Last week's PC Gamer Q&A asked: which of your existing games did E3 2018 make you want to play? Bo answered with The Witcher 3—and while I've finished Geralt's third outing myself, Noelgal's Enhanced Reshade mod is enough to merit a return. 

A number of worthy visual overhaul mods already exist for The Witcher 3, but I reckon this is the most impressive one yet. Here's some moving pictures:

And here are some stills:

"The Witcher 3 Enhanced is designed to offer you the most immersive and real Witcher experience," says creator Noelgal on the mod's Nexus Mods page. "It works with all lighting mods and with Vanilla lighting. It enhances the shadows, the lighting, the colors and the contrasts."

More information, including installation instructions, lives here. And while we're talking visual overhaul mods, I'm also fond of Boostin4kix' Alternative Heavy Clouds. Follow that link for more info, and have a gander at these screens:

The Dying Light 2 announcement at Microsoft's E3 press event was made significantly cooler by the surprising news that cold fusion-powered RPG writing machine Chris Avellone is working on it. As we said in our report, Avellone's participation "signals a significant evolution for the series" by giving it a much greater focus on narrative and outcomes. 

But Avellone isn't the only talent working on the game. "We also got some additional help in the form of the former The Witcher 3 writing team," Techland told VG247. "Those guys were responsible for some of the best quests from that game including the Bloody Baron quest line. All of those guys are working very hard to create a narrative—it’s like a puzzle to play with." 

"Those guys" may not have quite the big-name cachet of Avellone, but their talents are readily apparent. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best RPGs ever made, and the Bloody Baron is the best of it—a character so good that we actually wrote about him specifically, describing him as a "complex, conflicted character" at the center of Family Matters, "The Witcher 3's most emotional and disturbing quest." 

"We needed a character that personified Velen, with all of its beauty and troubles," quest designer Paweł Sasko said at the time. "The Baron is a soldier, much like we have today, who comes back from war with PTSD and alcohol issues. He’s unstable and unpleasant, but he also has positive traits. He loves his family and would do anything for them." 

Not much is known about Dying Light 2 at this point except that it's set during "the Modern Dark Ages," 15 years after the zombie outbreak first began. But the core gameplay seen in the E3 trailer will be familiar—parkour, zombies, and "don't go out at night"—and Avellone said during the E3 presentation that the decisions players make will have a major impact on the game world. A release target hasn't been set. 

GOG launched its Summer Gaming Sale earlier this month, which is live now through Monday, June 18. Within, you'll find over a thousand games going cheap—with savings of up to 90 percent. 

The PC Gamer Collection is part of the sale too, and gathers 37 games spanning three decades. Expect everything from The Witcher 3 to Dead Cells and Prison Architect in an assortment that suits fans of all genres. 

Fancy winning one of those? Simply follow the instructions in the widget below for your chance to win one of 500 games from GOG's Summer Sale. 

Good luck from us and the chap at the foot of the page.  

Nexus modder Votislav has done the impossible: make Geralt better looking. Votislav's newly released Finger Lickin' Geraldo mod, which you can download here, changes the already fetching Witcher's stubble, complexion and eyes to make him appear sharper and younger but just as grizzled and dangerous. Gaze upon him: 

The mod sports a white beard and brows, yellower eyes, scars left by a Striga (a woman transformed into a monster by a curse, if you're wondering), and most importantly, "quite possibly the best stubble in the world." It also includes a variant without the scar and with eyebrows and skin more in line with vanilla Geralt. 

For maximum effect, Votislav recommends pairing Finger Lickin' Geraldo with a few other mods (some of which were also used in the images above): Cinematic Hair by Feregorn and Holgar96, Weathered Face by curme, and Disable HairWorks on Geralt by WitcherBoy1981. You'll find plenty of other great choices in our roundup of the best Witcher 3 mods, which you can wrangle using the easy-to-use Nexus Mod Manager.

With that out of the way, there's something else I simply must share with you. Tucked away in the image gallery for Finger Lickin' Geraldo is perhaps the most incredible Witcher image since that other image we sometimes use. Votislav titled it "the stuff of dreams," and I have a hard time arguing with that. I present to you, Big Geralt: 

Incidentally, there's something else you need to see, if only because I had to see it and I'll be damned if I'm going to suffer alone. It's Geralt's texture file, the stuff of nightmares: 

Oh god, take me back. 

There we go.

With the Witcher Netflix series out now (and quite good!) and The Witcher 3 seeing more concurrent players than ever, there's a lot of renewed interest in the root of all this: The Witcher books. If you want to fill a Geralt-shaped hole in your life following the show and games, the books are definitely worth a read. 

It's not quite as easy as one, two, three, though. As a brief overview, the book series is written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and follows a man named Geralt who happens to be a Witcher—someone attuned with supernatural abilities and trained from childhood to battle beasts that threaten the public. Of course, the books are about more than that: there’s plenty of drama, sex, politics, and even some comedy, but the central arc follows Geralt as he protects Ciri, a princess whose country has been conquered. 

