The Witcher and Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings hold shorter storylines and linear gameplay for the trilogy that doesn’t overly affect The Witcher 3.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is considered one of the greatest open-world fantasy RPGs of the modern gaming age, but some may wonder if playing the first two games of the trilogy is necessary. It’s not unusual for later titles in the game series to become far more popular than previous installments, leaving many fans torn on whether to complete the whole series or jump in at the end. The Witcher has received a recent boost in popularity thanks to the Netflix series based on the original novels, drawing more fans than ever to the books and games. Unfortunately, some fans may be too wrapped up in the hype to realize that playing the first two games isn’t necessary to enjoy the third.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt focuses on the last chapter of Geralt of Rivia’s written tale, culminating several games’ worth of decisions and consequences. Players control Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher from the School of the Wolf, and confront a mystical force known as the Wild Hunt. Alongside popular characters from the books and TV show, players must navigate a sprawling open world to hunt monsters, protect innocents, and achieve their destiny. The Witcher 3 is undoubtedly the greatest game in the trilogy, but Geralt’s story begins two games back in a less-than-ideal fantasy RPG.
Unfortunately, players who go through The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt without completing previous games will miss some elements of the story. Those that wish to experience Geralt’s full story may have no choice other than to play through the previous titles or watch playthroughs on YouTube. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt doesn’t provide much information concerning the events of past games, leaving players to read various texts scattered throughout the world and make conclusions from context clues and dialogue. Thankfully, The Witcher 3’s moral decisions aren’t that convoluted, with invading armies and villains making themselves more obvious than at points in the past. Since most choices defer to the player’s opinions and wants, the first two games aren’t entirely necessary to play through.
The Witcher released back in 2007 and explored a time when amnesia overcame Geralt, leaving the Witcher with no sense of who or what he was. Accompanied by Triss Merigold and assisted by his fellow witchers, Geralt travels throughout Temeria to discover a cure for his affliction and find the thieves that attacked Kaer Morhen. Players aren’t given much freedom during the game, as its progression is far more linear than Witcher 3, but provides entertaining main quests. Unfortunately, The Witcher is bogged down by dull moments that drag the gameplay down and slow the story. Several gameplay systems and mechanics have also aged poorly in the intervening years, restricting players to the type of Witcher they can play along with dictating combat styles. As a result, The Witcher isn’t the greatest first experience players can have with the franchise, and may cause some players to quit long before they reach the third game.
Only one event in The Witcher foreshadows the climactic battle of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which occurs near the game’s ending. The Wild Hunt is the Witcher universe’s Thanos equivalent, and first appears to Geralt after the Grand Master informs him of an apocalypse surrounded by white frost. The Commander of the Wild Hunt also appears to Geralt soon after and warns him of the impending conflict between their worlds. However, this narrative significance isn’t as vital as some may believe. The Wild Hunt is featured several times throughout the games but receives most of its development throughout The Witcher 3. Players that skip the first game will miss a worthwhile story, but a simple one that doesn’t hold much importance for the remainder of the trilogy – though it leads into Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings’ storyline.
Geralt’s adventure in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is much grander in scope than the first game, and provides players with far more freedom over their playstyle and exploration. The story is much longer and is separated into five chapters (including the Prologue and Epilogue). The game begins with King Foltest starting a war to reclaim his illegitimate children before being assassinated by a witcher assailant. As the only suspect, Geralt takes the fall and must escape the Temerian prisons. The Witcher 2 introduced a significant change in storytelling when the game’s second chapter evolves depending on who Geralt assists: Iorveth or Roche. As Geralt hunts down King Foltest’s murderer, players receive many opportunities to change the game’s world with essential story decisions.
The Witcher 2′s story moved toward 3’s overall quality and storytelling, departing from many restrictions on players in the first game. The Witcher 2 introduced more critical aspects of the universe, including other witcher schools, monarchs, and military leaders connected with world-changing conflicts. While The Witcher 2 is a definite improvement over the previous games, it’s still unnecessary to play to enjoy The Witcher 3. CDPR even expected this, as a mechanic in place allows players who started on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to determine Geralt’s choices throughout the second game. While The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is more connected to its sequel, it’s still ultimately unnecessary for those who want to jump into one of the gaming industry’s biggest open-world titles.
CDPR is known for making in-depth games that build off players’ choices (despite the company’s debacle with Cyberpunk 2077), and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is no different. Near the start of the game, players attend royal court and are tended to by a barber. During the appointment, players can make choices from past games that influence the world. Players should research what kind of world they want to experience before answering these questions, using some of the many guides available online. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features hundreds of hours of side quests and story missions, alongside personal challenges players can explore on their own. The main narrative focuses on Geralt, his Witcher brethren, Ciri, Yennefer, and Triss averting the apocalypse at the hands of the Wild Hunt. Players can utilize crafting systems, combat styles, and many strategies to defeat their enemies whichever way they wish.
Whether players begin The Witcher game series from the first game or start their journey at The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CDPR provides methods for all players to enjoy their latest fantasy RPG. In addition, the inclusion of the royal barber scene ensures players who want to customize their experiences in Witcher 3 can do so without gatekeeping certain endings or quests. It’s unknown how The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings could connect to a possible Witcher 4 game, but players can enjoy an entire trilogy of fantasy adventures for now. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, with a new DLC related to the Netflix show releasing during 2022.
Natalie Lindner is a Game Features Writer for Screen Rant, creating content on the past, present, and future of games in the industry. Prior to this, she worked out of a writing consultancy in Rhode Island from 2018 to 2021, where she helped college students improve their writing abilities. Natalie has contributed her video game writing to several smaller websites and projects since 2018 and is eager to continue that journey with Screen Rant. Working out of New Hampshire, Natalie spends the time she isn’t writing about games outside; hiking or biking. On those rainy days, she can be found striving for action on the latest FPS or perusing the latest comic books.
