Venetica

 PC
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 78
  3. Negative: 10 out of 78
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  1. NielsvanK.
    Jan 26, 2010
    9
    A very nice German RPG, which feels very fresh and simple, but is eminently addictive and playable. It somehow reminds me a lot of Beyond Good & Evil and Arx Fatalis and just like them won't probably get the attention and sales it deserves. The story is nice and personal, and gradually gets you involved in the greater scheme of things, without giving you the feel to be lost in it. A very nice German RPG, which feels very fresh and simple, but is eminently addictive and playable. It somehow reminds me a lot of Beyond Good & Evil and Arx Fatalis and just like them won't probably get the attention and sales it deserves. The story is nice and personal, and gradually gets you involved in the greater scheme of things, without giving you the feel to be lost in it. The backstory is simple but gripping, no overcontrived lore is needed. The focus stays on a single main character, so no bickering party to (micro)manage, which I think is a breath of relief after recent Bioware games. The environment is great: I've recently been to Venice and it surely nails the atmosphere if not the precise layout. Characters look slightly cartoonesque, which paints their personality in a few broad strokes, but the environments are pretty realistic, and looking out over the sprawling multilayered town in can take your breath away. Fights are very visceral, with action oriented blocking and dodging combined with a melee combo system akin to the Witcher but done more intuitively. Secondary powers and spells are done through a standard action bar. Skill gain is slightly less intuitive, with certain skills/trees locked out until unlocked in the storyline or encountering certain trainers. Skills do make a difference though, unlike the other recent German RPG: Divine Divinity 2: Ego Draconis, where level alone make too big a difference. Here, difficult fights can be brought to a successful end by making good use of your skills. Technically (with the 1.02 patch) the only problem I encountered was not being able to alt-tab, but that problem might be specific to my 3D monitor and driver. I've been playing for about 6 hours, and am halfway to the second of what I suspect will be 5 bosses, so the game will have a good 30+ hours of gameplay. All in all, a great game, and something I heartily recommend to gamers that find a lot of current RPG's take themselves so seriously they forget games are about having fun.… Expand
  2. mechanicarts
    May 26, 2011
    10
    A great game, with an comprehensive story and easy-to-understand mechanics. The game begins fairly simply and the difficulty escalates properly so that new RPG players can understand how it works, and seasoned players can enjoy a simple game. Unlike most new RPG's, this game does not make you upgrade thousand of stats. It's fairly simple, Health, Strength (Melee), Mana, Strength (Magic).A great game, with an comprehensive story and easy-to-understand mechanics. The game begins fairly simply and the difficulty escalates properly so that new RPG players can understand how it works, and seasoned players can enjoy a simple game. Unlike most new RPG's, this game does not make you upgrade thousand of stats. It's fairly simple, Health, Strength (Melee), Mana, Strength (Magic). There is however an abundance of physical and magical skills you can buy or upgrade to, and also a multitude of weapons of 4 different styles (Swords, Spears, Hammers and Axes and Moonblades). The storyline is pretty straightforward, the bosses are as hard as they should be and there are many sidequests to keep one busy.

    All in all, I'd certainly recommend it to an RPG newcomer, or to a WoW dropout.    … Expand
  3. uk_john
    Jun 11, 2011
    8
    It reminds me of Beyond Good and Evil in graphics, art style, main character and the whole vibe of the game. Because it's not your normal AD&D elves, wizards and goblins, it makes it all the more refreshing. The graphics are timeless in nature, being of the cartoon variety, but there is good facial animation, especially on the main character, to impart emotion. You do build a rapport withIt reminds me of Beyond Good and Evil in graphics, art style, main character and the whole vibe of the game. Because it's not your normal AD&D elves, wizards and goblins, it makes it all the more refreshing. The graphics are timeless in nature, being of the cartoon variety, but there is good facial animation, especially on the main character, to impart emotion. You do build a rapport with the main character as she goes through her adventure, and this all helps with the immersion.

