The Chronicles Of Myrtana: Archolos is a free mod for Gothic 2 developed over nearly six years. In total, it contains 170 quests, 200 random events and 1,400 NPCs. It stands out from regular mods not only because of the new mechanics it adds to the original game, but also because it is fully voiced. Released on December 10, 2021. The main protagonist of the mod, Marvin, and his older brother Jorn flee Londram, the island of his birth, to reach Archolos, where their uncle lives. The reason for their journey is the death of their parents and the impending war against the orcs.

The brothers board a ship and, together with a group of other refugees, begin their search for a better life. Their plans quickly go awry when the captain of the ship tricks the passengers and drags them into a difficult situation where they have to fight for their lives. Then they discover that the island of Archolos is far from the paradise it appears to be on the outside, and the monsters lurking on the roads are just one of the many threats. The Merchant's Guild of Araxos, the water mages and the heirs of Volfzack all wield considerable influence in the region, and these turbulent times are a great opportunity for them all to gain autonomy over the island.

Marvin soon becomes embroiled in the machinations of Archolos and is forced to find a way to survive in a world full of betrayal, opportunism and conflicting interests. The choices made by us affect the game's environment and the lives of the NPCs we encounter. It also partly shapes the beginning of the first Gothic game, leading to the creation of the magic barrier around the Mining Valley on the island of Khorinis. Although the story takes place ten years before this event, the mod is completely faithful to the original games in the series.

The gameplay is not much different from what is known from the first two Gothic games. We see our character from a third-person perspective, with the bulk of the game consisting of dialog, exploration and combat. All three of these activities reward you with experience, allowing the protagonist to level up. However, his skills don't increase automatically and we have to train our character by visiting trainers encountered around the world.

Marvin can learn to use different melee weapons: swords, daggers, axes and ranged weapons like bows and crossbows. The mod offers more than a hundred new armor and weapons with unique skins. He can also learn to cast spells and increase his strength and dexterity. Other useful skills he can gain include lock picking, pickpocketing or crafting.

The crafting system, significantly improved and expanded compared to the first Gothic games, allows us to forge swords, brew potions, cook food, write magic scrolls or make our own ammunition. The player can use all these skills on the island of Archolos, full of vineyards, farms and villages. The most notable feature of the region 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.

The mod was downloaded over 100,000 times within five days of release and had a 98% positive review score on Steam for nearly two weeks after its release. Most of the downloads, around 70-75%, came from Poland. The mod also gained popularity abroad, especially in Russia and Germany. The developers got an unexpected surprise with The Chronicles of Myrtana and expressed their gratitude for the mod's popularity among players. However, they also said that they will probably never develop another project like this again.

The mod's soundtrack is also noteworthy. Some of it is made up of classic tracks from the Gothic trilogy, but there are also some completely new tracks. In total, the entire in-game soundtrack consists of 34 compositions performed by Kamil Jedrzejewski with the help of Szymon Nawrocki and the Andante's Inferno orchestra. All of them are available for free download on Steam. Finally, the mode offers an average of 80 hours or more of gameplay.

This is my all-time favorite open-world RPG. It made Gothic II look like an underdeveloped piece of media. The sheer size of Archolos is enough to keep you in for over 100 hours.

I've beaten this game after 120 hours, and the second I got back to the main menu, I started another playthrough, which lasted for 130 hours. I wouldn't be surprised if I'd never experience a game that replicates this.

The gameplay is pretty much Gothic II but enhanced in every way possible. The additional mechanics are implemented flawlessly, and nothing sticks out. It's enough to keep you mind-blown, but nothing feels overdone.

The story beats anything I've played before. There are so many characters you interact with, yet every single one of them is memorable and fascinating in their own way. If I could describe this game in one sentence, I'd use "The Witcher 3 in Gothic II's skin, but somehow better than two of these games combined." There are 6 chapters in this game, yet I can't pick my favorite. Every single one is packed with so much unbelievable content - I can't choose.

The easter eggs, exploration, combat, difficulty - everything is perfect. This is one of the strongest 10/10 scores I've ever given, but it's nothing but deserved. - 🕙