Gothic Playable Teaser

About

Gothic Playable Teaser is a single player role playing game. It was developed by THQ Nordic Barcelona and was released on December 13, 2019. It received neutral reviews from players.

This is not a full game. Its a playable teaser version to a potential approach for a new Gothic game. Nothing is set in stone. So your feedback is essential to turn Gothic into a modern game. Therefore, and to reward your loyalty, Gothic - Playable Teaser is totally free for all fans who already have any of the titles in the Gothic saga or developed by Piranha Bytes! The Kingdom of Myrtana has b…

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

Single-Player

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57%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,528 reviews

story244 positive mentions

optimization145 negative mentions

The graphics are visually appealing and show promise for the full game.
The combat system introduces interesting mechanics that could be fun once refined.
The teaser successfully evokes nostalgia for fans of the original Gothic series.

The protagonist's dialogue is overly verbose and often cringeworthy, detracting from immersion.
The combat feels clunky and unresponsive, making battles frustrating rather than enjoyable.
The game suffers from performance issues and lacks optimization, leading to lag and stuttering.

story
1,596 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
80%
5%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over significant changes to the original narrative and character dynamics. While some appreciate the attempt to modernize and expand the storyline with new quests and character interactions, others feel that the essence of the original Gothic series has been lost, particularly in terms of its gritty atmosphere and the nameless hero's journey. Overall, players are divided on whether the reimagined story enhances or detracts from the classic experience, with a strong desire for a balance between innovation and fidelity to the original plot.
- “The story for Gothic alone is worth getting the game.”
- “The atmosphere and quest design was very gothic-like.”
- “The story is reminiscent of the original Gothic, that's where it ends.”
- “The initial introduction has potential overshadowed by the terrible storytelling; the cutscenes are horrible, the voice acting is simply boring, and it seems completely stupid.”
- “The plot itself of this short remake doesn't introduce anything new; it even takes away probably plot elements and adds new (weaker) ones, and all in all there's not much to talk about the plot.”
- “The overly talkative protagonist, the bad torch, the predictable and bad mission structure... nothing here feels like gothic, and it doesn't really feel like a good game either.”
graphics
1,540 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
62%
9%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the modern visuals and detailed textures, while others criticize them for being overly bright, colorful, and lacking the dark atmosphere characteristic of the original Gothic series. Many players noted issues with optimization, resulting in poor performance even on high-end hardware, and expressed a desire for a more faithful aesthetic that aligns with the gritty tone of the original games. Overall, while the graphics show potential, significant improvements and adjustments are needed to meet fan expectations.
- “The game impresses with gorgeous, modern visuals featuring detailed textures and striking environmental work.”
- “The graphics and ambient sounds are pretty cool and I'm happy to see one of the games from my childhood looking so pretty after all these years.”
- “The new visuals look stunning, the atmosphere seems closer to the original, and the gameplay appears to be much more polished and true to the gothic experience.”
- “The graphics are an eyesore.”
- “My biggest issue is with the graphics and lighting as both are abysmal.”
- “For a game released in 2024, the graphical quality is outright unacceptable.”
gameplay
877 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The gameplay of the remake has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over clunky combat mechanics, excessive cutscenes, and a lack of immersion. While some appreciate the modernized graphics and new features like luring mechanics, others feel that the combat system, heavily influenced by titles like "For Honor," detracts from the original Gothic experience. Overall, players are hopeful for improvements in the final release, particularly in combat fluidity and the integration of classic gameplay elements.
- “Animations are smooth, mechanics responsive, and overall gameplay feels modern without drifting too far from classic RPG expectations.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it has this mix of familiar elements and small twists that keep things from feeling stale.”
- “The new combat system is interesting, and I've been wanting to replay the story without bashing my head against the ancient mechanics.”
- “Most of the time I find myself swinging at the air rather than the enemy right in front of me, and there's a weird block mechanic that needs to be thrown straight into the bin.”
- “The combat is recycled from 'For Honor' as wannabe crap, without understanding the mechanics of the character and core fight.”
- “The gameplay is strange sometimes, the mechanics are raw, but the spirit of the original Gothic is present.”
music
688 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
72%