    Don;t get this expecting an Oblivion, but rather a AA title from Europe that comes to the market from a refreshing new angle. I hope to see this character again in another story, and you cannot say better than that!    … Expand
  4. GoFindaGolux
    Mar 16, 2011
    2
    For RPGers who enjoy adventuring (rather than puzzles and combat). Attractive scenery. The packaging's statement, "vast, open game world" is a marketing fantasy: the game is shortish and linear and has no replay value. It's the kind of game you resort to when Oblivion, Two Worlds, and The Witcher need a rest. The PC version is a poor console port, and bugs are of all flavors. InstallationFor RPGers who enjoy adventuring (rather than puzzles and combat). Attractive scenery. The packaging's statement, "vast, open game world" is a marketing fantasy: the game is shortish and linear and has no replay value. It's the kind of game you resort to when Oblivion, Two Worlds, and The Witcher need a rest. The PC version is a poor console port, and bugs are of all flavors. Installation takes 15 minutes, and because it keeps seeing its own files as being "in use", you have to sit, repeatedly clicking the "Retry" in a pop-up error window. The controls need adjustment to make it playable. I often turned the sound off. Partly on account of the five second sound loops: the usual lame water crashing, wind blowing, mill grinding, etc. But it was especially on account of the lead's 20-something voice actor who was inconsistent and impatient when she wasn't so distant it seemed as if she was about to fall asleep with boredom. In some cut scenes, the sound completely vanishes, anyhow. Add to this .. the same usual lousy feeble trick of incompetent game designers: The fighting technique you've been using all along suddenly "doesn't work" for no reason. Worth playing? For adventure gamers who have played everything else, maybe. Maybe not.… Expand
  5. Avalord
    Jun 24, 2017
    4
    After having played the game for about 10 h it feels very repetitive. Combatsystem is rather crude, every few steps you have to endure loading times. The plot is foreseeable and there are neither variations nor surprises in it. I refrain from completing the game.
  6. blade01
    Sep 10, 2014
    5
    Ive tried this game.The story and many ideas are interesting.The problem is how these ideas are implemented.For example the armor system.You find an armor, youve to bring it to the right person and this armor is reworked so it fits you.Interesting idea but in the end, its another way to a merchant oder blacksmith for no gaines.Youll get the armor, the stats remain the same, no option forIve tried this game.The story and many ideas are interesting.The problem is how these ideas are implemented.For example the armor system.You find an armor, youve to bring it to the right person and this armor is reworked so it fits you.Interesting idea but in the end, its another way to a merchant oder blacksmith for no gaines.Youll get the armor, the stats remain the same, no option for you to influence the process.Another thing is the help the game offers you in the form of a raven.You can summon and follow it to your next objective.But there are flaws in it.One flaw is, that the raven flys to you next objective on a direct route.Many times i couldnt follow the raven because there was no way(at the time) to use this street or gate.A gate for example opens up later in the game.Until the gate is opnened the raven will always fly through the gate and you cant follow him.Useless.Another problem is the raven flys sometimes through objects.Youll lose sight of him, suckz too.A major complain from me is the general pace of the game.EVERYTHING is so slow.Even the fighting feels unnatural slow.Many skills need sooooo much time before they are executed.This makes many skills useless.A really nice idea is th shodow world.You activate this skill and you change into a world were you can see the dead, talk to them(if youve learned the right skills) and take things from them.In this mode you can see hidden doors.
    You can use them to find treasures or hidden rooms.The problem is the cooldown of the skill.Here too, its sooooooo slow.All in all there is too much time in the game were nothing happens.You run 80 times through empty floors.This is bad today, this was bad in 2008, sorry.Visuals are ok, you can play this game today if you dont mind the textures.The voiceacting is not that great.Solid game i think that i uninstalled because of the time were nothing happens.Im not interested in these things.    … Expand
  7. KacperPL
    Dec 4, 2018
    9
    Well, I really did enjoy to play this game, the world is beautiful, story good and overall I really liked it.
  8. Mobile
    Apr 10, 2018
    7
    ENG
