I really miss the minimalism of Gothic in modern games. No map markers, hotbar, minimap or button prompts and also very minimalistic Inventory screen which takes up only 10% of the screen and you can still see yourself in real time. All the needed info when pressing B, a "self written" diary, it felt like YOU were in the world.
You should review Chronicles of Myrthana: Archolos. I know that's technically a mod, but among Gothic community there is a consensus that it's pretty valid gothic experience that could be standalone game
Yea I hate to even call it a mod, it almost feels like an insult. It was a great game better than a lot of PB games actually imo. Also the last boss at least had some challenge even after being over leveled(doing all quests, best items\gear, ect). I don't recall the last boss of any of the PB games having much difficulty at all if you were over leveled and stuff.
As a longtime Gothic fan, I completely understand G3 in last place, it took me years unti I could manage to finish the game with all its jank, and Elex 1 was great because exploration was top notch
RIP Piranha Bytes. Gothic 1+2 will always be some of my favorite RPGs with a fantastic atmosphere, but it seems like they could never evolve past those successes. As time went on, their game design became obsolete and the jankiness seemed less like a side product of admirable ambition and more like they refused to learn from their mistakes.
They just don’t make games like gothic 1 and 2. Such an unique experience to play through those. I’d say they’re in my top 5 games of all time although growing up in Eastern Europe really made me biased towards those two games haha.
My exact rating (even if I could also flip flop Elex 1 and 2). I really don't get the love for Elex and hate for Risen 2. Elex atmosphere, world building, aesthetics and story is inconsistent, nonsensical and kinda ugly. I also think exploration isn't good due to overly big and unmemorable map. Jetpack didn't help either. Combat system sucks and character progression isn't smooth nor satisfying.
Love Pyranha Bytes. While all of them are janky they are just great at building immersion. Gothic 1, 2 are probably my personal favorites (with Archolos taking the crown if I count that). Elex 1 was fun as well though.
@@Llortnerof Yeah I understand that. I just consider it faithful enough to the original experience that I might as well put them on the same ranking. I recommend everyone play it alongside the main Gothic series anyways.
@@Llortnerof Despite being just a modification, Archolos is considered (in some parts of community) as a canon due to very high quality and being very faithful to lore
@@histhoryk2648 Sure, but it still wasn't made by PB. If it was a "Gothic series games ranked" it would deserve the rank, but for Piranha Bytes games, it doesn't.
Yes, please. I'd be really curious to hear your thoughts on it. Granted, probably a bit off from the normal 100% as its just a mod. But before you brush it off, check out the history of it. It's really more than a mod and has some developers behind it, which would easily surpass some modern AA titles.
cool list! I agree with the bottom half, however, top half would look quite differently for me, with Gothic 2 and Gothic 1 on top - but I did play these at launch, so a lot of nostalgia here. Looking back at the studio's history, I really wish that after Gothic 2, they would have developed something like first Risen, which was just a modernized Gothic game, and released it as Gothic 3. This would give them time and resources to create something more ambitious and what we now know as Gothic 3 could have been much better. Not to mentioned the fact that disasterous launch of Gothic 3 basically cost them that IP, which I was very fond of.
Gothic was my childhood, thank you so much for covering these games. Your work is incredible and appreciated, right now the only reviewer I am watching.
Very interesting list :) I played every Gothic and Risen game at the time of their release (yes, I'm not too young anymore), and IMHO the best games for their time are Gothic 2 with Expansions, Gothic 1, Gothic 3, Risen, Elex, then the rest :) But, it is very interesting to see the same ranking from somebody who started playing Piranha Bytes games a decade, if not more, later :)
Piranha Bytes is what made me appreciate more challenging games, you could say I owe them for finding and falling in love with all FromSoft catalogue. :-) Sure, it’s euro jank, but Gothic 1-2 are still the games I set as a golden standard for crafting an open world without any tedious fillers and stressing map markers a la Ubisoft, and they are also some of the absolutely most immersive games I have ever played, due to their progression system and slow leveling. Nowadays I may love other games more, but Piranha Bytes will always have a special place in my heart ❤️
Started playing Elex on PS4 'cause of your review and I really like it as far. I've never played and on Piranha Bytes games, but I've heard a lot about them, mostly about Gothic 1
Here’s the video I was waiting for! ELEX 1 is definitely my favorite, with Risen 2 being a close second. I don’t usually 100% games but this one was actually fun to do and it’s a shame the ELEX 2 didn’t draw me in the same way as it’s predecessor.
With the exception of gothic 3, all their library are all solid and their approach to open worlds is still the best that sadly rarely anybody copied. Evemn gothic 3 you still have the parts that are pretty good like the world (at least for the myrtana area, because the desert one was pretty bad) and the music. Their approach to loot is really preferable too compared to the ever increasingly common randomized/color coded loot in open world that makes exploration boring.
Well, if you want to be fair you have to rank the base game and in that case i can see it. The modded one... yeah, i'd put that above R2 as well. Especially if that big rework project gets finished.
I'd very much look forward to a video on Piranha Bytes as a studio! I think an insight into the studio that created some of our favourite games (even childhood games) would put all these experiences in a new light. I'd also just like to get more acquainted with Piranha Bytes just as much as I am with Bethesda, for example.
