What is good about Gothic 2 ?

[Kaftan Barlast]

Thee are people among us, I dont need to say who, that not only think "Gothic 2" wasnt some completely mediocre jerry-RPG.. but actually goes to such lengths a to praise it. Now, what I want to know is why? What makes this below-average game good in your minds?

 

 

The story is a yawn, the combat is bad, the roleplaying possibilities are very limited. The only possible thing I can think of is that it offered some decent exploring, is that it?

[alanschu]

Since you've already made up your mind about the parts of the game that I liked, there's no sense in me really answering you.

Edited June 17, 2006 by alanschu

[Cantousent]

Perhaps they didn't think the combat was bad, the role-play possibilities were stunted, or the story was a big yawn. Just a possibility, I suppose.

[Volourn]

Of course, they are (mostly) wrong. G2 has some good parts; but overall it was a very poor game. Still, better than the ES series. Plus, it looks like G3 will actually be worth a shot unlike the recent addition to the vastly overrated ES series. So, in that sense:

 

LONG LIVE GOTHIC 3! (unless it ends up sucking)

 

 

[Calax]

waits for Mkeru

[Craigboy2]

Of course, they are (mostly) wrong. G2 has some good parts; but overall it was a very poor game. Still, better than the ES series. Plus, it looks like G3 will actually be worth a shot unlike the recent addition to the vastly overrated ES series. So, in that sense:

 

LONG LIVE GOTHIC 3! (unless it ends up sucking)

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't worry it will.

[Hurlshort]

I just couldn't get a handle on the gameplay. I also wished I had played the original, as I felt very out of touch with the storyline.

[Darque]

How good is this game compared to say.. morrowind?

 

I mean, I know Mkreku goes on and on about it, but I rarely see anyone else praising it.

[Volourn]

I dislike G2, and I think its 1 million times better than MW. "

[alanschu]

How good is this game compared to say.. morrowind?

 

I mean, I know Mkreku goes on and on about it, but I rarely see anyone else praising it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

It takes a while to get used to the controls, specifically the combat. Once you get the hang of it though, I really enjoyed the game.

[Morgoth]

If you're like an angry **** that likes to analyze the game in chunks of modules the whole time (story, mechanics, dialogs, robots, robots errrror), you won't get much out of it. Gothic is for enjoyers only that can overlook some weaknesses and can actually delve their mind into it's fruity meat.

[alanschu]

Agreed.

 

It's not a flawless game, but I really enjoyed playing through it. Sneaking through some of the orc hordes was a ton of fun.

[Dhruin]

You're wrong on every point except the story. If you add The Night of the Raven, the story from that is pretty damn good. You've made up your mind, though...why waste time explaining further?

[Kaftan Barlast]

I hated Morrowind but I had a fun time with Oblivion until it just became to repetitive. I think the developers of the Gothic series wanted to make Oblivion, but failed in that the had neither the time, money or the experience to do so successfully.

 

G2 had a huge advantage over Oblivion in that they have real dialogue, though. But I still felt it adds more to the roleplaying experience to be able to create your own character rather than be stuck with that ponytail guy(Ive forgot his name). PST got away with a premade PC because TNO was in himself a key to the story and interesting to play.

 

 

Since you've already made up your mind about the parts of the game that I liked, there's no sense in me really answering you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You're wrong on every point except the story.  If you add The Night of the Raven, the story from that is pretty damn good.  You've made up your mind, though...why waste time explaining further?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Ive bought, played and discarded G2 so Im entitled to my opinions. But the purpouse of this thread is that I would like to know exactly what about it you found so appealing because I cant see it.

[alanschu]

Well...

 

I liked the story, I found the combat fun, and the setting was pretty neat.