    Immediately I'd say, that in this clone Gothic and Risen me was play on many "feels better" and more interesting. Playing for the female character, fitting a couple of dresses, and then swim in them on the Venice canal or at worst in the sewer. The choice of weapons is not great, but diverse and each given its own branch in pumping. Overall the game sucked and I was interested to play    ENG
    Immediately I'd say, that in this clone Gothic and Risen me was play on many "feels better" and more interesting. Playing for the female character, fitting a couple of dresses, and then swim in them on the Venice canal or at worst in the sewer. The choice of weapons is not great, but diverse and each given its own branch in pumping. Overall the game sucked and I was interested to play in some moments to wonder how cool I try and do this to that fact, and although the game was released in 2010. I think that there were a lot of problems in that, while even now the game sometimes subsides and gives not a clear fps even with reduced graphics. Summing up I will say that the game is good and may well tighten even now, I personally spent 20 hours on it, almost completed all the quests and visited all the corners. Oh yeah, just for the cons is to say, completely broken feature of the decree the purpose of the quest, even the Raven which should show often inactive. You have to either remember or to jog or to re-read several times the task, the illusion of choice, which Guild we would not have entered into the main quests and the cutscenes involved a lady from one of the Guild that the player can not choose, vs quests similar to those at the end will be happy end for all characters, actually not affect anything, it's a minus either not thought through or didn't have time to think. Well, probably the main disadvantage, the slow pace and the ending, or rather locations that should be up to her, not interesting, a large number of enemies and in General it is not clear what it was.
    RU
    Сразу скажу, что в данный клон Gothic и Risen мне было играть на много приятней и интересней. Игра за женского персонажа, примерка пару платьишек, а потом поплавать в них по каналу Венеции или на худой конец в канализации. Выбор оружие не велик, зато разнообразен и каждому уделена своя ветка в прокачке. В целом игра затянула и мне было интересно играть, в некоторых моментах удивляться как круто постарались и сделали вот это и вот - то, хотя игра и вышла в 2010. Думаю, что много было проблем в то, время так как даже сейчас игра бывает проседает и выдает не четкий fps даже с убавленной графикой. Подытоживая скажу, что игра хороша и вполне может затянуть даже сейчас, лично я потратил на нее 20 часов, практически завершил все квесты и побывал во всех закоулках. Ах да, как раз о минусах стоит сказать, полностью сломанная функция указа цели квеста, даже ворон который должен показывать зачастую неактивен. Приходится либо вспоминать, либо бегать или перечитывать по несколько раз задачи, иллюзия выбора, в какую гильдию мы бы не вступили, в главных заданиях и заставках, участвует дама из одной гильдии, которую игрок может и не выбрать, вс квесты похожие на те, что в конце будет happy end для некоторых персонажей, на самом деле не на что не влияет, это минус либо не продумали либо не было времени думать. Ну и главных наверное минус, затянутость и концовка, а точнее локации которые следует до нее, не интересны, большое количество врагов да и в целом не понятно для чего было.    … Expand
  9. Barby
    May 29, 2015
    7
    Straight story, simple character development, you are the interesting character Scarlet, the only one capable to defeat Death itself because she is the daughter of Death, you will need to investigate, develop powers, craft gear, and fight against the Death itself in a beautiful fantasy Venetian environment crowded by interesting cartoonish characters. I prefer more realistic games whereStraight story, simple character development, you are the interesting character Scarlet, the only one capable to defeat Death itself because she is the daughter of Death, you will need to investigate, develop powers, craft gear, and fight against the Death itself in a beautiful fantasy Venetian environment crowded by interesting cartoonish characters. I prefer more realistic games where you can make your own character but is a fun story, not a masterpiece, a game and a story to enjoy.… Expand
  10. JakeW
    Jan 25, 2010
    9
    I think this game is good... I don't usually play RPG's except for diablo, but this is way different! It has nice graphics and an entertaining story-line.. And Scarlett looks nice.. But install the latest patch, because it tweaks it for the better! Overall a must-try (9/10)
  11. PeterB
    Dec 6, 2009
    9
    Different from the othercRPGs I played. Since I had played everything on the market since 1990 that IS a compliment. Try it for yourselves. You won't regret it.
  12. thevaliant
    Jul 10, 2015
    6
    A reasonable action roleplay game that doesn't make any pretenses about what it is.

