to say, this game stands as a testament to what made the books and the games amazing, while standing as its own standalone addition to the world of the Witcher. Choices not only matter, but cascade to haunt you later on; and through its interwoven story/gameplay, you actively feel the repercussions of your actions. Not only do I believe that this is the best written of the Witcher games (dialogue, characters), it holds the crown for the best voice acting in the series. (Possibly even the best music) While so far I have been making statements that may seem baseless (as I've given no examples), it can be hard to discuss the great achievements this game makes through the medium and world it lives through, without ruining what makes it great. As if you ask an author of a book what they have to say about their own book, they might tell you to read it and see for yourself. I urge you to do the same here. For Witcher fans, this seems like a perfect present for the ones who love the world; its harshness, the wickedness and the love that is found in it. (Especially the choices that need to be made). While the books and games speak of the depravities that humans can accomplish, having a critical theme even being that some humans are truly the monsters, and not the literal beast. This series never fails to bring joyous, sad, melancholic, emboldened tears to my eyes. It is as much about the dark, than it is about the light in the world. While it maturely never shies away from topics of hate, prejudice, war, savagery, consequence, justice and morality. It makes sure humor, love, friendship, family, admiration, dedication and the power of being true to one self shines true with the same harsh maturity. For any Witcher fans who love the idea of Witchers as a concept, as in the art of culling monsters for coin. This game stands to give nothing of renown in that respect. For fans who love Geralt and other main characters from the books or games, this game doesn't give much, if anything regarding them. (If you know you know) Impeccable Writing, visuals, sound and ludonarrative. But what about gameplay ? Here is where the impasse might occur. This is a card game, plain and simple; you gather cards, you build a deck and you play that deck to achieve a certain objective. Added over that is a walking sim, plain and simple; you move around, picking stuff up. That's it. Other than your input when making choices, that's as much control as the game gives you. With respect to being thorough, there's also the exploration. In any given map, you're able to choose where to head (leading inevitably to the same place). Through your exploration, the world you inhabit becomes more familiar, you learn more about it through side exploration/quests. It's hand built, and never feels like a slog while walking around; This aspect of the game falls more into the story and world building of the game, held up by the amazing visuals. Card puzzles are found around the map, they use different rule sets and objectives, and shine as being the most uniquely interesting thing the card mechanic achieves (Building decks is still fun and detailed enough to keep keen players engaged). While some might tell you that you can put the game on easy mode, and skip any battles you don't feel like doing (you can still do that of course). The game will be held back because of it. And not because "You're playing the game wrong actually", but as there's an integral connection between the gameplay and the story/world/plot, you will feel a disconnection; the game might in turn, not hit as profoundly in many moments. Something to keep in mind. In regards to any technical issues, I played the entire game on Steamdeck. It ran perfectly capped at 45 fps in order to last up to 4+ hours. Frames drop occasionally in battles after certain animations. Another thing to keep in mind is that this game auto saves after every choice, and does not give you any way to reload saves. You can manually save when you quit, and the game does save while exploring, but you have no control on rollbacks. This might be a nice way to segue back to the story, as this choice by CDPR is admirable. The game wants you to truly feel the consequences of your actions, to live with them for the rest of your story. These choices affect the world around you yes, but notably the characters are found at the center of these choices. While most things will haunt you throughout your game, giving or removing opportunities, affecting your desired choices and making you feel the weight of the emotions that come with the given circumstances. The incredibly developed, voiced and presented characters seem to be the conduit to which the game tries to respond to your choices. Its reactivity mirrors that of real people, with their own objectives, beliefs, passion and humanity. To learn more about what that means, you'll need to play the game. To exhaust this topic to a sane level, I wish to also preface that no choices are beyond the reach of possibility for the character you inhabit. They make sense either or, but they're never simple. While you might hear that CDPR loves morally grey choices (It's still true). Any given choice in this game, however difficult to make, stretches the boundaries of your own beliefs; to see if you're able to make the hard choices. To say this game tests your moral fabric is to say a lot in it's name, but it isn't necessarily wrong. You will do evils in search of your own ends, and you will have your reasoning. But in all cases, if not most, it is not a question of whether the means justify the ends, but what ends are you fighting for. Do you value Justice ? Revenge ? Compassion ? Empathy ? Logic ? This game doesn't ask whether you would or wouldn't do evil things to achieve something (you will have to eventually). It asks; what are the things you're willing to do evil deeds for ? It then lets you bask in that world, in the essence of the consequences. I really love this game (I'm still debating whether it is better than the Witcher 2/3 (Witcher 3 is probably still better unfrotunatly)). The characters the game lets you explore and learn about, the themes and choices. It all comes together in such a wonderful way. While games are made to a certain degree for entertainment, they're a form of art. This game scratches a primordial itch; Being a piece of art about humanity, while being entertaining through simple and complex layers. Every joyous grin with tears that I felt while playing this game, the ones that made me love humanity and being human even more, I'll cherish them, and thank the game for letting me experience them in such a beautiful way.

Magnificent game really. Not many card games out there with beautiful illustration and rich lore. Many puzzles and challenges, with some being so stupid and hard and others being entertaining and easy. The hardest puzzles are in the first map of the game which is weird. You should let players understand the games mechanics well before slapping them with hardcore fights. I only struggled in the first map and in the final battle on the hardest difficulty but it took me time to understand the cards. 7/10

Sadly the gameplay loop is not engaging enough. The battles are far too easy even on the highest difficulty and everything turns into a slog since you're winning every round with a few hundred points. it's essentially a visual novel with extra tedious steps

Pretty shitty version of Gwent, with lots of running around gathering loot and solving idiotic puzzle fights no one asked for. What's up with "rewarding" the player with useless avatar borders and multiplayer cards, in the singleplayer story??

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is an ambitious blend of card-based strategy and narrative-driven RPG from CD Projekt Red. While the game has many strong points, it is not without its drawbacks. Positive Aspects - Engaging Story The story of Thronebreaker immerses you in a world of politics and war, filled with moral dilemmas. Every choice matters, making the narrative captivating and deep. - Visuals and Atmosphere The graphics are stunning. Each location is meticulously designed, and the art style creates a unique atmosphere. The musical score perfectly complements the experience. - Interesting Card Mechanics The card game battles provide enjoyment through strategic analysis and thoughtful moves. Exploring the cards and interacting with them adds depth to the gameplay. Negative Aspects - Slow Pace The gameplay imposes a slow pace on the player, which can lead to a loss of interest. Some players may feel that the stories are overly drawn out. - Limited Replayability While the game offers many choices, replayability can quickly become routine, as many plot options repeat. This may disappoint those hoping for a significant amount of new events. - Card System Needs Balancing Some cards and mechanics might feel unbalanced in certain situations, which can frustrate players looking for fairness in strategy. Conclusion Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a worthy experience for fans of the series and lovers of narrative-driven games. However, the slow pace and limited replayability may disappoint some. That’s actually disappointed me at some point. Nevertheless, if you are ready to delve into a world of political intrigue and strategic planning, the game is worth your time. It is recommended to try it, but be prepared for certain drawbacks.