So there I was, sitting in front of my brand new copy of Gothic II. What I knew was that I was told it was a great game.
If I would have given up on the game then and there, I probably wouldn't have played half the games I did. That game taught me that games are more about gameplay than graphics and eye-candy.
The game is awfully harder than it looks. Enemies have no way of indicating what level they are and how hard it would be for you to beat them, because usually it just depends on patience and experience. You can beat an Orc Elite at Level 1 as long as you don't get bored blocking and hitting him non-stop for one whole hour until he falls.
The controls are hard to get used to, though it has several control setups so you can choose the one that fits your style most. The game has various 'professions' you can learn. Such as, skinning, forging, alchemy, and others. Learning one doesn't exclude the others, though you probably need to find various trainers. Also, to get trained you spend 'Learning Points' which you will spend at least 50% of your game-time collecting.
With my ending paragraph, I will issue a warning. This game will change your way of thinking. Whether you believe it or not, it will make you appreciate graphics less than gameplay, and it will suck you in. You WILL be part of the ones who spent 10 hours or more simply advancing through the story. This coming from someone who spent over 100 hours playing it. Overall, great game.