Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

A must play for witcher book and gwent fans.

Супер недооцененная игра! 10/10

absolutely phenomenal story and voice acting, this is a great chaser after playing through the witcher 3 for some difficult decisions and incredible writing

10/10

Great story, great characters, beautiful visuals, pretty good music. CD Projekt's other games are still better and you should really only play this if you love the Witcher games/books. The choices you make during your playthrough don't change enough to warrant doing multiple playthroughs but the game is still 30~ hours long, maybe 40.

Gwent is Thronebreaker's main gameplay and without it Thronebreaker would essentially be an audiobook, I liked gwent in Witcher 3 yet I despised it in this game, some of the normal battles are ridiculously hard. If you end up playing Thronebreaker then know that you can swap difficulty at any time, the game autosaves before every battle and the lowest difficulty gives you the option to skip any fight you lose.

Another fantastic entry into The Witcher series.

Overall this is a game about storytelling, the moral dilemmas of leadership and a little bit of strategic card game in it. So, first the positives - The voice acting is absolutely top notch, the storytelling is just as good, the combat is engaging and while not particularly profound in terms of card combos it's still quite satisfactory as you have the options to devise multiple strategies.

As for the negatives, I've seen criticisms of it being too long, but it's a Witcher game, it kind of comes with the territory so that did not bother me, personally. I would have liked to have some indication of what kind of card I would get from certain puzzles and battles since that would have allowed one to build their strategic deck better. The lack of multiple saves is a bit of a problem. For a game with so many impactful decisions to not be able to reload a previous save is troublesome. I get that this was likely on purpose in order for it all to feel impactful, but I do like to see how other scenarios would have played out, but the sheer length of the game is daunting if I am to replay the entire thing just to change my choices.

Overall a great little gem (not even that little), that I recommend, especially to Witcher game fans.

Fun to play, and the fact that it takes part in the Witcher's universe is even better.

Great game with an amazing plot, the story is absolutely immersing and no witcher series fan is going to be disappointed with this game - even if you don't care for gwent, the storyline itself makes up for it entirely. Absolutely recommend!

Podchodziłem sceptycznie do takiej formy rozgrywki, a okazało się, że gra jest świetna. Gwint nie nudzi. Fabuła wciągająca, a dla miłośników książek nawet tym bardziej. Chętnie zagrałbym w coś podobnego z tego uniwersum.

Yes!!! I absolutely recommend this game to anyone whose favourites include GWENT or card games in general. Although I haven’t completed it yet, I was so overwhelmed with positive emotions that I felt compelled to leave a review.

I’m currently playing on the hardest difficulty, and while the battles are undeniably challenging, they are by no means insurmountable—I’ve managed to win every encounter so far. Please don’t be dissuaded by negative reviews; it’s likely they stem from players who don’t enjoy strategic thinking or careful planning.

Despite not having reached the ending, I can already say with confidence that I would be eager to replay the game, perhaps on a lighter difficulty, to fully immerse myself in the narrative. I also strongly recommend using a controller, as it makes navigation far more intuitive—I didn’t have to constantly click to move.

Finally, the graphics, storytelling, and voice acting are nothing short of superb. This game is a true gem for anyone who appreciates both tactical gameplay and rich narrative depth.

Although this game is not expensive, I don't recommend it. It is simply a basic 2D game with a story wrapped around the free game GWENT. The GWENT aspect in this game is set way too difficult and sometimes impossible to win due to the cards available. The easy option is far from easy and if it wasn't for the option to skip battles then the game would not be completable.

absolute cinema

I have the majority of my time playing this game through GOG, but still wanted to leave a review here since Steam tends to get more views. Despite being a major fan of this game, you do need to understand that it's still centered around Gwent. It is a more refined version of the game than what's in Witcher 3, but if you hate Gwent then I'd struggle to recommend Thronebreaker. It is feasible to play the game on the easiest difficulty (as I believe it allows you to skip the majority of battles) and just experience the story, but at that point you'd be better off suited just watching the story on YouTube.

