For those complaining about glitches and bugs, download unofficial patch called "Gothic 2 System pack" which removes a lot of the glitches andFor those complaining about glitches and bugs, download unofficial patch called "Gothic 2 System pack" which removes a lot of the glitches and makes Gothic 2 run on modern Windows without much technical problems.
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I love Gothic 2 and The Night of the Raven DLC. It's Piranha Bytes's masterpiece which many players don't truly understand.
Gothic 2 was considered easy by community. As a result, developers made Gothic 2: The Night of the Raven (a standalone game containing the base game + DLC, G2:NR for short) much harder. Yes, G2:NR is really tough at the beginning and even weaker monsters can easily kill you. But that's the point! You have to become stronger, learn the combat mechanics, use some tactic, be patient and then you will be able to kill that damn goblin who kicked your ass several hours ago.
-- Combat --
I had no problem with controls, it came all naturally to me. The combat is perfectly balanced. You can hit, block, dodge back and strafe (circle around enemy) and your enemies can usually do exactly the same. Big troll won't strafe too much because it is slow for him, instead he will punch you - and he will punch you hard. Small goblins will strafe to make it harder for you to hit them, humans will try to block your attacks etc. Combat in real world is about hitting the enemy and avoiding hits from the enemy. Combat in G2:NR is inspired by this reality so if enemies manage to corner you, you're probably f*cked. Lesson learned, load the game and try again.
And even if you tried 30 times and the enemy still smashes you, then try to come back later. You didn't expect to kill a group of bandits while wearing light armor and armed only with a sword that you can't even handle properly, did you?
-- World & exploration --
World in G2:NR is not like in modern open world games. There are no warning signs that "you're approaching area with high-level enemies". The only warning you'll get is from other characters who mention something like "don't go to forest, you will die". And if you go into the forest unprepared, you will most likely die - but that's *your* responsibility.
Again, world in G2:NR feels like a real place. People are mostly in town and farms, skeletons in tombs, wolves near forests etc. If citizen from town tells you to find the hideout of bandits, you have to think what would be a logical place for hideout (probably somewhere near the town) and then pay attention while going through area. Seek and ye shall find.
World isn't big, but it's easy to get lost for a first time. Did you buy a map? No. Can someone near you point you to right direction. No. Well, it was *your* decision to go into the world unprepared. Lesson learned, load the game and try again.
-- Character development --
You can learn melee or ranged weapons, magic and some other things. But invest your points wisely. It's not wise to decide on level 20 that you switch from melee to magic. "Jack of all trades, master of none" is approach that will only make the game harder for you.
While the game is easiest when focused on melee, it can be finished only with bows, only as a pure mage... It just requires some experience.
You learn the skills and attributes from teachers. You have to find each teacher. This helps to immerse you in the game because you get better at something by talking to person who knows the stuff, not by clicking some virtual button.
-- Equipment --
There's a lot of armors, weapons and magic. The money is scarce at the beginning. But that's the point! You have to think twice what you sell, keep or buy. Want more money? Do quests, learn to pick locks and loot chests, steal from houses etc. But don't break the law, because penalty costs something...
Want to get better armor and equipment? Join a faction, advance in story, help somebody, loot some ancient tomb.
-- Story, quests & dialogues --
Not much to write about story - it is linear, generally uninteresting.
Quests are usually entertaining and some of them offer several ways how to complete them. Will you rat on thieves guild or join them? Or perhaps join them, take their money and then rat on them. Did you give a fee to soldier when he politely asked? No. Well, don't be surprised if he refuses to help you in the future.
Dialogues are natural and reasonable. Talk with people, it can give you valuable information. You may miss lot of quests (and money) if you're too lazy to listen to people.
-- FINAL VERDICT --
Gothic 2: The night of the Raven is a game that you can't just 'play'. You need to 'learn' the game. You will be weak. You will die. You will get better. You will die again. But it will never be unfair. You start as a weak man and end as a saviour of the world. Gothic 2:TnotR is a fabulous old-school RPG that requires only one thing from you - that you will understand this game.… Expand
