Risen 2: Dark Waters

 PC
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 51
  3. Negative: 1 out of 51
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  1. PC Games
    Apr 23, 2012
    86
    Risen 2 transcends its shortcomings by boasting a wonderful living and breathing world and a refreshing new setting, masterfully crafted and executed. Although the combat is way too easy and the ending comes much too suddenly, Risen 2 is a great role-playing experience for any fan of open world games.
  2. ZTGD
    Apr 24, 2012
    85
    If you can look past some of the more useless skills and sluggish combat, you'll still have a great time while playing Risen 2.
  3. GameStar
    Apr 23, 2012
    85
    Quotation forthcoming.
  5. GRYOnline.pl
    Apr 23, 2012
    85
    Risen 2 is simply an another good game from Piranha Bytes. The developers prove that parting ways with their former partner - JoWooD Entertainment - has been a great decision. Risen 2 probably won't get any "RPG of the year" awards, but Gothic enthusiasts shouldn't care - Dark Waters will satisfy them fully, I'm sure.
  6. Multiplayer.it
    Apr 23, 2012
    84
    The game is a wonderful pirate experience with good graphics but with some limitations in the roleplaying aspects of the gameplay in comparison to the first Risen.
  7. Pelit (Finland)
    May 11, 2012
    83
    Fixes some of the first Risen game's issues, the graphics look great and the pirate theme is refreshing, but combat is still pretty awkward and the quests include a lot of running back and forth. Still, it's not a bad game by any measure and for fans of Gothic and Risen it's a treat. [May 2012]
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  8. Everyeye.it
    May 4, 2012
    82
    This second chapter of the Risen brand is an imperfect but charming RPG, with stunning environments and an engrossing story. An epic sea adventure we haven't seen in years!
  9. PC Master (Greece)
    May 16, 2012
    81
    Risen 2 offers all those features that have become synonymous with Piranha Bytes throughout the years: a wonderful setting, interesting quests, a robust battle system, variety and replayability. But along with those, Risen 2 drags with it some known issues, which have always been around with Gothic and Risen. [May 2012]
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  10. Games Master UK
    May 27, 2012
    80
    A superior, super tough sequel that offers a persuasive alternative to the RPG big boys. [July 2012, p.80]
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  11. CD-Action
    May 10, 2012
    80
    First impression is not very good, especially if you're not familiar with previous Piranha Bytes' work. But Risen 2 is so gripping and surprisingly fresh that you turn the blind eye to technical issues and rough edges. I really wish Germans had Skyrim's budget at their disposal and could polish the game properly, but if you're an RPG fan, you still have to play it. [June 2012, p.46]
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  12. Eurogamer Germany
    Apr 27, 2012
    80
    Sure, the combat is a bit more static than it should be in this day and age and the paper-thin story is as simple as the characters are free from the burdens of personality. But still, the atmosphere of this idealized Caribbean with all of the Bruckheimer-Disney-innuendos always manages to drag you back in. Hardly a contender against Witcher 2 or Skyrim, Risen 2 still manages to cater to its own niche with ease.
  13. XGN
    Apr 23, 2012
    80
    RIsen 2: Dark Waters looks amazing and lets you explore a massive world that feels very alive. The combat could have been better and some small errors can be annoying, but overall Risen 2 is better then its predecessor in basically every aspect.
  14. SpazioGames
    Apr 23, 2012
    80
    Despite a poor combat system, Risen 2 has a good atmosphere and great characters, enhanced by fun dialogue and a nice storyline.
  15. Eurogamer Sweden
    Apr 23, 2012
    80
    A really good RPG that takes your inner pirate spirit for a ride. Despite a few graphical bugs this game is for sure a day one buy, and a vast improvement on the original.
  16. Eurogamer Italy
    Apr 22, 2012
    80
    Risen 2 Dark Waters is a deep and enjoyable RPG, with strong gameplay mechanics and a funny environment full of pirates, grog and voodoo. It's not as polished as others competitors, but it will be a good choice for all the fans of the genre.
  17. 3DJuegos
    Apr 24, 2012
    77
    RIsen 2: Dark Waters is much better that its predecessor. It lets you explore a massive world with an excellent atmosphere and great characters... despite its poor combat system.
  18. Gamer.nl
    Apr 28, 2012
    75
    It takes a little bit too long before Risen 2 becomes a game you'll actually love. The first five hours of the game didn't bode well for the rest of it, but those who persevere are treated to a very entertaining story and a deep leveling system with which you can give shape to your own class. De varied missions stay interesting throughout the game, but better artificial intelligence, a more striking balance and less bugs would have gone a long way for Risen 2: Dark Waters.

