The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Hearts of Stone

Hearts of Stone succeeds in stringing together several intriguing stories, excellent characters and standout moments in quick succession, and very little of it feels like a retread of quests that main protagonist Geralt has already undertaken.

If you enjoyed The Bloody Baron quest line in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, you will absolutely love Hearts of Stone. While it is the first piece of DLC with a price tag, the storyline justifies that at twice the price.

Hearts of Stone is an outstanding expansion and yet another testament to CD Projekt RED:s masterful storytelling. Interesting characters and clever dialogue help to create a dark and engaging adventure that no fan of the main game ought to miss.

Runs the entire gamut of human pathos with extraordinary flair and an impeccable eye for direction and dramatic impact. Hearts of Stone is a stunning journey into the very heart of darkness and beyond. An absolute must play.

Hearts of Stone has pulled me back into The Witcher Universe with its finely crafted story and menagerie of clever side characters. A cat burglar acrobat, a suicidal Firestarter dwarf, a lifelorn ghost, and more are all people that will stick with you for a while even after you are done playing. While this story may only take you 10 hours to complete make sure to set aside more time than that because you will probably need it.

With Geralt's final adventure coming to an end, CD Projekt Red did a masterful job. Action, intrigue, love and Gwent - it's all there and it's better than ever. Truly a finale worthy of the legendary Witcher.

Hearts of Stone expansion is worth every penny. Even if you usually don't enjoy story-driven DLCs (that are often boring and offer very little) you have to believe that CDP Red has made is right. This is an example everyone should follow - a great story, new characters, new equipment, new places. Stunning work. The Witcher just became even better.

The Hearts of Stone DLC for the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is rock-solid. A completely new storyline, new side quests and new areas to explore all come together in this stunning first DLC for the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. A must have for all Witcher fans.

Hearts of Stone is an essential pickup if you’re playing The Witcher 3.

12 hour long expansion almost as good as the original game. [12/2015, p.42]

This expansion is a demonstration of story-telling excellence by CD Projekt Red. The combination of interesting characters, great writing and directing, as well as beautiful new scenery makes this DLC a great addition to one of the best games of the year. A must-have for every fan of The Witcher series.

The first expansion to The Witcher 3: Wild Heart is hands down the best expansion of this year.

If Witcher 3 were great novel, Heart of Stone is an equally great tale. It takes place in the universe of the original game, but it tells its own story, that fits perfectly into the universe and belongs among the best, what the creators of CD Projekt invented. It is a touching, funny, extensive... And it's also an absolute obligation for everyone, who liked Witcher 3 a bit.

Hearts of Stone never feels tacked on at any point, and although the side activities are a bit lackluster there are more than enough highs to make the singular low seem insubstantial. This is a true expansion, one that builds excellently on the already amazing base game.

Another high quality entry from CD Projekt RED, Hearts of Stone keeps the tone and essence of The Witcher but gives a very interesting twist to the "stoic monster hunter finds that humans are the true monsters" framework of the saga. Also, Shani will rekindle the heart of true fans. A fantastic effort worth your money.

Hearts of Stone, despite not really adding that much new "stuff", tells an amazing, engaging story that is worthy of the $10 price tag. While The Wild Hunt was the conclusion to an epic, climactic saga, Hearts of Stone is simply another story in the life of Witcher Geralt.

If we had to mention a great contribution of Hearts of Stone to the series, this would be the humor. It's a fun expansion, relaxing enough to go to a wedding or an auction house. It is in those areas where we find a more relaxed Geralt, enjoying life. One that soon, like it or not, will have a rest period. He earnt it, but luckily for us, is not over yet. Not yet.

The best aspect of this DLC is its unique way to wander far from what The Witcher 3 got us used to in terms of narration. If you loved the original game, you shouldn't miss this expansion.

Lasting ten to twelve hours with complex characters, diverse scenarios, stunning new locations, and memorable bosses, this ten dollar expansion stands out in a period when many DLC offerings feel like lackluster afterthoughts.

First expansion for Witcher 3 is an intriguing story and a great occasion to return to Northern Kingdoms. Hearts of Stone keeps your attention from beginning to the very end, including side quests.

The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone wraps an interesting story and great gameplay additions into one well-rounded expansion.

A great expansion that adds to an already excellent game. Good balance between price, quality and content thanks to a great story.

There's a point when a character whistles the boss fight music. And just when you're sure one such encounter is coming, he walks away to that haunting tune, without so much as a fistfight. This is what Hearts of Stone does best. It takes our expectations and runs with them.

Hearts of Stone is a collection of some of the best quests The Witcher 3 has to offer. Its story is cohesive; its characters are worth meeting; and the thematic diversity is worth seeing.

The story is well written, full of difficult choices, sharp dialogue and memorable characters. Quest design is diverse and often surprising, plus there is a decent amount of new items, treasures and bossfights. It's a well-rounded package for a reasonable price and an easy choice for every fan of The Witcher.

Lots of content, full of variety and extremely will written. This is a well-done add-on for a low price.

The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone may skirt the line between DLC and Expansion Pack by merely adding more of what was already in Wild Hunt, but gets away with it by being sizeable and awesome.

An epic storyline that contains pretty much every element that made the original game great, and conceals the AI problems with some smart enemy placement. Structurally, it's even better than the main campaign, and from a narrative standpoint it shows once again how good the CD Projekt writers are. More than worth its price, indeed.

Hearts of Stone adds new story-line and new locations on The Witcher 3. Runewords is a interesting mechanic for veteran Witcher players. If you loved The Witcher 3 and if you want some more, Novigrad is waiting you.

If you have a difficult time saying goodbye to Geralt, Hearts of Stone is the perfect add-on. The story is pretty exciting and the extra items and surroundings blend in well. The monsters offer an extra challenge, but the bosses are often a bit too difficult.

A marvelous add-on with a lot of contents and 12+ hours of gameplay. Perhaps CD Projekt could do something more for the secondary quests that are too repetitive.

A satisfying, self-contained adventure that plays to the series' strengths, but doesn't add anything novel outside of its storytelling.

Spectacular character design and script create one of the most interesting side quests in the Witcher universe and make it easy to overcome some mistakes in its design.

There is no other way to sum up The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone than saying this is more of what made The Witcher 3 spectacular.

Hearts of Stone is a great addition to The Witcher 3 if all you’re looking for is more of the same. If you’re expecting something game changing or different, then this isn’t a DLC worth your time.