This game (well, the original one) is one of my oldest gaming memories, and one of those games I enjoyed even though it has always been SUPER tough (I might have been 8 or 9 when I played it). It still is tough, and the small enhancements (graphics, the ability to save) make it appealing to modern audiences. Some reviews mention game-crashing bugs; as of this writing, I only experienced one bug, when you die and the game asks you to post your high score; if you say NO, the game just stays there and you can't go back to the main screen, you have to Alt+F4 it. Now excuse me, I need to return to the temple and feel like a kid again...
I never had the chance to play this game back in the day, but I enjoyed the hell out of the first two Gabriel Knight titles. This is one of those games I knew about, but never got around to it because I started playing fewer point-and-click games. Now that I have it on GOG, I'm enjoying the game for the setting and the story, but not for the controls and interface. Everything takes forever to happen - even the cutscenes have the slowest animations. The character models and textures you can get used to, although that doesn't make them good. They have a certain... charm, I guess. The camera is a pain, but just like terrible 3D models, it was a product of its time. I've also encountered several game crashing bugs, so saving often is a must. That shouldn't be happening in a platform like GOG! I thought we left the compatibility issues in the past. Anyway, I heard they wanted to make a fourth game? I hope they do!
I found about the first Witchaven back in '96 and it looked original (Heretic had done it better but this was darker), the spells and the weapons all seemed cool, same with the enemies. When I finally played it, I was disappointed (Mind you, we weren't picky back then because of the graphical and processing limitations). It was nothing to lose sleep over. The sequel, which flew under my radar and I only recently found about, is just as disappointing, and then some. There's very few enemies (by level 3 or 4 you've seen 'em all ) and the level design is atrocious. Most enemies walk around or freeze in the same area, waiting for you to come closer so they can attack you. The spells are cool but the weapon/damage detection feels random. One good thing it has is the autosave, so I don't have to start all over (can't wait to finish it and forget I ever played it). Like someone else mentioned, the game feels like a chore, a punishment. If I wanted to insult a fellow gamer, I'd gift them a copy of Witchaven II.
