Up for 10 More Cultural References in Witcher 3?

Oh yes, I can definitely feel the heat of summer. Or is it just my PC overheating? I’m just a liiitle bit guilty for being glued to the screen on such lovely evenings. Perhaps I should be feeling the wind in my hair instead of watching Geralt’s. Anyhow, I’ve still got some Witcher 3 easter eggs to share with you, my fellow gamer. Curious to find out how Snatch, Twilight and even Trololo made their way into the game? Without further ado, I bring to you 10 more pop culture references you may or may not have found already. SPOILERS INC, obviously!

1. TWILIGHT

Step inside the “Books and Scrolls” shop in Novigrad to start a short side quest, “Message From An Old Friend”. While looking for the right tome, you’ll come across a hidden Twilight easter egg. Take a look at the keywords in the excerpt: Isabella, Edward, a love triangle involving a werewolf and a vampire. Rings a bell? Don’t pretend it doesn’t. Love the fact they referred to sparkly vampire faces as “glistening visages”.

2. TROLOLO

Trollololo is a singing troll who guards boats in Velen, but it’s also a troll about Trololo. Wait, what? You must be familiar with this meme, a rather unique Russian singer, Eduard Khil aka Mr. Trololo. I think a little sing-along is in order, so enjoy the tune just once more.

3. GAME OF THRONES

Any fan of the Seven Kingdoms drama will immediately spot this reference to “A Feast for Crows”. It’s the title of the 4th novel of the amazing “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. To grab this quest, walk around southern Novigrad until Geralt makes a remark about the smell of rotting flesh. Use your Witcher senses to follow up.

4. SNATCH

I’m a huge fan of Guy Richie’s films, so I was over the moon to discover this easter egg. Hands down my favourite so far! One of the Novigrad’s fight features Georgius Georg as the muscle and Master Claytop as the bookie. If you’ve seen “Snatch”, you’ll definitely identify these names as Gorgeous George and Brick Top. What’s more, Claytop also offers to pay you well to lose the fight on purpose, alluding to the film. So I decided to take a beating this time. Wonder if Claytop would’ve tried to feed me to the pigs otherwise.

5. SWAMP THING

This foglet you have to slay for the bounty lives in a swamp, surrounded by a poisonous fog. You may have noticed this quest is also a DC comics reference, both in its name and subject. If you’re yet to fight this murky monster, tread carefully; the creature can really pack a punch.

6. FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

A cringeworthy easter egg spotted while investigating the leads in Dandelion’s disappearance. Ask Zoltan for more information on the bard’s female companions and you’ll hear some bits about bondage roleplay. The fact that this woman insisted on pretending to be “Anastasia” and “Christian” speaks volumes about the last book she’s read. If you’ve no idea what these names refer to (or too ashamed to admit it), they’re the protagonists of Fifty Shades of Grey, an erotic “novel” you shouldn’t waste your life on.

7. FALLOUT

“War… War never changes.” Ah, the famous opening line from the Fallout games, spoken by a common peasant. I giggled when the woman beside him responded with “Well, neither do you”, complaining how little he helps around the farm. Although Velen isn’t really the post-apocalyptic wasteland, no war is ever that different, right?

8. KILL BILL

Looking for a master weaponsmith? An amateur in Lindenvale will tell you that it’s Hattori you seek. Unfortunately, Hattori has given up his craft and resorted to cooking dumplings in Novigrad. This is where the Kill Bill easter egg comes in. In Tarantino’s film, Hattori Hanzo is a retired swordsmith who runs his own sushi bar. Luckily, both Hattoris can eventually be convinced to craft a fine piece again.

9. TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

Also known as “Tristan and Iseult”, it’s a famous medieval tale about tragic love and chivalry. Lots of plays, poems and operas have been based on this story, so it’s not surprising to see it appear in video games too.  In Witcher 3, a merchant in Lindenvale sells a particular quest item, a book titled “Tristianna and Isador”. Still haven’t discovered the use for it, but I’ll make sure to update this post once I do!

10. MADONNA

Should you stop to admire the flirty strumpets, you might just hear them quote “Material Girl” by Madonna. This can be triggered both in the brothels and on the streets. Sometimes they also say “I was made for lovin'” and that could be interpreted as a reference to this hit song by KISS. Rock on.

Hey, what about Skyrim or Pulp Fiction? Read my previous post to find out.