Arcania: A Gothic Tale

[Orchomene]

You can explore pretty much you want. The only thing is that there are limits (barriers) to area you can visit depending on the advancement of the main quest. Much like in Gothic 2. There are roads you can follow, but you are not limited to it. Also, you can go back to the previous areas. The first city is really well designed as a middle age city built on a hill. A lot of stairs, circonvolutions. Dialogues are not that bad and you can often said more things after some quests are completed. Diego and Gorn are back.

I don't think there are a lot of changes in the exploration area from Gothic 2 where you had to do things to open new areas. Maybe a bit more cut in parts.

 

I will try it and let you know. But I'm not very good at Gothic combat system and had a lot of issues in Gothic 2 in the beginning.

[mkreku]

...from Gothic 2 where you had to do things to open new areas.

 

Hmm, I don't remember this. What did you have to do in Gothic 2 to open up what areas?

 

I was under the impression that it was all open, but you wouldn't have a snowballs chance in hell of getting past those high level enemies strewn everywhere with your level 2 character.

[Orchomene]

...from Gothic 2 where you had to do things to open new areas.

 

Hmm, I don't remember this. What did you have to do in Gothic 2 to open up what areas?

 

I was under the impression that it was all open, but you wouldn't have a snowballs chance in hell of getting past those high level enemies strewn everywhere with your level 2 character.

 

First, you had to enter Khorinis by getting farmer clothes or any other way.

Then, you needed something else to open the gate to the valley of mines.

Then, there was the end area.

But of course, the area are pretty big and the chapter presentation allow for new content put in old areas.

So the split was less geographical.

 

In Arcania, it is a bit more artificial.

[Lexx]

Well, these are normal story "gates". Beside this, the world is 100% open and you can go wherever you want to. You can't really compare that to ArcaniA.

 

In fact, you can even sneak into Khorinis without using the gate at all. So again, it's not like in ArcaniA, where you have to trigger some event in order to pass a gate.

Edited October 14, 2010 by Lexx

[Orchomene]

Yeah, it's less smooth, of course. But it's not as linear as Fable as it's been compared. After the reviews, I was a bit afraid and can't say it is as bad as reviews seem to imply.

[mkreku]

First, you had to enter Khorinis by getting farmer clothes or any other way.

Then, you needed something else to open the gate to the valley of mines.

Then, there was the end area.

But of course, the area are pretty big and the chapter presentation allow for new content put in old areas.

So the split was less geographical.

 

In Arcania, it is a bit more artificial.

I guess we just have different definitions of open and closed areas. Khoronis, to me, was never closed off. It was only difficult to enter, fenced off so to speak. But it doesn't require the player to solve a certain quest or be a certain level, have a certain skill or piece of equipment, be at a certain point in the story or point in time or even behave in a certain way. You can get a permit, you can buy farmer's clothes, you can climb the wall, etc. You can always get in somehow, it's never scripted (as you call it, artificially) closed.

 

But I do agree that the end game cave was closed off..

[Orchomene]

I've tested the Gothic mode. It seems to be just a higher difficulty than "difficult". But I'm not the best to judge since I'm not really good in real time combat.

Overall, I think that 50 euro is too much for such a game, but if you happen to find some 20% off or more, it is nonetheless an entertaining game with interesting mechanics closer to an action game but with at least some stories.

To compare a bit, I felt Oblivion was boring and repetitive with broken mechanics. This game seems to me better than Oblivion, but it remains a matter of taste.

[trulez]

Overall, I think that 50 euro is too much for such a game, but if you happen to find some 20% off or more, it is nonetheless an entertaining game with interesting mechanics closer to an action game but with at least some stories.

I often buy my games from http://www.play.com because the have proven to provide best price for any new release thus far.

 

 

Arcania: Gothic 4 | PC Games

EUR 32.49 Free Delivery

[Tigranes]

ozgameshop = ~25 quid available now, apparently, but I can't bring myself to click the button. I know I want to be able to like this but to be honest everything I've seen so far suggests Oblivion Lite.

[Lexx]

If you consider how "lite" Oblivion already is... :>

[Maria Caliban]

How is the game when compared to Risen?

[Orchomene]

How is Arcania compared to Risen ? Pretty close, but with less choices but a good rythm in the game. It's still inferior to Risen, but not by far. Risen is inferior to Gothic 2 for me.

I can't say the game is excellent, but it gives me the desire to play and I've not been bored by it after around 35 hours of play.

Oblivion "light" ? Maybe, depends what you mean by that ? I've stopped playing Oblivion during the quest to close all the red portals to Oblivion, it was too repetitive.

I don't regret having spent my money on it since I enjoyed almost all the hours I've played Gothic 4. But it's not really a Gothic gameplay, it has the setting of Gothic, the lack of armors of Gothic, the NPC of Gothic, an entertaining story, but not much more.

For 20 euro, it's ok. For 30 euro, it depends on your budget and for 50 euro, it's too expensive.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Orchomene

[Tigranes]

Gothic was all about the setting and gameplay for me - not the story or NPCs. Basically Gothic the way I like it is defined by (a) punishingly difficult combat that makes you truly appreciate the rewards you get and not just rampage all across the countryside; (b) quests where you can screw people over and end up with 'creative' solutions; © exploration where there are no invisible walls and you can always wander too far for your own good.

 

From what you say Orchomene, and others, and the demo, I'm nearly 100% sure it doesn't have (a) or ©, and hear conflicting accounts on (b). I mean, I had a look at the map of the Arcania world and it's 90% mountains!

 

I still might have got this, but I'm playing Gothic 1 now for the first time and the experience is absolutely incomparable to Arcania demo, so I'll hold off for now. Certainly good to hear at least you are enjoying the game though, am I wrong on the a/b/c?

[Orchomene]

a/ Definitely not difficult compared to G2. Only on gothic difficulty, perhaps. So, you are right.

b/ More than 90% of the quests seem to only have one solution. Only in the first big city the main quest allow some choices.

c/ Not as bad as what I heard from the demo, but too much split into areas. There is some exploration in areas, but you can't wander very far.

 

So if what you like are only the three points, you won't like the game. Just test it by a friend or rent it for some days, maybe. Or buy it when it will be at 5 euro. Just because it's still enjoyable, there is nothing tedious and there are some good moments.