Review Gothic 3? Play Oblivion instead!

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Gothic III; Piranha Bytes

<a href=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/9B47CF5A-E647-4A5D-8FC7-AAD5ACA45C91.htm>Gothic 3? Play Oblivion instead!</a> is a conclusion of a <a href=http://www.gameinformer.com>Game Informer</a>'s 4-paragraph Gothic 3 review, giving the game 5/10.
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<blockquote>The core idea behind Gothic 3 is that the player’s actions within the game’s enormous open world affect how the conflicts play out. Think of it as being like Oblivion, but you can choose to help any of the game’s factions achieve their ends at the expense of others. This system is good in theory, and to be fair, Gothic 3’s world is brilliantly realized in many respects. Sadly, the game is just no fun to play.</blockquote>But wait! There is a second opinion there!
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<blockquote>It is perilously easy to compare Gothic 3 to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Realistically speaking, the only time the two games should be mentioned together is in a context like: “<b>Boy, Gothic 3 sure sucks. I want to play a real game, like Oblivion</b>.” Gothic’s biggest draw – exploring a wide-open landscape – is utterly suffocated in the armpit of its numerous problems. With a futile combat system and an array of crippling technical issues, Gothic 3 is almost amusing in its failure. The visuals appear lively enough at a glance, but looking at the game any deeper reveals a dead world inhabited by poorly executed good ideas. Heck, I’m even sorry I had to write this review, since it is now published evidence that I spent time playing this <b>embarassing trash</b>.</blockquote>If anyone would like to say something to Joe (the author of the second opinion) or sign him up for some educational mail lists, his email is JOE@GAMEINFORMER.COM.
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[Volourn]

Poor little VD. Crying over the fact that his precious G3 isn't perfect. R00fles!

 

[Vault Dweller]

That's coming from a guy who came to the Codex to convince people that NWN is a good game by arguing endlessly with anyone who disagreed (99% of the site's population back then)...

Edit: I see that Elias Maluco is here again. Hey, Elias, how are tricks?

 

[Volourn]

"That's coming from a guy who came to the Codex to convince people that NWN is a good game by arguing endlessly with anyone who disagreed (99% of the site's population back then)..."

Did you even read my first post on the site... or did you just forget? My purpose in coming here was NOT to argue endlessly about NWN; but to discuss RPGs.. which, btw, has gone as planned.

However, I know as soon as I started posting ehre with all the NWN threads, I would blasted for my liking NWN1 so I struck on that issue first.

R00fles!

Don't worry; be happy. Just because G3 isn't eprfect; it's still an ok game. About equal with the NWN series OC, and KOTOR series.


D0uble R00fles!

 

[Cycloptis]

Maybe I'm missing something, but is that review composed of a whopping four paragraphs? The biggest one was dedicated to bashing the combat system.

"It’s sad to see so many good ideas go to waste."

It would be nice if he mentioned them. A description of the skillset would be a good start; maybe he could have delved into the quality of the writing. Favourable or not, his opinion could have at least covered these "many good ideas." That at least would have given the review a hint of professionalism. Never mind the second opinion which could be pulled straight out of a GameSpot reader review section.

http://www.gameinformer.com/games/info/info.htm?CS_pid=646812

On an off-topic note, this page caught my attention due to the contrasting game titles.

 

[Baphomet]

I like Gothic's combat more than Oblivion's. Especially when I have conned someone into joining up as cannon fodder.

 

[Vault Dweller]

"That's coming from a guy who came to the Codex to convince people that NWN is a good game by arguing endlessly with anyone who disagreed (99% of the site's population back then)..."

Did you even read my first post on the site... or did you just forget? My purpose in coming here was NOT to argue endlessly about NWN; but to discuss RPGs.. which, btw, has gone as planned.

I'm not talking about your first post, I'm evaluating your presence here overall.

Don't worry; be happy. Just because G3 isn't eprfect; it's still an ok game. About equal with the NWN series OC, and KOTOR series

It's not about the game, it's about the review. I didn't like NWN2 (so far), but I criticized that idiotic CGW review that trashed the game for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Ahzaruuk]

Gothic 3? Play Oblivion instead!

For a second there, I though VD lost his marbles.

 

[Cthulhugoat]

Edit: I see that Elias Maluco is here again. Hey, Elias, how are tricks?

Muhahahahaha. Nice comparison.

 

[Claw]

Oh, impressive. A single screenshot, from the publisher no less.

Waging a constant war against reality, Joe is always on the lookout for a good escape.

Looks like he won.

 

[Volourn]

"I'm not talking about your first post, I'm evaluating your presence here overall."

Then you are an idiot who can't read. You suck at 'evaluating'.

R00fles!

 

[hiciacit]

Then you are an idiot who cna't read.

Perhaps your capability at spelling is not entirely irrelevant.

 

[Vault Dweller]

"I'm not talking about your first post, I'm evaluating your presence here overall."

Then you are an idiot who cna't read.

I'm an idiot who can't read, you are an idiot who can't type... Ever thought of combining our forces? Together we'd be an idiot who can neither read nor write. Just think about it.

 

[Volourn]

"I'm an idiot who can't read, you are an idiot who can't type... Ever thought of combining our forces? Together we'd be an idiot who can neither read nor write. Just think about it."

Maybe.

Hik: Wut u tuckon' boot Willie!?!

