Maybe the following helps to understand:

A Loveletter to Gothic's Open World Design
Gothic 1+2: Masterpieces of Immersive Design

Why Gothic Is More Believable Than Modern RPGs

In short, the atmosphere, and how the world feels "real", lived in, and like you are living in it along with the NPCs. Maybe it can be said that they're games more meant to be experienced than just played, enjoyed at times despite the actual gameplay, and those story confines typical of PB (deciding class according to faction and therefore a story path).
I am mainly referring to Gothic 1 and 2 here.

More choices are often better, but it was necessary for the main story twist.

Besides, love affair related quests in the first Witcher are quite fun due to such little insults. I tend to invite Carmen to the party for this reason. ;D
Classic RPG and Action/RPG are different genres. Personally, I enjoy both of them.
The first Gothic? Well, for me it is cozy atmosphere, interesting exploration of completely hand-made world, realistic characters and factions, neither epic nor dramatic story and quests.

And of course, skilled and talented mod-development community, which has produced a lot of awesome modifications.)
Actually, I've always liked this design pattern.)

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a go!

So for someone who didn't really like the Risen games much, would anyone recommend ELEX 1?

will elex2 be better than the first?
what are the differences?
i do , but i havent played it yet :)

Besides the first one which I only played the first couple hours of I'm not familiar with the Risen series so I can only recommend ELEX with regards to the Gothic series (whose fundamental design principles have been present in every Piranha Bytes game from then on anyway).

ELEX is Gothic with a jetpack in a science-fantasy setting. Same punishingly hard, slightly less clunky combat with the same steep learning curve, same compelling from-zero-to-demigod character progression and the same trademark open world design using natural progression borders.

Departments where ELEX is lacking are the story, the too inconsequential faction system and to some extent the immersion (non-optional Telltale-style popups as in "So-and-so is going to remember that.", "So-and-so likes that." or "This-and-that is going to have repercussions.").

OH! My bad for not looking in the options, lol!
Maybe I'll be reinstalling the game sooner than I thought.


Yes, that had me second guessing every choice I made. Really didn't think it was needed so much.

:) Glad I'm not the only one who would like the option. Your sentence about King's Bounty is particularly depressing as I have see those things occur in real life! For instance, people having kids to reap benefits (well, imo, *perceived benefits) from governments/businesses/employers/social and religious circles, etc.; basically making them as a means to an end and oftentimes objectifying the mother as well. But I digress.
Seems like fair points.
But also fair points and this would be an ideal compromise to allow for more nuanced choice. I am not very "mod-savvy" but it would be amazing if something like this could be changed in a mod. I know tangentially of Fallout 4's plot being able to be changed by a mod so perhaps it is possible in some way.
Hmmm. It would be more about the character and roleplaying itself for me, if that makes sense. Like if the main character being a parent is still an unavoidable part of the story, there is only so much I can "stretch imagination" to ignore it if to complete the game requires engagement with the story. The way you put it does sound less "in your face" than, say, Amnesia: Rebirth though.

It depends. ELEX 1 is very similar to Risen 1, but not to 2 and 3.
I'd say it's the best from Piranha Bytes since Gothic 2, but the formula is always the same - plus jetpack. You know what to expect.

Yes, the Witcher has official mod support, and it is possible to alter plot using editor.

Unfortunately, modding that game has never become very popular. :P

Therefore, only few story-driven modifications have been created. And I don't think, it will change anytime soon.

Did they just adjust the price recently?. Looks like its $69.95AUD instead of 99.95 i swear i saw initially when post was up

yes they did

I couldn't find a specific one about this part of the game (looking on nexusmods and moddb). But I guess worth looking into editor myself when I am able.