The thing that I love most about Thronebreaker is the writing and characters. The actual story plots aren't anything incredibly unique, but the quality of the written dialogue is astounding, and the voice acting along with it is terrific. Most of the characters that you meet are very likable, or at least fairly well written, and create some engaging moments throughout the game. I also love the visual style of the game, it has a very artistic/painterly presentation that I think works very well. The soundtrack also deserves some recognition, as it continues in the spirit of Witcher 3's stellar soundtrack while still having its own flair.

In terms of game design, the game is largely split up between normal battles and puzzle scenarios. I really enjoyed these puzzle scenarios, as you're given a set of unique cards with a unique goal, but most of them are pretty simple. I would have liked a few that were a bit more challenging. As far as the normal combat goes, those are the typical Gwent matches, and here is one of my biggest hangups of the game. For story reasons, you only use a Northern deck (but you'll get occasional cards from other decks to use if you wish). The Northern cards are fairly fleshed out, as are Nilfgaard, but the other deck types feel pretty underbaked. I know that Thronebreaker was originally only supposed to be a single-player add-on to the standalone Gwent game and ballooned into what it is, so I assume that this is a direct consequence of that. But as I've played through the game multiple times now, it's definitely a bummer that you can only ever use a Northern deck and that so many of the other deck types feel undercooked. If we ever got a potential sequel, I would LOVE to see fully fleshed out versions of each deck type.

The game does feature story choices, but these choices largely don't impact the overall plot, and only tend to impact which characters stay in your party (and in turn, if you can use them in combat). There are multiple endings, but that's essentially just "which set of slides plays over the end of the game". The story will run you about 30 hours or so if you're doing a decent amount of exploration, but if you really pressed just the golden path then you could probably get through it in 15-20 hours.

TL;DR: Thronebreaker REALLY clicks with me, but I really enjoy Gwent, and I really clicked with the characters. If you hate Gwent, you probably won't have a good time. Also, if you're looking for a game with incredibly deep and meaningful story choices, you'd probably want to look elsewhere. But if you enjoy Gwent and this world, then I recommend it very highly.

The other thing that I think Thronebreaker achieves is that it shows us how much is possible for this world. You can still create really engaging experiences in this world with an entirely new cast of characters, and I really hope that CDPR takes some risks like that in the future.

I have started this game many years ago, but quit in the first chapter. I would guess that many other players get the same experience after completing Witcher 3: Gwent is not the same, puzzles is dum and overcomplicated at the same time. So you will quit at the first chapter or bear this pain and complete a full game with a lot of pleasure.
Graphics is very simplistic, but very detailed. Animated card images and battlefield board is stunning. Story is very deep and covers a lot of new characters (for people familiar with Witcher universe only from games) plus you will get some known personas. After ~10 hours you finally starting to grasp how mechanics are working. And it is such a joy to play your hand knowing that you will beat opponent with detailed step-by-step plan already in mind. After more hours you will start to experiment with deck to get very fancy (or not) results. At the very end it's would became a bit easy, but game known this and start to send you even more twisted plots.
If you can play it alone - just try to play together with a friend or family member. It would be a more enjoyable experience for you and a lot of fun and planing for both of you.

Had to make difficult decisions
Got betrayed
Lost friends
10/10

Great mfing game, men will see this and say: "Hell Yeah"!

Do you like role-playing and good stories (such hard choices with perfectly justified consequences!)? The Witcher setting? Card games/turn-based strategies? Puzzles with never repeating mechanics? Take it.

Amazing soundtrack, story and characters. Battles are exciting and the puzzles are very creative and fun. I didn't like the new standalone version of Gwent at first, but I enjoyed playing this game a lot. 100% a must play if you're a fan of the Witcher universe, this game has the CDPR quality you would expect.

a lot of battles at the beginning require a specific strategy which took the fun of gwent

8 / 10

I am not a magic, lorcana, or gwent enjoyer, but this game somehow makes it fun. it goes on sale for very little so pick it up, it is for sure worth it

Great graphics, lovely voice acting, and, yes, there's even a card game, though it's a little wobbly in its mechanics. But super-enjoyable and even a bit chill and relaxing.

