Gothic 2 Gold Edition

I'm so conflicted about this game, because it kept me playing for 45 hours and I don't regret the time spent with it, but I genuinely dont think I'd recommend it to most people. Be warned - this is the GOLD edition, meaning it comes with NotR's boosted difficulty which, for a new player like me coming fresh from Gothic 1 and having never touched G2 classic, was a shock to say the least. Like most "difficult" things in life, the difficulty comes more from being willing to hit your head against a wall, slogging and grinding away at the thing in little chunks, rather than from any deeper innate challenge. I generally don't like difficult games, and this game is an excellent example of why: you WILL beat it, but you just have to keep knocking away at it, which some people enjoy, but I find largely a waste of time and not rewarding at all. Add to that some of the most egregious jank I've ever experienced in a video game and you have a recipe for an experience that's so frustrating that, for me, it outshone the good and beautiful parts of the game (of which there are many). The jank actively works against the best part of this game (its progression) because it ensures that even after you're finally kitted out to the nines in gleaming plate armour, you never TRULY feel like you're on top of the world, because one poor targetting failure or invisible ledge that catapults you to your death is always waiting around the next corner. I kept pushing through and I'm glad I did, because the world is charming and the core RPG mechanics are so good (much like Gothic 1), but please do be aware of what you're getting into here. This game is a commitment that is simply not very rewarding.

Im excited! when Gothic 2 1st came out, i played for hours on end. the game was incredible. sure, the graphics suked, but it was still many years before cryisis. The combat was iffy, the controls were sometimes awkward but it was fun. the only thing i look for in a game is fun. it wasnt groundbreaking, but it was fun.

The best mix of action and RPG elements ever.

The combat system is not for everyone. You can't just stand there swinging your sword... you have to side step while attacking, jump backward to dodge incoming attacks and parry... Another unfair thing about the game if that NPCs have a huge amount of strenght that gives them a huge critical bonus, so often they can kill you with a single hit. Another problem I found is the way the melee damage is calculate, it add your Strenght to the damage of the weapon and if that number is not higher than your enemy armor defense, then you do 5 points of damage... nothing. It is frustrating. The system is very realistic, armor is there to stop blows and reduce damage so it is ok but frustrating. Why would I give the game Five Stars if I dislike the combat system so much? Because the game deserves it. There is a nice amount of quests, the world is huge and perfect if you want to explore, there is a lot of things to do and lots of people to talk. Each rumor you hear from the townsfolk are real, so you can found that orc that one of the citizen mentioned or the group of bandits hidden somewhere in the mountains and so on. The world of Gothic 2 is alive with gossip, treasure chest and lots of wildlife. Exploration is the most amazing point of this game, followed by quests and a nice story that wraps it up. If you want to enjoy this game but you find it frustratingly difficult, give notrcustom a try. It comes with a lot of customization that can make the so much more enjoyable.

jw.