Gaming
The Witcher 3 Hearts Of Stone Review – Dues Need Be Repaid, And He Will Come For You
The Witcher 3 is a game that needs no introduction. The role playing game developed by CD Projekt RED is a massive open world open game featuring an engaging story, charming characters and some very good quests that take the player in and only let go when the quest is done, like the Bloddy Baron questline where the Witcher Geralt gets involved with a rather dysfunctional family in order to gather information need to complete another quest. More of this has been added to the Witcher 3 by the first expansion called Hearts of Stone.
The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone main quest is a quest intended for players who have reached level 30 and, as such, it’s quite difficult to complete it as soon as it’s possible to reach the Seven Cats Inn near Novigrad, where the events of the expansion begin. Thankfully it’s also possible to play Hearts of Stone as a standalone with a pre-leveled Geralt and a selection of potions and items. The main story quests of the base game are unavailable when playing Hearts of Stone this way but it’s still possible to complete Witcher Contracts and other sidequests if the player so desires.
The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone expansion, unfortunately, doesn’t include any major gameplay change. The only real additions are a couple of skills and Runewright Enchanting which allows players to add a variety of enhancements to weapons and armor pieces by using Runestones. It’s a nice addition but it’s not a really big one, considering how very few will be able to take advantage of it due to the huge amount of coin needed to enchant items. Not that it’s really necessary, as at difficulty levels below Death March, these enchantments are pretty much superfluous.
With the gameplay experience not really getting expanded, one is left to wonder what Hearts of Stone exactly expands. The map, for starters. Once Hearts of Stone has been purchased, players can explore new areas close to Oxenfurt like a few new villages and Points of Interests such as new Monster Nests and new Bandit Camps, which reward players with a variety of items, many unavailable in the main game such as the Order of the Flaming Rose equipment set and more. The enemy roster has been expanded by Hearts of Stone as well, with players having to fight the new nasty Arachnomorphs, the warriors from the exotic region of Ofier and more. As a book reader, I have been pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of the Ofieri warriors: the region is only mentioned once during one of The Witcher short stories and it’s nice to see the team expand on the world Andrzej Sapkowski created in his novels.
With not much getting added to the game by the expansion, it’s up to the main quest’s story to make Hearts of Stone a worthy purchase for fans of The Witcher 3. The story begins with Geralt, perpetually lacking funds, looking for work near the Seven Cats Inn located not far from Novigrad. A contract pinned on the nearby notice board catches his interest, leading him to meet the charismatic Olgierd von Everec and his gang. Little does Geralt know that this job will lead him to battle truly hellish creatures, receive unexpected help from Gaunter O’ Dimm, the vagrant Geralt met at the beginning of the game in White Orchard and get involved with powers and mysteries that were better left alone. It’s very difficult to say why the Hearts of Stone story is good without spoiling everything but be assured that it’s definitely one of the best quests of the game, a multi-layered quest with plenty of twists, surprises and nice little touches, such as the children singing the Master Mirror song, that make it feel incredibly fulfilling. The return of the medic Shani from the novels and the first entry of the series is also very welcome for long time fans of The Witcher. Making the main quest of Hearts of Stone even more memorable are also some very unique bosses, which are quite challenging at times, choices that can lead to different outcomes and different endings and a permanent change for Geralt that players can talk about with Yennefer, Triss and Ciri, something that makes the events of Hearts of Stone feel truly part the game’s story.
Everything considered, The Witcher 3 Hearts of Stone is a terrific addition to the game developed by CD Projekt RED. The expansion doesn’t include any major gameplay change or feature but the excellent story , intense boss battles and a variety of nice touches make it a more than worthy purchase. Hearts of Stone is simply more of the best features of the Witcher 3, that0s true, but when the quality is so high, there’s really nothing to complain about.
Gaming
Sony is reportedly engaged in discussions to form a partnership for a potential bid on Paramount
There hasn’t been much buzz lately about any new acquisitions in the world of video game intellectual property. According to a recent report, Sony is currently engaged in discussions with a well-funded partner to potentially acquire the renowned film studio Paramount, along with all the exciting possibilities that come with such a merger.
As reported in the New York Times (thanks, ResetEra), Sony Picture Entertainment is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, as per two sources familiar with the matter. In the past, Apollo had made an offer to acquire Paramount for a minimum of $26 billion, but their bid was ultimately turned down.
The terms of the joint bid are currently under discussion, and there is a chance that the two parties may decide against making a formal offer. Unnamed sources have revealed that Paramount is currently in exclusive discussions with Skydance, preventing any official offer from being made at this time. Investor opposition to the recent deal that Skydance brought seems to have been significant.
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, have been in discussions about teaming up for a joint bid to acquire Paramount, people familiar with the situation said Thursday. https://t.co/qN86H4y7Va
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 18, 2024
The potential impact of such an acquisition is immense. First and foremost, it would introduce adaptations of Sonic and Halo into the expanding media empire of the PlayStation platform holder. Following the announcement, Paramount’s stock experienced a significant 11% surge in after-hours trading.
What are your thoughts on the news? Is there a possibility of Sony acquiring Paramount? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.
There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.
Factory Striders have made a resurgence on the Automaton front. These imposing, massive support dreadnoughts now threaten freedom and democracy throughout the galactic rim. pic.twitter.com/XRTPU7k71s
— HELLDIVERS™ 2 (@helldivers2) April 16, 2024
Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.
The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!
Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”
It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.
What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
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