The role-playing game genre has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years, thanks to the burgeoning popularity of it’s love-child; the massively-multiplayer role-playing game. Of course, the new focus upon this lucrative subscription-driven genre, has vastly impacted the development of more traditional off-line RPG’s, and it was with this in mind that I approached Piranha Bytes’ Gothic – a huge title that was released in earlier this year to critical acclaim, and has now arrived in the UK.

Sure enough, the game’s ambitions cannot be doubted, with Piranha pouring endless hours of attention into the depth of the game’s premise, and it’s relationship to the graphical world in which the plot unfolds. I also noted with relief, at the same time, that the translation in language from German to English has been a good one, with good voice-acting, and convincing dialogue. Perhaps this explains why Gothic took so long to reach other countries outside of Piranha’s homeland of Germany. Regardless, it was time well spent.

As with any RPG worth it’s salt, the story is a good yarn, and fortunately Piranha have crafted a pretty good effort proving, intriguing, immersive, and perhaps most crucially, compelling. The plot surrounds a fantastical realm which is ravaged by a desperate war against the ‘Orcs’; the King of this realm is driven, in a bid to maintain the War effort, to put all criminals guilty of any offence, to work in the Mines of the province, providing materials for weapons, etc. Unfortunately, the appalling conditions lead to many escape attempts from the prisoners, and the King is eventually forced to request the powers of the twelve ‘Mages’, in erecting a magical barrier incarcerating the convicts. This force-field goes horribly wrong however, leaving the Mages trapped inside their own spell. The convicts immediately kill their guards and anarchy ensues forming new alliances in the struggle for power. The King is now forced to bargain with the convicts for the essential ore – it is at this seemingly hopeless stage that you arrive, just another convict pushed into the magical cage to work in the mines. Here you enter the plot.

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  1. SlamDunk Unregistered 8 years ago

    The demo was very addictive. The world just sucked you inside and left you wanting, no, lusting for the full version... A breath of fresh air in PC gaming. Something else. This game is in its own league.

  2. Sam Unregistered 8 years ago

    Get it now, you won't regret it.

    This is the most beautiful looking game I have ever seen and it has gameplay in spades too. I can barely tear myself away from it to go to work.

  3. Hah Unregistered 8 years ago

    Thanks Mr. PR guys, any "real" people out there have any comments? The demo didn't do it for me, I dunno, doesn't seem to be too popular... is it more of "niche" game?

  4. mersil Unregistered 8 years ago

    i am so glad that Piranha is Finally gettin some attention to there Great Game,

    anyone that makes a game this Good, need to get Notice right away!!

    Everyone Go Buy A copy of Gothic NOW !!

  5. ZappasGhost Unregistered 8 years ago

    Hi there people ,

    What should i say.
    Gothic has all that , what R.Garriot promised about Ultima 9 ,but what we never saw in this rotten Pseudo RPG.
    Gothic is fantastic and 4me the best RPG since
    Ultima7.

    ZappasGhost (uarewhatuis)

  6. Sveinung Enebakk Unregistered 8 years ago

    Yes, Gothic is a fantastic game! Buy it NOW!

  7. stevie Unregistered 8 years ago

    gaood graphics and immersive gameplay but the control system is just a pain in the arse!!

  8. Mark Unregistered 8 years ago

    I have only played the demo so far, but I really enjoy it. The monsters are a bit easy to kill, the combat is fun, bt after you good at fighting you can kill things much bigger than you. Block and attack, block and attack. You can get creative with the fighting though, different combos make different moves, if the combo is different the move is different. I love the voices, some kinda suck... like the first two gaurds you meet, yeah, they sucked. But overall I really enjoyed the voices. The AI is superb, well thought out. So far the quests are really fun, although sometimes less than clear. As soon as I get $40 I am going to go buy the game. I don't know if a lot of other people will like it as much as me, but I love this game, and if the whole thing is, as I hear, much better than the demo it will be one of the all time best games I have ever played.

    And about the controls, yeah, they are a little nerve racking at the VERY start but it get much easier, you just have to practice a little. A tip, almost everything you can highlight you can use in one way or another.

  9. Savage4ever Unregistered 6 years ago

    This has got to be one of the best R.P.G.'s I have ever witnessed and played. My interest started with a hacked version that had no movies and sound, and it still captured me and pulled me in. The way that the game interacts with the user is by far the best I,ve ever seen!!. I am 33 years old and grew up with video games, and have played everything from Donkey Kong to Dragon's Lair, and I know my games. Currently playing with a Half Life/C.S. clan, I couldn't help peeling away to spend countless hours on Gothic. A MUST HAVE!!! Looking forward to Gothic 2. OH, and YES, Go buy them... It's worth it!!! --SAVAGE