The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Hearts of Stone Reviews
Hearts of Stone is a full-fledged add-on for a game that probably didn't need to be any longer. Thankfully, Hearts of Stone is a total blast for Witcher fans and packs more into its 10-15 hour campaign than most AAA games on the market. With its wonderfully paced story, mesmerizing characters, and gorgeous world to explore, Hearts of Stone demands to be played. It also raises the bar for what fans can expect from DLC for their favourite games. If you're itchin' for more witchin', then picking up Hearts of Stone is a no brainer.
Overall, Hearts of Stone was everything that I wanted out of the first story expansion for Wild Hunt. I'm already anxiously awaiting the release of its follow-up Blood and Wine, which is said to consist of an additional 20 hours of gameplay. Whether you're looking for engaging combat with memorable boss fights, new interpersonal relationships and meaningful character development, or a mysterious and enthralling quest line that will keep you hooked until the very end, Hearts of Stone has it for you in spades. CD Projekt RED has once again outdone themselves and created an expansion that stands far enough apart from the original game to provide completely new adventure, but close enough to home to remind you why The Witcher 3 is one of the best RPGs of our time.
Sure, if you still have a ton of things to do in Wild Hunt (and frankly, why wouldn't you?) then you can certainly justify passing on paying for more content, but if you're someone who wants another robust storyline to dive into and some intriguing new mechanics, then Hearts of Stone is for you. Yes, this is more Wild Hunt, but seeing as how masterful it is, how could that be anything but a fantastic thing?
In the end, The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Hearts of Stone is a fun DLC for this series that gives the player a much more grounded approach to our hero Geralt but with all the great elements of the main game that we all love and at times hate. Yes, the graphics do glitch here and there but the story, characterisation and combat is what makes Witcher so entertaining and Hearts of Stone is no exception to that rule.
While it stumbles in some places, Hearts of Stone is better than the vast majority of "additional content" that most modern games offer.
If Hearts of Stone were a full-length game, it would be perfect. The fact that it's an excellent expansion to an already excellent game in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is appreciable in a whole new light. Fan or not, if you crave a compelling action-adventure, Hearts of Stone is well worth the price.
If you liked The Witcher 3 you can't say no to Hearts of Stone. In this first expansion, Projekt Red CDs drag the player through many situations, and not all of them at the tip of the sword. Brothers-infested crypts and possessed wedding parties to live are just the starter of an adventure that has a much wider breath than you might think.
Review in Italian | Read full review
All in all, Hearts of Stone is a breathtaking experience that builds on the excellence of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. If the well crafted story doesn't reel you in, the gameplay and new monsters and bosses likely will. If you loved Wild Hunt, you'll definitely want to give Hearts of Stone a shot.
Hearts of Stone is everything great about The Witcher 3, delivered in a neat little package.
Gaming expansions are somewhat unavoidable these days, but rarely do they feel as worthwhile as The Witcher 3's Hearts Of Stone does. Its superb story is complimented by excellent characters, and there's more than enough new content to make it an essential addition to Geralt's adventures.
Hearts of Stone never feels tacked on at any point, and although the side activities are a bit lackluster there are more than enough highs to make the singular low seem insubstantial. This is a true expansion, one that builds excellently on the already amazing base game. CD Projekt Red did an amazing job with this one and kept true to their word that they would only charge if worth it. The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone is most definitely worth it and a testament to how an expansion should be done.
Hearts of Stone is pretty much the best of The Witcher 3, at least prior to the release of Blood and Wine. If you enjoyed the base game at all, this is a must.
Hearts of Stone, despite not really adding that much new "stuff", tells an amazing, engaging story that is worthy of the $10 price tag. While The Wild Hunt was the conclusion to an epic, climactic saga, Hearts of Stone is simply another story in the life of Witcher Geralt.
Hearts of Stone is a metric ton of fantastic Witcher 3 content. It's a must for owners of the original game.
Lasting ten to twelve hours with complex characters, diverse scenarios, stunning new locations, and memorable bosses, this ten dollar expansion stands out in a period when many DLC offerings feel like lackluster afterthoughts. Even though it's an expansion that returns to familiar areas, Hearts of Stone doesn't feel like it's merely piggybacking on the main game, but has its own worthwhile tale to tell.
CD Projekt Red's first paid expansion is well worth the return to the Northern Kingdoms.
Hearts of Stone may not make any significant improvements to The Witcher 3's core gameplay, but it succeeds largely on the quality of its engrossing narrative.
The story in Hearts of Stone alone would make it worth getting, but it succeeds on other levels as well. The fun new enemies and bosses, along with the customization potential of Runewords make Hearts of Stone a very well-rounded package that shouldn't be skipped.
CD Projekt RED once again provides a lesson in how to release expansions, and despite the inevitable glitches that accompany any open-world game, it more than delivers on narrative and content.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is at its best when focusing on individual characters and the stories that they have to tell, and that's exactly what Hearts of Stone provides."