[mkreku]

Oohh, what a nice thread. I feel so welcome )

 

One part of Gothic 2 that appeals to me is also the reason why it's useless to try to explain its grandeur to everyone: it's not for everyone. And I like it that way! I've personally never felt comfortable in Bioware's hold-my-hand-until-I-puke games or in the IE powered Artificial-Intelligence-so-bad-it-should-be-called-Artificial-Stupidity games. To each his own, I guess. In this case I'm just bored with the mainstream pseudo-intellectual games that are the common favourites on this board (except for the Fallouts).

 

But I'll explain what I like about the Gothic series. I like non-linearity, exploration, a good story, three-dimensional and massive worlds. I don't like isometric views, party- and turn based combat and gameplay and minuscule rectangular maps. I want to be able to immerse myself entirely in the game, and I can't do that (anymore, at least) if I am in control of six people. Or if I have a bird's eye view of the world. Also, I am sick of Dungeons & Dragons child safe environments and their predictable and well-known rule systems. I play games to have fun and forget about calculating numbers or which rules the game supposedly breaks. It really shines through what kind of players dominate this board sometimes. In the Oblivion thread there were lots of self-proclaimed "roleplayers" whining their fingers off about how to best meta-game their character. There have been countless of threads where D&D geeks have been discussing rules in the IE games, trying to outdo each other in their vast knowledge of stuff that doesn't matter anywhere in the world except here. That is NOT where the fun is for me.

 

The Gothic series was, for me, a breath of fresh air in a stale cRPG genre. It offers believable worlds (almost at an Ultima 7 level), created with inspiration, love and true dedication. I have never played in a more detailed and genuinely well thought out world than the island of Khorinis. The game never gets dull or repetitive or boring to wander around in, as it does in Morrowind or Oblivion. Khorinis is big, but it's big for a reason, not as a filler. I love to explore virtual worlds and the Gothic series has never disappointed me so far. I can't wait to enter the Kingdom of Myrtana (the mainland) in Gothic 3. I want to finally meet the king! The NPC's that are vital for the story (the ones accompanying you on the boat to Gothic 3) actually feel like friends by now, something that very few games have managed to make me feel before.

 

I actually like the story, but I played Gothic before Gothic 2, and they tie together nicely. I liked the story in Gothic better, but as a game I like Gothic 2 better. They're gritty, mature, has a good sense of humour (surprisingly enough) and they don't seem to care about ESRB as much as everyone else. I mean really, how often are you surprised by an american game? How often do you laugh out loud because something you've just encountered is so far out there you can barely believe what you've just seen? And I usually don't even like premade characters.. but the premade character in Gothic is only premade in his appearance. Unlike, for example, Planescape: Torment, where his entire story, his connection to the NPC's, his appearance and everything he can be is predetermined. That made Planescape: Torment unplayable for me, because nothing I did mattered in the long run. Oh, and you didn't forget about his name (in Gothic 2), Kaftan, because one of the mysteries of the game is just that.. noone knows his name. There are lots of references to it in the game, where NPC's have recognized the hero and started saying his name, but been interrupted just before they've blurted it out. It's become a standing joke within the series. In Gothic, the game started when the hero was thrown in jail by the king himself, but noone knows why he was sent to prison. There are lots of conspiracy theories about that part of the story too.. The thing I love the most about the story in the Gothic series is that it's so down to earth. You're not chosen. You're not out to save the world. The faith of mankind does NOT rest on your shoulders. You're a thug in a brutal world, trying to survive. That's it. Everything else that happens around you is caused by the actions you take, and not because you were THE ONE or THE CHOSEN. Gothic 2 starts out as if you're the chosen one, but it's actually a mockery of all the games out there that use that particular clich

[LoneWolf16]

So, in short, it's entirely subjective, but the game's "good" in that it differs from the normal cRPGs we've been given for years now.

 

 

No problems here.

Edited June 17, 2006 by LoneWolf16

[Llyranor]

I'd take the Gothic series over TES any day. Looking forward to Gothic 3.

 

Plus, I'm goth.