    Plenty to do and sights to see around Venice in the high middle ages (well, an alternate Earth really).

    It's not open world and doesn't pretend to be. Combat is relatively simple though it is obvious the controls have been ported from a console version.

    Good for a few days of relatively mindless fun.
  13. Steeldude
    Apr 15, 2015
    6
    If you've run out of RPGs to play on PC, you can play Venetica. Bear in mind that it is in no way perfect, basically a decent RPG overall, but not an EPIC must-play title. I still quite enjoyed it, though.
  14. Broyax
    Apr 25, 2020
    0
    Eh ben dis donc... en voici un sacré "numéro"... de soit-disant "jeu de rôle" et de soit-disant jeu vidéo ?!... bien sûr, je suppose qu'à la base, ça part sans doute de bonnes intentions mais même en tant qu'indé, ça ne tient pas une seconde... à moins de prétendre à la sélection surpeuplée et très encombrée des étrons indés, bien entendu ! (et poil au cul).

    Ici, on est plutôt dans le    Eh ben dis donc... en voici un sacré "numéro"... de soit-disant "jeu de rôle" et de soit-disant jeu vidéo ?!... bien sûr, je suppose qu'à la base, ça part sans doute de bonnes intentions mais même en tant qu'indé, ça ne tient pas une seconde... à moins de prétendre à la sélection surpeuplée et très encombrée des étrons indés, bien entendu ! (et poil au cul).

    Ici, on est plutôt dans le simple A ou le double B, B moins je suppose, à moins que ce ne soit plutôt un D quelque chose ou un F+, qui sait ? mais en continuant comme ça et en jouant à ce machin, on va finir tout l'alphabet... jusqu'au triple Z ! le label "Daube Certifiée" n'est pas loin non plus de la validation... complète !

    Par où commencer au juste... un peu par tout je crois... et partout. Non, voyons plutôt le positif, car il faut positiver, c'est Carrefour qui l'a dit ! et à ce sujet, il est étonnant de trouver une VF d'assez belle qualité qui tranche terriblement avec le reste de ce jeu complètement raté ! c'est donner de la confiture à un goret qui s'est roulé dans la merde pendant des heures, en somme !

    Le reste est naze, comme le combat, mélange d'un Fable de mes deux et d'un jeu Spiders (le développeur français qui développe de la merde); les graphismes ont 10 ans de retard ; la direction artistique est perdue, sans direction et accablée de mauvais goût ; l'espèce d'histoire à la godille a été boulottée par un stagiaire en position latérale de sécurité...

    L'interface est gobalement mal faite et fort mal présentée, l'héroïne a une trop grosse tête (difforme) tout comme l'ensemble des personnages sortis d'un mauvais dessin animé (cf le mauvais goût récurrent, pour ne pas dire permanent de ce pseudo-jeu !).

