Piranha bytes should be given some credit. Risen isn’t a bad game, it just doesn’t do anything revolutionary. The game had some solid build up before it was released, even having a trailer for the game released backed by a Nightwish song which fit the atmosphere perfectly. But the game hits too many cliches early in the game which could easily put off an RPG player. There’s only so many times you can see yourself washed up on an unknown island with an unwanted sidekick before you consider beating them to death with their own shoes.
Risen has a standard combat system, that has some minor flaws depending on what creatures you’re fighting, has a standard skill system and overall seems pretty standard, even the graphics don’t do anything revolutionary, they’re just like everything else in the game… Standard. But as I’ve said, this isn’t a bad thing, the game is a good RPG adventure, which given Piranha bytes past history isn’t surprising, these are the guys that brought you Gothic 1 and 2 after all. If you’re looking for an RPG to pass the time, you could do a lot worse than Risen, there are better RPG’s out there of course, but how much will you end up paying extra for those titiles? Risen is a solid RPG with a solid price for what it delivers.
It would appear that Piranha Bytes are also trying something a little different for Risen 2: Dark Waters. Continuing the story from Risen 1, but with pirates and a darker, moody setting? That’s a little less standard.
