Gothic like RPG experience but 2D? Possible? Impossible?

[NotAI]

Thought experiment:

Is it possible to recreate the feel of a 3D RPG with satisfying and deep exploration like Gothic 1 or Gothic 2 without having full camera look around?

Satisfying exploration came largely from there always being surprises. Adequate payoff. Surprises come to the player who explores thoroughly. But part of that was based on parts of the world obscuring naturally view of other parts of the world. The terrain being tall and mazelike blocks view of nearby surprises, allowing the game to have an exceptional density of surprises. Indoors as well. Even an open door can block view of a chest next to it. Try closing the door and you see a chest. The chest has a key that solves a quest another way. These become the reward in the loops involving exploration. The player learns to try to explore everywhere. To re-explore nearby whenever possible. Recall that the devs somewhat dropped the ball in Gothic 3 in this respect.

[DemoGraph]

If 2d game has a field of view implemented, you can have terrain blocking surprises.
Technically, Doom was 2d (2.5d).
Project Zomboid is isometric with a limited FOV. It could've been 2d.

[WhiteShark]

It's harder. I think in 2D it's usually better to make it a question of how to get to something, not hiding the thing itself. Perspective can be used to hide things behind other things, but that incentivizes the player to start bumping into every obscured nook and cranny; not engaging gameplay.

[rusty_shackleford]

Has there ever been a Gothic-like with a bird's eye view perspective?

[DemoGraph]

Has there ever been a Gothic-like with a bird's eye view perspective?

?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenant_(video_game)

[rusty_shackleford]

Has there ever been a Gothic-like with a bird's eye view perspective?

?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenant_(video_game)

I don't think this is gothic-like

[logincrash]

Not an RPG, but Mark of the Ninja has Fog of War on regular difficulties and a FOV restriction when playing on the harder difficulties.

That kinda thing could work if you want to surprise the player from time to time.

[Fitz]

Isn't Dova exactly what OP is describing?

I'd say the first Darkest Dungeon also falls under that category, but the gameplay loop might not be satisfying enough for everybody.

[rusty_shackleford]

Isn't Dova exactly what OP is describing?

I'd say the first Darkest Dungeon also falls under that category, but the gameplay loop might not be satisfying enough for everybody.

I suspect the exploration of this game is actually nothing like gothic but I haven't played it.

[Algol]

Isn't Dova exactly what OP is describing?

I'd say the first Darkest Dungeon also falls under that category, but the gameplay loop might not be satisfying enough for everybody.

I suspect the exploration of this game is actually nothing like gothic but I haven't played it.

It's compared to Gothic a lot, but I'm not certain why. Also made by ***/commie devs (at least imo).

[asf]

drova is wokefest by some ******** german