Imagine my surprise when I found out that I could now dive into the adventure, complete with a makeover from Alkimia that aimed to let it take the spotlight amongst a bevy of great RPGs in the current generation of gaming platforms. It’s been a mixed bag, with the joy of unbridled, unguided discovery being marred by technical issues that have no business being in a game that’s clearly aimed at a modern, very discerning audience.

I always pick the good news first, and that’s what we’re going to do with this one. From the very beginning of your time with the Nameless Hero, you’re more or less left to your own devices as you try to survive King Rhogar’s prison/mining colony, the magical barrier that keeps you there acting as a grim reminder of the circumstances that have unfolded since the mage’s botched attempt to create their own version of an electrified fence.

The game wastes no time in setting the stakes, tasking you with delivering a letter to a mage within the Old Camp, one of three major factions within The Colony. You get a small introduction to what life is like within its confines from a helpful member of the camp before you get to begin exploring a world that’s as brutal as they come.

I’m not kidding when I tell you that this one’s as hard as any of the games I’ve played over the years, and that’s counting a bunch of Soulslikes that have had me at my wit’s end with some enemies and bosses that they’ve thrown my way. Most hostiles in this one can take you down in one or two hits, while you don’t even get a starting weapon to take them on with.

An NPC you meet along the way did tell me that I was going to need weapons and armor before I was ready to explore the world, but they were less than helpful when I asked them where I could find them. That’s kind of a pattern in this one, and the lack of the usual markers and helpful indicators that point you in the right direction was a very refreshing change of pace.

"Quests are designed in a way that gives you multiple possible approaches, if you can sniff them all out."

This is old-school game design, and it’s a very enjoyable part of the experience on offer. Of course, I must concede that it could be a detail that puts you off the experience depending on your individual preferences, but I personally love games that allow me to put in the hard work to reap the rewards.

Quests are designed in a way that gives you multiple possible approaches, if you can sniff them all out. And each option comes with trade-offs that you’re going to have to live with. For instance, an NPC whose approval I desperately needed to get past the guards at a gate told me to deal with a member of the New Camp who had been running a bit of a scam. I dealt with the man in question by leading him out of the Old Camp under the pretence of wanting to sign up with his faction, only to turn on him when a group of scavengers attacked us. Problem solved.

I returned to camp, stopping to meet a weapons vendor along the way. He wasn’t too happy with what I’d done as I put an end to his supply chain. He assured me that he wasn’t going to vote in my favor if he was asked if I was going to be a good fit for the Old Camp. Details like that make this world feel alive, and it’s what has made Gothic memorable to me.

However, I’m also going to remember it for a lot of frustrations and heartbreaks. I’m not going to forget how I lost nearly three hours of progress thanks to the lack of an autosave system coupled with frequent crashes, a combination that soon had me manually saving my game at every turn. That’s an omission that I believe is a missed opportunity, and a way to truly let the game combine its welcome old-school vision with a bit of modern convenience.

However, the problems don’t stop there. I appreciate the effort to recreate the game’s visuals, and there’s certainly a lot to like about the new lighting system and upgraded textures. However, the lack of a performance mode is something I find very hard to ignore, especially in the face of a combat system that relies quite heavily on reading enemy animations and responding to them within windows that are far too narrow even on the easiest difficulty option there is.

"The XP thresholds you need to unlock levels are quite high when you think about how difficult it is to whittle away at enemy health bars, and getting your character’s stats to a place of comfort is going to be a steep climb up a hill that has danger at every turn."

Your hero’s combat prowess is almost negligible in the game’s early hours. Couple that with enemies whose animations aren’t telegraphed as well as they should, and you’ve got a recipe for needless frustrations that actively hinder your progress. That’s especially egregious when you consider that it takes a while for you to get your hands on some decent armor, although I will concede that getting your hands on a weapon is comparatively easier once you know where to look.

With that being said, the game’s melee combat is too clunky for my taste, and it often comes down to chugging healing items while dealing with attacks from enemies that can end you with just one badly-timed parry. Ranged weapons served me a lot better, and I found myself relying on my bow (and a bit of magic once you unlock it) over my sword for the most part, or getting NPCs to do the fighting for me.

The XP thresholds you need to unlock levels are quite high when you think about how difficult it is to whittle away at enemy health bars, and getting your character’s stats to a place of comfort is going to be a steep climb up a hill that has danger at every turn. There’s a lot of room for improvement on the combat front in this one.

