Gothic 3 - Review @ Atomic Gamer

Dhruin

SasqWatch
Joined
August 30, 2006
Messages
11,842
Location
Sydney, Australia
The latest Gothic 3 review comes from Atomic Gamer, with a score of 61%. Here's a snip on "the biggest RPG tragedy I've seen in years":
I'm going to start this review off with kind of an odd statement: Gothic 3 is one of the best games that you shouldn't play.
Now that I've gotten that over with, let's discuss why. Gothic 3 is an RPG sequel by German developer Piranha Bytes and Austrian publisher JoWood, and it includes a huge, open world, plenty of items, skills, spells, and abilities, excellent graphics, and multiple paths through the game along with multiple endings. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, it's also got a boatload of bugs and issues regarding combat, quests, NPC issues, frame rates, crashes, and AI that will make almost any gamer want to smash your keyboard in half at one point or another during this game's forty-plus-hour ride.
More information.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
11,842
Location
Sydney, Australia
Huh, I enjoyed reading this review quite a bit. I share some of the same sentiments, but I disagree with not recommending the game -- it's fun for what it is, and once you figure out the system, the quests are quite interesting. Anyway, one of the best somewhat negative reviews out there, I think.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
84
Location
Tennessee
Well if iir he recomends it, but to only hardcore in its current state which doesn't seem to unreasonalbe since they (we/I) are the only ones whom will tolerate the current state.

Goes on to mention that its been 2 months since official release in Germany, with many of the bugs and problems still existing, then his concern that it could take many months more to finally stablize the game.

I can't help but wonder how things will play out, clearly after seeing the report of the Jo "Whores Gothic" Wood finacial report where the CEO (?) says a sequal is in the works even before the unfinished game is rushed out for released.

So is PB being forced to have most of its creq working on the sequal (expansion) or are the majority actually trying to finish the game first?

Sad state of affairs. :(
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,772
by the complaints you can easilly see, he never played one of the earlier games.
also he mentions the fact that your actions can set factions against you, so a game where your actions really have consequence, but that is not good????
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
1,086
Location
belgium-genk
Of course not, nothing like that would ever happen in Oblivion, so it can't be right!!!!!!! :)
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
12,806
Location
Australia
haven't played it yet, but just because they compare every game to it and because it is quit the opposite of gothic, I don't even want to play it :p
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
1,086
Location
belgium-genk
I know I've gotten frustrated at getting lost in Myrtana ... but that is part of the game! This isn't 'Medal of Honor RPG', where not only does your compass have an arrow, but it has two dots that close on the arrow as you get closer! This game is *about* exploration ...

Does anyone know where these guys are located? They list both Aspyr and Jowood as publishers ... but definitely played a pre-1.08 version (stun-lock) - and that would be patently unfair if it was a US site.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,932
He also complains once again about quests that give you a general direction to search, but don't actually put some marker on the map. What happened to the sense of adventure and exploring? Must everything be so completely streamlined? Even Morrowind didn't tell you exactly where to find things.

Although I did enjoy playing Oblivion, I am not happy about how it has now become the measuring stick for all CRPG games.

I also agree with Titus that its obvious he never played any of the previous Gothics. The dead giveaway is how he refers to Xardas as your "nemesis". Sure, he has his own agenda but he has always been a mentor & confidant throughout the entire series.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
389
Location
North Carolina, USA
He also complains once again about quests that give you a general direction to search, but don't actually put some marker on the map. What happened to the sense of adventure and exploring? Must everything be so completely streamlined? Even Morrowind didn't tell you exactly where to find things.
I actually liked the relative location aspects - I found many random things that way ;) There were problems with NPC's saying is to the south and it actually is to the east ... and the lack of accurate matching when you *did* get a detailed map ... but that is different than the sort of desired handholding implied in the review.

I also agree with Titus that its obvious he never played any of the previous Gothics. The dead giveaway is how he refers to Xardas as your "nemesis". Sure, he has his own agenda but he has always been a mentor & confidant throughout the entire series.
Having recently played Gothic 2 Gold again, my head was swirling trying to figure out what was *really* going on and how to proceed as I progressed through the later parts of the game ...
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,932
I think that there would be a good middle ground when it comes to finding your way, but Gothic 3 kind of blew that chance. I don't want my hand held either, but could the nameless hero guy at least maybe ask for directions sometimes?
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
622
if he could, then why would you go out and scout the area and find all those hidden caves, npcs and all?
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
1,086
Location
belgium-genk
I think that there would be a good middle ground when it comes to finding your way, but Gothic 3 kind of blew that chance. I don't want my hand held either, but could the nameless hero guy at least maybe ask for directions sometimes?

Think of how long it took to get *any* map in Gothic 2 ;)
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,932
Speaking of maps, I wish that they would sell some local maps too. I end up running in circles in cities sometimes.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
622
Does anyone know where these guys are located? They list both Aspyr and Jowood as publishers ... but definitely played a pre-1.08 version (stun-lock) - and that would be patently unfair if it was a US site.

Are you sure? Because I'm still having a problem with stun-lock and I'm fully patched.
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
Messages
1,081
Location
Midwest, USA
Are you sure? Because I'm still having a problem with stun-lock and I'm fully patched.

You can still get knocked pretty good, but apparently the effect has been greatly reduced and better balanced. Personally I played mage as much as possible and therefore was range-attacking wherever possible. And being a fairly skilled FPS vet I can click like a frickin' madman :D
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
14,932
Back
Top Bottom