Risen 2: Dark Waters

 PC
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
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  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 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    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 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    … Expand
  2. Allions
    May 4, 2012
    7
    Average game. No more, no less! Nice graphics when looking in distance and in some situations... but absolutely no "polish" work by the devlopers (when the character "climbs" something, half the time it "disappear" in the texture). Bad voice acting and an average story (not very original plot). Really, really annoying fighting system! In the game beginning at normal difficulty it was veryAverage game. No more, no less! Nice graphics when looking in distance and in some situations... but absolutely no "polish" work by the devlopers (when the character "climbs" something, half the time it "disappear" in the texture). Bad voice acting and an average story (not very original plot). Really, really annoying fighting system! In the game beginning at normal difficulty it was very difficult to kill an opponent... to the end, everyone, also the bosses are too easy (due to the skill learned by the character)! Nice places and islands... but without things to do (just search treasures in 90% of the cases).
    The game could be a great game if the developers just spent 6 months more on it.... they released a average game for 25 hours of average game play (with launch "DLC"). Buy it when it drops down to 15-20â    … Expand
  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 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, butDisgusting...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… Expand
  4. TheBeagle
    Apr 24, 2012
    5
    This is how a once great developer should NOT make games: this is a shadow of what Gothic 1 and 2 offered in exploration, compelling stories, freedom of movement and open world rewards. This game feels CRAMPED and linear! I expected a really big piratey open world with many viable playstyles and a lot of things to do. It's more of an action-adventure with poor roleplaying diversity,This is how a once great developer should NOT make games: this is a shadow of what Gothic 1 and 2 offered in exploration, compelling stories, freedom of movement and open world rewards. This game feels CRAMPED and linear! I expected a really big piratey open world with many viable playstyles and a lot of things to do. It's more of an action-adventure with poor roleplaying diversity, watered down stats, ugly interface, simplified factions and faction interaction... and the combat is horrible. This is not an open world RPG, this is an adventure (and not the best one at that) that ruined once more the illusion that we could have a big, living world of pirates RPG.… Expand
  5. SHELOB
    May 5, 2012
    3
    Compared to other recent RPGs, this one looks ugly and dated. That would not be a deal breaker for a player who is still enjoying his Morrowind, Gothic 1 and 2, Fallout 1 and 2, Deus Ex 1... graphics is not everything. BUT! Unfortunately this game is also lacking more aspects that define a quality RPG experience. The premise of the story is very promising but unfortunately it is underminedCompared to other recent RPGs, this one looks ugly and dated. That would not be a deal breaker for a player who is still enjoying his Morrowind, Gothic 1 and 2, Fallout 1 and 2, Deus Ex 1... graphics is not everything. BUT! Unfortunately this game is also lacking more aspects that define a quality RPG experience. The premise of the story is very promising but unfortunately it is undermined by the lazy writing and the repetitive scenery. The dialogue and the npcs personalities are simple, bad quality comic and nothing to write home about. The quests are not the brightest I have played, not on par with Risen 1 anyway. The combat is simplified to a point where I start resenting the slow response of my character and the idiotic animations that either make or break a fight: you stunlock the enemy or they will interrupt you becasue their animations are shorter. Very, very bad combat design and control. The stealth character development is subtracting your combat power to a degree where you wish you did not roleplay the thief. I find the mini-games annoying and unwelcome for the immersion. In a game with pirates, harbors, ships and so much water, it is common sense for everyone(except PB) that swimming should be a part of the gameplay; going into the water and being teleported back is so stupid that it cannot be described in decent words. The Speed Tree implementation is hillariously broken, it is distracting and worthy of a cheap indie title. PB are going backwards in so many ways that I wouldn not recommend this game to my enemies.… Expand
  6. Arkaynne
    Apr 28, 2012
    5
    Linear, terrible combat, poor attention to detail. This feels more like a hastily assembled mass market clone than the deep detailed games that the Gothic series was. My recommendation would be to wait for this game to go on sale at a deep discount before risking your dollars on a fairly "meh" game.
  7. Fortysixter_UK
    Apr 27, 2012
    6
    SO, Risen 2 first impressions, having downloaded it from STEAM overnight.

    The engine, in my opinion, has some major issues ( Faults ). Objects "pop in" at very close range. Trees and bushes change shape dramatically as you approach them, and textures flicker constantly in the middle distance. This is very distracting. Character animation is very stiff, and when they speak, they seem    SO, Risen 2 first impressions, having downloaded it from STEAM overnight.

    The engine, in my opinion, has some major issues ( Faults ). Objects "pop in" at very close range.
    Trees and bushes change shape dramatically as you approach them, and textures flicker constantly in the middle distance.
    This is very distracting.
    Character animation is very stiff, and when they speak, they seem to flail their arms around to get what they are saying over to you, which is probably because there is virtually no lip syncing or indeed, lip movement. All the characters seem a little short and squat.
    I'm running the game at 2560 x 1440, I haven't tried any other resolutions. Maybe a lower res would stretch the characters out.

    The shadows cast by buildings and trees seem "twitchy", moving back and forth in an unrealistic manner on the floor.
    The running animation is very odd. When you run, your characters torso becomes a fixed point in 3d space and does not move
    and the arms and legs flap up and down in a very limited animation style. Overall, the engine is not great. The engine would not have been great 10 years ago. I assume the company made their own instead of buying a licence for the Unreal engine or some such.
    It shows.

    The animation style is very cartoon like on the game NPCs which clashed a little bit with what is otherwise, a very nice engine visually.
    Textures are clear and sharp, buildings well defined & designed.

    The voice acting steps things up considerably. The game has been localised , very well as far as I'm concerned, by an entirely UK English speaking cast.
    All accents are either London or Cornwall based. UK slang words have been worked into the game well and used in the correct contect.
    Most of the time.
    Swearing is present and prevalent and is quite funny to hear.

    The music is simply excellent, atmospheric and fitting to the environment, helping to set the mood well. It reminds me a little of the excellent music from Age of Conan, mainly the
    Tortage city themes.

    The mission structire so far appears to be the usual "fetch & bring back" type, or the "chicken & egg" conundrum, in that you have a final objective but simply can't get to it without meeting certain criteria in the first place, and those criteria, also have criteria to meet.
    Standard RPG fare there then, and this will likely make the game a solid single player RPG experience.

    Combat starts out with a basic parry / slash combo , and as you level up, your earn skill points and gold to spend with trainers to improve your skills or increase your arsenal of moves.
    Exactly the same as both Risen and Gothic 3.

    So for now, is it worth 40 quid of STEAM? ...well for a start don't buy it off STEAM unless you really have to, prior to purchase I looked to find a retail copy and could find none.
    SO I bought it on STEAM.
    The next day, a retail version is on AMAZON for £15.00 less !!!!

    ....Not to the casual RPG-er, but to anyone who has enjoyed the Gothic series, Two Worlds 1 or 2, Venetica, the original Risen, Dinity or Might & Magic 6 thru 9 this will be more of the same
    involving and fun gameplay.

    If you think western RPGs stop with Oblivion and Skyrim, don't bother. This game will require a fair about of forgiveness ( the engine is seriously lacking), but in the long run I think it will offer a lot of rewarding gameplay to the patient player. If you can , that is ,tolerate the heavy, HEAVY graphical issues, which I hope will not plague the console versions as it has the PC version .

    The game plays with mouse and keyboard OR the Xbox controller without issue.

    I'll be playing Risen 2 to the end.

    I think a score of 6/10 is fair.

