Gothic 3 - Review @ Gamebanshee

Gamebanshee's Sue York has done an in-depth review  of JoWooD and Piranha Bytes' Gothic 3,  playing with the latest v1.6 community patch installed.  The overall score is 7.8/10. It's a lengthy review, and hard to quote without spoliers so here's just a small sample:

 Both reputation and character development are gained by completing quests. As with many RPGs, a number of the game’s side quests are mundane - even simplistic - such as hunting and trading, fetching and carrying. Those which are more challenging involve the recruitment of other characters, sometimes to form a group. Here the trick is to survive and keep your partner(s) alive whilst they charge into the fray. The best approach to quests of this nature is arguably to clear the way first, allowing for the safe passage of group members to the point where their skills are needed for completion of the quest. It is not necessary to complete all of the side quests, so the player can select those which appeal. Furthermore, the epic nature of the game is reflected in how long it takes to build reputation.