I got this game for 4€ on sale on the PS4. Therefore, the <2h length did not bother me. Virginia is a story, very much so like film. It controls the pace through frequent cuts, harking back to Thrity Flights of Loving, which it is as much based on as actual TV influences like Twin Peaks. The story and how you read it is the real "fun" of this game. It follows two women of color, and touches on some themes this brings, without being blunt about them. I found watching it as enjoyable as working out the plot and how the visual metaphors fit into the rest of it all. Exploration is limited, but there. By not looking at everything and checking every door, even if most don't open, minor details can be missed. I recommend letting yourself be guided by the game the first time, enjoying it as it is clear it wants to be played, and at consecutive playthroughs to break the flow and try to look at everything. This also makes clear that the main audience is not 'hardcore' gamers. This might even be a good game to introduce people to the medium. If you are open to what games can be and do, this is an interesting experiment. And, in my opinion, it paid off. If you feel cautious, perhaps wait until it is on sale.
Risen 3 is the very definition of trying to make everyone happy, ending up pleasing nobody. At its core, Risen 3 is a solid cRPG with a pirate-y, caribbean-y touch where you can hack and slash your way through various quests and level ups. The fighting works just fine. Not often will you encounter enemies you will have trouble with. The quests are fine. While rarely memorable, they are also rarely upsetting. Minor mechanics, like lock-picking, or the ability to turn into a bird and fly to previously inaccessible parts of the world are just fine as well. They come up enough times to not be wasted, and you will never fight with them. The story is probably the weakest part, but since you spend most of the game not dealing with it, that is fine too. So, out of this sea of "meh", how did the developer try to bind you to the game? By placing monsters to fight everywhere. And plants to pick up. And treasure to find. And simple, same-y quests to do. Everything increases some kind of stat, gives you some kind of reward. A lot of simple quests are even broken down into mini quest-series, so that every single step of the way you get XP and gold, so don't leave game, please! Did you look into this corner yet? I'm sure there is a bag of coins somewhere around here, adding to your insane fortune that you can not reasonably spend anyway! Personally I find this upsetting as I have seen this type of game done so much better in the first two Gothic games - even in the first Risen (which, by all accounts, is a remake of Gothic 2). Therefore I must ask, why are there no real surprises? Memorable quests? Challenging enemies? Situations that require unconventional thinking? Friendships, rivalries, character development, impossible odds? Excitement? Humanity? Gothic 2 (2002) had these things, and I do not think it is too much to ask for. Instead I get to fight a ton of the same spider enemies from the last island, only now they are green. Well, I guess I have some time to kill.
Risen 3 is the very definition of trying to make everyone happy, ending up pleasing nobody. At its core, Risen 3 is a solid cRPG with a pirate-y, caribbean-y touch where you can hack and slash your way through various quests and level ups. The fighting works just fine. Not often will you encounter enemies you will have trouble with. The quests are fine. While rarely memorable, they are also rarely upsetting. Minor mechanics, like lock-picking, or the ability to turn into a bird and fly to previously inaccessible parts of the world are just fine as well. They come up enough times to not be wasted, and you will never fight with them. The story is probably the weakest part, but since you spend most of the game not dealing with it, that is fine too. So, out of this sea of "meh", how did the developer try to bind you to the game? By placing monsters to fight everywhere. And plants to pick up. And treasure to find. And simple, same-y quests to do. Everything increases some kind of stat, gives you some kind of reward. A lot of simple quests are even broken down into mini quest-series, so that every single step of the way you get XP and gold, so don't leave game, please! Did you look into this corner yet? I'm sure there is a bag of coins somewhere around here, adding to your insane fortune that you can not reasonably spend anyway! Personally I find this upsetting as I have seen this type of game done so much better in the first two Gothic games - even in the first Risen (which, by all accounts, is a remake of Gothic 2). Therefore I must ask, why are there not more surprises? Memorable quests? Challenging enemies? Situations that require unconventional thinking? Friendships, rivalries, character development, impossible odds? Excitement? Humanity? Gothic 2 (2002) had these things, and I do not think it is too much to ask for. Instead I get to fight a ton of the same spider enemies from the last island, only now they are green. Well, I guess I have some time to kill.
Gothic II is my favorite game. It is filled with great and innovative ideas, partly taken from its predecessor, that still make this game stand out from any RPG that has been released today. The quest-chains for the main quest are some of the best laid ones out I know, the world is built with so much care and attention to detail (for 2002). The fighting system is still not the strong suit of this game, but it has been overhauled from the the previous Gothic and playes a lot smoother and more intuitive. In general the controls are finally so, that you can play the basics without looking into a manual (but you should still. Just... trust me). Gothic II is one of those things to me that are so hard to describe with words that I will stop trying here now. Go to YouTube and look at footage of it, and if you think you can tolerate the graphics and animations, then you will probably have a great time with this game.
