About Piranha Bytes
Piranha Bytes are developers of computer games located in the Ruhrgebiet, Germany’s industrial heartland. They have developed the much acclaimed GOTHIC, Risen, and ELEX computer roleplaying games. Pluto 13 GmbH was founded in 2002 by employees and management of Piranha Bytes Software GmbH. Piranha Bytes Software GmbH was itself founded in 1997 and later (1999) turned into a 100% subsidiary of Phenomedia AG, a company listed on Germany’s Neuer Markt stock exchange. In 2001 the first GOTHIC game was released to the public. In May 2002 Phenomedia AG went into insolvency proceedings due to irregularities for which several former group managers (not Piranha Bytes’ management!) have been tried…
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Gothic II is a role-playing video game and the sequel to Gothic, by the German developer Piranha Bytes. It was first released on November 29, 2002 in Germany, with North America following almost one year later on October 28, 2003. The game was published by JoWooD Entertainment and Atari.
Gothic is an action role-playing game set in a third-person perspective within a fantasy open world. The player controls an unnamed prisoner sent into a mining colony enclosed by a magical barrier. Gameplay emphasizes exploration without quest markers or a guided map, and the player character begins with no skills, learning them by finding teachers and spending earned skill points. The game features three factions to join, each offering different paths and abilities: the Old Camp provides access to Fire Mages, the New Camp to Water Mages, and the Brotherhood to early magic through worship of a being called the Sleeper. Combat involves melee weapons, ranged weapons, and magic across six circles of increasing power. The environment is highly interactive, allowing the player to cook food, forge weapons, and perform many activities seen in NPC routines.