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The Witcher 3 Enhanced Edition mod overhauls combat to make Dark Souls-style encounters

The Witcher 3

I really don’t mind The Witcher 3’s combat. I like how balletic it is, with Geralt pirouetting around enemies as he hacks them into bloody chunks. It does feel more suited to some enemies than others, though – I always found Drowners an issue, for example, especially in groups. The Witcher 3: Enhanced Edition aims to fix combat as a whole with a host of tweaks that make it more challenging but while also giving skilled players the means of taking enemies down quicker. 

Could this make one of the top titles in our list of the best RPGs even better?

One of the main thingsThe Witcher 3: Enhanced Editiondoes is rework the stamina system. Now you’ll need to pay attention to your dwindling resources, as your damage will wildly drop off if you let the bar deplete too far.

There’s also a new bar called vigour – this one’s for Geralt’s signs. When this drops, it also has an effect on Geralt’s potency and his stamina will regenerate more slowly.

On top of this, the adrenaline meter now acts as a combo counter. When attacking without interruption, your damage is buffed in stacks. A single hit resets it.

Meanwhile, dodging has been nerfed so that you need to time it better, while oiling your sword and swigging potions now both have animations. Estus flask, anyone?

That’s a lot more to think about – and it’s only a sampling of what’s actually on offer, with changes to armour, alchemy and more – when you’ll be taking on monsters with much improved AI. Luckily, you’re all glass cannons now, so while one mistake will make Geralt ragdoll into an early grave, you can chew through tough monsters like a really chewy substance that you can chew through easily – like cheese or something.

Here’s a really good video that goes into every change:

Ta, VG247.