One of the best storyline in a game i have come across, worth playing.
This is different from GWENT in Witcher 3 its bit complex but battles can be skipped.
Its immersive and no technical issues.

An unexpected combination of gwent-inspired gameplay and witcher stories that works really well. It is also surprisingly long for a card-focused story game.

I don't know what the hype about this game is/was. I've played it for 8 hours and deeply regret getting it even with some huge discount. Storywise, It's just refill for the books, if you've read them you'll know where this is heading, although it adds some backstory for some characters and if you have played Gwent (which I have, reason why I got here) it also adds some backstory for some cards. -I'll leave the Gwent part to the end. The map is boring, merely point and click stuff, I wont deny it has a nice setting and the ambience is cool, but after a while it gets really boring travelling to point A to point B. Hint: don't waste gold on building scout tower or sending scouts, it's useless if you have a keen eye and know where to look for hidden treasure. Now, speaking about the GWENT aspect... gods, it's really painful. For starters, you are stuck with (personally) the worst faction of all, Northern Realms. If you enjoy playing NR that's ok, but this is nothing like the regular Gwent. You'll need to learn a completely new set of cards, synergies and abilities that are completely different, and you'll have no idea what your opponent's moves will do. So, if you win a match, you win by pure luck or gut-feeling rather than by strategy. That is, IF you win. Puzzle battles at first are "kinda" interesting, but there are some that you simply don't know WTH you'll need to do. Trying multiple combinations and restarting over and over sometimes get you nowhere. And the worst part is, if you replay them, you just simply need to repeat the same sequence of cards you did before, so there's no actual "AI" behind it, just a predermined set of moves you'll need to figure out only once. I've played it on the hardest difficulty because I'm a "seasoned gwent veteran" but I'll say it again, this is no Gwent. It's an entirely different take on it, so I personally won't keep playing this crap, maybe just look for the golden chests and get the premium cards for the real deal and that's where you'll find me. I hope Nilfgaard burns this to the ground. Glory for the Empire.

Good writing, characters, voice work and art work.

I was initially put off the game, due to the amount of puzzles at the beginning (this remains a problem throughout). But when it allows you to deck build, play gwent and enjoy a story, it's both enjoyable and novel.

Gwent with a cool story. Highly recommended!

Beep made hard choices.

If you love the Witcher setting and card battle games, then you will definitely be happily engrossed in this game. Countless hours will fly by in the various play modes.

i have to give this a thumbs up despite the fact that i do not like card game (i find the card gameplay feels like a chore half the time). HOLY F**K are the ost and story/narrative good, ESPECIALLYYYYYYYYYYY the late game ost

this is NOT worth 4$, cd projekt red is CRAZY with these discounts

if you're not a fan of card games just set the difficulty to the lowest and focus on the story

nice art style, good storytelling, like the math games

Honestly one of the best story games ever made, with a phenomenal card system to boot! Well worth playing - and replaying many times!
FOR LYRIA!!!

Великолепно, жаль только, что подобных игр CDPR больше не делали.

Overall score 8/10

Thronebreaker is an excellent expansion of The Witcher universe. The gameplay is a clear evolution of the well-known Gwent, featuring strategic combat that truly engages players. Each boss presents a unique challenge, almost like a puzzle to be solved. The exploration of environments is also very rewarding, and the choice system provides real consequences for your progress. It’s an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys deck builders and the world of The Witcher.

A outstanding title that provides a unique take on the Witcher world.

A great story, great music, a great card-game and a 10/10 narrative with decisions that make you feel immersed in the world and with consequences extending far beyond the typical white-black morality systems so popular in video games.

It would be perfect were it not for the fact the late-game is dragged down significantly by the fact battles get far too repetitive, especially if you wish 100% the game.
The last few chapters of the game are the best example of that. I found myself constantly asking in disbelief "There's more?".