I love seeing people outside of Germany even acknowledge piranha bytes games, not to mention liking them. I have such a love hate relationship with them, having massive nostalgia for Risen 2 to absolute hatred for the abrupt ending of Risen 3 to simultaneously liking and hating Elex. I can definitely understand why people call them "Eurojank" and they’ve completely been behind the rest of the industry at least since Gothic 3. But they do have some charm and nostalgia for many and I like that people even internationally can enjoy them for all their flaws and outdated nature. Having watched the video now, it’s funny how we probably had the same feeling towards our first piranha bytes game. Mine was Risen 2, therefore I like it the most, same with you and Elex. I would guess the iconic Piranha Bytes charm hits the most with your first experience of their games and I know exactly what you mean and what that feels like
Played Gothic 1 in 2020 and heavily modded Gothic 2 in 2021 - still one of my favorite games of all time. Plan to replay Risen 1 and Gothic 3 in 2023-24. Cannot say this about Elex or Risen 2, 3.
Thank you so-so much for making this video; After watching all these reviews I was wondering how you would rank them, and low-and-behold, here's your video ranking them. Thanks again. Personally I sometimes like the challenge of getting an old game running more than the game itself 🤣😂
It actually is pretty amazing how your ranking coincieded with mine almost bit to bit. the only thing I would do differently is ranking Gothic 2 above Elex, but still, it is amazing how you made all those points that resonate so well with me. Well done, sir, well done!
Piranha Bytes is honestly my favorite RPG Dev Team and ELEX is my favorite franchise by them. I pray that we get ELEX 3, so that they can close out this Trilogy before a new IP! 🎉
You get so many different Top Lists within the Piranha Bytes Fanbase/Bubble, it's very cool and interesting. My list acc. to my very subjective opinion: 1. Gothic 2 2. Risen 3 3. Risen 4. Gothic 5. Risen 2 6. Gothic 3 7. Elex 8. Elex 2 Some further thoughts: Best atmosphere in Gothic 2. Best combat system and world Locations in Risen 3 (places where I want to make vacation 😅) Unique Setting in Elex.
It all began with the forging of the Great Games. Three were given to the Fantasy fans; Two to Sci-Fi fans. And another 3 to people who like pirates, I guess. For within these games was bound Piranha Bytes' recipe for creating games. But they were all of them deceived, for another game was made. In the land of Poland, in the fires of the Mod Community, the The Chronicles of Myrtana Team forged in secret, a master game, to top all others. Play Archolos already!!!
Sorry for my bad english. Gothic 3 is in my top 3 Piranha Bytes games. Music is just GREAT. Myrthana, Varant, sometimes Nordmar are awesome, I have a lot of joy exploring them. Quests of course are bad but... I like them. I don't really mind doing them it's well, just fun. Characters are of course bad and I don't remember anyone (Expect character Sobota, because in Poland, sobota is the sixth day of the week, saturday) and again I don't really mind. Gothic 3 for my is just very fun. I think i go back to this game, more than any other Piranha Bytes game. And i have never finished it :) but I really like it.
I finished Elex earlier this year for the first time and really liked it untill the final parts that kinda sucked. I've been putting it off for years. Seeing Elex 2 so low on the list makes me sad. Gothic 1 was my first PB game and it's still my favorite. Like you said the atmosphere is just something else.
Elex 2 feels rushed somehow. Also I did not like the camera in Elex 2 at all. They should´ve added an option to set it the same way as it was in Elex 1.
Personally I think it's an improvement for the most part the hits feel Abit floaty compared to 1 and the story gets kinda weird at the end but the rest factions quests and character building is better
Hey, Mortismal! I'm really glad that found your channel. Your chillness, non-clickbaitness and objectiveness on gaming world feels very fresh! So tired of hatred in internet. Your videos are soothing. However, a small constructive criticism! You really should put some synonyms for word "janky" in your vocabulary! Everything else is fine indeed! P.S. Sorry for bad English.
Fun fact: Don Esteban found at 10:07 is actually named after the admin (back then, don't know nowadays) of the community hub World of Gothic where you can get mods and stuff. He is also in the Gothic 2 Addon, where he gets murdered.
out of the 8 gothic games pyranha bytes made i'd say gothic 1 and gothic 2 are the best as a cohesive whole, all the parts of those games work pretty well even with the dated engine. But gothic 3 holds a special place in my heart due to its music and sense of exploration (i never finished it though)
I still think that if Risen 2 would have been marketed as a new IP people would have a different oppion. But there still the fact that the matketing lied a said on the box "you can choose to join one of three fsctions" clearly marketing to old gothic fans.
@@vast634 It is the producer of Arcania: Gothic 4 so I would hold my beer there. I have seen this play out with Arcania before, as I was the admin of the Gothic Wiki on the german portal World of Gothic. They really engaged with the community and ensured them they would do a faithfull approach, then delivered...Arcania.
Love the list! Recently I did play Elex, and I just couldn't believe how much fun I had with the game, 2 complete playthroughs back to back. Brought me back to the time of when I first played Risen 1 and the Gothic series. Don't know about Elex 2 tho.... the way how they drastically changed how characters look just turns me off
@I D O Yea, I agree... In my opinion they deviated a lot from the original look of the character... I understand that a certain number of years passed since the story of the first game and he is no longer the person he was in Elex 1, but I don't think that justifies that he should look like a prisoner of war. I suppose it is a minor thing and very subjective. I may give the game a go but at not yet at least
My first Pirahna Bytes game was Gothic 2, I got that game as a Demo with a magazine back in the days and I remember when Gothic 3 came out in ~2005/2006 it was something amazing, I have even now the original DVD of the game and I didn't care about the bugs and how unpolish it was, until now for me it's one of the best games with The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion.
