Finally a game that succeeds in giving the player that same feeling you'd get out of the first 2 (and only) Gothic games. Just finished the main story for the first time in Normal Difficulty. I am extremely pleased with this game, it's a masterpiece for what it is! You start off as Henry, who is basically an average village idiot, much like you and me. You're not a chosen one, the balance of the world does not hang on your shoulders, you're just a dude trying to get through life in medieval Bohemia. There is a strong bias to becoming a soldier and learning to wield a weapon well is one of the things that pay off the most in the long run, however I opted for a mostly stealth style playthrough, which is also extremely rewarding. So after one of the best tutorial sections I've met in a game, you're free to roam the land and do as you please. If you want, you can become good at everything! There is nothing (other than time) stopping you from becoming a master swordsman, thief, herbalist and well-read at the same time! All in a very realistic medieval setting. Multiple quests, interesting and well-written characters, beautiful scenery and a world that feels alive and does not seem to really care about whether you're there or not. The way you look and dress plays a role in how people interact with you (though maybe not to the extend that I'd like). The mechanics of the game are very well thought-out. Combat is pretty cool, though I'm not too much of a combat guy. The developers did go an extra step with realistic moves and combos and in general they made a combat system that's never boring. It doesn't matter if you've maxed out sword and strength, if you're not careful, few countryside bandits might make short work of you. From what I've heard, on release the bugs were game-breaking. Currently I found no such bugs. There would be a glitchy NPC here and there, but nothing that would ruin my experience. All in all, if you like medieval sets, this game is a MUST.
