Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales combines aspects of strategy card games with the role-playing genre to create a fresh, exciting game that reveals much about the world and narrative of The Witcher. In portraying the world through a different perspective to Geralt, Thronebreaker lets players explore the Continent under a new lens and uncover information regarding events prior to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The game utilizes the card-based combat mechanics from Gwent alongside fully voice-acted dialogue and cinematic cutscenes, presenting a novel way in which to traverse the intricacies of CD Projekt Red's much-loved universe.
In Thronebreaker, players step into the shoes of Queen Meve, ruler of the Northern double kingdom of Lyria and Rivia, during the Second Nilfgaardian War. Meve must traverse this precarious political landscape, protecting her kingdom from invasion while navigating allegiances and friendships. These events occur during the third book of The Witcher main saga by Andrzej Sapkowski, Baptism of Fire, and occur roughly five years prior to The Witcher 3. Players freely explore the Continent as Meve, rallying troops and collecting resources to expand her army in Thronebreaker, engaging in conflicts from small quarrels to large battles, and undergoing difficult choices that will affect the outcome of the game narrative.
Thronebreaker helps to set up the world of The Witcher 3 as it provides deeper insight into the history of the Continent. Players learn about the tensions growing between the power-hungry Nilfgaardian Empire and the proud Northern Realms. Nilfgaard is the main villain of the entire franchise, portrayed as black-clad knights under the rule of ruthless Emperors. Through Meve's eyes, players witness the atrocities of war committed by Nilfgaard, including enslaving and slaughtering her people. This provides background to the narrative of The Witcher games, helping players understand the context for the later entry.
The Witcher: How Thronebreaker Shows Why Nilfgaard Is So Hated
Thronebreaker also provides context to The Witcher 3's protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, revealing aspects of his past before Wild Hunt. In Chapter 4 of Thronebreaker, players control Queen Meve's progression through the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga, a fight instrumental to the survival of her kingdoms. This event is described in Baptism of Fire as a difficult battle, with Meve's forces being scattered and pushed back from the bridge, unsuccessful in their attempt to disrupt Nilfgaardian supply lines across the river at Angren.
However, the timely arrival of Geralt and his group commandeering a ferry changed the course of battle. Geralt and his companion rally a counterattack that forces the Nilfgaardians to flee and secures a successful victory for the double kingdoms. It is from this act of valor that Geralt gains his title from Queen Meve, being appointed a Knight of Rivia. Geralt even makes a brief cameo in Chapter 4 of Thronebreaker following the battle. This event also relates to an Easter egg in The Witcher 3 as Geralt discusses the victory achieved with just a "fistful of Nordlings."
Overall, Thronebreaker allows for exploration of the Continent from a different perspective than The Witcher games and provides more information on the history of its world and narrative. In Wild Hunt, Geralt is a lone wanderer in this dangerous world, but Thronebreaker offers insight from a completely separate social stratum. Queen Meve is not hunting monsters, she is commanding an army. Her unique perspective displays the burdens of leadership and issues of allegiance that we do not see through Geralt.