If I had to make a similar list, the only difference I would have with your list is I would put Risen as number two instead of 3. Still one of my favourite to this day.
Nothing beats the beautiful primitiveness and uniqueness of the original Gothic. The only game on the list I can replay over and over without getting bored.
I got the Gothic trilogy on discs about 10 years ago without knowing much about it. I find the games difficult to play now, same with Risen which I have on Steam. But I am really looking forward to the Gothic remake because Piranha Bytes crafted a great world and story and I want to see it updated (as long as it is a faithful adaption)
I love your content Mortym with every video your channel gets better and better, hope you are having good time with youtube and don't forget to leave some time for yourself dude how are you make videos this fast :))
The bottom half of my PB list is identical to yours. Then it's a toss-up between Gothic 1, Risen 1, and Elex 1 for 2nd, 3rd and 4th place for me - each game could go in either spot depending on how I feel that day. But Gothic 2 will forever be my personal #1.
That's always the doubt: is this chapter of a series my favorite, only because it's the very first I played? In your case, would Elex 2 have been your favorite game from Piranha Bytes if you had played it before Elex (1)? I think we'll never know for sure. But Elex is also a game I liked a lot myself, and, since it's the only one from this developer I played, I perfectly agree with you on the number 1 of the list! (LOL) Thanks for your videos!
Nice one. I am not a fan of Elex, I didnt even lunched second, but Gothic 2 is one of the worlds best RPG. Glad you give it second place. It is sad that nova days not many devs making some mechanicl like that. Even like there ware in Elex.
I've been a lifelong Gothic fan and I remember being extremely critical of Elex 1 when it came out. After Risen 2 and 3 I kind of gave up on Piranha Bytes being able to make a game I'd like. Well, I started playing Elex a few days ago and I freaking love it. The only thing which ruins my enjoyment of the game is the knowledge of how the sequel turned out. Seems like a repeat of Risen situation. I just don't understand how is it possible that they get so many things right in Risen 1 and Elex 1, and completely abandon them in the next games.
Interesting look at those games, I would go quite a different way Gothic 2 Gothic Risen Gothic 3 (with community touch ups) Elex Risen 3 Elex 2 Risen 2 On the other hand, I’ve been playing them since they made the first Gothic, so… Sadly it does not look good for Piranha Bytes, so we can just hope they will go forward even though they lost one of the really important people…
Gothic 2 seemed like it would be good when I tried it but I just couldn't get used to the controls. I've enjoyed everything they've made from Risen onward though. A big reason is that exploration in a Piranha Bytes game feels a lot more rewarding than most others.
The controls are actually quite simple once you got the gist of it. It feels a lot like early Playstation controls. Just pretend the STRG button is the shoulder button you need to hold and then you got four action keys, Up (Triangle) that can be pressed up to three times depending on skill level for a combo forward, Left (Square) to swing left, Right (Circle) to swing right and down to block (X). Once you got the gist of it, you will find it incredibly rewarding as it is very easy to manipulate. The simple animations allow you to lock singular enemies into permant hitstun given the right timings, and as such you can beat much stronger enemies than yourself early on. One more thing: Just cheat. The game allows you to cheat freely. Everything can be manipulated via console and some of it is game breaking, but invincibility is safe and will not affect game progression. And then just practice until you got the feelings and turn it off again.
This is the first opinion/review about elex 2 that didnt sing it praises and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Elex 2 was a massive letdown (except the post-game free flight) when I was hyped for years about the elex 1 successor. I think that both elex 2 and gothic 3 ( your bottom choices) focused too much on giving freedom to the player (Gothic 3 allowed you to juggle faction reputations and towns turned so that you would get stronger though exploring and looting the whole map, and elex2 allowed most character progression to happen outside of faction and its story), freedom that came in the expense of storytelling and "class" identity. IMO all the games by PiranhaBytes are good story games that are enjoyable even today, except elex 2. I would give that back if I could.
Get the laser rifle you can't buy from the guy before the cleric outpost. Look it up if you have to, thing is insane and never runs out because all later enemies drop ammo for it. One cheese served :)
Very unique list! Your opinion, of course :D My list would be quite different: 8: Elex 2 7: Elex 1 6: Risen 2 5. Risen 3 4. Risen 1 3. Gothic 1 2. Gothic 3 1. Gothic 2 I was so disappointed with Elex 2 that I'm just not looking forward to any new PB games. They've steadily been going down over the years and while each game has still been enjoyable in many ways, Elex 2 started to feel just so old and tired. I hated the game by the time I finished it. I've been very supportive of PB in the past but for me it feels like it might be time to let go and not expect another Gothic 2 anymore :P
It's quite funny. When people talk about their favorite phiranha bytes games, they always say it's the first one they played. Usually I've seen that in the contex of "which gothic game is the best". But seems that extands to all their games.
Naah had more fun with Gothic II even though Gothic I was my first RPG on my first own PC back in 2004 and still think Gothic I had the greatest setting...but otherwise it is literally the same game, just the second is more polished and larger. I also just loved seeing where all the characters of Gothic I ended up at , and then there's the mods...