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
41
#41 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 847 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 338 out of 847
  2. Mixed: 219 out of 847
  3. Negative: 290 out of 847
  1. schiller
    May 6, 2012
    5
    This is a game that I really wanted to love because there aren't many pirate RPGs out there and I love RPGs, I love pirates, and I love mostThis is a game that I really wanted to love because there aren't many pirate RPGs out there and I love RPGs, I love pirates, and I love most of PB's previous work. All the premises were there, damn it!
    PROS: The story blends nicely into the theme , so does the humour and insulting part of the dialogue lines. The exploration/wealth/reward balance is very good, I'm always looking forward to the next cave to see what great challenge may guard an epic item. The music is not very piratey at its core but it does sound quite PB'ish, so the new composer has done well. The character development is a free model and you have to work hard for those points and money, so you will feel well the progression and the reward later. Not all the important characters are memorable like in the old Gothics, but I like a select few and did care about them. Last but not least the collector's edition package and content is a good bang for the buck.
    CONS: While I am aware that bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, in this case I think the islands should have been larger. The sense of exploration and being lost in a huge lush jungle is very limited by the corridor topography. The distances between the points of interest are way too small. Compared to Gothic 3 this is quite frustrating, when you come from the world of Skyrim it's really annoying. The sword combat is quite a disappointment. The animations take your control away and make things harder in an unnatural way. The creatures stun you again (like Gothic3) which makes guns a must and I don't like that. I can't believe they still can't make a proper combat mechanic after all these years and so many games that share a lot of mechanics, one would think they have found a balance. Gothic 2 felt much better in this regard. Magic can't be fun with so small variation. The character models and animations are so bad that they sometimes prevent me from taking the game seriously in the most inappropriate moments. The insular and pirate theme is not developed enough. The atmosphere is there if youâ    … Full Review »
  2. Teknotronic
    Apr 26, 2012
    2
    Undeveloped features, unfinished and unpolished, clunky movement and combat mechanics, 'light' rpg stats, zero roleplaying outside the mainUndeveloped features, unfinished and unpolished, clunky movement and combat mechanics, 'light' rpg stats, zero roleplaying outside the main quest. Few pseudo-choices that lead to the same events. Bad voice acting. No purpose for exploration. Ugly character animations. Really, PB? I know this is not the same team that made G1 andG2, but still... you're a shadow and your new series is sinking in mediocrity.

    RPGFan has the best description for this 'AAA' wannabe title: I'm rarely disgusted after beating a game. Risen 2 left me aghast, and I'm not even a pirate fanatic. I can't imagine the disappointment of those expecting to finally lay their hands on a quality pirate RPG. What could have been a heavily nuanced action RPG is instead a waste of potential and a cheap product. Risen 2 doesn't just leave the niche as empty as it found it. RISEN 2: DARK WATERS GIVES PIRATES A BAD NAME.    … Full Review »
  3. Adanos
    May 9, 2012
    2
    Disgusting...this game should have stayed at least one more year in production...it's the only reasonable explanation why everything is eitherDisgusting...this game should have stayed at least one more year in production...it's the only reasonable explanation why everything is either dumbed down or downright broken. The combat, the tiny worldspace, the limited character development, the boring fetch quests, the horrendous graphics and animations? Piranha Bytes was always a developer of unpolished games and gritty gameplay, but they've never been so broken and uninteresting, they at least used to feature attractive story and character building. This game is too modest in scope, lacks creativity and the broken gameplay looks like it's made by a bunch of secondary school kids in their spare time not by a well established studio with years of experience in RPG development. Also, selling DLC cut from the very game since development? Yeah, you've earned the gamers' respect ... NOT… Full Review »
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