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Gothic 2 would be 5 times better if the fucking trees faded out when near

Metro

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IMO, Risen is a closer approximate of Gothic's archetype than Gothic 3. That's not to say Gothic 3 is a bad game, it is just that their ambition overshot their ability to deliver (yes, yes, publisher constraints). I definitely see what they were attempting to do in G3 I just don't agree with a lot of their design decisions. It plays like a single player MMO and combat is significantly worse than the original Gothics and Risen 1 (where it's a much closer approximation of G1 and G2). I was hoping Risen 2 would have reproduced the same core game mechanics present in Risen 1 and put them in an expansive Gothic 3 style world but... they regressed badly.
 

Murk

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Oh man, the biggest issue with G3 -- despite many issues -- is how loose and non-responsive combat is. Not only are skills mostly irrelevent, the "feel" of hitting or being hit is like there's an awkward delay and completely disjointed graphically.

In G1, 2, and R1 you are very much using your attacks to interrupt your opponents and timing is a big deal. In G3, you don't even know if you're attacking yet until it's too late.

Having said that, I love wandering around Nordmar.
 

Metro

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It's odd because I've been under the impression that Risen was based off of G3's engine and yet combat and npc physics are horrendous in G3 but quite good in Risen.
 

Metro

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I can believe that given how alien the combat is compared to the other PB games (excluding Risen 2). I rarely play magic users in ARPGs and while the fire mage path in G1 and G2 are rewarding the characters are overpowered -- to me half the fun of PB games is the challenge of the melee combat. Now in G3 where it's terrible and you have to commit mass genocide in liberating cities or crushing rebel camps then AoE'ing them all would sure make it a lot less tedious. G3 is probably their best design of a magic user class because you use a variety of spells whereas in G1/2/Risen you basically just stick to one nuke. Hell, in Risen they don't even give you a choice, you just put talents in either frostbolt, fireball, or 'magic bullet.'
 

Hobo Elf

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Just started up a game of Risen but I'm getting burned out playing a Mage and I'm only at chapter 2. The weak selection of magic just doesn't really cut it for a second play as a Mage. First time I did it with Fireball, but now I'm rolling with Ice. It's annoying enough that you can't damage frozen enemies and have to wait for them to unfreeze before shooting them again, but I've forgotten how unreliable the hit boxes sometimes are which leads to lots of spells flying right through the enemies. The monastery and getting to the part where you can finally use magic was, sadly, the best part of being a Mage in Risen. And I agree that the only way to get something out of G3's combat is to roll with magic. The flaky melee combat is too shit for any enjoyment. Just get Rain of Fire and live out your fantasy of being a powerful Wizard turning villages and cities into cinder.
 

Metro

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The early chapters are usually always the best in PB games -- not only because of the challenge but the story and quests are more interesting, too. Biggest disappointment for me with 'mages' in Risen is that the path is essentially identical to being a warrior of the order except a slight deviation at the end. So, unlike Gothic 2, it isn't worth three playthroughs (at least). You can really tell they just sort of gave up on magic users with the generic nukes. And, of course, in Risen 2 they abandoned it altogether as you can't really be a pure mage or voodoo practitioner or whatever.
 

SCO

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In My Safe Space
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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Real-time action game mages... ehhhh, maybe if they add a cool magic system like arx fatalis had.

Can you imagine it? 3 orcs rushing you while you're trying to do the complicated fire rain incantation? And you fuck it up, better have a teleport rune or something.
I would just ditch the armour penalty crap mages have in their games if this is done, the disadvantage of depending on player sangfroid with that casting crap would be good enough
 

Murk

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I was pretty good at it -- plus you can save 3 spells in a quick-cast.

I liked the room for creativity -- like the hidden ice wave spell (among others).
 

Hobo Elf

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The early chapters are usually always the best in PB games -- not only because of the challenge but the story and quests are more interesting, too. Biggest disappointment for me with 'mages' in Risen is that the path is essentially identical to being a warrior of the order except a slight deviation at the end. So, unlike Gothic 2, it isn't worth three playthroughs (at least). You can really tell they just sort of gave up on magic users with the generic nukes. And, of course, in Risen 2 they abandoned it altogether as you can't really be a pure mage or voodoo practitioner or whatever.