That’s a pity, considering that human enemies that defeat you in combat don’t kill you outright, but loot all of the valuable stuff you’ve spent hours gathering to fill their own pockets. In a title where combat was more balanced, that’s an opportunity to go back for a rematch and regain your lost valuables. In Gothic Remake, it’s just better to take the loss and move on, and that’s a real shame.

Crashes and wonky combat animations aside, there were other issues such as NPCs randomly appearing out of thin air, while others would get stuck in their own animations without dialogue windows popping up when you interact with them. Both problems were frequent enough to be noticeable, and definitely took away from the impressive visuals.

"On the technical front, this one comes with too many annoyances that constantly interrupt the experience in ways that can have you giving up on it altogether."

The audio was similarly buggy, often cutting off into total silence at several points, or including the chatter from other characters in crowded spaces during a one-on-one dialogue that forced me to turn on subtitles just so I could keep up with what was being said. For a remake that was meant to usher this one into the modern age, there’s a lot of problems from an era of gaming I thought we’d left behind for good.

It’s now time to answer the question that I’m sure you’re all asking: would I recommend this one to you? Personally, I’m going to persist with the adventure and hope for updates that fix the issues that I’ve highlighted here. But I wouldn’t recommend paying full price for this one in its current state.

The story is absolutely riveting thanks to how well-written each character, and the world at large is. But on the technical front, this one comes with too many annoyances that constantly interrupt the experience in ways that can have you giving up on it altogether. There’s a lot to love about Gothic 1 Remake, but the game constantly works against itself in ways that make it hard to recommend.

If you’re a seasoned veteran of The Colony, you’re probably going to find its issues easier to ignore than a newcomer. But if this is your first time with this one, know that this remake is a superb visual overhaul that fails to hide a plethora of issues that make it hard to engage with. But for those of you who persist, you’re in for a look at what games used to be like back in the day which could have you quite immersed in a story that continues to pull its weight even today.

I’d wait for a sale on this one, as much as it pains me to say it. But like The Colony, modern gaming is an unforgiving place, and Gothic 1 Remake stumbles far too often for it to stand tall amongst its competition.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Retaining the accessibility of the original game, it’s easy to learn, but it comes with its own tweaks to make it stand out. It abhors the current trend of light and hard attacks in imitation of the Souls-like formula, which has led to the creation of original motion-captured movements for your characters.

It’s an interesting approach that leads you to study animations over weapon stats, choosing those that suit your playstyle while also being aware of the damage they can deal in a pinch. It certainly works well with combat that is reliant on directional inputs and how well you’re able to read enemy attack patterns and animations to exploit them.

What’s even more interesting is the fact that your own animations begin to evolve with your player level, with higher levels bringing changes that better reflect your character’s evolution over the course of the adventure you undertake. That’s definitely very welcome in an RPG such as this.

It’s also really cool that the game’s tutorials are baked into its dialogue instead of popping up on your screen to interrupt the experience, which often feels like a game’s learning curve sacrifices a bit of immersion on the altar of accessibility. Thankfully, that’s not the case here.

There’s a lot more to like in the full showcase, and it’s a good primer for when Gothic 1 Remake launches on June 5th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

As studio art director Daniel Candil put it in the video, “Gothic Remake was this fine line between being realistic and believable and also at the same time having this dark fantasy themed inside, no?” He went on to talk about wanting to ensure that the game felt believable and realistic when it came to its colours and how its textures look.

“Those opposite forces,” said Candil. “One is leaning more into naturalistic, believable, realistic world. The other one is leaning designs of creatures and everything to a more fantastical and dark, grim world. It’s a real world. It tries to be a real medieval simulation, I would say, but with a twist of dark magic and dark, you know, weird stuff happening.”

Head of studio and game director, Reinhard Pollice, spoke about how Alkimia looked at the classic Gothic game to get a good handle on how the remake should look. “We looked at it from the perspective of the full spectrum of Gothic games done by Piranha Bytes, because these are the canon Gothic games, and these are the ones we need to look at,” he said. “And I also feel like these are the ones that the fanbase like the most.”

The trailer also features other members of the development team, including junior 3D artist Ana Gonzalez, who talk about how they had to reinterpret the original RPGs in order to accurately recreate them for the upcoming remake by making use of more modern tools that allow for a higher level of fidelity. A through-line throughout the Making Of video is the fact that, not only does the game need to look realistic while still maintaining its undercurrent of dark, occult elements, it also needs to be believable.

