“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” new DLC “Melody of Memories” introduces new weapon “Silver Chain.” Journey the cursed forest with a beauty! [Hands-On Report]

A playable demo of the new DLC for *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt*, titled “Melody of Memories,” was unveiled at “Red Bull at Tokyo Game Show” during the TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026.

This demo also provided a glimpse of features from the remastered version, scheduled for release on September 29. In the remastered version, the vegetation is more lush, and the lighting has a softer, more subdued quality.

NPC movements have also become more dynamic, giving the impression that the expressiveness of the world itself has been enhanced. Additionally, Kazuhiro Yamaji returns to voice Geralt in the Japanese audio.

The demo begins the day after the traditional “Beltane” festival, held in Retten—Dandelion’s hometown—has come to a close. Dressed in traditional folk attire, Geralt stumbles toward Dandelion’s house.

Amid a beautiful sunrise, Geralt travels by boat across the lake. You can navigate while taking in the surrounding scenery, fully enjoying the richer depiction of nature brought by the remastered version.

Eventually, he arrives at “Rettenhove Manor,” a massive estate floating on the lake. I knew Dandelion was wealthy, but I never imagined he was such a spoiled rich kid… By the way, I was even able to pet a dog along the way. So cute.

However, a somewhat oppressive atmosphere hangs over the mansion. Dandelion’s family is in mourning; it seems his father has passed away.

Even though it’s breakfast time, the only person in the mansion is Dandelion’s grandmother. Dandelion himself is nowhere to be found; all that remains is the lute he used to love playing… His grandmother makes no attempt to look for him. His cousin Lira and Geralt suspect that something might have happened to Dandelion.

In fact, Geralt had been having dreams in which he heard Dandelion’s screams. So, the two of them shake off their grandmother’s protests and set out to find the wayward minstrel.

Lila seems fascinated by the adventures Dandelion had told her about and appears excited about this search. Her reaction is truly endearing, and the contrast with Geralt—who has a vague sense that this will be a dangerous journey—is striking.

In terms of gameplay, the inventory has been reorganized, and the skill tree now has a cleaner layout. It feels much easier to use, even for existing players.

Now, as Geralt searches for Dandelion, the “Legend of the Thorns” comes to light… along with the existence of the “Cursed Well” mentioned within it.

Apparently, Dandelion’s ancestors are also connected to this strange phenomenon. Geralt and Lila head to the “Garden of Thorns,” a land reviled by the people of Retten, to search for an ancient well.

It’s an eerie place just to look at… but Lila hasn’t lost her courage yet. When a plant-like monster appears before her, Geralt unleashes Igni and burns it to ashes.

In the remastered version, adjustments were made to the camera angles, allowing players to enjoy more modern-style action.

As you venture deeper into the garden, a distinctly suspicious gate comes into view. This appears to be the very place where Hambard—an ancestor of the Dandelions—committed his atrocities.

There are several ways to get past the gate; performing a ritual according to legend is one option, but let’s just keep it simple and chop down the tree with the silver sword.

Later on the path, an enemy called “Swarmion”—a swarm of bees—appeared. Apparently, this is a new enemy introduced in the DLC!

During the battle with this enemy, I discovered a new weapon: the “Silver Chain.”

You can use the Silver Chain to pull enemies toward you and then slash at them. Furthermore, by targeting specific body parts with the chain, you can land powerful finishing moves.

This new means of attack has been added to the combat system—which has traditionally centered on swords and seals—expanding the range of possible actions.

And finally, we arrive at the well we were looking for.

There, we find a corpse swallowed by thorns, bearing the Lettenhov family crest. This is likely Hambard, the figure at the heart of the legend.

Suddenly, the corpse stirs and turns its sword toward Geralt. The battle against the “Sleeping Knight” begins.

Geralt defeats the knight by making full use of shotgun rounds and Igni. The Drowsy Knight returns to the earth, and the path to the well is finally cleared.

Here, I also noticed a scene where you can choose to either “hug” or “reach out to” Lila.

Geralt, who has drifted through the world in various places… Is he going to make a move on his best friend’s cousin this time too!? (Well, for now, he’ll just stick to “reaching out” to her.)

Geralt then jumps into the well. Waiting for him on the other side was an eerie woman who looked as if she were made of dead wood. Just as the woman grabbed Geralt’s arm, the demo ended.

Dandelion’s disappearance, the past surrounding his clan, the “Legend of the Thorns,” and the cursed well. And finally, the mysterious woman who appeared at the end—

Although it was a short demo, it concluded by presenting one story mystery after another, leaving me eager to see what lies ahead.

The remastered version of *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt* is scheduled for release on September 29, 2026, for PC (Steam/ Epic Games Store /GOG),PS5,XBOX Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. *The Song of Remembrance* is also scheduled for release on the same platforms in 2027.