Review Gothic 3 review at Eurogamer

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Gothic III; Piranha Bytes

<a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=68848>Eurogamer</a> has posted a <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=68848>review</a> of <a href=http://www.gothic3.com>Gothic 3</a>, giving it 8/10 and calling it "at times gorgeous, at other times frustrating."
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<blockquote>In other words, Gothic 3 isn't an exercise in pushing back against the colossus of Oblivion, that RPG that now pretty much defines the fantasy genre in Europe and the U.S. Given the latter's pedigree, that would have been foolish. </blockquote>*sigh*
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<blockquote>Yet, for all its go-anywhere charm, unlike 'that-game-beginning-with O' (we really can't escape these Elder Scrolls references, can we?), it's not overwhelming in its scope. Because while there's plenty of room to manoeuvre and missions to undertake, in terms of character-building, things are vastly reduced.</blockquote>I assume that means that you can't generate <a href=http://i.somethingawful.com/mjolnir/images/acetone~oblivion02.jpg>your very own character</a>, which, as we all know, is the essense of role-playing and character-building.
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<blockquote>Each town and faction has its own problems and its necessary to build up a self-contained reputation via the completion of dedicated quests before siding with the orcs or the rebels, depending on which way your moral compass is pointing. So while the main story still lingers at the back somewhat, once you've conquered that little part of the world, you genuinely feel like you're getting somewhere. It's an incentive that goes hand in hand with the exploratory nature of the title.</blockquote>This is the main reason to buy Gothic 3, and it would have been nice to read more than a generic description of this feature.
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Thanks, Twinfalls.
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[FrancoTAU]

Seriously, every criticism of Gothic 3 sounds like the best features to me. It's hard and detailed seems like the biggest knocks. Wtf?

 

[Vault Dweller]

And the starting equipment is weak. Poor design right there.

 

[Oarfish]

But can you dress up like a guard?

 

[FrancoTAU]

Don't get me wrong, there does sound like some tweaking is in order with the killer boars and what not. Some of the stuff these reviews are saying sound shitty but it's stuff that they love because it's Oblivion-ish.

Oblivion + Difficulty + Fleshed out NPCs/Quest - Scaled Leveling = Something that interests me still.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Don't get me wrong, there does sound like some tweaking is in order with the killer boars and what not.

According to the Honest Gamers review, longer reach weapons deal with the boars very effectively:

"These problems can be overcome by learning the battle system employed, investing level-up points in various attack skills or by utilising a better weapon for given foes (for instance, when I took on a boar with the much longer-reaching scythe, they fell with almost insulting ease)..."

 

[Drakron]

Well despite claims of the combat system being "dumb down" they simply improved the controls to be click driven, they do feel more natural.

The biggest issue with the wildlife is the stun and knock down effects, also armor seems to been very weaken, there are some balance issues in relation to a few things (boars do a lot of damage compared to a orcs and humans using weapons).

 

[FrancoTAU]

Yeah, I saw that. I'm all about certain weapons being better against specific foes, but I've heard a bunch of people saying the boars are tough even when you start get uber. It's not a make or break thing for me, but it does seem silly that a badass swordsman with full armor can get killed by a boar.

 

[suibhne]

"These problems can be overcome by learning the battle system employed, investing level-up points in various attack skills or by utilising a better weapon for given foes (for instance, when I took on a boar with the much longer-reaching scythe, they fell with almost insulting ease)..."

Haven't tried the game yet, but this wouldn't be unrealistic if it's actually done by design. Close-quarters fighting with a boar would be near-suicidal, even more so than with a bear or wolf. Maybe the real problem here is that boars like this just aren't familiar to North American gamers, while boar-hunting was part of European culture for hundreds of years and was known to be pretty darn dangerous. In fact, some of the (massive) city parks in Berlin still support populations of wild boars, and the city posts lurid signs warning you to stay away from them - adorned with images of boars violently tossing dogs into the air. And those aren't nearly as big or dangerous as the boars that killed medieval noblemen - or n00bs in Gothic 3. :wink:

 

[Vault Dweller]

Most likely. I'm sure the North American gamers place boars somewhere between rats and wolves, which explains the outcries.

 

[Twinfalls]

Though did you see the rampaging boar video Rendelius posted up? It refused to die or even show any sign of injury despite being smacked a hundred times by a group of hefty Germanic gentlemen.

I just think people ought to be a bit patient - in the order of about 2 months, for final patches to come through. Then we can see whether the meat of the game, the quests and faction mechanics, are up to snuff.

 

[Inziladun]

While I don't doubt that Boars are extremely dangerous and only a lunatic would try to hunt one with any sort of close-ranged weapon. It does still seem silly that an Expert swordsman equiped with a long sword and adorned in full armour still doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Wick]

It isn't just the boars that have the problem, it is all wildlife like fucking rabbits for example. Basically it is an animation glitch, the animal goes into this rapid fire mode. Boars get pointed out because of the fact that they hit hard and they have the glitch. If the animal hits you once your fucked, so long range weapons help somewhat, but not alot. The armor is also bugged, it is negligble I could have the armor the 150k gold or the beginning leather it doesn't matter, my life bar is my armor.

