Gothic II

Gothic II: Gold Edition bundles Piranha Bytes' 2002 RPG sequel with its Night of the Raven expansion into a single package that remains one of the most influential — and most uncompromising — entries in the Eurojank RPG canon. The setup follows directly from the first Gothic: the magical barrier that imprisoned the Mine Valley convicts has been torn down, the former criminals are now causing trouble around the capital of Khorinis, and the town militia is undermanned and powerless to control them.

The game's world is the central asset. Over 500 individual characters populate Khorinis and its surroundings, each with their own daily routines — they wake, work, eat, drink, sleep, fight, and respond to your behaviour on a schedule that runs continuously around you. The town doesn't reset itself between visits; what you do at noon will affect what's happening that evening. More than 100 missions branch across multiple factions — the mercenaries, the city guard, the magicians — and the path you choose determines what work the rest of the game gives you.

Combat uses Piranha Bytes' distinctive timing-based melee system, which most newcomers find punishing until it clicks, after which it becomes one of the more rewarding combat systems in the genre. More than 200 weapons and magical spells are available across the campaign. The Night of the Raven expansion adds Jharkendar — a substantial new region — alongside additional storylines, equipment and enemies. The Gold Edition includes over 12 hours of full English voice acting and remains the version most players reach for when revisiting the game.