That is a pretty good list. I'd place Elex under Gothic 2 and maybe even 1, but otherwise, I agree. Elex 2 was disappointing for me as well. Initial experience and exploration was great as always, but the game really fell apart in later chapters (even more than usual) and the story was just a mess. And I'd put Gothic 3 first. I'm clearly biased, but I grew up on that game and play it every few years still. I drove by a few bison during the weekend and I immediately thought about the area between Silden and Geldern with plains and roaming herds and I could visualize the whole landscape quite precisely (and me between them casting Rain of Fire). I explored that whole world close to 10 times over the years. I never finished the game tho, never killed leaders and chose the side. I just tried to complete everything before the end and eventually lost interest. For me, these games are not about stories at all and it's their weakest part often. Just exploring the world, doing quests for people, and getting stronger and stronger. Finishing later chapters feels more like a chore, especially Risen 3 and Elex 2. I stopped playing both games in later stages and it took me multiple months to return and finish them. And finishing Elex 2 was a really bad experience. Also, Gothic 3 has a godlike soundtrack.
My personal ranking is: 7) Risen 2 6) Gothic 3 5) Risen 3 4) Risen 3) Gothic 2 2) Elex 1) Gothic I din't played Elex 2 yet. The first Gothic is a game ahead of its time. It's incredible if you think that a complex game like that was made in 2002. A truly masterpiece that i have finished 3 times. Elex is underrated, behind all the junky stuff, there is one of the best RPG of the last decade. I need a new run with Gothic 2, because i played that game only once some years ago, but i remember enjoying it as i enjoyed Gothic 1. Risen is the best of the trilogy, the only problem is the fact that the ending sucks. Risen 3 have the best implementation of magic combat in PB games. It's a shame that is really easy. I admit, i have not finished the main story of Gothic 3, but in this game i'm really enjoying doing side quests and explore the world from city to city. It's an unfinished game with a lot of unexpressed potential... and it's a shame. Risen 2 is the only PB game that i don't want to re-play anymore.
Congratulations! You've mastered the art of Eurojank! Too bad Elex 2 was such a disappointment and it looks like they pretty much abandoned fixing it. I wonder if and how they are going to wrap up this series.
I think Spiders and Piranha Bytes should collaborate and make a game so that we'd have the clunkiest game with the best atmosphere there is.
I always confuse these two developers already. They may as well collaborate 😁
And they could even call it Rise-n-fall. 😉
I’ve been saying that this would be a phenomenal collaboration! 😊
Piranha doing gameplay, Spiders doing story
And Bethesda as well, to get some of that Amerijank, to have the ultimate jank compilation in one game.
I really miss the minimalism of Gothic in modern games. No map markers, hotbar, minimap or button prompts and also very minimalistic Inventory screen which takes up only 10% of the screen and you can still see yourself in real time. All the needed info when pressing B, a "self written" diary, it felt like YOU were in the world.
tbf gothic had a hotbar :)
@@shblade5984 Gothic 3 had a hotbar. Gothic 1 and 2 did not.
But Gothic 3 was barely a Gothic game...
You should review Chronicles of Myrthana: Archolos. I know that's technically a mod, but among Gothic community there is a consensus that it's pretty valid gothic experience that could be standalone game
Absolutely agree with this. Chronicles of Myrtana is fantastic and it would be a shame for someone so invasted in Pyranha Bytes games to miss it.
Agree
It really is an astonishingly good release
Agree
Yea I hate to even call it a mod, it almost feels like an insult. It was a great game better than a lot of PB games actually imo. Also the last boss at least had some challenge even after being over leveled(doing all quests, best items\gear, ect). I don't recall the last boss of any of the PB games having much difficulty at all if you were over leveled and stuff.
As a longtime Gothic fan, I completely understand G3 in last place, it took me years unti I could manage to finish the game with all its jank, and Elex 1 was great because exploration was top notch
RIP Piranha Bytes. Gothic 1+2 will always be some of my favorite RPGs with a fantastic atmosphere, but it seems like they could never evolve past those successes. As time went on, their game design became obsolete and the jankiness seemed less like a side product of admirable ambition and more like they refused to learn from their mistakes.
Risen 1 was my favourite. Just so pretty and in warm colors. Beautiful greenery, nice combat system, less jank than in other PB's titles.
Best combat system I ever experienced in rpgs. After that risen 3 is not that bad either.
They just don’t make games like gothic 1 and 2. Such an unique experience to play through those. I’d say they’re in my top 5 games of all time although growing up in Eastern Europe really made me biased towards those two games haha.
Yeah in central and eastern europe, Gothic vs Morrowind was the hidden World War 3 back in the 2000s
@@Nikioko Yeah true, my bad. But between ES 3, 4 and 5 morrowind is arguably the best game and controlled less clunky compared to gothic
@@Nikioko Eh, the original not having mouse support was pretty clunky
Gothic 2 is my childhood crpg dream game! To this day I tell friends about the setting, atmosphere and not forgiving world
Risen 1 is such a great game, really glad it came to the modern consoles.
Rip Piranhas. Thank you for the memories.
My list would be (from worst to best):
Elex 2 < Elex 1 < Risen 3 < Risen 2 < Gothic 3 < Risen 1 < Gothic 1 < Gothic 2
My exact rating (even if I could also flip flop Elex 1 and 2). I really don't get the love for Elex and hate for Risen 2.