3%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and nods to the original soundtrack, while others criticize it for being too generic or reminiscent of "The Witcher" series. Some players express a strong desire for the return of the original composer, Kai Rosenkranz, arguing that the new music lacks the depth and character that defined the original Gothic games. Additionally, the implementation of combat music, which triggers upon drawing a weapon rather than during actual combat, has been a point of contention among players.
- “The music fits the world well and contains welcome nods to the original soundtrack.”
- “The characters are well-animated, the music is atmospheric, and the graphics are impressively detailed.”
- “The music is very good, and it looks very nice.”
- “The music is very generic.”
- “The combat music is a welcome addition, but it feels too much like the Witcher 3.”
- “The music is not on par and dialogues lack the rudeness and uniqueness of the original game.”
atmosphere
653 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The atmosphere in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its departure from the dark, gritty tone of the original Gothic series. Critics highlight that the new visuals are overly bright and colorful, detracting from the immersive, oppressive environment that defined the classic games. While some elements, such as music and certain atmospheric scenes, are praised, the overall consensus is that the remake struggles to capture the unique atmosphere that fans cherished, often feeling more like a generic RPG than a true Gothic experience.
- “The original Gothic was a cult classic, rough around the edges, sure, but filled with heart, atmosphere, and that gritty Euro jank charm.”
- “The music, atmosphere, and a lot of things are well done and enjoyable.”
- “The atmosphere is great, scary with the noises of wild animals skulking about.”
- “The overall tone leans too colorful, cozy, and talkative, straying from the grounded and gritty atmosphere that made Gothic distinct.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is all wrong, it's not gothic at all, far too bright and colorful, as if whoever made this missed the point of the game completely.”
- “The gothic atmosphere is completely lost.”
optimization
390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
55%
37%
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, low frame rates, and lag even on low settings. Despite being a teaser, the optimization is considered poor, leading to frustration among users who expected better performance from their hardware. While some hope for improvements in the final release, the current state raises concerns about the game's overall playability.
- “I feel like it's a good start; there are issues with frame-rate drops when entering combat, and some other general optimization stuff which I'm sure will be ironed out before release.”
- “I understand this is not the final product and that there will be major changes that will improve the game in terms of performance, graphics, game experience, and many more.”
- “If it will be optimized well, it will give you an opportunity to win every fight.”
- “This game literally has the worst performance of any game not made by a child I have ever played.”
- “The performance is abysmal, the combat is clunky, and the player-character's voiceover is obnoxious and constant.”
- “The optimization is bad and the combat system is a pain, but it was fun to play.”
stability
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in combat and graphical fidelity. Many players acknowledge that these problems are typical for a demo or early version, but they still detract significantly from the overall experience. While some users express hope for improvements in the final release, the current state is described as "buggy," "clunky," and at times "unplayable."
- “The game is a buggy, unoptimized mess... it crashed 3 times in 30 minutes for me.”
- “Just trying to walk out of the opening scene with fire everywhere, not touching my mouse at all, and it stutters, freezes, and whips the camera around back to look at the fire.”
- “I want to say yes because I so badly want a modern Gothic remake, but I can't rightfully because this is a pretty buggy mess in its current state.”
humor
128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the main character's constant attempts at humor to be cringeworthy and forced, detracting from the experience. While some appreciated the nostalgic elements of the original Gothic's dark and sarcastic humor, others felt that the new character's dialogue was overly chatty and lacked the charm of its predecessor. Overall, the humor seems to oscillate between unintentionally funny moments and awkward attempts at wit, leaving players divided on its effectiveness.
- “The ragdoll physics of killed enemies, my god, so funny.”
- “What people loved about the original Gothic was these funny and dumb dialogues where every other character seemed a little off in the head.”
- “The commentary is actually kind of funny, but that voice makes him sound a little whiny.”
- “As others have said, he spews unfunny comments constantly and it is painful.”
- “It seems like they wanted a Deadpool/Spider-Man vibe but instead got a grating, unfunny monotone mess.”
- “Character is not funny at all, while he's trying to be one.”
grinding
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly due to slow combat mechanics, repetitive dialogue, and lengthy cutscenes that lack the option to skip. Many reviews highlight that the combat feels clunky and unenjoyable, detracting from the overall experience, while some appreciate the potential for improvement in future updates. The consensus suggests that the game needs significant adjustments to reduce the grind and enhance player engagement.
