Summary
WhileThe Witcherhas been around for over 15 years now and has three mainline installments under its belt, it wasn’t untilThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntthat the series introduced a traditional fast-travel system into its gameplay. This is all due to the series' shift to a fullyopen-world design inThe Witcher 3and therefore the need for traditional fast-travel mechanics, but the system as a whole was rather static and somewhat immersion-breaking due to its over-reliance on signposts and its lack of interactivity. Now,The Witcher 4has a chance to improve that system to make it more imaginative and worthwhile overall.
Fast-travel systems have evolved over the last couple of decades, especially as the average size of game worlds has expanded and the demand for more inventive methods of travel has increased. Since there is a full decade between the launch ofThe Witcher 3and now, that also means there are plenty of great examples out there forThe Witcher 4to follow when it comes to innovative fast-travel systems. Rather than reverting toThe Witcher 3’s signposts,The Witcher 4could offer something that not only makes its fast-travel mechanics more interesting, but simultaneously increases the value of exploration in its world.
How The Witcher 4 Could Reinvent Its Predecessor’s Fast-Travel System
The Witcher 4’s Fast Travel Could Benefit From Random Events and a Cinematic Mode
Something that has become more prominent in modern fast-travel systems is the inclusion of random events. Whenfast traveling inDragon’s Dogma 2, for example, the player’s journey might randomly be interrupted by a monster attack, which can throw off the entire trip in a heartbeat. While it can be somewhat frustrating at times, the whole purpose ofDragon’s Dogma 2having a system like this is to draw more attention to its world and all but force players to travel on foot instead of skipping everything between two fast-travel points.
The Witcher 4already has the perfect setup for a fast-travel system likeDragon’s Dogma 2, as it could see players randomly attacked by groups of monsters between destinations. A Witcher is a monster hunter, after all, so random events such as these would fit right in. Perhaps players could also be interrupted by random NPCs during their fast-travel journey, just as they can whenfast traveling inKingdom Come: Deliverance 2. This would be a unique way of introducing side quests and optional lore dives that players might not be able to find elsewhere.
Rather than reverting toThe Witcher 3’s signposts,The Witcher 4could offer something that not only makes its fast-travel mechanics more interesting, but simultaneously increases the value of exploration in its world.
Additionally, while it isn’t true fast travel,Red Dead Redemption 2’s Cinematic Mode is somethingThe Witcher 4could benefit from as well. If players wish to, they can opt for theirhorse inRed Dead Redemption 2to automatically travel to a set destination, during which they can activate the game’s Cinematic Mode. When Cinematic Mode is active, the camera pans and occasionally shifts its position to put the beauty and splendor ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s open world on full display during travel. Assuming Ciri will have her own Roach inThe Witcher 4, perhaps it could have its own Cinematic Mode as well.
The Witcher 4 Could Use More Environmental Storytelling to Discourage Fast Travel
While it would make sense forThe Witcher 4to include a fast-travel system, it could potentially make its world interesting enough that players wouldn’t even want to use the system at all.The Witcher 3has been praised for its open world, but the obvious over-reliance on fast travel to get around quickly was a sign that it still felt empty. In response,The Witcher 4could encourage manual travel with more environmental storytelling, more random events, and increased diversity in environments and biomes. Then, fast travel would likely be used less frequently inThe Witcher 4, thereby drawing less attention to its potential shortcomings.
AssumingThe Witcher 4has its own fast-travel system, it needs to take the necessary steps to improve what was introduced by its predecessor. Whether it adds random events to fast travel, a Cinematic Mode likeRed Dead Redemption 2’s, or discourages fast travel altogether by making its world more interesting,The Witcher 4can make its open worldand fast-travel mechanics far more engaging than even its predecessor was capable of.
