Arcania: Gothic 4
A direct sequel in the Gothic series.
Arcania (originally released as Arcania: Gothic 4) is an action role-playing video game and a direct sequel in the main Gothic series, developed by Spellbound Entertainment and published by JoWooD Entertainment in 2010. It was released on 12 October 2010 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360, with later re-releases as Arcania: The Complete Tale for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, and for PlayStation 4 in May 2016. The game is notable for simplifying mechanics from its predecessors, including limited spells and no sleeping mechanic, and for its mixed reception among critics and fans.
- Developer
- Spellbound Entertainment
- Publisher
- JoWooD Entertainment
- Release date
- 12 October 2010
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Genre
- Action role-playing
- Series
- Gothic (main series)
Lore & Background
The game's development was announced on 23 August 2007 under the title Gothic 4: Genesis, later changed to Gothic 4: Arcania, then Arcania: A Gothic Tale, and finally Arcania: Gothic 4. The name changes were intended to hint at a magical world and to help the franchise gain popularity in North America. The game uses Trinigy's Vision Engine 7 and NVIDIA PhysX for physics. A demo was released on 24 September 2010.
Reader's Guide
Arcania: Gothic 4 represents a controversial entry in the Gothic series, as it stripped away many core elements such as stat requirements for weapons, skill teachers, and a sleeping mechanic, replacing them with a simplified skill tree and only three upgradable spells. The plot follows a hero seeking revenge after his village is destroyed, linking his fate to a mysterious lady and a powerful artifact. The game received mixed reviews on PC and Xbox 360, and generally unfavorable reviews on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, with praise for graphics but criticism for alienating series fans. By October 2010, it had sold 200,000 units in Europe. An expansion, Arcania: Fall of Setarrif, was released in October 2011 for PC, and later bundled as Arcania: The Complete Tale. A sequel was once planned according to a former JoWooD CEO.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally announced as Gothic 4: Genesis in 2007.
- Only three spells are available in the game, though they are upgradable.
- The physics engine used is NVIDIA PhysX.
- A patch for the PC version was released on 23 November 2010.
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