[aVENGER]

Although I personally prefer Gothic1 to its sequel, I still think that both of them are among the best games I've ever played. The Gothic games had many great aspects which made me appreciate them more than some of nowdays so called 'hardcore' cRPGs. For starters, the world of Gothic actually felt real. All of the characters had their daily routines and often it was fun just to watch them do their jobs. For example, watching a smith forge a piece of steel into a sword, step by step, and then learning to do it yourself in the exact same manner was a very satisfying experiance (in Gothic1).

 

 

However, the thing that I liked the most in the world of Gothic was its very distinctive survival-themed atmosphere. This was especially evident in Gothic1 but it was also present in a somewhat different form in the sequel. Your character started off as a nobody in a harsh and hostile world, but as the game progressed you gradually gained fame and respect and for the most part this was reflected by the way people treated you. The guild you joined also determined thy way people looked on you, so a while a Chosen of Innos (Mage) was treated with respect and admiration a Mercenary OTOH was viewed with disgust and contempt.

 

 

While the PB developers honestly admit that their games are actually action adventures with some RPG elements, there is a lot more to Gothic than combat. Interacting with NPCs can often vary depending on your class. For example, some people who were seemingly simple commoners on my first playthrough as a Mercenary actually served a much greater purpose on my second playthrough as a Mage while I gradually discovered the secret origin of the Seekers. Exploring the huge world is also a great experiance (at least for the first time). Getting nearly killed by a Shadowbeast can teach you not to delve too deep into those dark forest recluses, but running away, returning later when you get stronger and taking the beast's horn and hide as a trophy feels very satisfying.

 

 

The thing is, Gothic's combat system, while largely stat based, is still somewhat dependant on the player's skill. This can present a problem when you start encountering powerful enemies who can block and parry your blows. I've noticed that a lot of people simply can't get the hang of the basic combat moves and give up on the game at that point. IMO, this is largely the fault of the poorly implemented G2 default controls, the alternate G1 setup always worked perfectly for me. Picking a different class can also remedy the problem.

 

 

Bottom line, the Gothic games are fun in their own way. I think you can't really compare them to the 'hardcore' cRPGs like Fallout and BG2 or more recently KotOR2, as they have a vastly different approach to gameplay. However, it would also be very unfair to treat them as mindless hack&slash games like Diablo. I think that Gothic games are actually some kind of a middle-ground between those two genres, and they are probably most deserving of the title 'Action RPG'. People who like that kind of gameplay can simply acknowledge the games for what they are and enjoy them. Others who come to the world of Gothic expecting something else are likely to be disappointed.

[aVENGER]

I don't like isometric views, party- and turn based combat and gameplay and minuscule rectangular maps. I want to be able to immerse myself entirely in the game, and I can't do that (anymore, at least) if I am in control of six people. Or if I have a bird's eye view of the world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Heh, that's interesting, I actually prefer turn-based, isometric-view, party-oriented cRPGs, but that never stopped me from loving the Gothic games. I simply recognized them for what they are, thoroughly enjoyed the different experiance which they offered, and it was no less satisfying for me than playing a hardcore cRPG. And yes, I'm really looking forward to Gothic3 as well. :cool:

[Morgoth]

I'd actually love to see Todd Howard and Co. getting company by those nice gentlemen from Jowood.

 

"Hi, I'm Todd, and Oblivion is the coolest..."

"SHUT the Fuack up female and get me some more drink! HHAHARAR"

 

Hehe, sorry but I couldn't resist.... :">

[Dark_Raven]

I found the game and it's expansion pack in the bargain bin, worth getting?

[Darque]

5 bucks or less? probably.

 

I'm still not sure about it though... but then I'm getting kinda tired of fantasy games.

 

Gimme more games with vampires and werewolves and flamethrowers (w00t)

[Dark_Raven]

It was under 20.

[alanschu]

I'd take the Gothic series over TES any day. Looking forward to Gothic 3.

 

Plus, I'm goth.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Pffft. That explains a great many things..