Arcania has besides, as I do not find more modern, graphic style with the old Gothic do nothing. The control of the character is used to - I found that he very swam - and jump and roll animations completely exaggerated. The character can not climb more, no more swimming. That alone steals incredible atmosphere. Enjoyed that when the wearing of chain and plate armor, a metallic sound can be heard while running. The manner in which such items are recognized on the ground is, gewöhnungsbdürftig. I hung all the time through the eyes of this little box below to see if I can do something picked up.
Which brings us to the next point of criticism: interaction with objects. In other RPGs you can let go with jug and plates, if you like them. In Arcania I was overjoyed to be able to pick up my first sausage after about 5 hours of play. Plates, cutlery, household utensils - everything is pinned on the ground and I can only look at it. When I turn on the RPG mode, I can perform actions such as sawing wood or turning the pork spit perform. I expect more: Why do I get no logs that I can sell? Or a club? Why can I no longer fry my food over a campfire or a hotplate?
Ever: The crafting system. Heaven! How can a role player just to force the middle of nowhere mixdown its highly explosive alchemical potions without alchemy table! Why can not I forge swords and lace runes in armor, without ever having an anvil in sight? Why is it allowed me as a traditionally magical unbegabtem Haudrauf, ever to cast runes? And why was the truly magnificent wrought concept of old Gothics away? When I come to a grindstone, my avatar attracts me not a known sword from the backpack, which I never see again after plugging! I have such a big mistake, I believe no longer seen in an RPG higher price range in the last 3 years!
Next: The world. I find visually consistent. Although I have yet missed it painful to walk everywhere (After all, it is a Gothic), my towns, villages, marshes, forests, fields, castles and mountains have liked and it was fun to explore the world, to collect plants to assassinate animals and to beat Orcs. Too bad: Especially towards the end I ran only through caves and bat on a skeleton. Here, the developers could be fulminant end. The Rhobar III Castle. could not keep up remotely with the castle of the old camp, or temple complex of Gothic 2. It was probably to make matters worse, in the development of even more pressed for time to Dungeons and can be probably the easiest to build.
The NPC: Yes! To meet Gorn, Diego and Lester again, was great! In particular, because a few years have passed and the old battle friends are now become old, the game has scored at this point the most. The new characters who I liked. Just a pity that they have gone in the end completely under. I would like to set with one or the other at the end of the final boss. Here Gothic 2 could serve as a model.
The monster and the battle system: Well. I as a friend of Hack'n'Slay had gathered me quickly. With practice, the fighting was far too easy. Rarely have I had to run away or take a Potion. The shooting system I liked. More tactical depth I would have liked here. Only the Goblins and skeletal groups I hated because they have really demanded. With a few tricks, but these were quickly in the dust. I died more often because I'm somewhere like down. In terms of the monsters have the developers made it very easy: simply recolor something different name on it and screw up get something before the next monster was born places. Too bad. Furthermore, I missed real innovations. The monster I knew all already from old goths.
The character development: No. That was nothing. Learning without a teacher? Total restriction to 6 skill trees and abstract numbers? Here I would have liked a lot more width. A magician who can carry around the best two-handed sword with him and use is simply not credible. In addition to me developing my Hauptstats was missing. Even though I am not a hardcore roleplayers: I still like to determine for themselves whether I push strength, agility or life. Values such as remote power and magic power I find out of place.
The Equipment: Good! Many different weapons with different characteristics I could call my own. Too bad: The most I found along the way. Seriously I've built myself just my sword and my final rune armor. At the dealer I bought not a single weapon to me. The large number of duplicate objects were annoying and one has particularly quickly lost track of the Equipment menu. Half of the equipment and for a more elaborate concept with more unique opportunities to receive unique Equip would have been the better option in my opinion.
The Quests: OK, I'd say. There were several pickup and delivery quests there, but nothing that really annoyed me. Unfortunately, I also only a quest has remained in my memory: The rivalry between the two magicians in the marshland was very cute, especially if you had chosen the sun weather shrine.
The most important thing at the end: The Story. Sorry, but no. Really not. That was really not at all. The entry with the wooden fiancé was unloving, the grief and the resultant desire for revenge of the main character is not believable. The bridge to Gothic 3 was diletantisch in my eyes and so incredibly structured that I never again can play Gothic 1 and 2, without this terrible figure King Rhobar III. to have in mind. Good approaches, such as the conflict with the orcs or the spy of the king, always ended in carnage Wi incident. Did the developers do not feel like characters to link more than half an hour with the hero? Exciting characters simply do not show up again, such as the girlfriend of Rhobar. After she outed herself, she was out of the game. What happened to the guild? Well, it now had to decide for any guild. Agreed. You do not always have the same warm porridge yes. But the hero has developed on its way so no affiliation. Neither characters nor to places yet to publics. I often had the feeling that I needed to stop further forward, because it does not go back. And honestly: Just because the main hero speaks louder at the end and rummault more, he is still a far undergone no credible development. Here I missed the turning points, emotional entanglements. The final sequence I saw dry eye. Aha, so that's it, well then. Makes no mood for more.
Conclusion: With a heavy heart I say goodbye to almost 10 years RPG history. That's it, the curtain has fallen. Gothic will never again be what it once was. We have seen it coming.
Hook underneath. No Acania more for me. Risen is the clear winner of the separation of Pyrania Bytes and JoWood. I'm excited about Risen II.
