Gothic II: The Chronicles of Myrtana - Archolos

The Chronicles Of Myrtana: Archolos is a free modification to Gothic 2: Night of the Raven, developed in about six years by The Chronicles of Myrtana Team. The mod stands out from the others not just for its over sixty hours long storyline (featuring 170 quests, 200 random events and 1,400 NPCs) and new mechanics, but also being fully voiced.

Plot

The mod's main protagonist is Marvin (who should be already known to those playing Gothic with cheat codes). The youth escapes his native island of Londram along with his older brother, Jorn, trying to reach the titular Archolos, where their uncle lives. Their journey is motivated by the deaths of their parents and the incoming war against the orcs. The brothers board a ship and set out in search of a better life with a group of other refugees.

Their plan quickly goes awry when the captain deceives the passengers, forcing them to fight for their lives. The island of Archolos itself also turns out to be far from a paradise it seemed to be, with the monsters lurking on the roads being just one of many threats there. The Araxos Merchant Guild, the water mages and the heirs of Volfzack all have significant influence within the region, with these turbulent times proving a great opportunity for all of them to gain autonomy.

Marvin soon ends up entangled in Archolos' intrigues, forcing him to find a way to survive in a world filled with betrayal, opportunism and conflicting interests. His choices - made by the player - influence his surroundings and the lives of the people he encounters. They also partially shape the beginning of the first Gothic game, leading to the creation of the Magic Barrier around Mine Valley on the island of Khorinis. Curiously, though set a decade before this event, the mod is fully lore-accurate to the series' canon.

Mechanics

The gameplay in Chronicles of Myrtana: Archolosdoesn't differ much from what is known from the first two Gothic games. We see our character from the third-person perspective, the bulk of the game comprised of dialogue, exploration and combat. All three of these activities reward you with experience, letting the protagonist level up. His skills don't increase automatically though - you need to train him by visiting tutors encountered around the world.

Marvin can learn how to use different melee weapons (swords, daggers, axes, etc,) and ranged weapons (bows, crossbows) - the mod offers over a hundred new armors and weapons with unique appearances. He can also learn spellcasting, as well as increase his strength and dexterity. Other useful skills he may gain are lockpicking, pickpocketing or crafting. The crafting system has been significantly refined and expanded compared to the one in the early Gothic games, letting us forge swords, brew potions, cook, write magic scrolls or make our own ammo.

Archolos Island

The player can make use of all these skills on the island of Archolos, filled with vineyards, farms and villages. It was mentioned during the first Gothic game, though it's the first time ever the players can see it with their own eyes. The region's most noteworthy feature is the city of Archolos - the largest human settlement ever shown in the Gothic trilogy. The island also features deep mines and the monastery of Adanos.

Reception

The Chronicles of Myrtana: Archolos proved to be quite a success. Within five days of its release, the mod received more than 100,000 downloads; for nearly two weeks after debuting it had a 98% positive review score on Steam. Most downloads, about 70-75%, were made in Poland. The mod also gained popularity abroad, especially in Russia and Germany. The developers were so pleasantly surprised with The Chronicles of Myrtana: Archolos' warm reception, it led to Mateusz Pawlowski thanking the fans on their behalf. However, they also stated they probably won't create another project like this.

Soundtrack

The mod's soundtrack is also noteworthy. Part of it consists of classic tracks from the Gothic trilogy, though there are some entirely new tracks as well. In total, the full soundtrack consists of 34 compositions by Kamil Jedrzejewski, performed with the help of Szymon Nawrocki and the Andante's Inferno orchestra. Its entirety is available for free, including on Steam.