    Et dans ce fatras de fantasy à la petite semaine, on est censé se rendre à... Venise ?! Venise la Sérénissime ? non, on ne veut pas voir ça (l'étendue des dégâts) et on en a assez vu et assez joué comme ça. Dégage, maintenant : la poubelle est là-bas.    … Expand
  15. siggames
    Aug 7, 2018
    5
    One of the worst RPGs that I played, the quality of the voices, is unfortunate, as well as the graphic quality of the characters, it has many graphic bugs, I have had problems with screen freezes in some missions, the interface is good, but the map is disastrous, the strong point of the game is the gameplay and the optimization of it. Tested on PC
  16. Larux18
    Feb 18, 2020
    9
    Probably my favourite game that I've played in a long time. From a slightly removed point of view It's a very flawed RPG in the same vein as Risen or the Gothic series is, but I really did love this game. The aesthetic in both the design of the city of Venice and the design of characters has a ton of uniqueness and personality to it, and something about the game kept me playing constantlyProbably my favourite game that I've played in a long time. From a slightly removed point of view It's a very flawed RPG in the same vein as Risen or the Gothic series is, but I really did love this game. The aesthetic in both the design of the city of Venice and the design of characters has a ton of uniqueness and personality to it, and something about the game kept me playing constantly until I finally finished the it. The combat is definitely not great, and the story, while not terrible, and often interesting, is relatively weak compared to other RPGs. Regardless, the quests felt varied and the gameplay felt unique in key moments. Despite my high score for it, I wouldn't recommend it except for hardcore RPG fans who want an incredibly unique experience and are okay dealing with the many flaws this game has.… Expand
  17. Dco326
    Nov 27, 2021
    5
    Ma sve je bilo manje vise lose, ne bi igrao sigurno vise nikad, od bagova do repetativnih stvari prica je bila njanjava itd.
  18. Armitas
    Sep 5, 2021
    8
    This is a solid 8 held back to a 7.5 due to 2 universal bugs that cause a crash (they can be avoided without consequence),no great side quests or guild progress, and several broken side quest pointers. The graphics are good enough for the modern age, though the men in this game are horribly ugly. You play a girl but there is nothing woke or man bashing here. The Story is interesting, theThis is a solid 8 held back to a 7.5 due to 2 universal bugs that cause a crash (they can be avoided without consequence),no great side quests or guild progress, and several broken side quest pointers. The graphics are good enough for the modern age, though the men in this game are horribly ugly. You play a girl but there is nothing woke or man bashing here. The Story is interesting, the game is mostly linear in it's progression but does not prevent backtracking, and doing quests whenever you want. There were no interesting quests, but the main story was good. Combat was fun, but spells were a little broken because they get turned off on boss fights (the only spell you need is the green dot one, and the moonblade dot) Overall it was a refreshingly new game, from a new perspective, and at this point is far cheaper than it's value so with a pick up. It doesn't drone on but keeps you at a regular pace without taking you off on long tangents. Go here, go there, do some meaningless things along the way for xp/gold. I never found myself wanting more from the side quest category though, I was happy to continue with the meat of the game and develop along the way.… Expand
  19. bancandrei
    May 12, 2020
    6
    Surprisingly entertaining. To me this feels much more like a sequel to the great Gothic 2 (of the german school of RPG design) than Risen, which felt more like a remake.
    Nothing feels that special, but it hooked me. It helps you find joy in simple things. And the setting is quite nice and a bit different.
    It is a game with a small scope, but good for what it is.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 17
  3. Negative: 2 out of 17
  1. RPG Fan
    Feb 8, 2012
    62
    While Venetica is completely playable, I never would have beaten it without a review assignment. Gamers deserve a little more incentive than the bare pleasure of leveling up and hoarding loot to no real end. Even if that's your only ambition, there are much more attractive and fun venues for it. The developers seem to have infused Venetica with at least a portion of their hearts, and I hate to see passion so wasted. Then again, I could be wrong, and Venetica is the dreary result of pure industry.
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  2. PC Gamer UK
    Feb 24, 2011
    60
    The shallow mechanics and technical problems make this one to avoid at full price. [Mar 2011, p.97]
  3. GameSpot
    Jan 29, 2011
    60
    A strong protagonist and enticing visuals make Venetica worth playing, but problems with the questing and combat drag this role-playing game down.
    Read full review
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