The resource management mechanic feels like an unnecessary addition and it doesn't add enough to warrant its own existence in my opinion. You get more than enough resources to get all the upgrades and troops you need to win at the pace the story wants you to have them.

The addition of puzzle battles provides some uniqueness to the experience and helps break the tedium but some are quite confusing and I found it less headache-inducing to just search for the solution online, which is something you want in any game.

The Boss Fights... ten out of ten. Best Final Boss I have seen in years. No other words needed.

It's a genuine masterpiece, just take a break in between chapters. 9/10

Good game, manages to take Gwent and shape it in a more fun, focused direction fit to be the vehicle through which the game's conflicts unfold. At first, I was a bit disappointed that there is no punishment for failure, or different consequences for, say, succeeding at an assault versus flubbing it. After finishing the game, though, I've come to see it as necessary, since your draws are random. A particularly bad starting hand can mean watching the battle fail in slow-motion if you don't outright forfeit. The option to resign at any time (even in the middle of the AI's turn) and immediately retry is appreciated.

A lot of the gameplay is Gwent, as special matches with story cards and unique objectives, head-scratching puzzle fights, and classic 3-round card battles. There are a lot of Gwent battles - probably a few too many, though you have the option to walk past plenty of them too, which should make repeated playthroughs quicker should you choose to skip some content. There is also the option, on the easy difficulty, to skip the Gwent battles completely and get on with the story. I think this removes some of the narrative weight of victory, though, and it will probably start to feel contrived that Meve wins battle after battle so effortlessly if you don't put the effort in yourself as the player. I don't recommend this game to anyone who dislikes turn-based strategy games. Make no mistake - the story here is worth it, but so are the cards. They should be enjoyed, to the best of one's ability, as a package.

Player dialogue choices exist but do not drastically divert the narrative's direction, like they can (sometimes) do in the first two Witcher games. Instead, they can affect your Gwent deck (the in-game analogy for Meve's army), either by adjusting the resources with which you can make new basic cards, or upgrading and removing special Hero cards (that represent the side characters in the story). Like the other Witcher games, Thronebreaker has multiple ending variations based on the choices you've made in the story. Many choices will, in the classic Witcher fashion, have you picking between two or more evils. There is something to be said about Meve's status and perspective as a monarch as it relates to these choices, though. Unlike a witcher, Meve does not have the privilege of being neutral. In some respects, she has more capacity than anyone to be kind, but players will often find themselves feeling that cruelty - to enemies, but also to turncoats and deserters - is the more responsible choice.

The enemy, Nilfgaard, is itself an unflinchingly cruel invading force hell-bent on bringing the Northern Realms to their knees, enslaving their people, and resettling their lands. It is a refreshing, more lore-accurate depiction of the empire after the weirdly whitewashed version of it seen in the Witcher 3. Even so, the game manages to invoke moral tension in player decisions regarding Nilfgaard's subjects. In fact, these are some of the stronger and more memorable choices you can make.

One point of criticism I have is regarding AI deck variety: there are a lot of fights against Nilfgaard, especially near the end of the game. A lot of these battles feature very similar decks, if not actually the same. It doesn't help that some Nilfgaard cards are themselves anti-fun, having abilities that punish you for using special orders or placing units on certain rows. The units that don't do this tend to have rather boring abilities anyway (e.g. boost all copies of this card by 2 when played, damage an opponent by 2 each turn, etc.). I found battles against the Scoia'tael and Monsters decks to be much more cerebral and entertaining.

All that said, this is a fantastic game with an unwarranted amount of developer love and care poured into it. The visual novel sections are delightful, the card puzzles are thoughtful, and the voice acting is perfect. The soundtrack is likewise impressive, and will give you earworms for days after playing.

If you plan on playing the standalone multiplayer Gwent game, though, consider buying this game on GoG, since the exclusive cards you can unlock for multiplayer Gwent from this game only carry over on that platform.

