Gothic is a nice game. I found it quite hard, especially during the first half or so, being used to games like Neverwinter Nights and Fallout. What I really loved about this game is the feeling of being immersed in an hostile environment. At any time you can find yourself in deep trouble, whether from monsters that can kill you in seconds or NPCs who will try to take advantage of you. Granted, having challenges that scale comfortably with your character is a lot less frustrating, but the thrill of the unexpected was refreshing for me. However, it certainly is a game where you have to "save often and in different slots".
The combat system takes a while to get used to and you'll depend as much on your reflexes as on your character's build. However, the annoyances of the game are manageable and I didn't encounter any showstopper bugs or frequent crashes. Given the game's difficulty, the sense of accomplishment when you actually become stronger and can easily overcome enemies who could kill you in a couple seconds in the beginning is also very intense.
Overall, Gothic was worthy of my money and time.