CD Project RED has released some new information about the five starting magic signs, two combat stances and 96 different battle animations in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

In an interview with ClickOnline, lead gameplay designer Maciej Szczesnik said “At the beginning, Geralt will be able to choose from five signs.

“It doesn’t end there, however – in The Witcher 3 we introduce new casting modes which effectively double the number of signs at the players disposal. These “alternative versions” will be unlocked through character development, but don’t think of them as simply stronger versions of the same spells – they will offer different tactical uses.

“Let’s take Aard as an example. The primary version of this sign will send a telekinetic thrust to stun or knock down foes. With time, players will be able to unlock a secondary version of the sign and by pressing and holding the button, they will send out a shockwave that knocks down all surrounding enemies (you can actually spot this in our gameplay trailer). Similar dual modes are available for every other sign.”

Geralt will have multiple combat stances that employ around 96 new character animations. Szczesnik also compared the games encounters to Dark Souls, noting that this time around, defense will be much more important to the player's survival.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is slated for a 2014 release on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

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