    Now give us a patch to fix the graphics.    … Expand
  8. gregor
    May 6, 2012
    1
    Dishonest business practice like cutting content from the game and selling it as day 1 DLC should be discouraged. This is the most disgusting way of treating your public.
  9. Teknotronic
    Apr 26, 2012
    2
    Undeveloped 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 isUndeveloped 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.    … Expand
  10. Jerome89
    Apr 27, 2012
    3
    This is the new Arcania, now made by Piranha Bytes themselves. I'll never understand why they had to undermine once again their own series with an unworthy successor. This one has a forced story, weak character development, uninteresting world and dialogues and very poor control for a modern rpg. The pirate setting is underwhelming to say the least, I expected much more side quests,This is the new Arcania, now made by Piranha Bytes themselves. I'll never understand why they had to undermine once again their own series with an unworthy successor. This one has a forced story, weak character development, uninteresting world and dialogues and very poor control for a modern rpg. The pirate setting is underwhelming to say the least, I expected much more side quests, factions that you can join, rewards, choices&consequences...Witcher 2 is far from perfect but it's miles ahead.… Expand
  11. Fractalia
    Apr 29, 2012
    3
    Atrocious: (Webster) 'of very poor quality'. Atrocity: (Webster) 'enormous wickedness; extreme heinousness or cruelty'. Failure: (Webster) 'a state of inability to perform a normal function'. Risen 2: (Fractalia) atrocious atrocity, technical failure, artistic disappointment, writing mediocrity, dumbed down RPG.
  12. CptFlint
    Apr 29, 2012
    2
    A low quality RPG in disguise. The pirate setting and the open world are attractive enough to make me spend the money but the experience is very frustrating, everything seems awkward and poorly executed, from story to character development, especially the movement, the trees, the npc animations, the dialogue options. The only thing that I do appreciate is the music, it's a nice touch thatA low quality RPG in disguise. The pirate setting and the open world are attractive enough to make me spend the money but the experience is very frustrating, everything seems awkward and poorly executed, from story to character development, especially the movement, the trees, the npc animations, the dialogue options. The only thing that I do appreciate is the music, it's a nice touch that enriches the monkey islandish playful atmosphere. The quests are boring and repetitive as the usual nowadays RPG, the path is quite linear for an open world design, and last but not least the lack of interaction with the environment is a let down, it seems PB is making their worlds smaller AND removing content at the same time, I'm curious where they are heading. Maybe they want to "evolve" to 2d scrollers? I thought the free roaming and rewarding exploration in a huge world like Gothic 3 was their principled target, I guess I was wrong. Where for the love of God is the swimming ability? In a seafarer setting, for Christ sake! I don't know, this game is lacking character and content, let alone sense of adventure, innovation and a decent level of polish; and it's lacking bad. The previews were deceiving.… Expand
  13. azmodan
    May 5, 2012
    4
    Thank you Piranha for a true horror game. The horror genre needed this badly. Horror combat, horror trees and bushes, horror ships that don't even move a little with the wind, horror animations, horror lack of lore, horror boredom courtesy to the very diverse landscape and very interesting quests.
  14. HoodedSpy
    Apr 29, 2012
    4
    Another one bites the dust. An RPg with no RP value. An illusion of pirate career without actual sailing out on open seas. Simplified combat [Risen 1 was much better], micro-islands to explore [if you can ignore the outrageous pop-ins in the trees] and forgettable quests/dialogue. Can't these people just look at Fallout New Vegas and draw some inspiration? Now that's meaningful dialogueAnother one bites the dust. An RPg with no RP value. An illusion of pirate career without actual sailing out on open seas. Simplified combat [Risen 1 was much better], micro-islands to explore [if you can ignore the outrageous pop-ins in the trees] and forgettable quests/dialogue. Can't these people just look at Fallout New Vegas and draw some inspiration? Now that's meaningful dialogue and role playing!… Expand
  15. Dethstar
    May 4, 2012
    3
    Quote on this site from a German gaming magazine -Risen 2 is a great role-playing experience for any fan of open world games.- That is why people dont buy magazines anymore. This guy has obviously not really spent any time on the game or doesnt actually really know what open world really means. He has falled for some really shallow tricks and tools which have been used to try andQuote on this site from a German gaming magazine -Risen 2 is a great role-playing experience for any fan of open world games.- That is why people dont buy magazines anymore. This guy has obviously not really spent any time on the game or doesnt actually really know what open world really means. He has falled for some really shallow tricks and tools which have been used to try and inject at least an open world feel to the game. Still, perhaps his primary gaming rig is a console but surely even console owners are getting bored with playing games with very little to set them apart in "open world" games which are not open world at all but extremely linear. Sure, your not in a tunnel pointed in one direction but too often its not far off. If this was a console game this would absolutely fit right in with so many console based RPGs which you can play one after another without realising that you have actually played five games in the time you expect one to last and with so little to set them apart that you barely raised your head out of the boredom coma you found yourself in. The graphics are ok and the dialogue fits too. But the game is buggy as hell. If you try exploring early rather than following the quests in the proper order hen there is a good chance you will have to go back a long way to an earlier save. Over all the dialogue helps but the game is just so simplified it might as well just get on with playing itself. An ignominous end to a promising series. What a disappointing end to Risen. I wouldnt even bothered downloading this if they gave it to me free if I had realised it was a clone of so many other games I already played and didnt much like recently. When are we going to get another proper heavyweight RPG in a truly large open world. They can keep this dumbed down crap. Pirhana Bytes left me feeling cheated with this one. I gace it 3 simply because the dialogue and accents etc worked.… Expand
  16. Jlk874
    May 8, 2012
    0
    After putting another 15 hours into the game trying to find fun i can honestly say the game NEVER GETS GOOD. The combat is always bulls**t with enemies spamming stun attacks one after another forcing you to pound grog (hp pots) whenever ANYTHING gets within melee range, The absence of a dodge mechanic is inexcusable considering NPCs tell you to dodge attacks when explaining some fights.After putting another 15 hours into the game trying to find fun i can honestly say the game NEVER GETS GOOD. The combat is always bulls**t with enemies spamming stun attacks one after another forcing you to pound grog (hp pots) whenever ANYTHING gets within melee range, The absence of a dodge mechanic is inexcusable considering NPCs tell you to dodge attacks when explaining some fights. After putting 30+ hours into this game i can say its nothing more than walking from point A to point B trying to find the exploit that allows you to kill each and every mob and keep in mind if you do not cheat in this way the game is unplayable. For instance the low level mob "firebirds" attack SO fast, if they start attacking you, your only hope of surviving is to SPAM jump and run in the opposite direction since it attacks twice as fast as you and each hit stuns you and resets your attack meaning Melee is NOT an option unless you have hundreds of potions, your block is a joke and it seems only NPCs have real blocks that totally migrate damage. They reuse the same character models OVER and OVER and OVER, which gets extremely confusing at times. For instance you need to find "NPC a" but wait in the same town atleast 5 other characters will use the exact same model clothing and voice, forcing you to run to people only to find out its just the quest NPC's doppelganger. They Claim the game is very open ended but you would NEVER know that since the game takes you by the hand and forces you down a single path while making it seem like its the only path (for example i was forced into the native camp in act 2 and was never made aware that i had the option to FIND the inquisition camp, this would normally be an annoyance but it **** me out of ALL the guns in the game and im still using the first gun i found well into the end of the game). The magic system is complete garbage and seems like its only there to punish people who though that they could go through the game using magic....you know like any other RPG in existence. COUNTLESS bugs also plague this game, and not just the Horror trees/grass bug, ive died several times because the game decided that W was suddenly run left or run backwards off a cliff, Shotguns are NOT classified as shotguns (as in the talent CALLED "shotguns") they are dependent on the "Musket" skill which is ass backwards. I could go on for days about how this game is not even worth the space it takes up, i can only hope PB pulls their head out of their ass and learns how to make a playable game, or they completely dissolve so im never tricked into buying another one of this garbage games. How a developer can look at a game like this and think "Yeah, Perfect" is beyond me, they set out with the goal of fixing risen 1's combat system and this is all they could come up with? Sorry you should not be making video games, you should be flipping burgers. Leave the video games to people who actually play them, and you cannot tell me an actual gamer made this game.… Expand
  17. Nichtswisser
    Apr 24, 2012
    5
    "How to destroy a promising series by dumbing it down, an easy guide to boredom". Chapter 1: Make it simple! Gone is the dynamic skill based combat system from Risen 1 which required the player to use different tactics dependent on the enemy he was fighting. Risen 2 offers a Fable style one button based no-skill no-system-combat. It's simple, and it won't be to challenging for some people"How to destroy a promising series by dumbing it down, an easy guide to boredom". Chapter 1: Make it simple! Gone is the dynamic skill based combat system from Risen 1 which required the player to use different tactics dependent on the enemy he was fighting. Risen 2 offers a Fable style one button based no-skill no-system-combat. It's simple, and it won't be to challenging for some people like the combat in Risen 1 was. It's also boring and repetitive beyond believe. Chapter 2: Freedom is bad and overtaxing for small brains! Gone is the medium sized realistic open world which offered the player the freedom to explore. Risen 2 offers console RAM friendly mini islands which are so small that even navigation challenged people who experience regular difficulties with getting around in their one room apartments won't get lost anymore. Exploration, always a strong point in Piranha Bytes Games, just doesn't feel right when the areas are so small. Chapter 3: Repeating things over and over again makes them more easy to comprehend! Yes, don't expect rich quest design, Risen 2 offers the same boring fetch quests over and over again. Boring repetitive combat and castrated exploration wasn't enough, for true boredom the quest design apparently had to mirror the no-skill combat when it comes to repetition. Get used to the idea of feeling more like a Fed Ex courier than a pirate. Conclusion: By fallowing our easy guide to boredom you'll create a truly boring game. And how they accomplished that!… Expand
  18. curry
    Apr 28, 2012
    1
    I'm so disappointed. Risen 2 is nothing you'd expect from a Piranha Bytes title. It's completely dumbed down, the character control is clumsy, you cannot freely explore the islands, you cannot swim or climb and even combat is worse (didn't think it could get much worse, right?) Honestly, I hope Piranha Bytes goes back to its roots. I sincerely cannot recommend Risen 2 to anyone.
  19. le_souriceau
    May 3, 2012
    4
    Graphics: very mediocore for 2012 game. Animation: just wierd
    Voice acting: terrible, sounds like school theatre.
    Music: not bad. Cutscenes: like in early 2000s, nothing to say more. Story: privitive and linear, big monster, mega weapon (in pieces) etc. NPC: faceless, and have very little appearence variation. Dialogues: unmemorable, always tempting to skip them. Quests: find/talk/lkill    Graphics: very mediocore for 2012 game. Animation: just wierd
    Voice acting: terrible, sounds like school theatre.
    Music: not bad.
    Cutscenes: like in early 2000s, nothing to say more.
    Story: privitive and linear, big monster, mega weapon (in pieces) etc.
    NPC: faceless, and have very little appearence variation.
    Dialogues: unmemorable, always tempting to skip them. Quests: find/talk/lkill in different order.
    Roleplaying: minimal most time.
    Combat system: primitive, just klick left mouse faster and eat healing things.
    World: tiny ilands/coasts (half of them - for 1 visit), all towns - 4-5 houses.
    Replayability: almost zero.

