Rent it, see it, try it, uninstall it and give it back!!!
Why first off I think its a trick to sell more copies of the game to the Gothic fans and it fails hard.
This game would sell better as Arcania The first In the Series, know to tell you why:
1. If its a sequel people expect more from it and something new and this game has nothing more or new if anything it has less new stuff (none at all) and old broken stuff.
2. If its the first game of the series the developers have their hands free, they can set new rules new brand lore and story.
So that are 2 reasons now lets continue with the review.
First this game has so and so graphics ( I have all settings on high) because you feel like they put the vegetation all around the place with no set rule its just to be there its like they were following the more the merrier but then again I'm not a graphics whore and I don't mind that but the things that get me are some stupid little things like that unusual jumping. I don't know whats wrong with Gothic series but jumping animation just sucks and after 10+ years I think they could at least make it more natural or something.
The character voice animation is just sad I beg someone to find a way to skip the witch conversation in the beginning because that will damage your hearing. And lets say that u basically have 4 npc skins of males for humans and I think just 2 (1 is for the regular orcs and the other is for the north orcs so 1 for each species of orcs) for orcs and for human females there are so far only 2 well actually 3, and the third one is so far one of a kind female model and is somewhat easy on the eyes while the others look like, well I don't know what but they don't look like females at all.
The water animation is lame at least and you cant even come close to water. The invisible wall blocks you every time you try. And for crying out loud whats with all the rain the animation isn't that much and it rains like 80% of the time
The game for me isn't worth buying but renting or borrowing from a friend that was dumb enough to buy it.
Worst thing is the magic you have 3 elements thunder, frost and fire and that's that. If you lvl them up you only get the ability to charge the spell so that it does more damage and effects, but the visual effects changes are equal to 0. Lvl 1 of the thunder spell is equal to the highest lvl thunder spell at least visually the only thing that changes it the icon for the spell.
You also have runes but they have a pretty long cool down and are pretty much only for one use in a fight.
If you want to beat the game, well then bows are the way to go I'm a mage and all I can do is cast just 3 spells and thats all, no more mana (you can use scrolls but the point for being a mage is that you dont need to use them since you are a MAGE) and whats sad is that I do more damage with the bow with just 3 skill points in it then with a highest lvl of thunder spell I have..
The story is also nothing new and it wont get you involved in the game so much. And there is no need for exploring bec basically you cant. There are always some locked doors trough which you cant go unless you follow the story so that takes a big rpg element out of the few rpg elements that the game has.
You also have roleplaying elements in the game (beds, chair, fire and so on) that are there for nothing. I mean who can you roleplay with it doesn't have a multiplayer. And unlike in the other gothic games you would use items in your surroundings to craft items but now you press C and Craft and shazam you have a brand new item.
This game is just fail and its only good for casual players that can play 1-2 hours a week so they forget how it sucks and remember it again.
And this is no RPG for me its more of a casual hack and slash adventure set in the gothic universe.
It can be a great game with one big patch but like this it looks like and unfinished product that was hurried up.
I also have to say my thx to the "pirates" bec they saved me a lot of bucks on this game enough for something else. So thank you.
I give it 3.5 in hopes that they will release a patch or that I have a unfinished pirate version of the game. I don't know what it is recently but the story sucks in most of rpgs I mean they can contact me I have some great story's and ideas for RPGs and Im glad to tell them if they want.