Elex atmosphere, world building, aesthetics and story is inconsistent, nonsensical and kinda ugly. I also think exploration isn't good due to overly big and unmemorable map. Jetpack didn't help either. Combat system sucks and character progression isn't smooth nor satisfying.
Love Pyranha Bytes. While all of them are janky they are just great at building immersion. Gothic 1, 2 are probably my personal favorites (with Archolos taking the crown if I count that). Elex 1 was fun as well though.
Archolos would not count for the same reason the G3 expansion and Arkania don't count. It's not from PB.
@@Llortnerof Yeah I understand that. I just consider it faithful enough to the original experience that I might as well put them on the same ranking. I recommend everyone play it alongside the main Gothic series anyways.
@@Llortnerof Despite being just a modification, Archolos is considered (in some parts of community) as a canon due to very high quality and being very faithful to lore
@@histhoryk2648 Sure, but it still wasn't made by PB. If it was a "Gothic series games ranked" it would deserve the rank, but for Piranha Bytes games, it doesn't.
PB games have the same effect that FromSoftware have: the first game you play is and always will be the best and more memorable
After playing all of this, you have to check The Chronicles Of Myrtana: Archolos !
Yes, please. I'd be really curious to hear your thoughts on it. Granted, probably a bit off from the normal 100% as its just a mod.
But before you brush it off, check out the history of it. It's really more than a mod and has some developers behind it, which would easily surpass some modern AA titles.
cool list! I agree with the bottom half, however, top half would look quite differently for me, with Gothic 2 and Gothic 1 on top - but I did play these at launch, so a lot of nostalgia here.
Looking back at the studio's history, I really wish that after Gothic 2, they would have developed something like first Risen, which was just a modernized Gothic game, and released it as Gothic 3. This would give them time and resources to create something more ambitious and what we now know as Gothic 3 could have been much better. Not to mentioned the fact that disasterous launch of Gothic 3 basically cost them that IP, which I was very fond of.
For me Gothic 1 & 2 are at the top from this studio. Instant classics.
Gothic was my childhood, thank you so much for covering these games. Your work is incredible and appreciated, right now the only reviewer I am watching.
Very interesting list :) I played every Gothic and Risen game at the time of their release (yes, I'm not too young anymore), and IMHO the best games for their time are Gothic 2 with Expansions, Gothic 1, Gothic 3, Risen, Elex, then the rest :) But, it is very interesting to see the same ranking from somebody who started playing Piranha Bytes games a decade, if not more, later :)
I feel the same. Rizen 1 was incredible, and so was ELEX. Love me some PB games, so I quite enjoy(ed) all of them.
Love your reviews sir, can't wait to (hopefully) see your review of the Gothic 1 remake!
Piranha Bytes is what made me appreciate more challenging games, you could say I owe them for finding and falling in love with all FromSoft catalogue. :-) Sure, it’s euro jank, but Gothic 1-2 are still the games I set as a golden standard for crafting an open world without any tedious fillers and stressing map markers a la Ubisoft, and they are also some of the absolutely most immersive games I have ever played, due to their progression system and slow leveling. Nowadays I may love other games more, but Piranha Bytes will always have a special place in my heart ❤️
Started playing Elex on PS4 'cause of your review and I really like it as far. I've never played and on Piranha Bytes games, but I've heard a lot about them, mostly about Gothic 1
1. G2
2. G1
3. G3
4. R1
5. R2
6. R3
Havent played Elex yet.
Do Chronicles of Myrtana Archolos, best Gothic game ever made, and not from Piranha Bytes
G2>G1>R1/E1>rest
^ the only correct order (at least for the top 3-4 PB games)
Here’s the video I was waiting for! ELEX 1 is definitely my favorite, with Risen 2 being a close second. I don’t usually 100% games but this one was actually fun to do and it’s a shame the ELEX 2 didn’t draw me in the same way as it’s predecessor.
With the exception of gothic 3, all their library are all solid and their approach to open worlds is still the best that sadly rarely anybody copied. Evemn gothic 3 you still have the parts that are pretty good like the world (at least for the myrtana area, because the desert one was pretty bad) and the music.
Their approach to loot is really preferable too compared to the ever increasingly common randomized/color coded loot in open world that makes exploration boring.
gothic 3 is a solid 7.5 after 5gb of mods and fixes :)
R.I.P ~ Gothic 2 was my Favourite
One player's jank is another player's treasure. Onward to 200k. All glory to the algorithm.
I did not expect to see Risen 2 ranked higher than gothic 3.
Well, if you want to be fair you have to rank the base game and in that case i can see it. The modded one... yeah, i'd put that above R2 as well. Especially if that big rework project gets finished.
I'd very much look forward to a video on Piranha Bytes as a studio! I think an insight into the studio that created some of our favourite games (even childhood games) would put all these experiences in a new light. I'd also just like to get more acquainted with Piranha Bytes just as much as I am with Bethesda, for example.
I love seeing people outside of Germany even acknowledge piranha bytes games, not to mention liking them. I have such a love hate relationship with them, having massive nostalgia for Risen 2 to absolute hatred for the abrupt ending of Risen 3 to simultaneously liking and hating Elex. I can definitely understand why people call them "Eurojank" and they’ve completely been behind the rest of the industry at least since Gothic 3. But they do have some charm and nostalgia for many and I like that people even internationally can enjoy them for all their flaws and outdated nature.
