Rating

A

Specific Ratings

GameplayA
GraphicsB+
Learning CurveB-
Replay ValueB
SoundB

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Underrated RPG classic
  • Interesting story
  • Can play the sequel with no knowledge of Gothic 1
  • Simple RPG attribute system (Can be a pro or con.)
  • Interesting world that feels alive
Cons
  • Clumsy controls
  • Dying is very easy and several saves are necessary
  • Simple RPG attribute system (Can be a pro or con.)
  • Poor creature AI and pathfinding
  • Some chapters get repetitive

Gothic II (PC)

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Summary

An underrated RPG classic!

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Description

In today's PC gaming market, small start-up companies are becoming a thing of the past. The last few years have seen the ranks of many famous small development teams dwindle as they are swallowed by larger corporations. Perhaps some of the best remaining examples of small developers today comes from Europe. Several critically acclaimed European-designed games such as Mafia and Divine Divinity have been sleeper hits in North America. Another such game is the classic RPG series, Gothic. While the first Gothic didn't quite catch on in North America, it was popular enough in Germany to warrant a sequel, and the developers have refined the concepts in the first game to bring the gaming market an even better RPG product. Gothic II is truly one of the underrated gaming gems on the market today and a must play for any serious RPG fan.

Gothic II begins with your hero recovering from the crippling events of the first game. As a matter of fact, the final fight was so crippling that your hero no longer has the same stats or abilities. Waking up in the tower of the mysterious wizard, Xardas, you learn that a new threat has emerged and once again, you will need to pick up the sword and do battle with the evil forces that threaten all life. Equipped with some basic items, Xardas sends your hero to the nearby town of Khorinis to get back on your feet. From there, the journey is yours to decide because Gothic II allows a gamer plenty of freedom to decide which direction they will pursue.

If you haven't played the first game, don't let that sway you from trying the sequel because knowledge of the first game is not necessary to enjoy the sequel. It helps sometimes to know some of the characters so that you can reminisce about events and old friends, but it's quite possible to enjoy the sequel by itself. Actually, Gothic II is an improvement over the first game. One obstacle that kept many gamers from enjoying the first game was a horrid action and inventory system. Admittedly, both games do depend on an awkward interface for most actions but it has been improved in the sequel. If the first game's mechanics scared you off, you might want to consider giving the sequel a try because you'll notice a definite improvement.

Gothic II is actually an action-RPG in that all combat depends on a gamer's quick navigation with the keyboard and mouse. While this can be fun, it can also be very frustrating. Your hero won't move as smoothly as you'd like, and oftentimes, the best way to kill creatures is to borrow an old MMORPG trick and exploit the terrain. Standing on high ledges or other obstacles with a bow and arrow or ranged magic attacks can allow you to defeat many creatures that wouldn't be possible with melee combat. Be prepared to save often because this game will not hold your hand. Most areas are fair game no matter your level and it's easy to find yourself quickly surrounded by creatures that are out of your current skills' realm.

The attribute system in Gothic II is about as basic as it gets. There aren't many detailed stats and any gamer will quickly catch on to the skills and traits necessary for survival. Don't let this fool you, though, because the game has a steep learning curve. The instruction manual doesn't cover much and you will need to discover how to do many things in the game by talking to NPCs. In some ways, the game plays like an offline MMORPG. Trial and error is usually the best way to figure out what to do.

Because of its small time roots, Gothic II isn't the most polished game available but it is an endearing game. Tricks such as a day and night schedule with all NPCs, suspicious townsfolk that will panic if you walk into their house and other minor but creative features make the game feel alive. The events in the game plays out in chapters and as you accomplish critical goals, you will advance to a new chapter that sometimes opens up new lands to explore. While I've played more polished games from larger development teams, I haven't played many RPGs that made me fall in love with the world I explored such as this game did.

The graphics in Gothic II are surprisingly good considering its small budget. In particular, the scenic nature environments were expertly rendered and feel like vast unchartered regions. The sounds of the game are average. Everything has the proper audio effects but this part of the game won't be winning any awards anytime soon. As far as technical aspects, I'd recommend that you have a lot more than the 256MB RAM recommended because Gothic II can be a system resource hog. For those that enjoy the game, there is also an expansion and sequel on the way. You can actually obtain the German version of the expansion right now and download an English translation mod to read it in English text. Check the RPGDot.Com links provided in this review for further details.

If you're an RPG fan looking for a new game to satisfy your thirst, give Gothic II a try. It's one of the better RPGs on the PC in the last few years and I found it to be better than many of its peers that have higher budgets. Both Gothic and Gothic II are not easy games to find on the Game Trading Zone. They are in high demand but low supply so you may have to give up more than you'd like. You might be better off buying the game brand new because of its reduced price. However you decide to obtain this underrated RPG classic, prepare yourself for hours of enjoyment because Gothic II is one game that is hard to stay away from.





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