Gothic
The initial storyline is surprisingly similar to the original Ultima Underworld. You’re a convict thrown into a mountainside labor prison that’s magically sealed from the outside world. It’s a grim place run by the prisoners in tight hierarchies, where the choices you make and the risks you take determine which gang you join, what skills you learn, and your friends and enemies. Gothic’s dialogue is gritty and its voiceovers convincing.
Praise goes as well to the game’s environment. There’s some clipping in the graphics, but the terrain is detailed and varied. Day and night bring out different predators and people.
Were Gothic as good as its best parts, it’d get an Editors’ Choice, but important issues lower its value. It was originally conceived for the keyboard only, and though you can reconfigure its commands, the game still isn’t very mouse-friendly. And the manual is awful — a lot of coy, vague hints and a dearth of basic information. Some commands are missing completely, and I had to download the Gothic FAQ to find out how to view my character’s diary.
That said, I really like this stark RPG. It’s got good balance, lots of replayability, and a style all its own.