    General idea: Good.
    Realization: Bad.    … Expand
  20. shaaco
    May 2, 2012
    0
    I played the old PB Games and this just like a cheap copy of a bad shadow themself..
    But to the facts, the fighting system is catastrophal, just click on the mouse button to kill enemy blind..
    No tactic no fun there. The graphic is buged like hell, when u walk around the island, u have the feeling of livin alien plants horrible.. Quests are always the same, bring me x items, kill x    I played the old PB Games and this just like a cheap copy of a bad shadow themself..
    But to the facts, the fighting system is catastrophal, just click on the mouse button to kill enemy blind..
    No tactic no fun there.
    The graphic is buged like hell, when u walk around the island, u have the feeling of livin alien plants horrible..
    Quests are always the same, bring me x items, kill x monsters..
    I dont know whats the motivation behind the hero i play, i coud not understand why i shoud do this all.

    The end of the game the bossman, its just a joke dont wanna spoile but thats the point..

    This game maybe for 5 euro, but i dont know if i woud play it again...    … Expand
  21. Kelemvor
    May 3, 2012
    4
    It's hard to understand why PB failed so miserly again.
    Risen 2 is an example of the disease that the whole industry has contracted. They don't listen to their fans, they don't listen to common sense. There are so many bad design decisions made in Risen 2 it's appalling.
    The game is haunted by defective visuals. Morphing trees, flickering shadows and bugged lod-algorithms. In addition    It's hard to understand why PB failed so miserly again.
    Risen 2 is an example of the disease that the whole industry has contracted. They don't listen to their fans, they don't listen to common sense. There are so many bad design decisions made in Risen 2 it's appalling.
    The game is haunted by defective visuals. Morphing trees, flickering shadows and bugged lod-algorithms. In addition there are awkward character models, which are recycled very often, and look like aliens with huge hands and an extra joint between the hands and wrist. The combat system is totally broken. There is no defense against non-humanoid enemies. No dodge, no shields, nothing. Most of the time you are stuck in the "i have been hit"-animation. So early on you use your companion as enemy bait, and use your musket and pistol to get rid of all the aggressive fauna around you. Even the combat against humanoids is lackluster to put it mildly. You chain up attacks, you can't interrupt them, and even with a lot of dirty tricks the combat in R2 is just not fun. It's a frustrating chore, nothing more.
    Another flaw of the game are the repetitive and really uninspired quests. It's just fetch this, kill that. It's plain boring. Even the story is not very interesting. You have played similar stories before, so no surprises here. Even the pacing sucks.
    Normally i wouldn't waste another thought on this game, but there are a number of good ideas and gameplay expansions, that it's extremely sad, that the rest of the game is flawed beyond belief.

    The training skill with the monkeys stealing for you etc. are really nice. The dialogs are "ruffy" and the the world feels believable with a working stealing system and daily routines of the NPCs. There are a lot of thing that could redeem the game, but the combat system, the uninteresting story and the boring quests are responsible for letting this shooting star crashing down really hard.

    I'm not sure if they can fix enough of the flaws, to make it a worthwhile game, but at the moment i would not recommend it.    … Expand
  22. karlheinzi
    May 2, 2012
    0
    Grafic bugs and boring Fight System, thats Risen 2.

    The old grafic and the shadow bugs are cruel.
    You must first go in the ini config to do what the programmers has to do before release, thats nor normal.
    No more money from me PB, your Game is a Beta
  23. Hansomat
    Apr 29, 2012
    2
    I was really looking forward to playing this game. After reading some reviews i was thinking 'wow, that really sounds bad, but it might still convince me'.
    Well.. it didnt! The mele fights are so bad, i dont even know where to start. There is no possibility to evade throwing spears other than wildly jump around and try to run away (imagine this while getting focused by 2 other melee    I was really looking forward to playing this game. After reading some reviews i was thinking 'wow, that really sounds bad, but it might still convince me'.
    Well.. it didnt! The mele fights are so bad, i dont even know where to start. There is no possibility to evade throwing spears other than wildly jump around and try to run away (imagine this while getting focused by 2 other melee npcs).
    So i though well, maybe try to put some points to improve the pistol. Dont!. The ranged weapon (fired by pressing E) will not hit the enemy in 80% of your shots, either because you are getting hit by several enemies while you try to get out your gun, or just because you stand like 1 armlength in front of them and then get a 'you missed' pop up over the enemies head... really?
    Besides the combat system (or the lack of it) i have to say i am really pi**ed of by the animations and graphic bugs like flickering shadows, trees and vegetation popping up and chaning their shape depending on the angle you look at it (!!). Usually im not that concerned about stuff like that if the fights feel good and the story/environment fits in the concept. In this case it really influences the game in a very bad way.
    Maybe next time PB :/    … Expand
  24. Ashbourne
    May 2, 2012
    1
    I'll be honest, I made an account because I felt obligated to do something to try and steer people away from this game. In a word, it's terrible. I give them a 1 only because I liked the premise. The premise is why I bought it. Action rpg with pirates? Awesome, sign me up!

    What I got was a pile of steaming garbage. I played about 5 hours, but I had to force myself not to quit after about    I'll be honest, I made an account because I felt obligated to do something to try and steer people away from this game. In a word, it's terrible. I give them a 1 only because I liked the premise. The premise is why I bought it. Action rpg with pirates? Awesome, sign me up!

    What I got was a pile of steaming garbage. I played about 5 hours, but I had to force myself not to quit after about 15 minutes. There are no redeeming qualities for this game, and that's sad, because I really wanted to like it. I was excited about this game. Which is why this comes as such a kick in the teeth.

    The list starts right from the get go. The graphics are terrible. It's not even that they chose an aesthetic I don't like, that I could have lived with, but the graphics themselves are par for late last gen consoles. I'd expect these kinda blobby textures on the PS2, not my shiny new PC game. Even with everything cranked to the highest it would go, the game is just plain ugly. I'm trying to come up with a "but this part was nice" here, but there isn't one. The view distance is just ridiculously short. Things pop into existence just feet from you, like they over slept and are hoping you won't notice them sneaking in late for work. I remember a few times that whole trees would materialize as if by magic right beside me, and others were they'd vanish again at the edge of my screen, as though they figured they could sneak off for a coffee while I was busy taking 10 minutes to left click a wart hog to death.

    And my god was the combat terrible. Just absolutely god awful. Just face in the general direction of the enemy and left click spam until they hopefully fell over before you did. There was not a single bit of skill or strategy involved. Just keep up the clicking, cause that's all there is to the combat system.

    It wasn't helped by the terrible movement controls. Never have I described moving as "loose" and "heavy" at the same time before. You have no fine control of your character, he kinda flails around in the vague direction you're pointing him. But that's only once you get him moving. He feels like moving a large square boulder uphill. Getting him moving is clunky, and difficult and as graceful as drunk hippo. So many times did I walk or turn past an item I was aiming for, and had to circle around back at it, because turning around was even more clumsy.

    Only surpassed in clumsiness by the awful voice acting. From the first lines in the opening cutscene, I could tell something was wrong. The dialogue is stiff, stilted, and canned. I know how lines are recorded. They're done with actors reading lines down a list, alone in their own little room, without the other people involved in the conversation actually in the room with them; but never before has that been so utterly, glaringly obvious. It truly does sound like each individual line was recorded on a different day from each other. They flow about as well as chunky sewage, which is pretty much the best way I can describe the dialogue in this game.

    For those who couldn't be bothered to read all the above, I'll summarize. The graphics would have been bad years ago. Today, they're abysmal. The combat is an utter joke. It's the most boring and poorly executed click spam I've ever seen. Your character handles with all the nimbleness and precision of a rock, and has the personality to boot. The characters, story, and locations are utterly forgettable. And the dialogue makes it a good idea to turn off your sound and rely on subtitles, because the voice acting makes you wish you had no ears.