Along with various members of the development talking about figuring out the right blend of inspirations from the original titles while trying to remake it for a modern audience, we also get to see plenty of footage from the game itself. As the video progresses, we get wide, panning shots of a host of different environments from the upcoming Gothic remake, from swamps to castles, and even some dungeons thrown in for good measure.

This is the third part of the Making Of series that Alkimia has been releasing for its Gothic remake, with the second part having come out back in April. The video at the time focused on the differences between the original and the upcoming remake. The first Making Of video, released all the way back in February, revolved around the “essence” of Gothic.

The Gothic remake is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year. While the title doesn’t yet have a release date, check out some gameplay footage in the meantime.

The short minute-long trailer for the Making Of video gives us a look at the world of the original Gothic, and how the remake is going to reimagine it by making use of modern graphics technology. The trailer also features voice lines from various developers of the game talking about their vision for the remake, and how Alkimia didn’t want it to just be a nicer looking remaster.

Judging by some of the quotes and the gorgeous visuals showcased in the trailer, it looks like the next Making Of video will likely focus more on the graphical aspects of the upcoming remake. The studio will likely talk about some of the graphical technologies that were used in the making of the Gothic remake, as well as how its many beautiful vistas were reimagined with modern sensibilities in mind.

The Making Of series of videos has seen two releases so far, with the first one revolving around the “essence” of Gothic, while the second one focusing on the differences between the original game and the upcoming remake. In the more recent video, director Reinhard Pollice spoke about how the studio decided to expand on some aspects of the original.

“Our job was to find out what elements should stay exactly as they are and what elements should be expanded,” he said, going on to mention that the studio doesn’t want to bring in large, sweeping changes to the title. Rather, it is more interested in patching up plot holes or inconsistencies in its writing. “We’re not just configuring NPCs’ homes or schedules,” said lead game designer Javier Untoria about making the world feel alive. “We are creating a living world with a lot of character.”

In the first Making Of video, several developers from Alkimia Entertainment spoke about what the original Gothic meant to them and their memories of playing it, and how the studio plans on visualising the world for release on modern platforms to a much different audience.

“What was amazing to me the first time that I played Gothic was how you could solve a lot of situations by taking advantage of everyone,” said technical artist Roger Llovera. “Everyone would take advantage of you, of course, but then you have chances where you can take advantage of a character killing a Scavenger for you.”

The Gothic remake currently doesn’t yet have a release date. However, the studio, along with publisher THQ Nordic have confirmed that the game is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. For those of you who might be curious about how the seminal RPG is being remade for modern platforms and audiences, there’s a demo available that gives you access to the Nyras Prologue on Steam.

While the remake of Gothic aims to be fairly faithful to the original when it comes to offering depth of gameplay as well as narrative, it will also feature some refinements to its gameplay and narrative that the studio hopes will elevate the classic RPG. This is along with a visual overhaul that makes use of more modern graphics technology and hardware.

“Our job was to find out what elements should stay exactly as they are and what elements should be expanded,” said studio director Reinhard Pollice. In the video, he explains that the narrative refinements being made to Gothic in the remake will mostly work to patch up inconsistencies, plot holes, and contradictions.

The studio is also focused on making sure that the Gothic remake features a believable, breathing open world that the original is known for. This goes beyond just setting up NPC schedules, according to lead game designer Javier Untoria. Rather, the studio wants to make a more in-depth living world.

“We’re not just configuring NPCs’ homes or schedules,” said Untoria. “We are creating a living world with a lot of character.”

The first Making Of video, released back in February, focused on the developers talking about the “essence” of Gothic. Throughout the video, developers spoke about wanting to tap into the key aspects of the original Gothic that have gone on to be beloved by its fans. This includes the lack of any sort of hand-holding, leaving players to figure things out on their own.

“What was amazing to me the first time that I played Gothic was how you could solve a lot of situations by taking advantage of everyone,” said technical artist Roger Llovera. “Everyone would take advantage of you, of course, but then you have chances where you can take advantage of a character killing a Scavenger for you.”

The Gothic remake doesn’t yet have a release date. It will be coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year. In the mean time, PC players can check out the Nyras Prologue demo that was released back in February as part of Steam Next Fest. While originally intended to be a limited-time demo, it is still available for free.

In the mean time, the original Gothic series is also available at discounted prices through the official THQ Nordic store. The discounts also apply to merchandise related to Gothic, including collector’s editions, mugs, glasses, and T-shirts.