 

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

It isn't just the boars that have the problem, it is all wildlife like fucking rabbits for example. Basically it is an animation glitch, the animal goes into this rapid fire mode. Boars get pointed out because of the fact that they hit hard and they have the glitch. If the animal hits you once your fucked, so long range weapons help somewhat, but not alot. The armor is also bugged, it is negligble I could have the armor the 150k gold or the beginning leather it doesn't matter, my life bar is my armor.

Eh, the rapid fire thing isn't that bad. They'll do some damage, yes, but jumping, quick attacking and backing away tend to stop them.

 

[Claw]

There is one issue with Gothic3, and that's polish. That is why I don't mind. There is no single feature that I consider really bad, only minor annoyances and many - certainly too many - small issues.

Though did you see the rampaging boar video Rendelius posted up? It refused to die or even show any sign of injury despite being smacked a hundred times by a group of hefty Germanic gentlemen.

I somehow get the impression damage between NPCs is toned down. A battle between me and a boar is always over quick - usually with the boar down - and battles with NPCs don't take that long either, so how come battles between a boar and NPCs always seem to go on for minutes?

 

[Vault Dweller]

There is one issue with Gothic3, and that's polish. That is why I don't mind. There is no single feature that I consider really bad, only minor annoyances and many - certainly too many - small issues.

What about broken quests? Have you seen any?

 

[Gambler]

Obviously, Germans place boar somwhere between terminator and T-90 tank.

 

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

There is one issue with Gothic3, and that's polish. That is why I don't mind. There is no single feature that I consider really bad, only minor annoyances and many - certainly too many - small issues.

What about broken quests? Have you seen any?

I've seen two that I know of; both involved taking items to a certain NPC at the mill in Silden. There's no dialogue option to give them to him.
Also, if you go to the monastery early in the game, you can fuck up the main quest. Just don't read the Chronicles of Dominance in the library.

 

[Wick]

I agree with the fact that most of the problems of the game are minor, overall I think it is a good game. I think another thing that causes some confusion is everything is inflated in Gothic 3 compared to the other games. You gain levels rapidly and gold is in abundance, so some things I am not sure if it was intended that way or it is unbalanced.

 

[suibhne]

Though did you see the rampaging boar video Rendelius posted up? It refused to die or even show any sign of injury despite being smacked a hundred times by a group of hefty Germanic gentlemen.

Watch that video again... I reviewed it twice, and my recollection is that most of the NPCs just weren't attacking the boar. I don't think that was a problem with the boar being overpowered, but rather with the NPC AI being very, very bad.

 

[sheek]

Though did you see the rampaging boar video Rendelius posted up? It refused to die or even show any sign of injury despite being smacked a hundred times by a group of hefty Germanic gentlemen.

According to a dude on the internet:

Boars are killed by jabbing with the right mouse button - easy then.

 

[HanoverF]

Eh, it's still only 50-50, sometimes due to height (like the boar is pushed up a slight slope) or you step on a tiny pebble and begin to slide back unable to attack, once the boar gets any opening you're pretty much toast. The boar model is kinda small too, and easy to miss, even if you catch it sleeping.

And if you're caught unawares by a boar, just start reloading...

 

[[Jez]]

and take you dvd out of the tray to improve the loading times

 

[aries202]

HI

I agree that boars are very dangerus animals.
If a (wild) boar does attack you, it just runs you over. It is very fast and pushes down anything that stands in its way.

Unless you're Obelix (from the cartoon, Asterix), I wouldn't take on a boar without a good long ranged weapon.

aries202

 

[Claw]

What about broken quests? Have you seen any?

Oh yeah, my second quest, killing some bandits. I've killed them but it's not considered finished.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Though did you see the rampaging boar video Rendelius posted up? It refused to die or even show any sign of injury despite being smacked a hundred times by a group of hefty Germanic gentlemen.

According to a dude on the internet:

Boars are killed by jabbing with the right mouse button - easy then.

I prefer to do a more heavy attack, step back and slash, etc. doesn't hurt to weaken them with the bow first either, i can take atleast 20% off a boars health per hit, and i haven't put any skill points into ranged combat.

Eh, it's still only 50-50, sometimes due to height (like the boar is pushed up a slight slope)

wrong, if a boar is on a slope do the obvious thing and step back so it walks off the slope.

once the boar gets any opening you're pretty much toast.

Bullshit, turn aound and sprint away *shift key*, then it's up to you to continue the fight or just avoid it and come back later.

They're tough yeah, but they sure as hell ain't as invincible as most are making them out to be.