    I urge you, DO NOT buy this game! I can not stress this enough. I'm not even going to touch on the fact that the developers cut out 5 hours of game play they made before launch so that they could sell it to you later for more money. That fact, while an utterly sickening practice, is completely eclipsed by the fact that this game is horrible. They can keep their extra 5 hours of content. I don't want it. I would however like the 5 hours I did waste playing this game back.    … Expand
  25. defive
    Apr 30, 2012
    4
    Oh dear. Risen 2 is just not terribly good. Laughably bad animations/character models and voice acting really ruin the overall effect here. Also, the quest design is average to say the least, the open world feel is even less than Risen 1 was and, seriously, PB, after *how* many games and you *still* haven't figured out that stun-locking enemies are a bad idea ? All in all decidedly worseOh dear. Risen 2 is just not terribly good. Laughably bad animations/character models and voice acting really ruin the overall effect here. Also, the quest design is average to say the least, the open world feel is even less than Risen 1 was and, seriously, PB, after *how* many games and you *still* haven't figured out that stun-locking enemies are a bad idea ? All in all decidedly worse than it's predecessor and nowhere near as good as the original PB classics.… Expand
  26. jarakk
    May 2, 2012
    0
    guys better wait for a demo, iam sad that i payd so much money for this 20 hours beta **** quests borin battles versus the monsters is just click the mouse like an abe, bugs in gameplay and graphic..
    DLC 50 minutes, not 10 hours like PB sayd before release, thats criminal rly...

    Didnt learnd by disaster of gothic 3, never aagain get my money....
  27. Novacius
    May 2, 2012
    7
    I used round about 31 hours to play this game and I can recommend it. It's neither a RPG-monster like Skyrim nor does it have all of the qualities the first Gothic games have, but it's still an unique and special experience. First it plays in a very well done pirate setting and secondly is has the same, special piranha bytes-atmosphere like their other games have got. Of course this gameI used round about 31 hours to play this game and I can recommend it. It's neither a RPG-monster like Skyrim nor does it have all of the qualities the first Gothic games have, but it's still an unique and special experience. First it plays in a very well done pirate setting and secondly is has the same, special piranha bytes-atmosphere like their other games have got. Of course this game isn't perfect. The graphics are good (environments, weather, vegetation, art design!), while characters, animations and so on are just solid, mimics and gestics rudimentary. Also there are some small graphic bugs, but nothing serious. Overall it looks very organic, stylish and atmospheric. The sounds are good, the music ist very good, although it was made by a new composer. The interface is very comfortable and game balance is good. The character system is good, but not as deep as in other games, the quest structures are very classic, but there aren't many special quests. The main plot has got some interesting twists and once it surprised me. Compared with Risen 1, the main plot is much better. The combat system against monsters isn't so good at all, because you're not able to block or dodge. Against humans you got the option to parry. But overall you're able to use some funny and useful dirty tricks. The items are well-distributed throughout the game and often very useful. Well, until now this review doesn't look so good, also by my bad english (sorry!) but I've to admit that Risen 2 has most of the good things of Piranha Bytes games like an handcrafted and living environment, the well structures game with quests, fighting and exploration, the unique atmosphere. If you liked Gothic 1-3 and/or Risen, then you'll also like Risen 2. It has weaknesses, but above all the known strengths and is definitely worth a try. So I think, the games doesn't deserves these low votes. Overall it's neither an uber-game, nor it's bad. It's a solid pirate-rpg, a wort-a-try for a cheaper price, but for fans of the piranha-bytes-games it's a must-buy.… Expand
  28. renejr902
    Apr 30, 2012
    9
    i still dont understand the 4.5 user score. i played 15 hours until now. and i played Risen 1 to the end in 40h last year.

    Risen 2 is not as good at Risen 1. But its still a excellent game. I managed to convert my Beta savegame to continue it with the full game. until now a 8.5 out of 10. No less. The last 4 hours that played on the second island showed me a lot of depth. Although    i still dont understand the 4.5 user score. i played 15 hours until now. and i played Risen 1 to the end in 40h last year.

    Risen 2 is not as good at Risen 1. But its still a excellent game.

    I managed to convert my Beta savegame to continue it with the full game. until now a 8.5 out of 10. No less. The last 4 hours that played on the second island showed me a lot of depth. Although Risen 2 is a game a lot worse than the first Risen (because He was a masterpiece like 9.5 for me)
    still Risen 2 in my opinion is one of the best rpg that i played so far. and i played liek 200 rpg. there a few web sites that gave between 8 and 8.5 on 10. below 8 i disagree. There a lot of quests to do, really a lot. A lot of side-quests has to be mandatory, but it can be done in oany order. Some side quests will unlock the main quest. so you have to do them. There are several way to complete a mission, several ways. The story is quite complex on the second island. and thats full of suspense. There many things we want to know. who are really the Crow gang? Is that Crow a good guy. how to do to talk to him. are the primitive people really free. or the Crow gang force them to work for their own goal.

    The concept looks like Risen. This is the depth of the caves, the magic system, Item, the general structure which is worse than Risen1. Although the story, characters and suspense are beginning to be interesting on the second island, it remains that its superior in Risen 1. BUT NOTHING CANT CHANGE THAT RISEN 2 is a excellent game. graphics, especially on the second island, ARE amazing and I play graphic at medium. Probably the most beautiful tropical style graphics that i have never seen. they are working very hard to make the second island graphically great. The battles are less interesting than Risen1. and its unfortunately less tactical and a lot easier.

    if you like Risen 1 or want to play a great complex rpg game, Risen 2 is a excellent choice