Having watched the video now, it’s funny how we probably had the same feeling towards our first piranha bytes game. Mine was Risen 2, therefore I like it the most, same with you and Elex. I would guess the iconic Piranha Bytes charm hits the most with your first experience of their games and I know exactly what you mean and what that feels like
You need to play every spiders game and make a list now
Played Gothic 1 in 2020 and heavily modded Gothic 2 in 2021 - still one of my favorite games of all time. Plan to replay Risen 1 and Gothic 3 in 2023-24. Cannot say this about Elex or Risen 2, 3.
Thank you so-so much for making this video; After watching all these reviews I was wondering how you would rank them, and low-and-behold, here's your video ranking them. Thanks again.
Personally I sometimes like the challenge of getting an old game running more than the game itself 🤣😂
It actually is pretty amazing how your ranking coincieded with mine almost bit to bit. the only thing I would do differently is ranking Gothic 2 above Elex, but still, it is amazing how you made all those points that resonate so well with me. Well done, sir, well done!
Your reviews made me purchase 5 of these titles. Thank you. Very cool part of your job.
I’m a PB fan. Played all of them. Gothic 2 has a special place in my heart
Heyo Mortym! It's awesome to read the comments and see all the PB fans. Cheers everyone!
Piranha Bytes is honestly my favorite RPG Dev Team and ELEX is my favorite franchise by them. I pray that we get ELEX 3, so that they can close out this Trilogy before a new IP! 🎉
Please review Chronicles of Myrtana: Archolos!
You get so many different Top Lists within the Piranha Bytes Fanbase/Bubble, it's very cool and interesting.
My list acc. to my very subjective opinion:
1. Gothic 2
2. Risen 3
3. Risen
4. Gothic
5. Risen 2
6. Gothic 3
7. Elex
8. Elex 2
Some further thoughts:
Best atmosphere in Gothic 2.
Best combat system and world Locations in Risen 3 (places where I want to make vacation 😅)
Unique Setting in Elex.
I have enjoyed piranha bytes games i feel like if they had better combat they could compete with AAA rpgs
It all began with the forging of the Great Games. Three were given to the Fantasy fans; Two to Sci-Fi fans. And another 3 to people who like pirates, I guess.
For within these games was bound Piranha Bytes' recipe for creating games. But they were all of them deceived, for another game was made. In the land of Poland, in the fires of the Mod Community, the The Chronicles of Myrtana Team forged in secret, a master game, to top all others.
Play Archolos already!!!
Sorry for my bad english.
Gothic 3 is in my top 3 Piranha Bytes games. Music is just GREAT. Myrthana, Varant, sometimes Nordmar are awesome, I have a lot of joy exploring them. Quests of course are bad but... I like them. I don't really mind doing them it's well, just fun. Characters are of course bad and I don't remember anyone (Expect character Sobota, because in Poland, sobota is the sixth day of the week, saturday) and again I don't really mind.
Gothic 3 for my is just very fun. I think i go back to this game, more than any other Piranha Bytes game. And i have never finished it :) but I really like it.
Ive been waiting for this video
Huge fan of your channel and recently discover my love for piranha bytes games with elex
Much love from Brasil
I finished Elex earlier this year for the first time and really liked it untill the final parts that kinda sucked. I've been putting it off for years. Seeing Elex 2 so low on the list makes me sad. Gothic 1 was my first PB game and it's still my favorite. Like you said the atmosphere is just something else.
Elex 2 feels rushed somehow. Also I did not like the camera in Elex 2 at all. They should´ve added an option to set it the same way as it was in Elex 1.
Personally I think it's an improvement for the most part the hits feel Abit floaty compared to 1 and the story gets kinda weird at the end but the rest factions quests and character building is better
@@hibarikyoya854 I agree at this point
Hey, Mortismal!
I'm really glad that found your channel. Your chillness, non-clickbaitness and objectiveness on gaming world feels very fresh! So tired of hatred in internet. Your videos are soothing.
However, a small constructive criticism! You really should put some synonyms for word "janky" in your vocabulary! Everything else is fine indeed!
P.S. Sorry for bad English.
Fun fact: Don Esteban found at 10:07 is actually named after the admin (back then, don't know nowadays) of the community hub World of Gothic where you can get mods and stuff. He is also in the Gothic 2 Addon, where he gets murdered.
If you enjoy Piranha Bytes games you need to play Chronicles of Myrtana.
Elex put their dark humor into a new level
out of the 8 gothic games pyranha bytes made i'd say gothic 1 and gothic 2 are the best as a cohesive whole, all the parts of those games work pretty well even with the dated engine. But gothic 3 holds a special place in my heart due to its music and sense of exploration (i never finished it though)
I still think that if Risen 2 would have been marketed as a new IP people would have a different oppion. But there still the fact that the matketing lied a said on the box "you can choose to join one of three fsctions" clearly marketing to old gothic fans.
Agreed. Well said. Elex just might be my favorite game
grew up with their games hope the new Gothic game will be as good as the original
@@vast634 It is the producer of Arcania: Gothic 4 so I would hold my beer there. I have seen this play out with Arcania before, as I was the admin of the Gothic Wiki on the german portal World of Gothic. They really engaged with the community and ensured them they would do a faithfull approach, then delivered...Arcania.
