[Darksword]

I am deeply in love with GI and GII NotR: the world, the gameplay, the whole thing. I like to play slowly, finding all loot, doing all quests, talking to all the people. (For example, in order to get the maximum in the best order, I have played the early game of NotR 7 times.)

I've read that GIII is very different, and I suppose that goes for Arcania as well. I have them both, and also have the three Risen games, which are said to have much more of the 'feel' of GI and GII.

I'm coming to the end of NotR, and am starting to wonder: what next? GIII or Risen? or GII vanilla, even? because I am loving being in the game world I know ...

I'd be so grateful for any advice/opinions/ideas.

[Tyra]

The first two chapters of Risen 1 are the closest you can get to the old gothic atmosphere. At least for me there is nothing else in the Gothic or Risen series that is similiar to the first two gothic games - that's why I'm so interested in mods for Gothic 2. You should do it as well if you haven't already.
Playing Gothic 2 without NotR is kinda pointless. There are a few differences in balancing but it is basically the same game with less content.

[Darksword]

The first two chapters of Risen 1 are the closest you can get to the old gothic atmosphere. At least for me there is nothing else in the Gothic or Risen series that is similiar to the first two gothic games - that's why I'm so interested in mods for Gothic 2. You should do it as well if you haven't already.

Oh no ... I kind of thought that might be the case, but because Risen was by Piranha Bytes, I kind of hoped ...

I haven't tried any mods, not sure which ones are trustworthy. I have read good things about one called, I think, Velaya???

Playing Gothic 2 without NotR is kinda pointless. There are a few differences in balancing but it is basically the same game with less content.

Yeah, good point. It's so sad: I've been playing RPGs since the early 1980s, my first was called Knights of Legend. It was pretty amazing for something that resided on a 5.25 inch floppy disk. Anyway, as I say, played a lot of these games and GothicI and NotR beat every single one of them hands down. Never felt so immersed in a game world as I did in these.

You may be wondering why I only got to playing the Gothics so recently. Answer: I ended up with a very demanding job, and no game time, so I just bought the games as they came out, and kept them for when I would have time. Since I retired in 2010 I've been catching up. Loving it.

[Tyra]

Oh no ... I kind of thought that might be the case, but because Risen was by Piranha Bytes, I kind of hoped ...

I haven't tried any mods, not sure which ones are trustworthy. I have read good things about one called, I think, Velaya???

Yes, Velaya is one of the more famous mods in the german community. Here is the english version.
My favourite mod in the gothic universe is "Piratenleben", but I don't know if there is a translation.

Yeah, good point. It's so sad: I've been playing RPGs since the early 1980s, my first was called Knights of Legend. It was pretty amazing for something that resided on a 5.25 inch floppy disk. Anyway, as I say, played a lot of these games and GothicI and NotR beat every single one of them hands down. Never felt so immersed in a game world as I did in these.

You may be wondering why I only got to playing the Gothics so recently. Answer: I ended up with a very demanding job, and no game time, so I just bought the games as they came out, and kept them for when I would have time. Since I retired in 2010 I've been catching up. Loving it.

I completely understand you. Gothic has still a special place in my heart, even after all these years.

[Darksword]

Yes, Velaya is one of the more famous mods in the german community. Here is the english version.
My favourite mod in the gothic universe is "Piratenleben", but I don't know if there is a translation.

Thanks so much, Tyra, I'll look forward to Velaya!

[Red Ribbon]

I'm coming to the end of NotR, and am starting to wonder: what next? GIII or Risen? or GII vanilla, even? because I am loving being in the game world I know ...
I'd be so grateful for any advice/opinions/ideas.

G2 Vanilla is really pointless if you played NotR, like Tyra said.
Risen 1 is a good game, but in my opinion PB forced the "back to the gothic 1&2 roots" feeling to much and a copy is never as good as the original.
So i had never this love for risen, that i had for G1 and G2 - NotR.

I strongly recommend to you the Witcher universe. I thought this love, i had for the gothic universe would never come back in another computer game, until i read the books and played all 3 witcher games. In the end, i loved it even more than gothic, which i thought could never be possible. After reading those 7 books, those wonderful short stories und playing those 3 games which continue the story of the books, its impossible not to get emotionally involved.
The universe has some similarities with Gothic, like a dark and brutal fantasy world with magic, destroyed by war and if you liked this setting in Gothic, you will love this masterpiece created by Andrzej Sapkowski and continued by CD Projekt.

edit: this short video of the witcher 3 made by only few in-game scenes says more than 1000 words :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4jOz78cjlo

[Xerkrosis]

G3 is very different gameplay wise.
When you've had a linear story with G1 & G2, G3 has a broader open world comparable with Skyrim.
I don't dislike Gothic 3 as many others do. I actually quite enjoy it and take it as it is and not as how strongly it differs from its sequels.

I recommend to play Gothic 3 first.
It'll take quite some time. Once you're bored with it, you can go to the Risen-series.
I actually like to think that Risen still plays in the Gothic Universe, although a few years later. There are some informations that hint it to be in that world (a pirate who raided Khorinis; Titans marching and burning the realm of a kingdom in the north => so the islands of Risen could be the southern isles of Gothic; etc.), although the developers negated that several times.