    SORRY I KNOW MY ENGLISH IS NOT GREAT AT ALL ! sorry !    … Expand
  29. moloh
    Apr 29, 2012
    7
    Very nice RPG. I did enjoy Risen and its second installment is also very good in my opinion. Pirate theme is very nice so far, and it is refreshing touch to the combat style. I do suffer from targeting issues, doing many pistol shots into nowhere, but this is not a major issue. I can definitely say that majority of Risen players should buy it and play. I must say that i am very surprisedVery nice RPG. I did enjoy Risen and its second installment is also very good in my opinion. Pirate theme is very nice so far, and it is refreshing touch to the combat style. I do suffer from targeting issues, doing many pistol shots into nowhere, but this is not a major issue. I can definitely say that majority of Risen players should buy it and play. I must say that i am very surprised about the amount of negative feedback from the player base.… Expand
  30. Dawn
    Apr 29, 2012
    9
    Yes the game is not perfect but Sorry guys ... some metacritic users are very strange... I play the game and I see some comments here that are abosotely not true. Sometimes I have the feeling that metacritic users are only happy if they can bash a game. Nice hobby, I have better things to do in my life! Risen 2 is good as Risen 1 with some cool character development, better cutscenes,Yes the game is not perfect but Sorry guys ... some metacritic users are very strange... I play the game and I see some comments here that are abosotely not true. Sometimes I have the feeling that metacritic users are only happy if they can bash a game. Nice hobby, I have better things to do in my life! Risen 2 is good as Risen 1 with some cool character development, better cutscenes, nice quests with cool dialogues and a very nice environment. The battle system is fun. I dont even understand the comments here. Someone said he cant avoid a spear attack...man, that is so easy if you hold the right mouse button and go left / right. That is only one example about those evil red reviews here. ;)
    So if you are a fan of PB games, buy it. I have more fun than in Risen 1.    … Expand
  31. AntoxaBes
    Apr 29, 2012
    8
    Risen 2 regular game for Piranha Bytes, in the best tradition of Gothic.I am encouraged by the progress in terms of firearms, albeit in small steps. The play of light and shadow is great! Those who love the series will not be disappointed, others pass by.
  32. jl78
    May 3, 2012
    10
    Ok, who keeps spamming 0 score to games they hate ?
    Grow up, if you don't like it 1 vote is enough.
    Someone with dozens of accounts is spamming the 0 score here; 120 negative 15min ago, now 130? right...
    This is one of the reasons that metascores don't work and can't be trusted.
  33. rpg_fan
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    A great rpg. so far the games seems quite fun. Character animations are sometimes a bit weird, but overall its a game i enjoy. Graphics are good as well. The world is large and fun to explore.
  34. ninnisinni
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    The 4.6 average score for this game is way exaggerated! I have to say, this is a great game, and except for the whole pirate theme, it's not even that big a difference from Risen 1 (and I mean that in a good way). Sorta better graphics than the first one, with lush jungle islands. I really think they have nailed the exploration part once again, and it follows Risen 1:s system prettyThe 4.6 average score for this game is way exaggerated! I have to say, this is a great game, and except for the whole pirate theme, it's not even that big a difference from Risen 1 (and I mean that in a good way). Sorta better graphics than the first one, with lush jungle islands. I really think they have nailed the exploration part once again, and it follows Risen 1:s system pretty closely. That means a smaller piece of land which is wide open for you to explore... that is, if you are up to whatever kind of monsters are inhabiting that particular area. Some graphics issues exist (wouldn't be a Piranha Bytes game otherwise), such as some foliage popping in in the distance from time to time, and the conversational animations are a bit on the stiff side.
    All that aside, in my opinion, Risen 2 is a great middle-budget, smaller scale alternative for anyone who's tired of Skyrim. So don't let the bombed user scores fool you!    … Expand
  35. amdfreak
    Apr 29, 2012
    9
    Risen is certainly not a perfect game. It isn't anywhere near perfect. But one thing is sure : it is a great RPG with a great setting. Let me explain. The story is very linear at the beginning, but never boring, and still lets you explore islands as you would have done it in Risen. Then, it becomes more and more interesting as you have to choose your faction, command your own ship etc.Risen is certainly not a perfect game. It isn't anywhere near perfect. But one thing is sure : it is a great RPG with a great setting. Let me explain. The story is very linear at the beginning, but never boring, and still lets you explore islands as you would have done it in Risen. Then, it becomes more and more interesting as you have to choose your faction, command your own ship etc. After a few hours, you discover a deep story and complex character interactions, with lots of interesting side quests and important decisions to take.
    The graphics are so-so : while what one would actually call "graphics quality", which means lighting, texture quality, character design is great, the animations are a whole load of crap, and vegetation textures plop in next to you and change size very strangely. Gameplay isn't Risen 2's best side, as the combat system has been simplified since the first Risen, and Auto-Lock during combats isn't helpful at all. However, the skill system has been improved in a significant way, since there are no levels any more, but you get skill points every time you complete a quest or kill an enemy. This lets you level up your skills when you want, given the fact you have enough points. Moreover, you can learn a lot of interesting abilities like dirty tricks or voodoo magic.
    So why would I give this game a 9/10 ? Because the setting is great, the character interactions/dialogues are funny and authentic, and the overall atmosphere is just awesome. As I already said, the lighting/weather system is amazing, and perfectly recreates the pirate setting Piranha Bytes chose for this game. When I look back at what I just played, I think of a brilliant RPG I will certainly play again, even if it has some flaws.    … Expand
  36. Nemeczek
    Apr 26, 2012
    10
    If you are a big fan of Piranha Bytes work, rate as 10. If you are not - rate 4-5. Why? This is Gothic successor. Old fashioned action RPG which generates a lot of fun and stress equally. Animations are crude, fighting system difficult and not so modern.... But that is not a game for "casual gamers" - You have to be hard and patient. If You will go to the wrong place, like na forest - theIf you are a big fan of Piranha Bytes work, rate as 10. If you are not - rate 4-5. Why? This is Gothic successor. Old fashioned action RPG which generates a lot of fun and stress equally. Animations are crude, fighting system difficult and not so modern.... But that is not a game for "casual gamers" - You have to be hard and patient. If You will go to the wrong place, like na forest - the wolves will kill You without mercy.
    This is Gothic style - NO MERCY.    … Expand
  37. ErdnussEnte
    Apr 28, 2012
    10
    Not as good as the first one or Gothic 1+2 but still an amazing game with a big world to be discovered. This game deserves a way higher score to be honest.
  38. and93hil
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    I have not yet played very much of it. But its fantastic so far. Controls are great and so are the graphics. So far the gameplay was great. I would definitely recommend it.
  39. nirvycn
    Apr 24, 2012
    9
    It's Risen 1 minus the bugs and hitches. Graphics look suprisingly excellent, the game is very long, a good 50 hours here to play though at least. Its more hardcore than some RPG's. Pleasently suprised. worth a buy!
  40. Milb3
    Apr 27, 2012
    10
    Great atmosphere, good charakters, brilliant dialogues and quests. Better than Risen and a wonderfull RPG with some weak points like animations, KI, graphics.
  41. VitaminK
    Apr 27, 2012
    10
    Loved the first one, the second in the series take away the steep learning curve that the first had but is still just as fun. People are giving it a bad score because of animation or fps problems? Are you serious?! Huge environment to explore and good storyline along with a fun combat system that mixes things up.
  42. afIks
    Apr 28, 2012
    10
    I now will flow **** but I think that Bethesda went on a bad way to simplify everything. A Risen 2 - Dark Water, and vice versa did not think made â
  43. PaladinNH
    Apr 28, 2015
    10
    If I can do anything to improve this game's score, I will, because the current average score of 5.5 isn't fair AT ALL. Perhaps the game was buggy upon release, I don't know, but it is somewhere between a 7 and 8.5 out of 10. Unlike the latest AAA titles, there's actually a game world, complete with story, decent characters, humor (Jaffar!), CHALLENGING combat, and what's that word again?If I can do anything to improve this game's score, I will, because the current average score of 5.5 isn't fair AT ALL. Perhaps the game was buggy upon release, I don't know, but it is somewhere between a 7 and 8.5 out of 10. Unlike the latest AAA titles, there's actually a game world, complete with story, decent characters, humor (Jaffar!), CHALLENGING combat, and what's that word again? Ah yes, immersion. Brought back lots of memories of Gothic 1 and 2, agree with the other reviewer who said this. Actually preferred this game to the first Risen, better characters and more cohesive, immersive story. I'd give it an 8 but feel obligated to counter others by posting a 10.… Expand
  44. MatDerKater
    Feb 20, 2013
    10
    At the time of release, I was put off from playing this game by the hugely negative response not only from mainstream and largely US centric gaming critics, but also from the Gothic/Risen fanbase. It has been normal in the past for Piranha Byte games to get inexplicably poor ratings from English speaking gaming media, but Piranha Bytes have always had their band of loyal/hooked followersAt the time of release, I was put off from playing this game by the hugely negative response not only from mainstream and largely US centric gaming critics, but also from the Gothic/Risen fanbase. It has been normal in the past for Piranha Byte games to get inexplicably poor ratings from English speaking gaming media, but Piranha Bytes have always had their band of loyal/hooked followers who know differently. So why so much negativity this time around from the PB fan club? Risen 2 is a bit of a departure from the previous PB games in that; the world is split up into smaller areas/islands; that there is not as much freedom in the game world as previously; and also the fighting mechanics have been completely changed from what went before. Therefore, those of us who were chomping at the bit for another Gothic or Risen 1 re-run, were sorely disappointed that PB had for whatever reasons, opted to do things a little differently this time around. However, the fact that PB have made a slightly different RPG to what their fanbase was expecting, doesn't necessarily mean that Risen 2 is bad game. In fact, Risen 2 is an absolutely brilliant game, which is something I have only just found out after months of staying away from the game due to negative publicity.

    One of many the criticisms that is levelled at Risen 2 is that the overarching story is generic and cliched. It would be hard to disagree with this but I would like to suggest that it is not the quality of the story, but the quality of the story telling that really matters in an RPG video game. What Piranha Bytes do brilliantly well, is make the dialogue and interaction between the character's in the game interesting, easily digestible, and memorable to the gamer. The NPC's in Risen 2 are colourful, individual, and help to convey the personality and charm that the game has to offer. In this respect, Risen 2 stands in stark contrast to rave review generating American RPG's such as Amalur. Despite Amalur having it's story concocted by a professional fantasy author, the blase generic Disney-esque dialogue and instantly forgettable NPC's in the game resulted in at least this gamer, not giving two craps about anything in the game to find out whether there is a good story or not.

    Risen 2 succeeds in getting the gamer emotionally involved in the various plot and sub-plot intrigues in the game, resulting in the imagination of the gamer and his interest in the game world starting to bloom. To this end, Risen 2 also offers the gamer a myriad of neat character progression features, to give just one example amongst many, is the ability to train a monkey as a theif, or a parrot to annoy the f*ck out of other NPC's. In my play through, I made strong use of the trained monkey, vital for getting to some well tucked out the way stash at various points in the game. Another brilliant and fun feature that i have to mention is the Voodoo ability to take control of another NPC's mind. Aside from offering alternative ways to complete quests, stomping around the towns and settlements of the South Sea's as another character in the game, and watching how all the other NPC's react totally differently to this guy than they do to the Nameless Hero, can be great fun. Even better, in situations where the NPC under voodoo mind control is an unpallatable character, there are opportunites to land the NPC in a spot of bother by making hims do/say 'wrong things', or in one case during my playthrough, totally ruin his (virtual) life! There are similarly charming, innovative, and fun aspects to Risen 2 right throughout the game. Furthermore, much of these things are not spelt out for the gamer, but rather the gamer comes to discover them for himself through his own musings and thoughts on the game world. Through the interaction with the NPCs and the various tricks and skills in Risen 2, intrigue in the game world really starts to open up, thus the gamer starts to feel himself to be involved in the world and motivated towards overcoming the various hurdles and challenges that stand in the way of progression. For my money, this exercising of human imagination, supplemented by the lush beautiful graphics that contribute to the wonderfully ornate handcrafted environments is what RPG gaming is all about and is something that Risen 2 brilliantly achieves.

