If you’re on the lookout for a new fantasy RPG, and don’t mind taking a trip back in time to get it, the upcoming Gothic Remake is for you. Two decades after it originally launched, an Unreal Engine 5 rebuild of this cult classic adventure is now playable thanks to a new demo. With Steam Next Fest underway, you’ll want to get this added to your ever-expanding library before you run out of hard drive space.
First released in 2001, the original Gothic is a cult classic. Releasing around the same time as Morrowind, Neverwinter Nights, and the old-school Baldur’s Gate games, it’s an underrated fantasy RPG beloved by fans. That’s where the new Gothic Remake comes in, as THQ Nordic and Alkimia Interactive aim to keep it a “faithful” experience. NPCs will still go about their daily lives, fauna have a suite of natural behaviors, and you have a truly stunning open world to explore.
Set in a medieval fantasy realm where the humans are fighting a losing war against the orcs, you take on the role of a nameless prisoner. Left to rot in the Colony, all criminals need to mine for a magical ore, while a dome prevents their escape. The barrier got out of control, though, and now the inmates run the asylum, and you’ve just rocked up to the party.
As for the Gothic Remake demo, it’s a self-contained prologue. You step into the shoes of Nyras, a new prisoner just trying to survive. The demo lasts for around an hour, and doesn’t contain the same depth, freedom, and intended progression in the full game. Instead, you can get a first-hand look at the Unreal Engine 5 version of the Colony, and begin to explore it ahead of launch.
My colleague Ken also looked at the game when he went to Gamescom last year, and he saw how Alkimia is keeping everything faithful to the original game while still endeavoring to modernize it.
You can download the Nyras Prologue for the Gothic Remake right now, which is available as a part of Steam Next Fest until Monday March 3. Just head right here.
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