Video Game Review: Gothic
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 6:32 AM PDT
By Washington Post
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GOTHIC 3, Aspyr Media
Rated: Teen.
Details: Windows PC, $30.
There is little doubt that Oblivion is the best role-playing game to hit the PC in years, but that has spawned a challenge to top it. It seemed as if Gothic 3 had the inside track, thanks to its huge world and interesting plot, not to mention a fan base that enjoyed the game's previous two versions. Unfortunately, it falls well below expectations.
Gothic 3 is filled with lush scenery and detailed buildings. From the frozen north to the lush jungles of the central continent to the scorching southern desert, you know at a glance what region you are traveling through. Towns and cities are unique, each with its own layout and flavor. And the game does have enough plots and subplots to satisfy even the most hard-core RPG player. You will even experience conflicting quests, in which solving something for one faction will put you at odds with another.
The plot is pretty good, if predictable. Orcs have taken over a formerly human kingdom, turning most of the population into slaves. Human rebels are fighting, but the war is basically over. You can work for the Orcs and help run their empire or you can conduct missions for the rebels.
Unfortunately, there are more bugs here than in potato salad left outside in July, ranging from annoying (unachievable quests) to game-killing (random crashes). There are even a ton of graphical errors, such as when you walk into a cave and for whatever reason the back wall is not drawn, which drops you into a bunch of white space. Couple this with long load times when you must start over (up to a full minute on a high-end system) and you have a recipe for frustration.
Also, the game is just not polished. In some places all the characters have voices, while in others they just move their mouths without saying anything. Sometimes they say different things from the caption text, giving the illusion that you are watching a badly dubbed movie. Combat, too, is incredibly simplistic and flawed: You basically stand there swinging your sword, hoping that you hit something.
This game needs several more months of development and play testing. Given the high bar set by Oblivion, Gothic 3 just can't measure up. Its world may be expansive, but it doesn't do you much good if you can't travel through it.
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