    Risen 2 however, does have many flaws. The combat can be a bit clunky and at times very clumsily implemented and the game definitely suffers from balancing issues. However, these and all its other flaws are meaningless to me because I judge a game by how much fun and entertainment that it offered me, and Risen 2 had me totally hooked for around 50 hours of game playing time in a way that no other game released in the last two years has.    … Expand
  45. wildstoo
    Jul 7, 2014
    8
    I didn't play the original Risen, but I really enjoyed Risen 2.

    Sure, it's not the most polished game in the history of RPGs, and the voice acting runs the gamut from "pretty good" to "lol wut?", but I just really enjoyed exploring the world and progressing through the quests. There aren't many pirate-themed games out there, and this one just managed to scratch that itch for me.    I didn't play the original Risen, but I really enjoyed Risen 2.

    Sure, it's not the most polished game in the history of RPGs, and the voice acting runs the gamut from "pretty good" to "lol wut?", but I just really enjoyed exploring the world and progressing through the quests. There aren't many pirate-themed games out there, and this one just managed to scratch that itch for me.

    There are problems, of course, both from a technical and a content perspective, but considering this game is now £2.99 on Steam, it's a steal.

    Believe me, if this was by a new studio - not PB - this game's user score would be closer to 8.0.

    Approach the game without preconceptions or unrealistic expectations and you might be pleasantly surprised.    … Expand
  46. OnlyOneWing
    Feb 6, 2013
    10
    Alright, i came back to this game after previously hating it... I must say, I don't know if the devs patched it or what, but I am seriously enjoying this game! Sure it could be improved on, but it really isn't horrible. In fact it is a lot of fun. I really regret judging this game previously without fully giving it a chance, because I have gotten hours upon hours of enjoyment out of it. IAlright, i came back to this game after previously hating it... I must say, I don't know if the devs patched it or what, but I am seriously enjoying this game! Sure it could be improved on, but it really isn't horrible. In fact it is a lot of fun. I really regret judging this game previously without fully giving it a chance, because I have gotten hours upon hours of enjoyment out of it. I must say, cliche as it is, the pirate theme is underused in video games. Every time I play this game it reminds me of vacation in the Caribbean, and rum. No complaints there. Approach it without expecting to be absolutely blown away and you just may be one of the people who loves this game.… Expand
  47. Unrhymed
    Oct 9, 2012
    2
    I don't understand game developers sometimes, Risen 1 was a fun addicting game I replayed 3 times over a few years and hearing about Risen 2, well I was excited, I don't understand why they had to change everything if it wasn't broken don't fix it, was it even the same team of people? how can you make 1 title so good then the second one terrible, I couldn't even play more then 2 hoursI don't understand game developers sometimes, Risen 1 was a fun addicting game I replayed 3 times over a few years and hearing about Risen 2, well I was excited, I don't understand why they had to change everything if it wasn't broken don't fix it, was it even the same team of people? how can you make 1 title so good then the second one terrible, I couldn't even play more then 2 hours because of the growing pop in textures and consistent bugs. Seriously guys ? this is all you can do after Risen 1.… Expand
  48. Zaker
    Feb 27, 2014
    1
    With 20+ years in gaming starting on atari then amiga and ever since pc i consider gothic 1,2,3 and risen 1 an exceptional games with immersive worlds, great story and excellent gameplay, i was shocked how bad and far from the series this game is, i unstalled it immediately and giving this game score of 1, number 10 reviews are fraud as many score ratings on the internet these days, avoidWith 20+ years in gaming starting on atari then amiga and ever since pc i consider gothic 1,2,3 and risen 1 an exceptional games with immersive worlds, great story and excellent gameplay, i was shocked how bad and far from the series this game is, i unstalled it immediately and giving this game score of 1, number 10 reviews are fraud as many score ratings on the internet these days, avoid this game big time… Expand
  49. tngmarlon
    Jul 12, 2014
    10
    -The game has good graphics
    -This game has a good atmosphere
    -The pirate story is very nice

    If you dont have this game buy it i cant understand this metascore
  50. SonicEra
    Apr 30, 2012
    6
    Promising, is what has to be said about Risen 2.....but i should be saying that about Risen one in retrospect.
    The game started well, having my own "base" is always nice and a little group of people to watch over always makes me feel involved. And the combat seemed like it was going to improve too, kicking over crabs to get to there bellies. And i was about to leave the starting island.    Promising, is what has to be said about Risen 2.....but i should be saying that about Risen one in retrospect.
    The game started well, having my own "base" is always nice and a little group of people to watch over always makes me feel involved. And the combat seemed like it was going to improve too, kicking over crabs to get to there bellies. And i was about to leave the starting island.
    Then there was another island...and another, shortly i realised that the crabs were the only enemies which succumbed to this tactic....i tried it on alligators and bats and birds to no avail.
    The combat quickly got repetitive and even though i was going down the thieving route, a good enough sword made fighting trivial. the final boss was literally a push over.
    I won't get started on the animation, i resorted to not watching the screen while the charcters were talking. the lip synching was just far FAR too atrocious.
    It felt like the game wanted to break at any second, from one moment where my character was on a pogo stick during a boss fight. and another where a quest had a break which resorted to some annoying work around tactics. It all together felt a bit rushed and just not Gothic 3, which is what we all want. but with this kind of story line (which was absolutely fine.)
    Overall enjoyable. But last final criticism. is it was far too short, i expect a game like this to contain hours of skinning monsters and mining veins (of which there is just gold.) and searching for sword parts. In the end the side quests were quick. Fast travel was not neccesary on such small islands. and in 30 hours when the credits rolled i was dissapointed. not in awe.    … Expand
  51. CityBuilder
    Apr 29, 2012
    6
    Not great, but not horrible either. However many technical issues stand in the way of fully immersing yourself into the game.

    For example... 1. Standing talking to an NPC character and your view is from the inside of your characters head and you see your characters lips, nose, eyes from the inside of your head. 2. Character cut scenes are absolutely horrible, character and NPC are stiff    Not great, but not horrible either. However many technical issues stand in the way of fully immersing yourself into the game.

    For example...
    1. Standing talking to an NPC character and your view is from the inside of your characters head and you see your characters lips, nose, eyes from the inside of your head.
    2. Character cut scenes are absolutely horrible, character and NPC are stiff as can be and talk about ugly! The character and NPC graphics didn't just get hit with the ugly stick, it took a walk through the entire Ugly Forest, and was beat on by every single Ugly tree.
    3. Clunky fight mechanics and extremely outdated. Might have barely passed for okay 10 or more years back but by today's standards, it's just awful.
    4. Quests are extremely boring and lack any real challenge.
    5. Graphic problems such as walking up to a tree or bush and the entire thing blows up to 5 times it's original size as when you first were able to see it. And it does it right before your very eyes.
    6. RPG-Lite? No! It's not even a lite RPG, there is no RP value in Risen 2 what-so-ever!
    7. Replay value: Absolutely none to speak of. Heck, you'll be lucky to simply make it through the game one time.
    8. Value: I really suggest avoiding it while it's at a ridiculous $50.00. If you can pick it up for under $20.00 then go for it, however you may still be disappointed by the many issues that plague the game.

    Now, on to the plus side...
    1. Barney! Which ever developer came up with the NPC gunsmith Barney should be commended, I haven't laughed that hard at NPC dialogue in years. It's only unfortunate that there wasn't more like it in the game.

    2. Environmentally pretty even though you are in an "island corridor" or on rails most of the time. Sure you can wander off but ultimately you are on a linear path, but other than graphic clipping, and trees that blow up 5x their size right in front of you, the environmental graphics are very pretty. Some NPC' visuals are also very good looking, although almost all cut scenes are just atrocious to look at.

    3. Combat and general game mechanics were easy to pick up and easy to master. However you were not mastering much to begin with.

    Overall... I have to suggest avoiding Risen 2 unless you can get it for under $20.00 or PB has put out a BIG HUGE UPDATE to not only fix the problems in the game, but add more content as it does feel a bit lite on content. However, this being PB I won't hold my breath for that update. Really short of a rewrite of the entire game I can't imagine PB being able to do anything to make this a better game at this time, it's just that poor.