- “Now the game makes it fun and engaging and not tedious at all!”
- “Worse, there’s no option to skip these tedious exchanges.”
- “It feels extremely grinding having to listen to the same dialogues over and over again.”
- “The combat is a lot wonkier, dialogue is tedious and the optimization is pretty bad for the graphics.”
emotional
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
7%
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players expressing nostalgia and a strong connection to the original, while others feel disappointed by the new character's overly emotional portrayal and the game's lack of the original's darker atmosphere. Many reviewers noted that technical issues detracted from their experience, leading to frustration and a sense of disconnection from the narrative. Overall, while some found moments of heartfelt connection, others felt the emotional depth was lacking compared to the original.
- “I want to cry... really...”
- “The fact you dispatch a human enemy that is armed and armored in the beginning of the game is heartbreaking.”
- “Overall this was a heartwarming experience and I really hope this will get made.”
- “I really wanted this game to be good, especially since I'm in love with the gothic theme. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a disappointing experience with lackluster combat, a casual play style, and a linear, boring story.”
- “The emotional depth I was hoping for just wasn't there. It felt like the game was trying to evoke feelings but ended up falling flat.”
- “I expected a rich narrative that would draw me in emotionally, but instead, I found a shallow story that failed to connect with me.”
character development
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
69%
14%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the departure from the original Gothic series' depth and nuance. Critics highlight a lack of meaningful progression and character growth, feeling that the new designs and dialogue fail to capture the essence of the beloved original. While some appreciate the potential for reimagining characters, the overall sentiment leans towards a desire for a return to the intricate storytelling and character arcs that defined the franchise.
- “The character development works like a well-paced clockwork.”
- “Gothic had this great feeling of character development.”
- “- character development - in all gothic games (save for g3) the hero started without a weapon and had to slowly move up - goblins could kill you with 3 hits and most enemies were too strong and had to be avoided.”
- “Unnecessary changes, bad character design and development, story aspect is really bad and not even close to the original.”
- “What made the original Gothics great, such as dialogue choices, world building and character design seem to be missing in this teaser, and it becomes a little difficult trying to separate what I saw here from just another generic action-adventure game.”
- “The character design is extremely stale.”
replayability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
73%
10%
Overall, players highlight that the replayability of the game is significantly impacted by the ability to skip cutscenes and dialogue, with many expressing that the original Gothic games offered high replay value due to their diverse choices and consequences. While some believe the game has potential for infinite replayability, concerns about repetitive dialogue and immersion-breaking elements could hinder the experience. Enhancing the mechanics and allowing for varied playthroughs are seen as essential for maximizing replayability.
- “A great game fuses story and mechanics into an experience with high replayability, or something like Senua’s Sacrifice or Soma where a single playthrough is still memorable years later.”
- “The fact that the quests have consequences adds replayability to the game, like the choices made in the first game.”
- “One of the great things about any of the Gothic games is the replayability; if we screw up, we can try something else in another playthrough.”
- “Which are going to have an impact on replayability, because who will sit through hours of the same dialogue over and over, and the HUD is overloaded and immersion-breaking.”
- “If you are going to overload every second of the game with horrible cutscenes, at least make them skippable to increase this thing called 'replayability.'”
- “When you first watch them, it's okay; you may need it for the context of the story, but after that, it's just worsening the replayability of the game.”
monetization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized, with many reviewers labeling it a "cash grab" that exploits a beloved franchise without delivering genuine quality or nostalgia. Players feel that the game lacks the heart and authenticity expected from a remake, instead presenting itself as a soulless attempt to profit from the original's cult status. Overall, the sentiment suggests disappointment in the developers' approach, which is perceived as prioritizing profit over a meaningful gaming experience.
- “And unfortunately this gives off the arcane vibe, a disrespectful cash grab on a beloved franchise.”
- “This doesn't feel like a remake made from the heart; it feels like a cash grab trying to profit off nostalgia.”
- “It definitely gives off vibes of a quick cash grab and milking a beloved franchise.”