If you want sword-wielding action and grotesque monsters, you’re in the right place. The series started as a set of short stories in the '80s for a Polish fantasy magazine, and the initial tale came third in their competition to find new ideas and writers. The stories were so popular they then went on to spawn full-length novels, which were then published in Polish in 1993. The books were released in English a bit late, from 2007, with Danusia Stok translating the first two and David French taking over duties the third book - so we know who to thank for bringing them to us English-speaking fans. The books then eventually became the games (and now show) we know and love.

Where to start with The Witcher books

You’ll want to start with The Last Wish. While it was published later on, it features stories set before the first full-length book and establishes the Continent as a backdrop. It also introduces the reader to Geralt and the basics of what a witcher is and what one does. You’ll read about Geralt fighting beasts, indulging in bar room fights, and his bedroom escapades.

This set of stories introduces everything you’ll see in the games. Sapkowski tells of Geralt’s silver sword with which he kills the monsters of magic, he depicts the often-corrupt governments that reside throughout the world, and we meet an ensemble of characters. These include Dandelion (aka Jaskier), a poet friend of Geralt who is hearing these tales we’re experiencing, Yennifer, a sorceress with whom Geralt begins a troubled relationship, and Triss, also a sorceress, a friend of Geralt but also the third point of the Geralt, Yennifer and Triss love triangle.

The second short story collection, Sword of Destiny, must follow because it’s here we meet Ciri, and each story takes place directly before the main novels.

What's the reading order of The Witcher books?

1. The Last Wish
2. Sword of Destiny
3. Season of Storms (optional; explained below)
4. Blood of Elves
5. Time of Contempt
6. Baptism of Fire
7. The Tower of the Swallow
8. The Lady of the Lake

Following the short stories, you would think it's best to read the rest of the books in the order they were published, but a recent release, Season of Storms, actually takes place within the stories of The Last Wish. To be honest, it’s only worth reading Season of Storms if you want to experience everything The Witcher has to offer, as the events that take place are not integral to the main arc—but it does sow some seeds of what’s to come in the rest of the series.

Otherwise, read the books in the order they were released: Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and The Lady of the Lake. 

Below are the best prices for these books but they do get sold together on Amazon—the first six books altogether on Amazon US and the first seven bundled together on Amazon UK.

Away from the novels, it’s also worth reading The World of the Witcher, which is a compendium of information created directly by CD Projekt Red. It’s a beautifully illustrated addition to the series that contains everything you’ll want to know about monsters, weapons, people and places. Be warned, though, it does feature spoilers for the games and the books. 

There is a designated Witcher 3: Wild Hunt art book but it is pretty rare as it was released only with collector's editions. One to look out for though; I know I always do. And there's yet more artwork available now following the release of the Gwent game, as it too now has its own art book: The Art of the Witcher: Gwent Gallery Collection. And to finish the art side of things off, there's a Witcher Adult Coloring Book that will keep you occupied long into the night, giving your favorite characters unique outfits and painting your own Witcher pictures.

The Witcher graphic novels

Aside from the short stories and novels, graphic novels from Dark Horse Comics have been released. While not written by Sapkowski, the comics do a great job of adding extras to already released stories, plus they look great as the art evokes the nasty themes of the books and games. Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 all include several stories each, while a collated Library Edition packs everything in one. 

Why should I read them if I’ve played the games?

In a nutshell, because they’re good books and a great way to get more Witcher in you. They are fun, accessible reads with a fast pace. Of course, it depends on your personal tastes, but generally the novels and short stories are good fun. It would be easy to say "well, much like films, the books are better," but that isn’t generally the case here, as the games give you a better view of the action within this setting, while still delivering a genuinely great story.

Reading the books will, however, give you a better sense of the world, flesh out more of the cast and create a stronger bond between yourself and the situations in the lore. Characters are drawn with more depth, and although much of the plot will be known to you if you played the games, the books fill in small gaps here and there.

How faithful are The Witcher games to the books?

Very, though only so much of the books was directly brought to the games. CD Projekt Red went to great lengths to bring Sapkowski’s witty, wry and strong Geralt of Rivia to players of the games. Due to the branching narratives of the games, the plot is "based" on the books, rather than a direct retelling. Everything you’ve seen in the games, however, from runes to weapons and monsters are featured in the series of novels. 

There’s an interesting divide between how Sapkowski sees his world and how it was translated to games, but readers will notice only small differences here and there. Coming to the books from the games brings a certain spark of life to the battles and fights.

It's worth noting though that a game, especially one of the quality featured in The Witcher series, is designed to bring excitement and danger. This can make some sections of the book—mainly the political discussions—rather dull in comparison. The games, because they deliver the story in bite-sized chunks between the killing and hunting, offer the most accessible way to consume the tale of Geralt.

Where can I get all these books?

Since the profile of The Witcher series and books has been elevated to brilliant, world-famous heights, the books, on the whole, are available from all the major retailers, including Amazon. The only one that is a bit difficult to get, as mentioned above, is the collector's edition Witcher 3 art book but it usually appears on eBay occasionally. However, for your ease and comfort, see the best prices currently going on all the books below.

Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info. 