 

[Brother None]

You guys kind of need to learn to ignore Volo already.

I'm not completely impartial to his "Codex is partial to G3"-thing, as you know, but when he thinks that burning a retarded review like the above is wrong...that's just stupid.

Though I'm not sure how invalid the review's line of thinking is. Essentially it boils down to "combat is deadly frustrating and can not be avoided", the "hence the game is horrible"-conclusion is unfair, but the criticism might still hold...but doesn't it hold for Oblivion too?

 

[made]

They are both crappy games. I'm sure if this were the nineties, where 20 RPGs have been released per year instead of the 3 we get now, VD woud have trashed G3 just the same.

 

[elander_]

Before i say what i want to say i would like to point out that i never claimed that Gothic 3 was a brilliant game. I considered the ideas presented very good for a game of that genre that pretends to be a mix of action-adventure and rpg, something that Oblivion can't even be.

I played the demo recently and i'm considering buying the game and patching it, even if i won't like combat a bit. The demo shows a very poor and mediocre combat system. Something much worse than the previous games which only had small problems on timing attacks.

I enjoyed how the world is still very beliavable and how npcs are natural and interact in a natural and belivable way. There was a bug in the demo about a dialog that didn't played and that is regretable in a promotional demo. While the few quests i played where about doing simple tasks like geting rid of wolves and pigs (big like bulls) that are molesting workers even so there's a cause to help the faction and not just an opurtunity to get some money and loot. At the end we get not only a material reward but some lore insight on what's going on. We have a certain degree of choice in the struglle between the major players, which is better than Oblivion, that is, 0.

Performance wise Gothic 3 crumbles at lower settings. Oblivion runs flowlessly with mid settings and looks much better.

On terms of character and world, dialog and gameplay Oblivion has disfunctional skills, stupid dialogs and npc reactions and the world is unbeliavable futile and artificial breaking immersion all the time like when all of a sudden all low-life bandits start using daedric armor and can beat the crap out an entire regiment of imperial soldiers.

Nothing the kind of reviewers that gave 9.5 to Oblivion and trashed G3 considered important, that is, role-playing. This alone reveals the hipocrisy that game review sites have fallen into.

 

[AZ]

Oblivion is the game I played a few hours and decided that it is a good mod engine and a shit game not worth buying. It's pity that nobody will write a good tc for it.

Gothic 3 is the game I will buy from the bargain bin, when it will be patched and modded and will run in a cheap pc. :wink:

 

[The_Nameless_Prick]

I'm an idiot who can't read, you are an idiot who can't type... Ever thought of combining our forces? Together we'd be an idiot who can neither read nor write. Just think about it.

Vault Lourn or Vol Dweller. I can see you two mesh together both forumatically AND physically

 

[kingcomrade]

vault honorblade the time of ancients is upon us the dark evil has reawakened

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

Vault Lourn or Vol Dweller. I can see you two mesh together both forumatically AND physically

It'll be like fusion in Dragon Ball Z! Maybe that's not a good thing...

 

[aries202]

Yes, Oblivion looks good --- but is also nearly all it does.
(there are some good side quests etc.)

Personally, I dislike the smarthess and the polishness i.e. the glossyness of Oblivion while I much better like the realistic visuals of Gothi 3.

I also like the combat system... simply because I found that the combat system in G1 and G2 didn't agree with my fingers' skills...

 

[Balor]

Well, question is, G3's combat system is MORE player-skill-based then Oblvion one. But it's rather realistic, and I like that.

For instance, in RL, no matter how badass you are, but if a boar will suddenly charge you... prepare for a world for hurt - fortunately, it will not last long . I don't mind that - keeps you on your toes. And besides, in his beloved Oblivion, a wrong nap in the wrong time can easily leave you ripped apart by stray wolves and boars, who are leveled up suddenly.

Anyway, the flaw of Gothic is not in it's 'too realistic' combat system (cause usually I like that), but that monsters are attacking w/o provocation - well, some do give you like a half second of warning, but...

Anyway, if heavier armors will reduce 'flinching' after being hit (I'm not talking about special attacks like sword impale - it's fine), and beasties will behave themselves more like in G1-2, then it would be fine. There is nothing 'flawed beyond repair'.
If PB devs will not adress that, I hope there would be a mod for it.
Oh, and human AI is rather dumb in combat, leading to 'defeating arena champion at first level' (sounds all too similar, doesn't it?), but I kinda used to that by now.

Oh, and btw, I think it's Oblivion's fault again. PB went Bethesda way - territory vs content. But they lacked Beth's funds (and not to say that Beth an example ‘rightdoing’, heh).
They made their game after Oblivion, but made it worse. At least, if you are looking for 'Oblivious' features.
For instance, 'cannot join all factions and become masters of those factions' can be brought up as a flaw, too, heh.

 

[Shoelip]

Hm, what would Vaultlourn look like as a super saiyan?

 

[KreideBein]

That review is worthless. Only four fucking paragraphs? Are they reviewing minesweeper? For a game this size they should have greatly expanded the review size. Hell, all of GI's reviews need to be bigger. Normally they're just a few paragraphs commenting on the graphics, sound, and basic gameplay. They never go into detail about actual game mechanics and the various details of whatever game it is that they're reviewing.

And is it just me, or is GI getting worse and worse as the old editors keep leaving? Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I recall their PC gaming department being a lot better when Kristian was there.