Well, what can be said about this bug-infested crash fest that hasn't already been dissected in the forums and reviews? Not much really. I read the reports of its numerous bugs and horrendous load times, yet in a fit of artistic pique (read: boredom) I actually dug my van out of the snowbank and drove down to EB games to pay MONEY for this frustrating but strangely compelling nightmare of half-assed game coding. I really really really WANT to like this game...it has SOOOO much potential, but the 'GURU' keeps making his presence known with maddening frequency. Death in Gothic 3 also carries significant penalties; while you are waiting to reload a previous save ( which you most assuredly will be doing regularly) you might as well go off and make a pot of coffee or do the dishes, clean your room...don't worry. You'll have plenty of time. Really. Add to this mix a baffling AI with the pathfinding abilities of a blind 3 year old and 'buddies' who randomly decide to attack NPC members of opposing factions thereby quashing any quest lines associated with said NPC, any SANE person would ask; 'Why on Earth would ANYONE even bother?" Ahhhhh....truly a question for the 'GURU'. Despite having more patches than a leaky rubber boat ( mostly thanks to the community, not Piranha BITES) and an absolutely unoptimized game engine that runs as well as your granny using a walker on ice, I STILL WANT TO PLAY IT!!! WHY??? I DON'T KNOW!!! Maybe I'm just demented, or missing the 'give it up already Gene'. See, I can't give it a score because on one hand I utterly DESPISE Piranha BITES for releasing this atrocity on the gaming community knowing full well it was untested and in all likelihood rushed out well before it was ready. On the other hand, the artistic direction is so compelling and the world feels so alive I just want to keep exploring. Truly, this game is unique in its near-Universal condemnation and yet it also has a rabid fan-base. So, I'll wrap this up by saying this is not a game...it is an experience in dealing with maddening frustration and yet moments of sublime bliss. Best taken with a bottle of whiskey and a fistful of 'ludes. Hardcore fans of Gothic ONLY need apply.... and the rest of us poor deluded souls in need of an RPG fix. Don't cry for me...I'm already demented.
In a word: brilliant. I would highly recommend this to anybody who's a fan of "The Elder Scrolls", especially the older ones such as Daggerfall and especially Morrowind. In my opinion its like playing Morrow... Read Full Review
Gothic III is like a woman who irritates you until the point you want to break up, but who in the last minute knows how to coax you into staying with her. I LOVE YOU when swarming orcs fall around me in an epic comba... Read Full Review
