Venetica - Gold Edition

if this isn't a game you grew up with and have fond memories of, there isn't much reason to play it anymore today. the entire game feels bland and superficial, it doesn't really matter which skills you learn, what dialog options you pick, what "moral decisions" you make. i could use as many spoilers for the story as i want and still not make it any less boring.

This game took me 7 hours to beat, with me using a guide once or twice on some extremely obtuse part. And after beating it, I can safely say, this game perfectly describes the Germans. Venetica is a game that is obviously heavily inspired by Fable and the Witcher 1, and both of those games are great, but Venetica somehow found a way to mix all the bad parts of those games into one. It took the horrible combat of fable, meaning that the entirety of combat is pressing one button until you get carpal tunnel, it also took the terrible fetch quests witcher, meaning that 90% of the game is going through the same streets back and forward as slowly as possible. This game is not good, it's boring, it's tedious, it's broken in most parts, but I can't help but love it, it has a certain charm. For a game that came from a company that mostly makes point and click it's not terrible, just extremely boring, but the passion shining behind the wall of going up and down the same stairs in the arsenal district keeps you going. In the end, not a gem in the rough, it's a pretty bad game with little redeeming qualities, but if you can enjoy a game with a little soul in it, it's worth a try.

Venetica has aged well, its worldbuilding is excellent, good level design and relatable characters. Three different guilds to join and a lot of side quests that are actually fun give it good replay value. Combat was fun, the controls work well. One of my favorite games on GOG.

Bought this after reading it was a bit similar to Gothic, which it kind of is. Wasn't disappointed! Yes, there are things that are bit broken. Some quests, moves, skills and/or dialogs feel unfinished or weird, but overall I really liked this game. I'm even replaying it right away. This game, overall, downright shines in some areas and is unpolished, even lacking in others. Still worth a play. I fell in love with the main character's stare full of revenge. Or is it derermination? The intro attacks the teen gamer's heart by showing the character as weak, innocent and vulnerable, thrown into the rough, corrupted world. And captures it by letting them guide her, building her strength. Although the characters' clothes look medieval-ish, the protagonist has a very charming, "modern" look, which clashes with the rest. Not that it isn't nice to look at, but still, I kind of wish there was a proper armor, not the usual gaming "bikini" style thing. Some moves/skills are pretty underwhelming, but there are plenty skill points to have, so you can even take 1 level in everything, to find out which are useful to you. My favorite build (slight spoilers included): I went for specializing on the first weapon type, as it had the coolest moves, and is most universal. Its poison skill deals a lot of damage when leveled, and its final skill looks pretty when used. Otherwise the fights might get repetitive, so learn to add some "fun" stuff when you can. I highly recommend getting the "From Venice with Love" skill. Call me immature, but it's pretty hilarious to use and even fits the RP greatly, when you get ambushed. Finally, it's perfect for getting loot from containers. In mental skill tree, the damage didn't seem strong enough. And most seemed too pricey to use. Max out the healing, the stun skill and take some utility stuff. Important note: You need to learn the "shield block" skill to finish the game.

If you loved Gothic I and II, you will probably remember it very fondly. Well, if you go play it today you will realize how much time has passed and you'll realize how badly these games habe aged. Venetica feels quite a bit like you'll _think_ how the original Gothic titles should feel like today - and that's a great thing :-) I'll keep this short since the other reviews should give you a fair impression on what to expect. I'd recommend it anytime.