Reviews
http://www.rpgwatch.com/#15903
ComputerBild Spiele, a German mag for a non-hardcore readership, gives Arcania: Gothic 4 a rating of 2.49. That's approximately a B-.
CBS likes the beautiful visuals, the lack of bugs and the newbie-friendly learning curve. On the negative they see a general lack of originality, a lukewarm story, boring quests and the too easy difficulty.
The old charm is gone, but maybe the time was ripe for new virtues.
PCGP was al bekend maar volgens mij niet zo gedetailleerd..toch?
Belgian mag PC Gameplay uses quite colorful language in their roasting. The article also mentions a couple of positive points, so 60% seems a bit harsh.
Here are a couple of random excerpts. The whole article is 3 pages long. All translations provided by Erik.
Ceci n’est pas un RPG [This is not an RPG]
To our surprise Arcania has turned out to be a fairly linear experience. The game only offers a relatively small area where you’ll find a few hours of quests. Once completed you’ll travel to a next area. [...] The island Argaan feels more like a collection of levels than an open, vibrant world.
We got used to the often caricature performances of the voice actors in Gothic 3, this time however the content of the ‘conversations’ reaches such a literary depth even the dialogs of the first ‘Two World’ seem of Shakespearian quality.
The system feels like a combination of Fable and The Witcher and requires some practice and skill to really master. The dangerous monstrosities you’ll be up against are quite evenly matched and you’ll enjoy bashing their brains in. If mindless whacking is your thing, you might want to give Arcania a chance.
Painful verdict
It is remarkable that if you try to forget the fact it’s a Gothic game [...] you might like to play it. Although the game experience is far from phenomenal, it would be unfair to claim the game was really boring.
[...] As latest Gothic game Arcania: Gothic 4 is worthless, as RPG insignificant and as Hack & Slash game slightly entertaining.
[...] Playing the demo might be a good test, but know only the first few hours are really enjoyable. Once you get to the main island, the experience collapses.
Pro:
- decent combat system
- very atmospheric graphics [The reviewer says the weather effects are top notch.; Ed.]
Cons:
- below average quests and dialogs
- very heavy system requirements
- linear, short and unfinished [They mean cut content, not bugs.; Ed.]
Final verdict: Arcania is a slap in the face of Gothic- and RPG fans, but does offer an enjoyable Hack&Slash experience in a good looking world.
The review is based on one month old review code.
Thanks, Erik. 
Laatst bewerkt: 8 okt 2010
