Vault Dweller
Commissar, Red Star Studio
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2003
- Messages
- 28,035
Tags: Gothic III; Piranha Bytes
<a href=http://www.tgsn.co.uk>TGSN</a> has posted a <a href=http://www.tgsn.co.uk/rvw86pc.php>review</a> of <a href=http://www.gothic3.com>Gothic 3</a>, comparing the game to Oblivion at every step, and giving it 8.5/10, noting the lack of polish and "crowd pleasing features".
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<blockquote>Firstly, it saddens me to write this review, as it is already clear that this game will not get the credit it duly deserves from the wider world, and if not credit, then game sales. With Oblivion now pretty much cemented as the best RPG out there, people are very liable to ignore a game by a lesser known developer, with less exotic graphics and fewer gameplay gimmicks. However, take a step deep into Gothic 3, and you can see that there are in fact things it does better than the previously considered unstoppable, Oblivion.
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Oblivion, which I’m afraid is the inevitable comparison just as every modern free-roaming shooter gets compared to GTA, has a huge game world, varied environments, but relatively little going on in them. Gothic 3 however is four times the size of the underwhelmingly massed Gothic 2, and although it is still not as big as Oblivion, there is much more life, and indeed fun to be had in the wilderness. Don’t get me wrong, there’s not the wealth of dungeons, castles and caves that Oblivion has, but it’s the outside, the grass, the trees, and the wildlife that brings the game to the front of the pack.
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Graphically, Gothic 3 stands out if you have the PC to handle it. In particular, textures look very nice, but where Oblivion reuses textures and reduces detail in the distance but maintains a great length of view, Gothic 3 simply fogs surroundings a certain way away. It doesn’t look great and detaches you from the large game world. Unfortunately, there is no mode of transport in Gothic 3 either.
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As you progress through the game you can choose to make a number of choices. These are not choices like whether should you save a little girl’s teddy bear, but are a combination of decisions throughout the story. Should you side with the Rebels, and attempt to overthrow the Orc rule, or take advantage of the situation and join the new rulers for a life of wealth and luxury (and fighting in the arenas). These options are not simply good vs. evil, and there are many clear points in the game’s plot that may morally sway you, to lead to one of three alternate endings.
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Oblivion appeals to the masses with its console release, great graphics, movie-like storyline and all star voice talent, along with a seemingly endless array of missions. This is perhaps what sets it apart from Gothic 3, which is a far more traditional, levelling up, repeat this, do that, kind of RPG. That of course is a huge plus if you love all that sort of thing, but for average Joe gamers, they want action, intensity, blood and fire, which as a group, Gothic 3 deliberately avoids.</blockquote>Not sure I agree with the last paragraph as Gothic 3 does feature great graphics and more action than you can handle, but it's a more difficult game than Oblivion (very challenging combat and zero hand-holding), and that could turn some gamers off.
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<a href=http://www.tgsn.co.uk>TGSN</a> has posted a <a href=http://www.tgsn.co.uk/rvw86pc.php>review</a> of <a href=http://www.gothic3.com>Gothic 3</a>, comparing the game to Oblivion at every step, and giving it 8.5/10, noting the lack of polish and "crowd pleasing features".
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>Firstly, it saddens me to write this review, as it is already clear that this game will not get the credit it duly deserves from the wider world, and if not credit, then game sales. With Oblivion now pretty much cemented as the best RPG out there, people are very liable to ignore a game by a lesser known developer, with less exotic graphics and fewer gameplay gimmicks. However, take a step deep into Gothic 3, and you can see that there are in fact things it does better than the previously considered unstoppable, Oblivion.
<br>
...
<br>
Oblivion, which I’m afraid is the inevitable comparison just as every modern free-roaming shooter gets compared to GTA, has a huge game world, varied environments, but relatively little going on in them. Gothic 3 however is four times the size of the underwhelmingly massed Gothic 2, and although it is still not as big as Oblivion, there is much more life, and indeed fun to be had in the wilderness. Don’t get me wrong, there’s not the wealth of dungeons, castles and caves that Oblivion has, but it’s the outside, the grass, the trees, and the wildlife that brings the game to the front of the pack.
<br>
...
<br>
Graphically, Gothic 3 stands out if you have the PC to handle it. In particular, textures look very nice, but where Oblivion reuses textures and reduces detail in the distance but maintains a great length of view, Gothic 3 simply fogs surroundings a certain way away. It doesn’t look great and detaches you from the large game world. Unfortunately, there is no mode of transport in Gothic 3 either.
<br>
...
<br>
As you progress through the game you can choose to make a number of choices. These are not choices like whether should you save a little girl’s teddy bear, but are a combination of decisions throughout the story. Should you side with the Rebels, and attempt to overthrow the Orc rule, or take advantage of the situation and join the new rulers for a life of wealth and luxury (and fighting in the arenas). These options are not simply good vs. evil, and there are many clear points in the game’s plot that may morally sway you, to lead to one of three alternate endings.
<br>
...
<br>
Oblivion appeals to the masses with its console release, great graphics, movie-like storyline and all star voice talent, along with a seemingly endless array of missions. This is perhaps what sets it apart from Gothic 3, which is a far more traditional, levelling up, repeat this, do that, kind of RPG. That of course is a huge plus if you love all that sort of thing, but for average Joe gamers, they want action, intensity, blood and fire, which as a group, Gothic 3 deliberately avoids.</blockquote>Not sure I agree with the last paragraph as Gothic 3 does feature great graphics and more action than you can handle, but it's a more difficult game than Oblivion (very challenging combat and zero hand-holding), and that could turn some gamers off.
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