Both great games in their own category.

As with all Gothics, the beginning is hard, and you will die many times before you get used to the controls and mechanics. But persisting is very much worth it.

I just got painkiller. I need to check out 1 before I can get in to 2.

(warning - gothic 1 has muuuuuch worse controls, g2 is quite an improvement)

You get used to both in about half an hour. By the early middle of the game, you're asking yourself "Clunky controls? What clunky controls?".

But these two are games that usually get finished by only the most brave of the bunch. The first time an ork rips you a new one by accidentally sneezing in your direction, you get the supreme urge to delete and never look back. The funny thing is, the game gives you lots of aids, and if a monster is giving you a hard time, just fire rain it's ass until it learns how unfair "5 mana for 500 dmg super big radius of effect" looks.

sorry, but not true... I've finished Gothic 2 quite without problems (controls were great) and I wanted to complete my experience of this universe by playing Gothic 1. but had to stop playing... I got involved in a first fight with a snapper, but the character was not able to strafe around a locked enemy, he jumped left and right instead while always loosing the focus. I've triple-checked the control settings but it was all correct (and the same as my settings in Gothic 2).

That's just how the character controls in G1, hopping around left and right is what he does instead of a "true strafe."

I finished G1 multiple times with no problems, controls were great. I guess you just have to get used to them or give up.

Wait, let me check something... I'll go reinstall it just to make sure.

There, just tried it, strafes just fine. Assign keys "q" and "e" for look left and right and assign keys "a" and "d" for strafe left and right. Look at an opponent and press a or d to circle around him. Hold action key and a w d to strike.

Terribly challenging but Extremely fun overall

I must be all stupid then :) I'll give it one more try...

Don't forget to learn the basics of one handed combat as quickly as you can (if you intend to be a fighter). There's a reason why you're so stiff when fighting at the beginning - you, that is your character, can barely tell which part of the sword is for cutting.

Also, to get some early XP, use both guides that take you to the swamp camp and the new camp to kill the monsters for you. Also forge yourself a sword and buy the armor for 500 ore, and after a few levels you should be out of the "instant death" zone. ;)

I'll go for a wizard as I did in 2 and 3... looking forward to it!