With Gwent singleplayer and The Witcher TV series in our future, it's a pretty good time to check out The Witcher books. The Netflix show is a little way off, according to the creators, but it’s likely to be a success as fans of Game of Thrones will be looking for a new dark fantasy show to watch. It helps, of course, that the series has already established itself nicely with a load of books and hours upon hours of great RPGs by CD Projekt RED. 

If you're wondering where to start with The Witcher books, we've got you covered. The series is the brainchild of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and follows a man named Geralt who happens to be a witcher—someone attuned with supernatural abilities and trained from childhood to battle beasts that threaten the public. Of course, the books are about more than that: there’s plenty of drama, sex, politics and even some comedy, but the central arc follows Geralt as he protects Ciri, a princess whose country has been conquered and becomes a witcher-in-training. 

If you want sword-wielding action and grotesque monsters, you’re in the right place. The series started as a set of short stories in the '80s for a Polish fantasy magazine, and the initial tale came third in their competition to find new ideas and writers. The stories were so popular they then went on to spawn full-length novels, which began in the '90s, and eventually became the games we all know and love. 

If you're new to The Witcher books, where should you start?

With so many books and short stories set within the universe, it’s tricky to know where to start, especially as some were only released in English after the series reached a certain level of success. You’ll want to start with The Last Wish. While it was published later on, it features stories set before the first full-length book and establishes the Continent as a backdrop. It also introduces the reader to Geralt and the basics of what a witcher is and what one does. You’ll read about Geralt fighting beasts, indulging in bar room fights and his bedroom escapades.

This set of stories introduces everything you’ll see in the games. Sapkowski tells of Geralt’s silver sword with which he kills the monsters of magic, he depicts the often-corrupt governments that reside throughout the world, and we meet an ensemble of characters. These include Dandelion, a poet friend of Geralt who is hearing these tales we’re experiencing, Yennifer, a sorceress with whom Geralt begins a troubled relationship and Triss, also a sorceress, a friend of Geralt but also the third point of the Geralt, Yennifer and Triss love triangle.

The second short story collection, Sword of Destiny, must follow because it’s here we meet Ciri and each story takes place directly before the main novels.

What's the reading order of The Witcher books?

So, you’ve read the short stories and you’ve got a taste for Geralt and those around him. You’ve discovered more about the world he inhabits and the wars between human, dwarves and elves—the humans were victorious and now the other races are seen a lesser species—and now you want to sink your teeth into the proper saga. You would think it's best to read the rest of the books in the order they were published, but a recent release, Season of Storms, actually takes place within the stories of The Last Wish. To be honest, it’s only worth reading Season of Storms if you want to experience everything The Witcher has to offer, as the events that take place are not integral to the main arc, but it does sow some seeds of what’s to come in the rest of the series.

Otherwise, read the books in the order they were released: Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and The Lady of the Lake.

Away from the novels, it’s also worth reading The World of the Witcher, which is a compendium of information created directly by CD Projekt Red. It’s a beautifully illustrated addition to the series that contains everything you’ll want to know about monsters, weapons, people and places. Be warned, though, it does feature spoilers for the games and the books.

Is there anything else? You bet! Graphic novels from Dark Horse Comics. While not written by Sapkowski, the graphic novels do a great job of adding extras to already released stories and creating some extra content on the side, plus they look great as the art evokes the gritty and dark themes of the books and games.

Why should I read them if I’ve played the games?

They’re good books, and this is the way the story was intended to be told. They’re generally quick reads as the action keeps the pace up and it’s interesting to see how CD Projekt Red adapted certain scenes to make them interactive. Of course, mileage may vary from person to person, and it depends on your personal tastes, but generally the novels and short stories are good fun. It would be easy to say “well, much like films, the books are better” but that isn’t generally the case here, as the games give you a better view of the action within this setting, while still delivering a genuinely great story.

Reading the books will, however, give you a better sense of the world, flesh out more of the cast and create a stronger bond between yourself and the situations in the lore. Places will become more familiar, characters are drawn with more depth and although much of the plot will be known to you from playing the games, the books fill in small gaps here and there.

How faithful are The Witcher games to the books?

Very. Only so much of the books was directly brought to the games. CD Projekt Red went to great lengths to bring Sapkowski’s witty, wry and strong Geralt of Rivia to players of the games. Due to the branching narratives of the games, the plot is “based” on the books, rather than a direct retelling. Everything you’ve seen in the games, however, from runes to weapons and monsters are featured in the series of novels. 

There’s an interesting divide between how Sapkowski sees his world and how it was translated to games, but readers will notice only small differences here and there. Coming to the books from the games brings a certain spark of life to the battles and fights. Geralt tracing runes through the air holds more gravitas when coming from the games, and seeing how CD Projekt Red animated the effects of spells makes the translation of The Witcher’s abilities feel even more exciting.

It's worth noting though that a game, especially one of the quality featured in The Witcher series, is designed to bring excitement and danger. This can make some sections of the book—mainly the political discussions—rather dull in comparison. The games, because they deliver the story in bitesized chunks between the killing and hunting, offer the most accessible way to consume the tale of Geralt. Let's see if the TV series can top it.