Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales Reviews

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Feb 24, 2020

With Thronebreaker, CD Projekt Red has succeeded in making a fun, single-player experience about a simplified card game. It's a polished, story-driven experience that has a lot going for it. It's not a masterpiece, and there are some minor gripes, such as the difficulty (or lack thereof) and the absence of meaningful decision-making, but it is still an incredibly entertaining game. If you're into The Witcher and on the lookout for another story in the same universe, you can't go wrong with Thronebreaker.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 12, 2020

To really get the most out of it, you'll want to be a fan of Gwent, a card game that often gets ignored even by the most hardcore of Witcher fans. The story is worth the price of admission, but if you're not a fan of card-based combat mechanics this title is probably not for you. Thronebreaker certainly is fun, but it might be worth trying out a few hands of Gwent with Geralt back in Witcher 3 to make sure your interest can be sustained for 30 or so hours.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 6, 2020

You can play a Gwent game, written as an amazing The Witcher tale, wherever you want on your Nintendo Switch. There is literally nothing more you should ask.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10
Feb 7, 2020

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a spin-off based on a card game featured on The Witcher 3. That said, it's a marvelous work that joins enticing and involving gameplay mechanics, a gorgeous art style and an addictive experience. While certainly not an easy feat to play through, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is more than welcome on the Nintendo Switch catalogue and opens the way for more spin-offs to come.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Nov 8, 2018

CD Projekt Red have delivered an exceptional adventure in Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. One that any Witcher fan should not hesitate to experience. While Gwent is undeniably fun, it falls short of its full potential in a single-player only game with AI opponents.

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Nov 1, 2018

Apart from the fact that combat is resolved by placing cards into rows as opposed to moving units across a map, there's little difference between Thronebreaker and similarly hand-drawn, resource-gathering, unit-upgrading games like Heroes of Might and Magic and The Banner Saga. If anything, Thronebreaker offers a deeper strategic experience, given the distinct feel of these custom-crafted battles, with their special victory conditions and unique cards.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 17, 2018

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales tells a good story with some fantastic writing. The writing alone is worth the price of admission, but the Gwent combat can get confusing and overwhelming at times.

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8 / 10
Dec 13, 2018

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales features some of the sharpest writing on PS4, and it's all embedded within a superb story stuffed with brilliant characters. Meanwhile, Gwent makes up most of the gameplay, and although the card-based system does have flaws, it's easy enough to look past them when the surrounding journey is so masterfully told. Ultimately, Thronebreaker is an easy recommendation for Witcher enthusiasts and fans of strategic RPGs -- a surprisingly robust and rich tale that shouldn't be overlooked.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 24, 2018

Thronebreaker is an intersting spin-off, with a clever puzzle design and an intersting atmosphere. But its story could have been so much better...

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.1 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2018

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales offers beauty in a very unexpected genre, mastering the art of storytelling combined with amazing RPG elements, to memorable characters and gut-wrenching decisions that challenge your values and morale. It presents a card game we’ve previously been introduced to, GWENT, that sucks players in, even those who are not fans of card games.

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PC Gamer
Top Critic
81 / 100
Oct 18, 2018

A captivating story and varied card battles ensure this light-touch RPG remains entertaining throughout its lengthy campaign.

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Spaziogames
DottorKillex
Top Critic
8.3 / 10.0
Jan 6, 2019

The console version stands up to its PC counterpart

Review in Italian | Read full review

83 / 100
Dec 5, 2018

Strong single-player campaign for Gwent, which could inspire even non-card players through its gripping story.

Review in German | Read full review

83 / 100
Dec 8, 2018

Thronebreaker is a masterful RPG with a version of Gwent that is well-suited for a single-player experience. Even if you aren't into card games, this one is worth a try for the story and RPG mechanics alone. [OpenCritic note: Travis Northup separately reviewed the PC (85) and Xbox One (80) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]

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8.5 / 10.0
Jul 18, 2019

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is champagne on a beer budget.

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85%
Nov 2, 2018

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is an unique mix of a card game and a RPG, that gives gamers a chance to reminisce about Heroes of Might and Magic and The Witcher trilogy. It's almost a duty for the Witcher universe fans.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

Gamefa
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2018

When we are all amazed by Cyberpunk 2077 and waiting to hear more about it, CD Project Red surprises us nicely and takes us back to our beloved world of "The Witcher" with "Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales", An amazing RPG with deep strategy elements that sets in the fantasy world of Witcher. you must build your army and battle with your enemies in a unique combat system, gather resources and develop your camp and do a large number of side and main quests. If you are looking for a valuable and deep RPG-Strategy game, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is one of the best of its genre and takes you to a 30 hours journey in one of the most beloved world in gaming history. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a game that absolutely worth your time and money. Nothing new for CD Project Red! Right?!

Review in Persian | Read full review

Alan Bell
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Feb 20, 2020

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a wonderful addition to the Switch. While it may not appeal to all fans, those who enjoyed Gwent in The Witcher 3 will find a lot to love. There's enough nuance and strategy for those hungry for a challenge and it does a great job of adding to the mythology of the world and it's excellent characters.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 1, 2018

Thronebraker effortlessly infuses Gwent with the geopolitical underpinnings, fantasy tales, and difficult choices of The Witcher series

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8.6 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2020

Gamers everywhere should give the royal treatment to Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. It is a stunning display of storytelling that rarely stumbles throughout a 25-hour runtime. While bogged down by the stiff card-playing, the easy mode can turn Thronebreaker into one of the best visual novels around. With 30 endings and an arresting art style, this is one utterly unmissable tale.

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