TheGothicvideo game series has long been considered a cult classic and has left a lasting legacy on the RPG genre for many fans. The originalGothicvideo game was released in 2001 for PC and was the first of 4 games in the popular series.Gothicis often described as one of thebest RPG games where class matters, as players must step into the role of an unknown prisoner fighting to survive in the war-ravaged Kingdom of Myrtana.
In a recent interview with Game Rant, Piranha Bytes game designer Jenny Pankratz and THQ Nordic’s Florian Emmerich spoke more about the impact ofGothic’s legacy on follow-up titles like theRisenandElexgame series. Piranha Bytes explained whyGothichas been so popular and talked more about the upcomingGothicremake by Alkimia Interactive. Piranha Bytes also spoke about how influences like tabletop gaming inspired theirGothicfollow-up titles and their desire to create non-linear gaming experiences for players.
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Gothic’s Legacy And The Gothic Remake
When speaking aboutGothic’s legacy and how it has influenced the studio’s later games compared to otherpopular video games likeGod of War,Fallout, andSkyrim, Pankratz spoke about the importance of creating non-generic gameplay. A non-linear approach gives players a lot of freedom and choice, where almost anything is possible in immersive open-world games. This is something many players may have experienced in theGothicgames and why the series, in many ways, was so popular. The same goes for everything that followedGothicand will always remain part of Piranha Bytes' approach.
This is still something that works very well, creating a world where you can decide almost everything, where you can go almost everywhere. And although you can do this, it’s not a generic game… it’s something that made our games popular. If people ask me, and they say maybe you can make a game likeGod of WarorHorizon, then I answer no. The games we are creating are similar to Bethesda games. They’re similar toFalloutorSkyrim, but they are less generic. This is something that madeGothicgood and something that we still make.
In fact, it is this popularity and appeal that has led to a remake ofGothicby Alkimia Interactive. This title will hopefully provide fans with a new, improved experience, while introducing a new generation to the beloved IP. Although Alkimia Interactive may not be a name everyone knows, Pankratz and Piranha Bytes as a whole have clearly put their trust in them and the producer Reinhard Pollice. In fact, this allows them to continue their work on anew RPG project to followElex 2.
Reinhard Pollice is the Producer, and we know Reinhard very well. He made a new studio Alkimia Interactive, and while they are doing the remake, we can do another role-playing game, a new one. This is good for everyone I think, because we will have two cool games in the end and I like to create new things.
Gothic’s Tabletop Gaming Influences And Creating Non-Linear RPG Video Game Experiences Like Elex
Tabletop gaming’s popularity has increased steadily since its inception, now with shows likeStranger Things’Hellfire Club andCritical Rolehelping to continue the legacy of classictabletop games likeDungeons and Dragons. Since tabletop gaming serves as a foundation for plenty of RPGs, it comes as no surprise that it played a similar role forGothicand other Piranha Bytes games. In fact, as Pankratz explains it, it sounds vital to the non-generic, non-linear gameplay the studio is known for.
TheGothicseries and the firstGothicwere developed because there were some friends who had the idea to make the coolest game that ever existed. Before there were role-playing gamers, there were tabletop games and live role-playing games. I was even part of some of those live role-playing games. And this idea took some elements of those tabletop games, which were very unique ideas, and put it into the game.
It’s clear that Piranha Bytes place a lot of importance on creating real-life inspired choices and situations for players when speaking about getting the player to think more about what they might do in real-life, rather than “what the game wants you to do.” This is something that is sometimes emulated in tabletop gaming experiences, as although playing a fictional character, players have to think on their feet and react accordingly to the game story. Some but not allRPG morality or karma systemshave impactful consequences for players, and Piranha Bytes added “there are a lot of consequences in our games, and this is a huge, good thing”.
The freedom to make realistic choices with impactful in-game consequences adds to the idea of creating non-linear gameplay experiences and may help to create a more realistic and immersive RPG game. It will be interesting to see where Piranha Bytes' games take players next, particularly with theGothicremake on the horizon and Piranha Bytes’ new RPG project in development. It will be interesting to see how much closer to reality-focused choices and consequences the studio’s RPGs can create and just how much more impactful in-game player choices might have for possible game consequences in the future.
Elex 2is available to play on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. TheGothicremake is currently in development and expected to release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.
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