[Darksword]

Risen 1 is a good game, but in my opinion PB forced the "back to the gothic 1&2 roots" feeling to much and a copy is never as good as the original.
So i had never this love for risen, that i had for G1 and G2 - NotR.

That's interesting, thank you. I'll try it: and I know what you mean by copies vs originals.

I strongly recommend to you the Witcher universe. I thought this love, i had for the gothic universe would never come back in another computer game, until i read the books and played all 3 witcher games. In the end, i loved it even more than gothic, which i thought could never be possible... its impossible not to get emotionally involved. The universe has some similarities with Gothic, like a dark and brutal fantasy world with magic, destroyed by war and if you liked this setting in Gothic, you will love this masterpiece created by Andrzej Sapkowski and continued by CD Projekt.

I did buy the first Witcher, and tried it out for a bit before turning to Gothic. It was enjoyable and immersive, I agree - even without reading any of the books. But I found some things annoying e.g. a quest to escort a girl back to her house, and even though I'd cleared the area beforehand, insane numbers of barghests spawned, especially around her, and killed her before I could get her home.

Another thing I didn't like, but I can see how it wouldn't bother most people, I didn't like the crude language (and I mean VERY crude, as it was translated into English) or the many sexual references etc. Gothic I and NotR are essentially moral, it's possible to make moral choices and you almost always get rewarded for making them - I didn't get that feeling with The Witcher at all.

Finally, there didn't seem to be much choice of weapons or armour, though I freely admit I didn't get very far in the game. I may go back and try again - although the hard drive I had back then crashed, and I'm not sure that I can still get the debugged and edited version Projekt Red issued electronically back then. I bought the second Witcher before I tried the first, so I do have the possibility to have another go at that world.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'd forgotten about those games

[Darksword]

G3 is very different gameplay wise.
When you've had a linear story with G1 & G2, G3 has a broader open world comparable with Skyrim.
I don't dislike Gothic 3 as many others do. I actually quite enjoy it and take it as it is and not as how strongly it differs from its sequels.

Yes, how true! I'm not sure I'm capable of making that mental adjustment, but it's worth a try. Thank you for the advice - you cheered me up quite a bit And I like what you said about references in Risen to the Gothic Universe.

[a wonderful life]

Playing Gothic 2 without NotR is kinda pointless. There are a few differences in balancing but it is basically the same game with less content.

It's not the same game, without the addon basically better in every way.

[Darksword]

It's not the same game, without the addon basically better in every way.

Thanks for making that point, I now think I'll try playing it next, or soon, anyway. It'll be quite interesting to find out how my NotR character building strategy works out in that version. Thank you once again

[mondy]

I am deeply in love with GI and GII NotR: the world, the gameplay, the whole thing. I like to play slowly, finding all loot, doing all quests, talking to all the people. (For example, in order to get the maximum in the best order, I have played the early game of NotR 7 times.)

I've read that GIII is very different, and I suppose that goes for Arcania as well. I have them both, and also have the three Risen games, which are said to have much more of the 'feel' of GI and GII.

I'm coming to the end of NotR, and am starting to wonder: what next? GIII or Risen? or GII vanilla, even? because I am loving being in the game world I know ...

I'd be so grateful for any advice/opinions/ideas.

download and play gothic modifications. you can download it for free

http://www.worldofgothic.com/dl/?catid=15

and here the german mods: https://www.worldofgothic.de/dl/down...older18.htm#18

[Darksword]

download and play gothic modifications. you can download it for free

http://www.worldofgothic.com/dl/?catid=15

and here the german mods: https://www.worldofgothic.de/dl/down...older18.htm#18

Thanks for these: cannot believe how many German mods there are! Wish I knew more German, I might cope if there are subtitles like in NotR, I'll have to try one out and see ...

[Gothaholic]

I'd be so grateful for any advice/opinions/ideas.

play Risen 1 first! of course it is not the "original" but "feeling-wise" it comes very close, for me the best PB-game after G1&2. I played G2 classic a time ago (and I am also a hardcore fan of G2 NotR) - the problem with G2 classic for me was: it is way to easy if you are accustomed with the NotR level of diificulty, I stopped playin in chapter 4.

of course you can also play G3, it is not that bad and well worth to play at least once, but it's a very different style compared to G1&2. the best thing (for me) in G3 is exploring the fantastic world, but the story and the quests are not on the same level as they are in G1&2.

[catalinux]

Gothic 3 has different engine. This means the character looks different, moves different, fight different. The world is way bigger, but feels empty, the story isn't that great. The only thing I liked in Gothic 3 was to bow hunt deer.

Risen 1... for some reason I didn't like it. Same for Risen 2. The story is nicer (pirates and stuff), but everything else about it is poor implemented.

On the other hand, I liked Risen 3. A lot. But only playing as a magician.

Somebody said The Witcher? I don't think so. Too linear, too many cut-scenes, it's like watching a movie.