Love the list! Recently I did play Elex, and I just couldn't believe how much fun I had with the game, 2 complete playthroughs back to back. Brought me back to the time of when I first played Risen 1 and the Gothic series. Don't know about Elex 2 tho.... the way how they drastically changed how characters look just turns me off
I love how in the first game Jax looks like an emotionally dead, stone cold killer.
And in the second one he mostly looks "Tweedledee, Tweedledum".
@I D O Yea, I agree... In my opinion they deviated a lot from the original look of the character... I understand that a certain number of years passed since the story of the first game and he is no longer the person he was in Elex 1, but I don't think that justifies that he should look like a prisoner of war. I suppose it is a minor thing and very subjective. I may give the game a go but at not yet at least
My first Pirahna Bytes game was Gothic 2, I got that game as a Demo with a magazine back in the days and I remember when Gothic 3 came out in ~2005/2006 it was something amazing, I have even now the original DVD of the game and I didn't care about the bugs and how unpolish it was, until now for me it's one of the best games with The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion.
If I had to make a similar list, the only difference I would have with your list is I would put Risen as number two instead of 3.
Still one of my favourite to this day.
So what are your thoughts on the fact that Piranha has closed and we may never see an Elex 3?
I mean it sucks, but not much more to say, wish they had gone out a higher note if anything.
Gothic 3 was my first PB game, so naturally it's my favourite! :D ;-p
so glad you made this video its like you read my mind..
I mean a lot of people asked for it lol
I love your videos man! I didn't know you also do risen games!
Nothing beats the beautiful primitiveness and uniqueness of the original Gothic. The only game on the list I can replay over and over without getting bored.
I got the Gothic trilogy on discs about 10 years ago without knowing much about it. I find the games difficult to play now, same with Risen which I have on Steam. But I am really looking forward to the Gothic remake because Piranha Bytes crafted a great world and story and I want to see it updated (as long as it is a faithful adaption)
13:07 nice catch
I love your content Mortym with every video your channel gets better and better, hope you are having good time with youtube and don't forget to leave some time for yourself dude how are you make videos this fast :))
My top 3:
- Elex
- Risen
- Gothic 3
@@Nikioko 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️
The bottom half of my PB list is identical to yours. Then it's a toss-up between Gothic 1, Risen 1, and Elex 1 for 2nd, 3rd and 4th place for me - each game could go in either spot depending on how I feel that day. But Gothic 2 will forever be my personal #1.
My dude loves Elex 1 more than Gothic 2 😢
Great video! For the alg.
"Bad RPGs" are my guilty pleasure all Piranha Bytes, Outcast, Two Worlds etc. lol
G1, G2. R1, E1 are the best
That's always the doubt:
is this chapter of a series my favorite, only because it's the very first I played?
In your case, would Elex 2 have been your favorite game from Piranha Bytes if you had played it before Elex (1)?
I think we'll never know for sure.
But Elex is also a game I liked a lot myself,
and, since it's the only one from this developer I played,
I perfectly agree with you on the number 1 of the list!
(LOL)
Thanks for your videos!
Elex really took me by surprise. I agree with it being on the top spot.
Elex 2 is really fun but they stopped updating it right after release. I don't understand that
Community manager Zyddie said two weeks ago that big DX12 update is coming soon
The champs of Eurojank. Love them
Nice one. I am not a fan of Elex, I didnt even lunched second, but Gothic 2 is one of the worlds best RPG. Glad you give it second place. It is sad that nova days not many devs making some mechanicl like that. Even like there ware in Elex.
I've been a lifelong Gothic fan and I remember being extremely critical of Elex 1 when it came out. After Risen 2 and 3 I kind of gave up on Piranha Bytes being able to make a game I'd like.
Well, I started playing Elex a few days ago and I freaking love it. The only thing which ruins my enjoyment of the game is the knowledge of how the sequel turned out. Seems like a repeat of Risen situation. I just don't understand how is it possible that they get so many things right in Risen 1 and Elex 1, and completely abandon them in the next games.
Everyone who has played their games fondly remembers Gothic 2 Night of the raven. I'd be very surprised if it's not on the top of your list.
Interesting look at those games, I would go quite a different way
Gothic 2
Gothic
Risen
Gothic 3 (with community touch ups)
Elex
Risen 3
Elex 2
Risen 2
On the other hand, I’ve been playing them since they made the first Gothic, so…
Sadly it does not look good for Piranha Bytes, so we can just hope they will go forward even though they lost one of the really important people…
Gothic 2 seemed like it would be good when I tried it but I just couldn't get used to the controls. I've enjoyed everything they've made from Risen onward though. A big reason is that exploration in a Piranha Bytes game feels a lot more rewarding than most others.
The controls are actually quite simple once you got the gist of it. It feels a lot like early Playstation controls. Just pretend the STRG button is the shoulder button you need to hold and then you got four action keys, Up (Triangle) that can be pressed up to three times depending on skill level for a combo forward, Left (Square) to swing left, Right (Circle) to swing right and down to block (X).
Once you got the gist of it, you will find it incredibly rewarding as it is very easy to manipulate. The simple animations allow you to lock singular enemies into permant hitstun given the right timings, and as such you can beat much stronger enemies than yourself early on.
One more thing: Just cheat. The game allows you to cheat freely. Everything can be manipulated via console and some of it is game breaking, but invincibility is safe and will not affect game progression. And then just practice until you got the feelings and turn it off again.