The game has been a great story, plenty of exploring, a fair and fun action packed card game where choices have consequences. Puzzles and standard action battles utilizing cards. 10/10

Good story and Gwent. One minor annoyance was that some decisions are tied to gaining/losing cards, some of which are quite powerful. Though I suppose that kinda makes sense, since if you do stuff a character dislikes they might leave you.

Loved the story and experimenting with my deck. Be warned, this is just Gwent. If you don't like Gwent then you wont like this.

one of my favourite games ever. one of the best games ever made imo. i found this deeply stimualting, interesting, engaging, complex and emotional. meve as a main character was the perfect choice and the story was very compelling and painful, in a very good way. fucking reynard (i mean this positively). maybe it's just because i'm always a simp for blond middle-aged women in positions of authority, but hey... can you blame a woman for lovin'

this game deserves so so so so so so much more money and recognition and attention and praise <33333333333333333333

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales offers a solid single-player adventure that incorporates Gwent's card game mechanics into its combat system. The story is engaging, especially for fans of The Witcher universe, though it's not necessary to have prior knowledge of the series. The game takes place long before the events of the first Witcher game, telling a tale parallel to one of the stories in the books, which provides valuable context to events in the Witcher games.

As you explore the map with your "army," you'll engage in a variety of combat encounters, meet a various NPCs who may join your party and gather resources to upgrade your camp, which grants useful bonuses as you progress. The puzzles can be challenging on the hardest difficulty, but they’re fairly accessible on normal, even for those who are unfamiliar with Gwent or digital card games.

Overall, Thronebreaker is a well-rounded game that should offer around 30 hours of fun, especially if you’re aiming to complete the main story and most side quests on a higher difficulty. If you're seeking a story-driven adventure with puzzle-solving, strategy, and RPG elements, this game is definitely worth a try. It’s a good idea to wait for a sale of 30% or more for the best value.

This game worth going out of my way to 100% achievements, as a sign of respect for the labor of love it is. Literally every aspect is flawless: the story, the writing, the voice acting, the gameplay, the music, the visuals are so uniquely relevant to this world it's ridiculous. It is truly a beautiful work of art, and a brilliant experience. A must buy especially for Witcher universe and/or Gwent fans.

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is an incredible blend of storytelling, strategy, and card-based combat set in The Witcher universe. The game nicely combines exploration and decision-making with engaging Gwent-style battles. The art, voice acting, and writing are also very good, delivering an experience that feels both immersive and rewarding. Whether you're a fan of the Witcher franchise or just love strategy RPGs with card game elements, this game is a hidden gem well worth playing.

This game is truly marvelous. The art style is incredible, and the voice acting is amazing, there is such soul and care in every aspect.

The gameplay is incredibly fun and addictive. Its so easy to get wrapped up in making the perfect deck to punish enemies.

Its fantastic as a standalone story, and adds some very interesting background to the Witcher series (and the books) which is a bonus. Can't recommend this one enough.

Unparalleled storytelling, impressive artwork, delightful puzzles and just an all-around incredible experience I'm trying my hardest to prolong. I really do not wish for it to end...

Great lore for witcher fans. Very good gameplay too.

Story and decision making done to perfection. Must play for GWENT and Witcher lovers.

Excellent story, lovely art direction, so-and-so gameplay.
As a deck builder, it is a bit lacking. The game often gets bogged down in puzzles or in other battle modes that do not really befit (or even utilize) the deck you have built. There also seems to be no way to save decks, so every time you wish to try a new strategy, you need to do the hard labour of removing and adding cards – and same if you want to return to the deck you had. The game really could have done with a lot of “quality of life” updates.
But all that being said, I loved the game and can recommend it to anyone who likes the Witcher series. Or simply a good story.
I don’t know if deck-builder people will find much amusement in the game.

Peak. I never got into gwent in TW3, but if this is whats it's like I've been missing out. I really liked the puzzles. The story and choices are very good, you'll get a lot out of it if you've read the books. Freaking epic lore.

Great game, great story, great choices that actually feel meaningful, great voice acting, great addition to the Witcher lore and games universe. Just great.