    It's nothing more than a middle of the road game that desperately wants to be a "AAA" game but can't, but is still willing to charge it's customers the full "AAA" game price. I think this could quite honestly do in PB, two stinker games in a row I believe shows that they are not only behind the times, but don't have what it takes anymore to compete with real AAA titles anymore.    … Expand
  52. Rulez82
    Jun 13, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm sorry but I must say that I do not like Risen 2. I'm a fan of PB from the Gothic series but this time they failed.....the atmosphere is the same at times: the story is quite PB style but too many problems ruin the gaming experience, imo.
    The thing that disappointed me most is the game world:little detail, no more open world but more like Borderlands but with less freedom to move!! and the graphics are way worse than the Risen1 ............. and what about the combat mechanics? all titles of PB had better combat mechanics and this says it all! In conclusion it is better to play risen1, if you want to try something like the Gothic series ...unfortunately    … Expand
  53. 8an0z
    Jun 17, 2012
    3
    Having played many adventure-rpgs so far i have to express my dissapointment for the sequel of the very good Risen. And the worst part? I played it right after Skyrim... I tried hard not to lose complete interest but after 8 hours or so i did the right thing. Uninstall.
    +: tolerable graphics, satisfactory sound & music.
    -: frustrating combat, mediocre Story, modest animations, annoying    Having played many adventure-rpgs so far i have to express my dissapointment for the sequel of the very good Risen. And the worst part? I played it right after Skyrim... I tried hard not to lose complete interest but after 8 hours or so i did the right thing. Uninstall.
    +: tolerable graphics, satisfactory sound & music.
    -: frustrating combat, mediocre Story, modest animations, annoying combat, poor rewards, shamefull combat. And not to forget to mention about how bad the combat mechanics are.
    Avoid!    … Expand
  54. kartana
    May 8, 2012
    1
    Atrocious combat, stiff and downright ugly animations, clunky menus, weird camera angles during conversations, bugs like moving trees etc. Stay away if you value your money!
  55. andriy35
    May 14, 2012
    3
    I`m a big fan of Gothic series and I enjoyed first Risen very much. But Risen 2 didn`t bring that feeling and emotions when I played Gothic or first part of Risen. This Risen is very boring. Plot is a bad side of this game. Dialogs are very disgusting and unlikely. Graphics maybe is that developers could realise. But first of all I like plot and gameplay in games. So I wouldn`t recommendI`m a big fan of Gothic series and I enjoyed first Risen very much. But Risen 2 didn`t bring that feeling and emotions when I played Gothic or first part of Risen. This Risen is very boring. Plot is a bad side of this game. Dialogs are very disgusting and unlikely. Graphics maybe is that developers could realise. But first of all I like plot and gameplay in games. So I wouldn`t recommend Risen 2 to my friends.… Expand
  56. YelowDragon4
    May 2, 2012
    7
    PH probably interest at working on that new intro of her more than a game.Giving this game7 only because i like the RPG style of Piranha Bites
  57. troxer
    May 27, 2012
    0
    Before you read this, please note that my "score" is not in reference to the quality of Risen 2 as a game; it is merely a vote against what I feel is blatant consumer abuse on the part of the game's publisher, Deep Silver. As many will have heard by now, a portion of Risen 2's content which was already functional and complete was withheld from customers who purchased the game so that saidBefore you read this, please note that my "score" is not in reference to the quality of Risen 2 as a game; it is merely a vote against what I feel is blatant consumer abuse on the part of the game's publisher, Deep Silver. As many will have heard by now, a portion of Risen 2's content which was already functional and complete was withheld from customers who purchased the game so that said content could be sold to them at a later date. As a long-time fan of the first two Gothic games, and a fan of the first Risen, I was anxious to play Risen 2 when time and finances allowed. I had my credit card in my hand tonight. However, upon learning that the total cost of the game including "DLC" was over $70, I did a little research and discovered the truth of what I said above. Mind you, I have absolutely no problems with publishers/developers incorporating a smart DLC model into the design of their games and continuing to work on them throughout the life cycles of those products to ensure sales into the future. However, to withhold content that is already complete and functional in order to milk a few extra dollars from paying customers is shady at best and downright unethical at worst. Regardless of how badly I'd like to support Piranha Bytes and the future of this franchise, I simply refuse to support such business practices. Deep Silver has not only lost a sale tonight, but more importantly, my continuing support as a consumer of their products.… Expand
  58. Vatolicious
    May 28, 2012
    5
    Its a cool game and I wish it was more playable. I love the aesthetic and the story and dialogue are pretty cool. But the game play is just way to bad to be enjoyable.
  59. Xgashh
    Jul 26, 2012
    1
    ha - ha - ha..... this game.... SUCKS its worst game I ever played. I started playing it it felt like 5/10 game but... it was soo **** BORING that i even didnt play it for hour. 1 point for potato
  60. direktors
    May 26, 2012
    5
    enjoyable game, but ending is a big letdown. somehow feels unfinished. a bit sloppy graphics, very little choices, no ship fights, but nice voice acting.
  61. CoolDadTx
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Compared to the other Piranha Byte games this is pretty good. The game suffer from the same issues that pretty much every other PB does when it comes to balancing and combat. The combat is flaky at best and generally just relies on chance more than skill. The early part of the game is overly difficult because even when you're being careful you are going to die a lot. Yet the end of theCompared to the other Piranha Byte games this is pretty good. The game suffer from the same issues that pretty much every other PB does when it comes to balancing and combat. The combat is flaky at best and generally just relies on chance more than skill. The early part of the game is overly difficult because even when you're being careful you are going to die a lot. Yet the end of the game is really easy. The end boss is a pushover compared to the early encounters. One day I hope PB will learn to craft combat systems that rely on skill more than luck and then balance it so it is even throughout the entire game. As with other PB games every combat involves you swinging wildly with no real tactic in order to do enough dmg to kill your opponent before they kill you. But if your opponent hits you then you stop attacking. When you are surrounded (which happens often) your enemies can effectively keep you off balance so you can never attack. Worse is the fact that defense is all but useless. It works ok against humans but everybody else complete ignore it. Hence trying to defend yourself just doesn't work. Pair this with the fact that taking a defensive posture locks you onto a single opponent allowing all the other enemies to pound on you and you quickly realize that "attack, step back, attack" is the only way to reliably win.

    Another big area of failure for this game are the new things that PB added - firearms and voodoo. Both are pretty much useless. If you really wanted to use something other than melee then you're out of luck. Voodoo is just too weak. Firearms are powerful but the odds of hitting anything outside melee range is slim. There was so much potential here and PB just wasted it.

    For the most part the graphics in the game were really good. Most of the areas you go to look similar but that is to be expected given the story. But the caves are identical. Walking through any cave in the game and you'll know exactly where to go because they all have the same layout. This is really just sad for a game of this era. The story was good and the various NPCs were mostly satisfactory. I heard a lot of reviews mention racism, sexism and possibly offending people. Honestly nothing in the game could have been read that way. The terms used fit the timeframe of the game and the region. Sexism didn't exist at all. There were only a few women in the game and they were doing things that you'd expect a woman of that era to do. The language is the only thing that some people might take offensive over.

    One frustrating area of the game are the traps. There are places in the game where a trap appears out of nowhere. A QTE appears for you to avoid the trap. If you fail, you die. The QTE lasts a second so unless you know the trap is there you're reloading. This could have been handled better by either taking dmg from the trap of making the QTE last longer. It is only a surprise the first time. The quests, overall, are varied and not too difficult. Unfortunately you can't set custom waypoints on the map nor can you see any quest indicators without bringing up the map. So you spend a lot of time toggling between the world and your map which is unfortunate. I also never managed to break a quest line even though I did things out of order. In an RPG this is a really good thing to get right.

    Another area PB got right was the stability and performance of the game. I ran it on max settings and I never noticed memory leaks nor did the CPU usage or temperatures get high. This is rare for a modern open-world RPG. Nor did I ever crash the game. Kudos to PB.

    If you like PBs other games (like Gothic) and you can overlook the crappy combat then this is a fun, med-size RPG. If you didn't like Gothic then you won't like this game.    … Expand
  62. ArminW
    May 22, 2012
    6
    A pretty OK game that could have been great, with a little more attention to detail, a LOT more polish and a less appaling business model.

    The pirate setting was the thing that sold it to me, and some of it is actually executed pretty well. The Piranha-typical gritty and sarcastic dialogue fits really well here. But like a lot about the game, it's a ton of wasted potential. I have a    A pretty OK game that could have been great, with a little more attention to detail, a LOT more polish and a less appaling business model.

    The pirate setting was the thing that sold it to me, and some of it is actually executed pretty well. The Piranha-typical gritty and sarcastic dialogue fits really well here. But like a lot about the game, it's a ton of wasted potential. I have a measly 4 crewmen on my ship? Not a single ship-to-ship battle? *shrug* The combat system, out of the box, is AGAIN a major failure with no way to dodge the attacks of animals and simple, stupid left-clicking till they drop the way to go. How they could botch this up in their 5th attempt yet another time really beats the hell out of me.

