Gothic 1 was very very good but Gothic 2 is better. Sure, the initial setting might not be as original as the one in the first part but it really doesn't matter.
Gothic 1 and 2 are both games that since their release have never left my harddrive. The 3D graphics might look a little blocky but you get used to the style very quickly and you will realize that they are actually quite beautiful.
There are very few games that offer that amount of freedom and while it might not be as big as, say, Morrowind the size of the Gothic world is just perfect - big enough to let you explore but small enough to make you feel as if every squarefeet has been lovingly designed.
Two thumbs up!