THQ Nordic has opened a pre—order of Gothic 1 Remake – and fans of “Gothic” can finally officially reserve the updated version of the iconic RPG. On Russian Steam, the game was priced at $49.99.
What is important is that the developers from Alkimia Interactive have confirmed the full localization into Russian. Voice acting, interface, subtitles — everything will be translated. No surprises in the “English subtitles only” style.
But the main thing is not only pre-order. A demo was rolled out on the game’s Steam page — Nyras Prologue. It’s not just a “feel” — the demo gives you an idea of how Gothic looks on Unreal Engine 5, and introduces you to the basic mechanics. The Valley of Mines, by the way, has been reassembled manually — they promise to preserve the gloomy soul of the 2001 original.
PC system requirements (original from the developers):
The system requirements have been sorted out. But the most interesting thing is that they really changed in the Gothic 1 Remake compared to the original — and where the fans are preparing to throw sneakers — below in the article.
Table of Contents
Gothic 1 Remake vs. the Original: What was Touched and what was Left Alone
Alkimia Interactive stated clearly from the very beginning: we don’t want a museum exhibit under glass. The game should be lively, but without betraying the original. The only question is where the red line between “rethought” and “remade” runs.
Graphics and the world
The good old ZenGin of 2001 went to the dustbin of history — Unreal Engine 5 instead. The gap of 24 years of technology is immediately visible. The Valley of Mines has become denser: dynamic lighting, voluminous shadows, and eye-watering detail. At the same time, the general entourage is recognizable.
The world has become a little more spacious — plus 10-20% of the size. The chests and pickaxes are in the same places as in 2001, but air has been added, as well as new NPCs.
The only thing fans are already complaining about is that textures on medium settings sometimes turn into mush. It is treated by manually adjusting the menu. Not fatal, but unpleasant.
Combat system and management
And that’s where the meat begins. It is the action game that causes the most heated debates — and the most fundamental changes.
In the settings, you can enable classic controls — for those who want to be nostalgic with a gamepad in their arms. For beginners, this is a modern scheme. The main types of punches were retained: left, right, lunge forward, slashing from above. The knockout system is also in place — he fell, was not finished, got up.
What we added: four types of strikes (two AoE and two aimed at the same target), which can be combined to your heart’s content. The animation of combat evolves with the growth of weapon proficiency — it looks impressive.
After feedback from Gamescom 2024, the studio set up a separate team for the action game: designers, animators, programmers — and even invited an actor with a sword to make the movements realistic. The bow has finally become convenient — manual aiming has appeared, and in the original the shooting was just for show.
Quests, crafting, and progression
Let’s compare the points. There were few side quests in the original, especially in the second half. In the remake— the old ones were expanded and new NPC quests were added.
Crafting weapons in the original is one type of blacksmithing. There are several types in the remake, plus full—fledged alchemy. Cooking: there was only roasting meat, there were recipes with temporary buffs.
The profession system was removed, however, and that upset the fans. But they closed the plot holes: separate lines for Orry, Towers of Mists — what was missing in 2001.
A mini-map and markers? No, the original principle is preserved. And that’s right.
The main fundamental problem of the old Gothic was that it was possible to clear the entire map in the first chapter, and just run through the void for the second half of the game. In the remake, this problem is dealt with separately. It’s unclear exactly how, but the fact of recognition is already a good thing.
Soundtrack and atmosphere
Kai Rosenkrantz, the composer of the original Gothic, is back. He reinterpreted the old tracks and recorded new ones. The music is not the same as in 2001, but “the same.” If you’re a fan, you’ll understand.
The controversial point is the colors. Part of the community shouts: “The colony has been greened, the autumn melancholy has been removed!” The developers retort: summer is in the prologue, and a change of seasons is planned during the game. Let’s see how they implement it.
Conclusion
This isn’t a port with stretched textures. Almost every system has been either redesigned from the ground up or significantly expanded. The core of the 2001 original has been intentionally left intact. It will be enjoyable for both veterans and newcomers—the only question is whether fans will forgive the removal of professions and the greening.
Gothic 1 Remake is set to release on June 5, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Console players are also in for a treat. Incidentally, THQ Nordic and Alkimia Interactive revealed the release date a bit earlier, but now that pre-orders are open, it’s all set.