I didn't like any of the factions in Risen that much. I mean the monastery was alright, but it being shared with the pseudo-paladins was lame and took away from the unique feel. Becoming a Fire Magician in Gothic 2 felt like it was a huge deal, at least to me. I loved the secluded monastery feel, it felt like I was really part of a unique community. It felt like a real monastery instead of military school. The pay off of being able to use rune magic felt meaningful and special. In Risen even Warriors can use the basic nukes. Only Rune Seals are unique to the Mages and they were more or less disappointing.
 

Murk

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The factions felt more unique and better in G2, but the game-world was better orchestrated and integrated in Risen. I was thoroughly impressed by the propaganda spread out by people on both sides in regards to what the Order does and what exactly is going on. You talk to some Bandits and you honestly believe they want independence... you talk to others and you realize it's just about the money.

The way you meat Jan and he actually helps you, same with the novices on the farm --- you see how both factions have people who will help you even against their own interests and then you get a taste of how each faction will manipulate you to their own ends. I loved that.
 

Zlaja

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What I like best about Risen 1/Gothic 1-2 is when first starting out and knowing that everything is handplaced in the world and that every non level-scaled creature can kick my ass in the beginning. You really feel like an insignificant turd on two legs. And then that sweet feeling of joy every time you stumble on that glorius shiny loot that might help you in your struggel for survival like a rusty sword, tree-branch or a frying pan. FUCK YEAH, I'M MOVING UP IN THE WORLD!
 

ohWOW

Sucking on dicks and being proud of it
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Hell, in Risen they don't even give you a choice, you just put talents in either frostbolt, fireball, or 'magic bullet.'
In risen 2 they relieved us from this burden and there's no magic at all :smug: only piss useless wands and laughable mind control (to watch monkeys fighting 30 minutes until one dies)
 

CorpseZeb

Learned
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Yea... All Risen 2 has to offer is very shallow, easy and boring experience served in cold sauce of cliché post-"Pirates of the Caribbean" world... Plus stupid ending.
 

JarlFrank

I like Thief THIS much
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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
The greatest fault of Risen 2 is that it cuts up the gameworld into many small islands rather than having one large connected world, and the last few of these islands are insultingly linear.
 

Chrio

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Nov 22, 2012
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The greatest fault of Risen 2 is that it cuts up the gameworld into many small islands rather than having one large connected world, and the last few of these islands are insultingly linear.

the idea with the Islands itself are ok imo, BUT they are linear as fuck, thats true

imo another Problem on risen 2 is that the Music isnt from Kai Rosenkranz, and there are not really things to explore like in the other pb titels which were lovely handcraftet (as example chests), Areas are looking empty too
 

ohWOW

Sucking on dicks and being proud of it
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You forget about low-res climbing rocks. One models copy-pasted everywhere and spottable from the other side of the island, and it's the only possibility to climb. Only to open a master lock chest and find a jewel and 10 gold coins.

Talk about "gothic feel exploration" :troll:
 

CorpseZeb

Learned
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... and ... and most of 90+ chest contains nothing interesting. Maybe except that one with one of fragments of soul calibur, but you can get that part elsewhere so it doesn't matter. You are not rewarded for exploring or for mastering an thieving art. Islands are ok, but - yes - they are small or linear or both. But my problem is with Risen 2 is sorely lacking atmosphere. It's to bright, to cheerful, to disneylandish. Maybe, maybe the same setting but with dark, always drunk, dirty, unpleasant (and no, swearing is welcome change, but that's not enough) open gay and angry anti-women pirates who are, together with hero, all submerge into dark, greedy, intolerant story about balance of power and craziness of old gods... well... who knows.

Ps. Sounds a bit like Witcher... erm... on Caribbean vacation.
 
Self-Ejected

Lilura

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Gothic and Gothic 2 are rare gems that don't need any mods, not even visual ones.
 

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