Starting with no expectations, you wouldn't believe how fun it is for an unknown german game.
You start this game almost nude and you have to fight for your first wooden stick, just in the beginning you will notice that the game was designed differently, for starters you don't need a mouse to play (you can use it thou).
The combat at start doesn't feel good but its because the nameless hero doesn't know yet how to handle the sword properly. But in time investing some skill points in sword mastery will enable you new moves that are fun.
Mobs will chew you out and every enemy has different aproachs, I love the sneaky raptors, they are so scary. Orcs are awesome too, they look and are very dangerous. Their swing area is huge and in this game you don't want to take hits, you have to dodge them. Most mobs attack in packs Orcs too so you cannot cheat them by pick them one by one.
Also most of the world is open to be explored so if you have patience you can obtain equipment in areas that are way out of your league.
I also love the people beat mechanism, you don't need to kill the people to get their stuff, you just beat them up rob them and let them go. Most people are convicts anyway :D.
Picking lockpicks is also fun since you can lockpick chests when no one is looking (is not like morrowind where you can pick stuff right in front of them).
You have 3 different factions and you have to pick one, also you have 3 different specs to choose: Melee (1H or 2H), Ranged and Mage. You can mix some of them too.
The story is decent and it gets better in Gothic 2. All your friends stick in the series.
All in all fantastic game, even to be played now.