Gothic 1 Remake Reviews
Gothic Remake is not a game to be dismissed outright, and it manages to earn a narrow passing grade mainly thanks to what already worked twenty-five years ago: the constant sense of discovery, the satisfaction of overcoming seemingly impossible challenges, and the feeling of genuinely shaping the fate of the game world through your own choices.
Review in Italian | Read full review
For the hardcore fans of the franchise that just wanted a 1:1 remake of the original without anything added or removed, Gothic Remake is a dream come true. But even the avid Gothic fans are not safe from the performance horrors caused by the Unreal Engine 5, and that makes the Gothic Remake not everybody's cup of tea.
Gothic Remake proves it is still possible to build one, and to build it without a soulslike label, without hand-holding disguised as inclusion, and without ever once doubting whether the player can handle what is being asked of them.
Challenging classic action RPG remade for a new generation
Its unforgiving difficulty in the opening hours and lack of the convenience features modern players have grown accustomed to may make Gothic 1 Remake a tough sell for those who prefer a more relaxed experience. But there's no question that this remake is the definitive way to experience this cult classic. The sense of accomplishment it delivers is something few games can match, and that's simply a fact.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
However, while it might still be for a niche audience, this is very much an example of how to do a remake correctly. The developers have addressed the big issues in the original Gothic, while maintaining and building on everything that made it such a cult icon.
Gothic 1 Remake definitely has no intention of abandoning its original core principles in favor of so-called greater accessibility or conforming to current genre standards. This gives it a certain authenticity, but at the same time it also limits it from exploring more sophisticated possibilities in world design, resource management, campaign progression, and adaptability to different playstyles, becoming somewhat anachronistic and unbalanced in terms of cost and reward for the experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Gothic 1 Remake doesn't try to re-tell history; it just wants to paint over it. On one hand, you get the same atmospheric, brilliantly constructed world, now looking better than ever. On the other, that gorgeous world is still weighed down by decades-old gameplay mechanics and rigid level design. If you're hunting for a modern RPG built on modern standards, look elsewhere. But if you're an old-school purist who misses this legendary setting, or someone willing to tolerate clunky mechanics to experience a true classic, this remake does exactly what it sets out to do.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Gothic 1 Remake succeeded in preserving the spirit of the original game more than attempting to fully modernize it a decision that gave it a unique identity but also left many of its old issues intact. As a result, the experience carries a special charm for longtime fans, yet it suffers from clear flaws that prevent it from reaching the level it could have achieved had it dared to redesign some of its core foundations.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Gothic Remake has both notable achievements and considerable shortcomings in its journey to remake one of the most enduring RPGs in history. While sporting a more modern look, the game still preserves the deep role-playing mechanics and high player agency in quest completion—qualities that, although entirely indebted to the classic original, are far less common in today's RPG landscape. On the other hand, however, some fundamental issues can significantly overshadow the experience and frustrate the player. Furthermore, the developers' excessive effort to remain faithful to certain aspects of the classic version has caused not only the positives but also the negatives—sometimes in even greater doses—to carry over into the remake, occasionally leaving an unpleasant impression on the player. This title may offer a modern-graphics experience of Gothic 1, but as a "remake," it fails to shine particularly brightly.
Review in Persian | Read full review
A wonderful remake that captures the spirit of Gothic and gives it a modern twist.
Review in Russian | Read full review
The Gothic hero is back in decent form. It boasts modern graphics and offers a compelling story and precise character development. However, the progression is slow and demanding, which can be frustrating in the first few hours.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
I am happy to state that Gothic 1 Remake is a great game, and one that impressed me more than I was expecting. Having played the Remake’s demo, I was skeptical about this game being a true remake of the original. But it is, and a great remake at that.
Gothic 1 Remake pays homage to the original with a third-person RPG that aims to challenge the player. With no interactive maps, compasses, waypoints, or on-screen markers, we must listen closely to the characters and rely on them to get through the early stages, which will gradually draw us into this great adventure. The improvements go beyond the visuals to offer a better-designed world in terms of gameplay, smoother combat, and a rewritten story full of new possibilities. A return that isn't without its flaws but marks a good first step for future remakes
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Gothic remake is an anachronism-an intentional one at that. It eschews most contemporary practices in game design and accessibility, in favor of an old school, unfiltered approach. And it works - this is a glorious as well as uncompromising game.
Ultimately, the Gothic 1 Remake is a masterclass in how to resurrect a cult classic without sanding down the very rough edges that made it special in the first place. It can be frustrating to get into, until you realize that the fundamental philosophy of the unfriendly design is that it respects the player's intelligence.
Gothic Remake keeps the soul of the original intact, to the point where it doesn't care whether the player can keep up or not. This is a classic RPG with modern graphics, ready to punish us for the smallest mistake and perfectly happy to watch us fail. And that's exactly how it should be.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An excellent title for both newcomers and longtime fans, delivering virtually the same experience in a new, more beautiful, and more polished package. This is how remakes should be made! It's no surprise that the community is already asking for a remake of the second game. While it's a significantly better title than the original in terms of both storytelling and technical execution, there's still plenty of room for improvement. And Alkimia Interactive have proven that they can absolutely pull it off.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Gothic 1 Remake is a game of two halves. It’s got an interesting world that I wanted to explore, and the story and writing are well done. But there are a lot of systems that are consistently pushing up against you, stopping me from enjoying the finer points of the game. If you have nostalgia for the original, this may be easier to push through, but this remake blends well-done visuals and a great setting with a lot of mechanics and design that have aged poorly. There is a good game in Gothic 1 Remake; it’s just a lot harder to reach than it should be, and by the time you reach it, that frustration damages the overall experience.
Gothic Remake 1 is a faithful return to a legendary RPG: it captures the original’s charm, rewarding progression, and immersive world while modernizing its visuals and adding meaningful quality-of-life improvements. Yet outdated combat mechanics, technical stuttering, and rough animations hold it back from true greatness. For longtime fans, this remake is a fun revival; for newcomers, it remains a demanding but deeply rewarding RPG adventure. For veteran players, the game will have almost everything they wanted due to the refreshing remade features; however, I do believe newcomers will feel a bit out of touch with the core game plan and vision of the game due to the lack of hand-holding and its time-consuming grind.