The Witcher Remake: Revisiting Geralt’s Origins for a Modern Age

Nobody expected this, and CD Projekt RED announced a remake of the first Witcher. The project is built on Unreal Engine 5, which promises graphics that meet today’s high standards. In honor of this milestone, the piece looks back at what made the original entry in the Polish trilogy memorable and why the remake is worth the wait.

“His name was Geralt of Rivia… ”

The plot deserves a strong opening, since each Witcher title carried a rich main arc that threaded through the entire series, complemented by numerous side quests. The first installment, in particular, stands out for capturing the atmosphere and spirit of the source novels.

The developers aimed this project at dedicated fans. Many recognizable elements from the books were preserved in the game, including a brooding Geralt, nonconformist attitudes toward elves and dwarves, wary peasants, court intrigue, humor, and most importantly, a gray morality that often pushed players toward choosing the lesser evil.

Because the books emphasize the neutral stance of witchers, players could sometimes avoid taking sides and follow their own path. That kind of personal agency remains rare in RPGs.

The opening cinematic still feels like a self-contained short movie, setting the mood from the very start.

Visually, the world wasn’t seamless due to technical constraints and was divided into several large locations. Yet those locations were plentiful: Kaer Morhen, Vizima, the outskirts, swamps, and more where Geralt wandered. Each area housed numerous side missions, ranging from standard monster hunts to multi-chapter stories that unfolded over time.

The choices made by the player quickly shaped the world’s response, reinforcing the sense that the White Wolf’s actions mattered and that outcomes could ripple through the entire narrative.

Developers occasionally quoted elements from the books, enriching the game’s connective tissue to the literary source. The Witcher served as a continuation of Geralt’s saga. It ends with a bleak note in which the white-haired hero falls in a clash with peasants, a finale that reflected the tone of the source material and the author’s willingness to defy fan expectations.

Turning the same Geralt into a living, evolving character without simply repeating the old plot required bold choices. The Internet is full of discussions about how early design decisions balanced character consistency with player freedom, and the finished result justified the risks.

There were hardly any cinematic interludes, but the artistry was present in the design and mood of scenes.

Today, Geralt of Rivia is remembered as a strong, memorable protagonist who helped launch a beloved franchise. He isn’t portrayed as an overbuilt hero; he is lean, pale, and worn from all the trials, a look that many fans found truthful to the books. The game’s armor and presentation favored speed and agility over heavy armor, aligning with the monster-slayer’s need for swift, precise action.

All these design choices were faithfully realized in the original. While later installments moved toward cooler visuals and stylized aesthetics, this first entry remains valuable precisely for its original depiction of the character. The early Witcher emphasized atmosphere, storytelling, and a concrete sense of world.

Combat featured distinct fighting styles adapted to different situations. A two-sword system persisted—steel for humans and silver for monsters—while basic attacks required rhythm and timing to execute complex combos. The underlying depth of combat offered opportunities for experimentation and varied builds as players advanced.

The forest and natural settings promised to look impressive in the remake, signaling a fresh visual treatment while preserving the core feel of exploration and danger. Players could anticipate a robust toolkit, where elixirs and signs—five in total—enhanced encounters and strategic planning before and during fights. As combat evolved, so did the possibilities for chaining moves and crafting personal fighting philosophies.

Do you like Geralt as the main character of the game?

“Hey Geralt, what’s the rhyme for the word ‘witch’?”

Many players only remember the Witcher trilogy’s later entries, given the eight-year span between the first game’s release and the rise of The Witcher 3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt proved so popular that a large audience discovered the world through its door, rather than starting with the original. Today, the first Witcher feels dated in comparison, with older visuals and stiffer animation that don’t hold up for all modern players.

This is where a remake makes sense. The momentum around Silent Hill 2 and Resident Evil 4 reimaginings has shown that fans are eager to replay beloved classics with modern refinements. Successful remakes like Resident Evil 2 and Final Fantasy VII Remake demonstrate that revisiting good games can pay off when the core atmosphere and gameplay remain intact.

The look of Geralt will inevitably evolve. Upgrading the character model to resemble the Witcher 3’s version is a plausible path, though the hero should not become identical. The iconic flowing hair will likely stay, providing a bridge between the original Witcher’s fragile look and the more polished Witcher 3 appearance.

The map size is expected to expand and the world to become fully seamless. CD Projekt RED confirmed during a presentation that a third-party studio is handling an open-world project under the codename Canis Majoris, which is now understood to be the Witcher remake. In the first game’s setting, Vizima remains central, though Novigrad-like scope could be introduced to address player desires for more travel routes and faster movement, possibly via a familiar horse companion.

Trails may be adjusted so quests don’t require constant backtracking. The combat system is likely to receive a thorough rework, though expectations should stay measured; a faithful core could still emerge, possibly borrowing a structure from the third game rather than inventing something entirely new.

As for the plot, the main arc will likely stay aligned with the earlier installments, while new scenes and details may enrich the experience. A remake could also broaden the assortment of side quests, offering deeper character moments and more branching outcomes. The Polish studio Fool’s Theory is rumored to be leading development, with some collaboration from CD Projekt RED’s team, and the open-world ambition remains a high priority. Fans can feel confident that The Witcher’s foundational moments will be preserved while inviting fresh exploration.

The remake promises to be a landmark project on par with other bold reinterpretations in the genre and could renew interest in Geralt’s early adventures. The goal is for modern players to experience the humble beginnings of Geralt of Rivia, while longtime fans revisit this origin story with new eyes.

Curious about the remake of The Witcher?

All screenshots from The Witcher can be viewed here.

Citation: VG Times