Arcania: Gothic 4
| Arcania: Gothic 4 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) |
Spellbound Entertainment Black Forest Games (PS3 & X360) |
| Publisher(s) |
JoWooD Entertainment THQ Nordic |
| Director(s) | Daniel Miller |
| Producer(s) | BVT Games Fund III |
| Designer(s) | André Beccu |
| Composer(s) | Dynamedion |
| Series | Gothic |
| Engine | Vision 7 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 |
| Release |
Microsoft Windows & Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360 PlayStation 4 |
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Aggregate score | |
|---|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | (X360) 64/100 (PC) 63/100 (PS4) 42/100 (PS3) 42/100 |
| Review score | |
| Publication | Score |
| IGN | 7.5/10 |
Arcania: Gothic 4 is a spin-off installment set in the Gothic series, and the first one developed by a company other than Piranha Bytes; the game was developed by Spellbound. The first teaser trailer revealed that Arcania was scheduled to be released in Winter 2009, but JoWooD Entertainment subsequently pushed back the release to 2010.
The game was released on October 12, 2010 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The PlayStation 3 version was scheduled for release in the first half of 2011, but was never released. In May 2013, Nordic Games released ArcaniA and its expansion, Arcania: Fall of Setarrif, as Arcania: The Complete Tale for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
In September 2014, Nordic Games dropped Gothic 4 from the game's title, with no statement being made as to why this action has been done, but left fans speculating that it may be related with Piranha Bytes getting back the rights to the Gothic series. Also all references that connected Arcania with the Gothic series have been removed from the game's description.
In comparison to the predecessors the game mechanic was simplified, for instance there are only three spells available (but upgradable). Also, the character can only interact with "named" characters, those who have a name. There is no sleeping mechanic so the player can't sleep for a chosen period of time like in previous parts of the game. The player is able to wield any weapon as they have no requirements for statistics. There are no teachers within the game like in previous parts and all skills can be learnt by using the skill tree.
War covers over the Southern Islands like a blood-drenched shroud and finally war reaches the idyllic isle of Feshyr in the Southern Seas. The protagonist of Arcania: Gothic 4 returns from an adventure to find his home and village torched and looted. The aggressors’ ships - with an Eagle displayed on their billowing sails - escape over the horizon.
Seeking revenge, the hero leaves the destroyed village behind and soon realizes that this cowardly attack did not just happen on a corrupt king's whim. An evil power lies waiting at the threshold of this world, and our hero will need to face this nameless evil. Yet the hero is not alone - his fate is linked to that of a beautiful, mysterious lady as well as a powerful artifact from the long-forgotten distant past.
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Wikipedia