It’s hard to imagine how CD Projekt Red will top its past work come The Witcher 4, which is following a game that many consider among the greatest ever made. The level of polish on display in Cyberpunk 2077 (after a bevy of post-launch patches, of course) is something that could translate to The Witcher 4, with better character animations and the like; combat and RPG mechanics can be improved, and graphical fidelity is likely to see a boost as well, but there’s one central design philosophy that arguably transcends all these elements in terms of importance.
That would be quest design, which is perhaps CD Projekt Red’s strongest suit. Indeed, in an industry inundated with open-world games with copy-paste content, CDPR has managed to create at least two sprawling adventures with all-killer, no-filler activities, carried by their writing more than anything else. Each quest in The Witcher 3 is a veritable masterclass in video game storytelling, presenting unexpected twists and insights that endear the player to its fantasy world exponentially. But while there are countless great quests in CDPR’s oeuvre that could serve as inspiration for The Witcher 4‘s narrative, one early-game Witcher 3 quest ought to be front-of-mind during the design process.
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In a Sea of Great Quests, The Witcher 3’s Bloody Baron Plot Is Still a Masterpiece
Disturbing, Subversive, Clever Writing Makes The Bloody Baron Quest Chain Impeccable
Major spoilers ahead for The Witcher 3‘s early-game.
Seeking leads in Velen regarding Ciri’s whereabouts, Geralt is pointed in the direction of Philip Strenger, Baron of Crow’s Perch. Strenger is an immediately captivating and alluring figure, equal parts jovial and menacing, tasking Geralt with finding his missing wife and daughter before providing him with any information about Ciri. This simple missing-persons case winds up being far more complex and memorable than one would expect, though, as players learn that Strenger actually drove away his family through his violent, alcohol-fueled outbursts. What’s more is that one of Strenger’s assaults induced his wife Anna to miscarry—the ostensible last straw for the beleaguered wife.
After a series of emotionally charged events, including a ritual to lay the unborn child’s spirit to rest and an optional detour to Oxenfurt to speak with Strenger’s daughter, the quest chain merges with the Crookback Bog quest: it turns out that the mysterious woman harboring the orphans and serving the Witches of Crookback Bog is, in fact, Anna Strenger. Anna’s mind is seemingly addled with grief, and she winds up being transformed into a Grave Hag by the trickster witches. This forces Geralt to play along with the witches’ tricks, and the player’s choices during this section determine whether Anna lives or dies. But even if she is saved in the moment, she is doomed to die before too long, as part of the curse’s fine print. Returning to Crow’s Perch later to collect his reward, Geralt will find the Baron dead by his own hand, his guilt too heavy to live with.
Why The Bloody Baron Quest Chain Is So Impactful
Needless to say, the above quest is incredibly dark and heartbreaking, but also nuanced and devastatingly human. Yes, there are witches, curses, and ghosts, but the heart of the story is a family torn apart by abuse, neglect, and betrayals on all sides. Strenger, despite his horrible deeds, is not a monster: he is a product of his society, a sick man who can’t help but destroy all he holds dear.
Above all, The Bloody Baron quest epitomizes the mature writing that CD Projekt Red excels at. Too often, mainstream entertainment shies away from such weighty subject matter for fear of alienating audiences or becoming unpalatable, but through this small story, The Witcher 3 proves the value of such a fearless approach. Those who have played the game know how unforgettable this subplot is, and this same verve and passion for truthful writing is something that The Witcher 4 can continue to deliver.
The Witcher IV is a single-player, open-world RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. At the start of a new saga, players take on the role of Ciri, a professional monster slayer, and embark on a journey through a brutal dark-fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.