For more details about the remake, check out 22 minutes of uninterrupted gameplay that was released back in February. The video showcased early parts of Gothic, and even highlighted one of the key aspects of the game: its brutal combat. We also got to see what early-game sections like the mines and adjoining countryside look like.

The video features studio art director Daniel Candil, music composer and sound designer Kai Rosenkranz, senior game designer Hector Fuster, community manager Timur Khodyrev, level designer Alberto Relucio, studio boss and game director Reinhard Pollice, senior animator Talia Hay, and senior 3D artist Elena Candil, among others, talking about the development of the Gothic remake.

Members of the development team talk about various aspects of developing Gothic and tapping into what made the original release so special. This includes aspects like the game’s complete lack of hand-holding, allowing players to get lost within its rich world, and its harsh combat and social dynamics.

“What was amazing to me the first time that I played Gothic was how you could solve a lot of situations by taking advantage of everyone,” said technical artist Roger Llovera. “Everyone would take advantage of you, of course, but then you have chances where you can take advantage of a character killing a Scavenger for you.”

In the description for the video, THQ Nordic has also mentioned that players looking forward to the Gothic remake should keep an eye out for the next Steam Next Fest, which will take place between February 24 and March 3.

Gothic doesn’t yet have a release date; it is currently in development for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. For more details, check out the gameplay trailer released back in August 2024.

As per Polish outlet CD Action, anonymous sources have revealed that Piranha Bytes shut its doors at the end of June. The studio was allegedly looking for external investments in the lead-up to its closure in the hopes of being bought out, but after being unable to secure the necessary investment, it was forced to shut down.

The report claims the developer had intended to work on a new dark fantasy RPG similar to Gothic, and it would have been built on Unreal Engine 5. Piranha Bytes or Embracer Group are yet to make any official statements regarding the studio’s closure, and according to the report, that is unlikely to change.

Founded in 1997 and acquired by THQ Nordic in 2019, Piranha Bytes has released several fan-favourite RPGs over the years, including the likes of Gothic, Risen, and Elex, as well as their respective sequels. A remake of the original Gothic developed by Alkimia Interactive is set to release sometime later this year.

Where the latter is concerned, previously-announced titles that have been confirmed for the showcase so far are survival horror reboot Alone in the Dark, open world science-fantasy action-adventure title Outcast 2: A New Beginning, and the recently-announced co-op puzzle platformer Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy.

THQ Nordic has a number of other announced titles in the pipeline, including the likes of AEW: Fight Forever, a remake of Gothic, Wreckreation, Jagged Alliance 3, and more. Whether or not any of these games will be highlighted at the Digital Showcase in August remains to be seen.

We’ll keep an eye out for new details, so stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks.

Another year, another line-up!

Be sure to save the date for our #THQNordic Digital Showcase live on August 11th, 2023

This year's showcase will not only include world premiere announcements but also updates and reveals for previously-announced games! pic.twitter.com/hDc04oWUjs

— THQ Nordic (@THQNordic) April 20, 2023

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

Let’s kick things off with what’s probably the most prominent example of a great game with bad controls in recent years. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a jaw-droppingly impressive masterpiece in more ways than one, but its controls have, of course, been criticized widely, frequently, and persistently. As anyone who’s played the game will tell you, it’s not hard to see why Rockstar’s open world epic gets that criticism. On top of input latency and heavy in-game movement coming together for many to criticize the game’s controls as being cumbersome, the actual layout of Red Dead Redemption 2’s setup on a gamepad has also often come under fire at times, especially with unintentional inputs thanks to its weapon wheels, context-sensitive dialogue system, and what have you.

It began with a demo to test interest and ultimately lead to THQ Nordic announcing that they would officially be greenlighting a remake of the first Gothic game for PC and next generation consoles. It seems things are well underway, too, as a new studio has been formed to tackle the remake. Now we’ve got some first looks at it thanks to Steam.

The game’s official Steam page has now gone live, which you can see through here. With it has come the first official screenshots. They aren’t much, as you can see below, mostly showing scenery with a lone shot of some figures gathered around a fire. The original game saw you play as a nameless hero caught up in a battle between humans and orcs who just escaped being imprisoned in mines into various adventures. It was a successful game that spawned two sequels. It’s unclear what the scope of this remake will be, but most THQ Nordic remakes have been faithful to the original titles.

Gothic Remake is said to be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. As of now, there is no time frame in place for release.