Gothic

Rating:
Summary: If You Can Get Past the Horrible Interface and Controls.....
Review: Both Gothic I & II are two of my favorite RPG's in the last few years. But... there is one disclaimer about Gothic before you give it a try. Admittedly, it does have a poor interface and some of the clumsiest controls you'll encounter in an action oriented RPG. The game plays like Morrowind with its 3rd person view but your hero isn't as easy to control. If Gothic I frustrates you because of this (and you won't be the first person) but you still want to try a new RPG, my advice would be to pick up the sequel, Gothic II, because it fixes a lot of the common complaints from the first game. Gothic II also has far less bugs than Gothic I. Explore the web a little too because there are some good Gothic websites that can help you out as the instructions aren't the greatest. Don't be afraid to purchase the game because of these warnings though because if you really want to know why the game has its faults, it's because it was designed by a tiny group of programmers in Germany determined to build the ultimate RPG. While they didn't have the same funding or hype an RPG giant like Neverwinter Nights did, they still did a very admirable job and I've had just as much fun with Gothic as other titles that have received better press and ratings. The attributes of your character are simple compared to most RPG's but the game almost plays like an offline MMORPG with its character progression and exploration. You begin the game as a lowly thief thrown into a large prison camp, and from there you begin your journey however you choose until you become one of the realm's most unlikely heroes. The game has some unique characteristics such as night/day, NPC's that respond to home invasion, NPC's that actually sleep at night, and other simple but critical elements that make the game feel more alive. It's not an easy game to pick up but once you get into it, you'll disocover that it's one heck of an addictive game. Not everyone enjoys the game, but those that do are diehard fans for life.

Rating:
Summary: If You Can Get Past the Horrible Interface and Controls.....
Review: Both Gothic I & II are two of my favorite RPG's in the last few years. But... there is one disclaimer about Gothic before you give it a try. Admittedly, it does have a poor interface and some of the clumsiest controls you'll encounter in an action oriented RPG. The game plays like Morrowind with its 3rd person view but your hero isn't as easy to control. If Gothic I frustrates you because of this (and you won't be the first person) but you still want to try a new RPG, my advice would be to pick up the sequel, Gothic II, because it fixes a lot of the common complaints from the first game. Gothic II also has far less bugs than Gothic I. Explore the web a little too because there are some good Gothic websites that can help you out as the instructions aren't the greatest. Don't be afraid to purchase the game because of these warnings though because if you really want to know why the game has its faults, it's because it was designed by a tiny group of programmers in Germany determined to build the ultimate RPG. While they didn't have the same funding or hype an RPG giant like Neverwinter Nights did, they still did a very admirable job and I've had just as much fun with Gothic as other titles that have received better press and ratings. The attributes of your character are simple compared to most RPG's but the game almost plays like an offline MMORPG with its character progression and exploration. You begin the game as a lowly thief thrown into a large prison camp, and from there you begin your journey however you choose until you become one of the realm's most unlikely heroes. The game has some unique characteristics such as night/day, NPC's that respond to home invasion, NPC's that actually sleep at night, and other simple but critical elements that make the game feel more alive. It's not an easy game to pick up but once you get into it, you'll disocover that it's one heck of an addictive game. Not everyone enjoys the game, but those that do are diehard fans for life.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent game - with some flaws
Review: Gothic is an incredible game, hands down. It is an exceptional RPG with a good story line and mix between action and adventure. I only hesitate to give the game 5 stars for a few distinct reasons. First, the game claims 100+ hours of gameplay. It took me 25 the first time and I explored EVERYTHING. So, I figured out how the developers managed to come up with 100 hours: the loading times. This game takes FOREVER to load. I decided to time it eventually when I got so sick of waiting, it was over 5 minutes of loading time. The min system specs are way too low, I played with a system above recommended and had those problems. Another complaint people have had is the control scheme, but it really isn't that bad, I actually found it easy to use. Lastly, the game claims to be non-linear, but the only truly non-linear aspect is the first of 6 chapters in the game, which is choosing which camp to join. After that, the game is the same no matter how you approach it. The ending was too easy, but I think getting there was the exciting part.
Without mentioning these above items, Gothic is beyond entertaining. You truly can explore *anywhere* on the map, just be prepared to get killed from tougher monsters there. The quests are great, and there are a few side quests to try for the experienced player (i.e. chromanin). I enjoyed coming back to the old camp at the end of the game as a templar from the Brotherhood and slaughtering Gomez and all the guards, with fireballs and storm clouds flying everywhere. I recommend this game to anyone, it is a ton of fun.

