The Gothic Remake demo reveals an RPG powered by wheeling, dealing, and growling

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I haven’t played Gothic from 2001, created by Piranha Bytes, but an article from 2016 by Sin suggests that it is more convincing than current RPGs. In this piece, she depicts a compelling image of a magically isolated penal colony under quarantine, where three factions of prisoners maintain an unstable truce. This compact oceanic cavern setting often results in battles ending in surrender instead of death, reputation holds more weight than a mere points system, and the main character’s presence is coincidental rather than intentional. It certainly sounds intriguing.

I’m continuing my hunt for this RPG within Alkimia Interactive’s Gothic reboot demo on Steam. There’s definitely some mystery unfolding, and I’m quite captivated by the bleak quarry backdrop, but I find myself diverted by certain visual aspects, particularly the character in the prologue who bears a striking resemblance to a Funko Pop figurine of Highlander’s Christopher Lambert.

Funko Pop Lambert is a newly imprisoned convict who starts his journey on the ore elevator from the outside world. As soon as he arrives, a gruff, bearded man confronts him and orders him to leave and find a place to sleep before dark. In response, Funko Pop Lambert helps himself to some food from the gruff, bearded man’s home. Later, he walks down the path past a sparkling waterfall, where another growly, bearded-less stranger tells him to scram and bring back a beer for him.

In the revamped Gothic setting, there are numerous gruff individuals who seem to be vying for the role of the first person to get into a fight in a Batman film. The actors portray their characters as if they were auditioning for such a part. I’m unsure how the original Gothic’s voice-acting held up, but Funko Pop Lambert is accustomed to a more melodious breed of action movies and doesn’t appreciate such rude behavior. Instead of fetching him a beer, I guide him deeper into the canyon, recover an old bow from a mine shaft, unearth a rusty sword stuck in the ground under a gallows, and stumble upon my first genuine mission. A man is crouched over examining some small, noisy dinosaurs. Should I slaughter them to gain entry to his campsite?

This version maintains the original’s tone while making it more accessible to readers by using simpler sentence structures and common phrases.

I will charge ahead, making quite a ruckus, much like if Funko Pop Clancy Brown and Sean Connery had been turned into bobbleheads. Despite being held together by rust, my salvaged sword holds its own against oversized Jurassic fowl. The challenge lies in that my new companion continues to shoot me in the rear. I believe he’s trying to aid me, but sadly, he seems to overlook the importance of aiming. Funko Pop Lambert brings an end to the skirmish with quills protruding from both buttocks, like turning signals on a lighthouse. However, at least he offers a place to rest for the night.


Hang on, it seems like he hasn’t convinced his buddy’s pal yet. This is starting to feel like the art of building connections over just blindly rallying for factions, much like what Sin discussed in her 2016 piece. With a vague hint – let’s say, “someone who looks like me but with hair” – I set off to find the person I need to win over. Instead, I stumble upon a chirpy fellow busily mining an ore vein.

I test out more amicable conversation methods and receive some information about the isolated convict community hidden behind a rockslide, specifically designed for this demonstration. It seems there’s a group that venerates a slumbering deity within. The number of women here is scarce, primarily used for entertainment by cruel rulers. To teach me how to parry effectively, the man finishes our conversation by gently sparring with Funko Pop Lambert a few times.

After forgetting I had a jump button, I spend around 20 minutes casually exploring some beautiful terrain. Once I recall this detail, I start hopping from rock to rock up the canyon and stumble upon a secluded wooded area with a pool. Unfortunately, mole rats attack and eat me there. Going back to a save point, I decide to take a different path to the pool and locate the person who could ensure my safety at night. He’s searching for someone else who has vanished amidst eerie, whispering nightmares. Can I assist? No, he brusquely tells me to leave. So I exit the forest and fortunately find the missing individual that he was looking for. However, I discover that person is already deceased.

I wandered around for about 20 minutes in a nice area without using my jump button. After remembering I had one, I climbed up the canyon and found a secret spot with a pool, where mole rats ate me. Going back to a save point, I tried a new route and found someone important if I wanted to feel safe at night. He was looking for another person lost in scary dreams. I asked if I could help, but he told me off. So I left the forest and found the missing guy that he was searching for, but unfortunately, he was already dead.

The fifth individual I’ve conversed with is now convinced of Funko Pop Lambert’s good intentions due to my discovery of his friend’s body. This might seem overly trusting, but the narrative manages to make it believable. He posits that the murderer could be a “shadow creature”. I’m pondering if this “shadow creature” was the miniature goblin I encountered in the woods as well, who appeared to be the most amiable Gothic character thus far, and whom I hastily killed with arrows because I desired his club.

(Note: The phrase “Gothic NPC” is a reference to a character in a video game or similar interactive media, which stands for Non-Playable Character.)

After much political maneuvering, Funko Pop Lambert ultimately gains entry into the camp. As day turns to night, we gather around the fire for some intriguing discussions about the mysterious deity and the factions’ dynamics. Unfortunately, at this juncture, the prologue concludes. While I’m not entirely captivated by this Gothic reboot yet, it has certainly piqued my curiosity. It’s rare to find a fantasy RPG that centers an entire quest around finding a place to sleep. I’m willing to continue playing, just as long as I don’t have to control Funko Pop Lambert again.

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2025-02-27 20:55