This is the first opinion/review about elex 2 that didnt sing it praises and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Elex 2 was a massive letdown (except the post-game free flight) when I was hyped for years about the elex 1 successor. I think that both elex 2 and gothic 3 ( your bottom choices) focused too much on giving freedom to the player (Gothic 3 allowed you to juggle faction reputations and towns turned so that you would get stronger though exploring and looting the whole map, and elex2 allowed most character progression to happen outside of faction and its story), freedom that came in the expense of storytelling and "class" identity. IMO all the games by PiranhaBytes are good story games that are enjoyable even today, except elex 2. I would give that back if I could.
Don't look the timestamps
Don't look the timestamps
Don't look the timestamps
Dammit, I looked at the timestamps
Elex is probably the only PB game i couldn't finish. Always found a cheezy build to get through their games but never found one in Elex and gave up.
Elex I --> 2 handed weapon Berserk ftw.
Get the laser rifle you can't buy from the guy before the cleric outpost. Look it up if you have to, thing is insane and never runs out because all later enemies drop ammo for it. One cheese served :)
Very unique list! Your opinion, of course :D
My list would be quite different:
8: Elex 2
7: Elex 1
6: Risen 2
5. Risen 3
4. Risen 1
3. Gothic 1
2. Gothic 3
1. Gothic 2
I was so disappointed with Elex 2 that I'm just not looking forward to any new PB games. They've steadily been going down over the years and while each game has still been enjoyable in many ways, Elex 2 started to feel just so old and tired. I hated the game by the time I finished it. I've been very supportive of PB in the past but for me it feels like it might be time to let go and not expect another Gothic 2 anymore :P
I have all of their games. I am hoping that they don't close and continue making more RPGs.
May you also wander in wisdom and have an amazing day, Mort. As a sidenote, I really should play Elex one day. :)
It's quite funny. When people talk about their favorite phiranha bytes games, they always say it's the first one they played.
Usually I've seen that in the contex of "which gothic game is the best". But seems that extands to all their games.
Naah had more fun with Gothic II even though Gothic I was my first RPG on my first own PC back in 2004 and still think Gothic I had the greatest setting...but otherwise it is literally the same game, just the second is more polished and larger. I also just loved seeing where all the characters of Gothic I ended up at , and then there's the mods...
I jumped into Risen 2 and its 9/10 for me and a classic
That is a pretty good list. I'd place Elex under Gothic 2 and maybe even 1, but otherwise, I agree. Elex 2 was disappointing for me as well. Initial experience and exploration was great as always, but the game really fell apart in later chapters (even more than usual) and the story was just a mess. And I'd put Gothic 3 first. I'm clearly biased, but I grew up on that game and play it every few years still. I drove by a few bison during the weekend and I immediately thought about the area between Silden and Geldern with plains and roaming herds and I could visualize the whole landscape quite precisely (and me between them casting Rain of Fire). I explored that whole world close to 10 times over the years. I never finished the game tho, never killed leaders and chose the side. I just tried to complete everything before the end and eventually lost interest. For me, these games are not about stories at all and it's their weakest part often. Just exploring the world, doing quests for people, and getting stronger and stronger. Finishing later chapters feels more like a chore, especially Risen 3 and Elex 2. I stopped playing both games in later stages and it took me multiple months to return and finish them. And finishing Elex 2 was a really bad experience. Also, Gothic 3 has a godlike soundtrack.
ohh I actually thought that Risen 1 was not to your liking that much at least I got that impression from your normal review.
Yeah I tend to try to be pretty objective in reviews and some times people get the impression I don't like things as a result
Good show sir
Would be cool to see you do a video on severance blade of darkness, used to play it on pc when I was a kid I feel like it's been forgotten in time now
I played and really enjoyed gothic 2 and risen. Think ill try elex 1 next!
I haven't played Elex 2 yet, but my ranking of the others would be:
7. Gothic 3
6. Risen 2
5. Risen 3
4. Elex
3. Risen
2. Gothic
1. Gothic 2
I can't wait to play gothic remake
they say it is badly made but i would play any of them any day
then any new game out now
My personal ranking is:
7) Risen 2
6) Gothic 3
5) Risen 3
4) Risen
3) Gothic 2
2) Elex
1) Gothic
I din't played Elex 2 yet.
The first Gothic is a game ahead of its time. It's incredible if you think that a complex game like that was made in 2002. A truly masterpiece that i have finished 3 times.
Elex is underrated, behind all the junky stuff, there is one of the best RPG of the last decade.
I need a new run with Gothic 2, because i played that game only once some years ago, but i remember enjoying it as i enjoyed Gothic 1.
Risen is the best of the trilogy, the only problem is the fact that the ending sucks.
Risen 3 have the best implementation of magic combat in PB games. It's a shame that is really easy.
I admit, i have not finished the main story of Gothic 3, but in this game i'm really enjoying doing side quests and explore the world from city to city. It's an unfinished game with a lot of unexpressed potential... and it's a shame.
Risen 2 is the only PB game that i don't want to re-play anymore.
Congratulations! You've mastered the art of Eurojank! Too bad Elex 2 was such a disappointment and it looks like they pretty much abandoned fixing it. I wonder if and how they are going to wrap up this series.
i agree with this tier list - for me elex was their best game too