Rating:
Summary: Great for RPG beginners, and overall good game.
Review: Gothic is basically a playable version of Morrowind. You're thrown into an immense island prison fill with warring factions, orcs, mages, skeletons, and any number of other deadly monsters. Beautiful graphics and a multithreaded smooth storyline mean you can easily stay up until 4 am with this game without ever realizing it. Gothic gets just about everything right, from the storyline itself, which is interesting but never onerous, to the vast array of goodies you can loot. Everything from blueberries to a hundred different types of swords can be purchased or tracked down in the wild, and the island is filled with hidden caves, high mountain trails, and other mysterious areas that draw you in and then, well, tend to get you killed. One of the great things is that fights between humans don't end in fatalities unless you activate a special kill command once your opponent is on the ground; so you can mug or be mugged without permanent harm aside from the occasional glare. The 3D engine runs very smoothly, and there are very few bugs or glitches. Voice quality is very high; long discussions often occur but don't grate on one's nerves because they're interesting to listen to, and a robust journal keeps track of and _organizes_ the tidbits along the way so you can find what you're looking for at a glance. Replay value is extremely high given the half dozen exclusive alliances you can pick from, as well as the very customizable nature of your character. Gothic has pretty much everything; if you don't want to be some super mage or killer barbarian, you can be a thief, or a merchant, or some combination of all four. Check it out.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Gothic is basically a playable version of Morrowind. You're thrown into an immense island prison fill with warring factions, orcs, mages, skeletons, and any number of other deadly monsters. Beautiful graphics and a multithreaded smooth storyline mean you can easily stay up until 4 am with this game without ever realizing it. Gothic gets just about everything right, from the storyline itself, which is interesting but never onerous, to the vast array of goodies you can loot. Everything from blueberries to a hundred different types of swords can be purchased or tracked down in the wild, and the island is filled with hidden caves, high mountain trails, and other mysterious areas that draw you in and then, well, tend to get you killed. One of the great things is that fights between humans don't end in fatalities unless you activate a special kill command once your opponent is on the ground; so you can mug or be mugged without permanent harm aside from the occasional glare. The 3D engine runs very smoothly, and there are very few bugs or glitches. Voice quality is very high; long discussions often occur but don't grate on one's nerves because they're interesting to listen to, and a robust journal keeps track of and _organizes_ the tidbits along the way so you can find what you're looking for at a glance. Replay value is extremely high given the half dozen exclusive alliances you can pick from, as well as the very customizable nature of your character. Gothic has pretty much everything; if you don't want to be some super mage or killer barbarian, you can be a thief, or a merchant, or some combination of all four. Check it out.

Rating:
Summary: Gothic Surpasses most other games...
Review: Gothic is one of the most complete games ever made. Nothing is left out of the immense and interactive world. Although at the beginning many players have trouble with the somewhat unusual game controls, you get used to them after a few minutes of exploring the world.
You play the game as a convict scentenced to life imprisonment in the world the game takes place in. The fantasy world involves hundreds of characters, landscapes, monsters, and the usual orcs. Because your character remains anonymous throughout the game, nothing is divulged about why the man is in the prison colony in the first place. Because the guards have all been killed by the convicts, the only thing keeping them in is a magic barrier around the valley. This leaves you with plenty of decisions, weapons and locations to explore, more or less freely.
I won't give away too much of the plot, but I will go so far as to say that the game Gothic is worth getting, and that I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys RPGs of any kind.
A 'Gothic II' is set to come out on october 7th, the last time I heard, but it keeps getting delayed, so that may change. I do know that it will be three times bigger and even more well put together than the first, so that it will probably be worth buying, as well.
I say it again: IF YOU ARE GOING TO BUY A GAME SOON, BUY GOTHIC! IT WON'T DISAPPOINT YOU!

Rating:
Summary: Next Generation Role-Playing Game
Review: I enjoyed this game more than any other role-playing game i've played on the PC (Morrowind, Baldur's Gate, etc.) Right from the start this game is exciting, because the storyline is fresh and new compared to many other PC games.

Gothic just feels real. People look alive and move as if they were. The graphics are beautiful. This game is really enjoyable for the experienced gamer who loves suprises and does not like to be handheld throughout the course of a game. I recommend playing this game as though you only have one life (example: Run from battle when you are low on life, and dont do anything that will get you killed, because it probably will. One instance of this could be challenging a guy who looks ten times as strong as you to an arena fight, then wondering why he knocks you out and takes your money.) Playing with wit adds a lot of excitement to this game. Dont make the mistake of constantly saving and reloading your game.

Gothic gives me the same fun factor as "Zelda a Link to the Past" did for the Super Nintendo. There are even a few similarities in that although the ultimate goal is the same everytime you play, you often have a choice of the path you take to get there.

Rating:
Summary: Best low-priced game I have ever played!!!
Review: I have to say that Gothic is the best low-priced game I have ever played. The world is vast and complex as it is in games like Morrowwind but for the price it is a much better deal. My only complaint is the fighting keystrokes. It takes time to get used to the fighting keystrokes. But hey, that's half the fun isn't it? Learning how to do everything. Anyway, I would definitely recommend this game to anyone interested in RPG type games.

Rating:
Summary: Best low-priced game I have ever played!!!
Review: I have to say that Gothic is the best low-priced game I have ever played. The world is vast and complex as it is in games like Morrowwind but for the price it is a much better deal. My only complaint is the fighting keystrokes. It takes time to get used to the fighting keystrokes. But hey, that's half the fun isn't it? Learning how to do everything. Anyway, I would definitely recommend this game to anyone interested in RPG type games.

Rating:
Summary: i love this game
Review: i love this game because you have so many choices to make and consequences for your actions its great.