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Addictive. That's my one word response when asked what I think of NOTR. Frustrating, Fantastic and Difficult soon follow.
In participating in related forums, and reading game reviews and info, I see that I have chosen one of the harder RPG's to be my first. Just my luck. In any case I'm lovin' it.
As a Noob I found the Quick start manual too limited. Either the thought was, few new players would buy the Gold edition and so a more in-depth manual wasn't needed, or that the info needed would be readily found elsewhere. I would have preferred just to have it with me as I learned.
Night of the Raven picks up at the end of Gothic. If you did not play Gothic don't worry, you get an overview of the past as Xardas explains to you what has happened since you brought the barrier down and unleashed all kinds of havoc.
Your objective is to meet and work with various groups to stop the evil that is growing on the island of Khorinis. I find it interesting, the options you are afforded and how your choice affects your relationship with different figures.
My first fighting training was with Wolfgar the militia trainer. Once I became a mercenary he would no longer train me. I was shut off abruptly with a sudden ìI don't train mercenaries!' from Wolfgar.
Your choice to work with, or turn in, the local thieves greatly affects your experience in the town of Korinis.
By meeting characters and completing quests you earn EP's (experience points) that accumulate and allow you to "Level Up" and gain Learning Points. LP's allow you to learn: hunting skills, pick pocketing, lock picking and alchemy. They also permit increasing your skills with various swords and bows, gaining strength and garnering other assets to help you accomplish your mission.
It took me several days of playing before I discovered why I could sometimes ìIncrease my skills with a bow' and other times not. I discovered the 'C' key and my stats, by pressing every key to see what it did! Again, I'm a Noob and the Quick Start Manual was a bit brief for me. There may be a manual available online, but I'm the type to jump in and learn/read as I go along.
After learning to jump, check my quests, see my stats and use spell scrolls, et al, I was much more dangerous. If you play games on a regular basis you probably know most of this but for us beginners it takes some time.
Although I got over my moral dilemmas over beating people up and taking their stuff (especially those poor inhabitants of the Harbor Area) for the sake of EP and well, "the stuff" ... it still bothers me a bit. I have to accept the fact that clubbing a Citizen for 100 EP and an apple is just part of the game. I do wonder how that effects those who play a lot of games with similar characteristics.
Back to NOTR.
The graphics are very good. While I've not played other RPG's, I was surprised at how nice the game looked and felt. I understand that because Gothic II has been out for a few years that the Gold package technology is surpassed by newer games. But that hardly abated the gratification I felt when hacking goblins, wolves, Lurkers, skeletons, goblin skeletons, orcs and giant Lizards to pieces!
Dialogue is glitchy: Sometimes you get a bit of German, or text over text, but again -- the play is addictive.
As you work your way through Korinis you will decide to join a guild; Militia, Monastery, or Mercenaries. Each has its benefits and drawbacks and will effect how your game unfolds. It appears however, that there are key points where character paths cross, as when helping Captain Greg find his booty, tracking down the wayward Pablo, etc. The guild you choose will matter only in the predominant tools available to you.
As quests are accomplished and you increase your skills you move to new chapters in the story. I found the Valley of the mines and the "add-on area" in NOTR much easier than Korinas (Chapter 1). That could be due to my learning curve or the fact that they are smaller areas and therefore have fewer elements to detour me.
In a nut shell, here's what's going on:
There's a war on the mainland. The Orcs are beginning to win so King Rhobar has sent a ship of Paladins to the island of Korinis to protect the City and surrounding area from Orc attacks. Their real mission is a mystery and a point of investigation for you.
Simultaneously, quakes have been shaking the land and the Water mages have been digging through ruins to uncover the cause. They find relics of an ancient culture, a portal and more mysteries that you get saddled with answering.
Meanwhile, the Paladin company sent to the Valley of Mines is besieged by Dragons, Orcs and other nasties and gets trapped in the castle. They are unable to mine enough of the precious ore needed by the King. (Oops, I gave away a secret!)
There's also a guy you know from prison (yes, you were a convict ëtill you brought down the barrier that held in the prisoners) who wants your head and is causing all kinds of trouble.
To make it more interesting there is a wanted poster with your face on it floating around, and every bandit in the world is shooting arrows at you or hacking at you with a sword the second they catch sight of you.
All-in-all, it's a great time running through the woods and killing things and uncovering mysteries.
Night of the Raven is reported to be more difficult than the original Gothic and Gothic II. As an inexperienced player I suppose I could have chosen a different game for my first, but as I think about it, it was more NOTR choosing me than me choosing it. Difficult or not, I'm glad I am playing it and look forward to Gothic III with great anticipation. I may even look for Gothic to play, once I vanquish the dragon here in NOTR.
On the Noob scale of games, Gothic II Gold: NOTR, gets a 9 for Difficult, 9 for Fun, 8 for playability, 8 for Graphics and 6 for Misc. (Noobs need more guidance).
Gothic II Gold: NOTR gets an 8.75 from me. (No, it doesn't add up ~ but that's what I want to give it!)
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