    Many quests have a very unfinished feel and a completely unsatisfying and underdeveloped way to resolve them. Immersion suffers a lot from the hilariously silly way conflict, crime and combat is handled with villagers. Get caught stealing, simply beat the stuffing out of them (you can't actually kill them, even if you try) and 5 minutes later all is forgotten and back to normal. Folks, people who are shot in the face with a flintlock pistol in a dark and gritty setting should have the good manners to stay down.

    Replay value is VERY low, you only make one significant choice in the game and the results are, apart from the choice between using muskets or voodoo from that moment on, mostly cosmetic.

    Graphics, usually a thing I hardly care about, are actually so much below standards that is DOES disturb me, and the fact that after playing it through ONCE I fond more than 600 unwanted save games on my HD is just such a double facepalm... really, don't know what to say...

    Well, and trying to sell me DLC that is in fact - apart from the voiceovers - *completely* on the disc should actually bring down the rating another notch or two...

    Ii has it's fun moments, and with the first patch, can certainly be played and enjoyed once, but it could have been so much more.    … Expand
  63. camoe
    Oct 19, 2012
    1
    give me a break this game this bloody game is one of the worst games i have played everything about is horrible why please tell me why do the npc wave their arms about like morons when your talking to them people don't act like that for gods sake what were they thinking this game made me fill sick ,sick that i spent £40 on the pile of doodoo.Ill give it one for the **** and gigglesgive me a break this game this bloody game is one of the worst games i have played everything about is horrible why please tell me why do the npc wave their arms about like morons when your talking to them people don't act like that for gods sake what were they thinking this game made me fill sick ,sick that i spent £40 on the pile of doodoo.Ill give it one for the **** and giggles of watching the npc frail around like idiots.… Expand
  64. Starostin_Anton
    Dec 30, 2012
    9
    When I played this game the first time I didn't like it. But after playing a few hours I have change my point of view.
    So, it's awesome. I like all of Piranha Bytes' games, but Risen 2 is my favorite, I think. I like pirates at all and in Risen 2 they looks very cool and funny. There is a nice graphics in game, but it's not very important. First of all, I really interested in storyline in    When I played this game the first time I didn't like it. But after playing a few hours I have change my point of view.
    So, it's awesome. I like all of Piranha Bytes' games, but Risen 2 is my favorite, I think. I like pirates at all and in Risen 2 they looks very cool and funny. There is a nice graphics in game, but it's not very important. First of all, I really interested in storyline in Risen 2. And it is much more exciting than in Risen. There are some very thrilling moments, what made me feel nervous. Like scene with Steelbeard and Mara. I like RPG system, new features and atmosphere of Risen 2. Soundtrack is very nice. I have been played in Risen 2 43 hours in general and all of this time I was impressed.
    But this game is unpolished and it is the main disadvantage. Strange animation, some bugs and problems with graphics.
    Anyway, I have been spent my time with pleasure and I looking forward to Risen 3.    … Expand
  65. CaptainThom
    Jun 26, 2013
    2
    As a fan of the original Risen i find it hard to believe just how poor Risen 2 is. One of the many flaws is that for you to increase your prowess at skills for example stealth,magic and combat you have to pay large amounts of money which just isn't available early in the game, This means you get relentlessly punished in combat especially early and taking any time to invest in any otherAs a fan of the original Risen i find it hard to believe just how poor Risen 2 is. One of the many flaws is that for you to increase your prowess at skills for example stealth,magic and combat you have to pay large amounts of money which just isn't available early in the game, This means you get relentlessly punished in combat especially early and taking any time to invest in any other skill for example lock picking means your painfully underpowered against enemies.

    The characters themselves are dull, boring and do nothing to make you care about them and the NPCs are often stereotypes which are clearly reused time after time, for example governors of towns are just the same character model with different voices.

    Possibly the greatest crime of Risen 2 is how it fails to utilise the setting which it attempts to sell itself on, the fact that you don't get to actually sail the pirate ship other than brief cut scenes is just wasted potential, you never actually feel immersed in the storyline.

    In short Risen 2 its just plain bad.    … Expand
  66. dylanland234
    Jun 26, 2012
    6
    At times i wanted to love this. At times i wanted to quit and never come back. But i did finish. The story was decent, but it was the beauty of the environments that kept me coming. It was sort of like a poor pirate version of Witcher 2. It tried in so many ways to be unique, but overall was just a time waster waiting for other titles.
  67. hillshtify
    Jun 26, 2012
    9
    A beautiful game with minor technical issues. I challenge anyone to find a game that is this deep without any flaws. A recent patch improved performance as well. I'm getting really nice frame rates on all High settings. This game doesn't deserve a 0 rating. Character development has plenty of options, but not TOO many. Voice acting is actually pretty good most of theA beautiful game with minor technical issues. I challenge anyone to find a game that is this deep without any flaws. A recent patch improved performance as well. I'm getting really nice frame rates on all High settings. This game doesn't deserve a 0 rating. Character development has plenty of options, but not TOO many. Voice acting is actually pretty good most of the time...character animations are hilariously over the top in some cases during dialogue. Also note: many people who gave it crappy reviews or called it "linear" didn't take the time to find all the side quests or stick with the game past the first few islands...it picks up dramatically towards the second half in terms of freedom and options. If you like RPGs then buy this game....Skyrim it is not, but I actually like that since I'm not trying to play another Skyrim clone. This game has charm. I have to LOL at the 0 ratings ... get a life.

    I'm giving it an 8.5    … Expand
  68. philthymcnasty
    Oct 25, 2013
    3
    The storyline is ok. the characters need more work. That's the only redeeming feature.

    Garbage optimization- sometimes your frame rate is good, sometimes its horrible, while newer, more graphic intensive games will run better on your machine. So good luck trying to enjoy the graphics. Garbage mechanics- the sword based combat is just horrid. you click on the mouse to hit, no    The storyline is ok. the characters need more work. That's the only redeeming feature.

    Garbage optimization- sometimes your frame rate is good, sometimes its horrible, while newer, more graphic intensive games will run better on your machine. So good luck trying to enjoy the graphics.

    Garbage mechanics- the sword based combat is just horrid. you click on the mouse to hit, no technique, not skill, not combos, just plain garbage.

    Until i see improvement from this developer, i will not buy another of their games. Its unacceptable the state that its in. I am alpha testing indie games that had only one guy work on them, that are more stable then this piece of trash. They are on probation as far as i am concerned, and i bought his game on a steam sale.    … Expand
  69. lolfactor100
    Jul 31, 2013
    1
    This game has to be one of the worst I have played. The animations, voice acting, and game play itself are all just awful. While it may look a nice there is nothing I really enjoy about this game. There are no RPG elements, combat is boring and lacking, the conversations with NPCs have no emotion and are poorly scripted, and the animations for almost everything seem like an intern didThis game has to be one of the worst I have played. The animations, voice acting, and game play itself are all just awful. While it may look a nice there is nothing I really enjoy about this game. There are no RPG elements, combat is boring and lacking, the conversations with NPCs have no emotion and are poorly scripted, and the animations for almost everything seem like an intern did them. The jump animation seems like you character raises his leg up and floats up and down. If you don't get this game for near free then you were ripped off. I will not make it through this whole game and would never recommend it to anyone, even people I hate don't deserve to play a game as bad as this. This only gets a one because the environments are somewhat visually appealing.… Expand
  70. Muuvinki
    Oct 10, 2012
    3
    This game is so cheap and has many downfalls to that. There are flickering backgrounds in video scenes, horrible game-playing and leveling system that just makes me want to cry. In order to level your skills you need reputation and it costs a lot. In early levels you're struggling to gain money and its not even worth it, because almost every skill you can level up suck balls.

    Enemies    This game is so cheap and has many downfalls to that. There are flickering backgrounds in video scenes, horrible game-playing and leveling system that just makes me want to cry. In order to level your skills you need reputation and it costs a lot. In early levels you're struggling to gain money and its not even worth it, because almost every skill you can level up suck balls.

    Enemies seem to have upper hand against you in almost every fight. They gang up on you and kill you in instant unless you somehow manage to run away. (Honestly I doubt that) I get better pirate experience by renting an rowboat and going to public lake and shoot around with a paintball gun.    … Expand
  71. frast
    Jun 3, 2012
    7
    It's fun that we can return to the game, similar to the old "Gothics" for which many people have already forgotten. It's fun to play a pirate, an interesting atmosphere, nice graphics and interesting game generally done in style. It is a pity that after a while begins to play old-style upset "Gothic", boring and a struggle (depending on weapon), poor optimization, and other factors. TheIt's fun that we can return to the game, similar to the old "Gothics" for which many people have already forgotten. It's fun to play a pirate, an interesting atmosphere, nice graphics and interesting game generally done in style. It is a pity that after a while begins to play old-style upset "Gothic", boring and a struggle (depending on weapon), poor optimization, and other factors. The game, however, for fans of Gothic / older RPGs might be nice. My rating -7/10… Expand
  72. lama93
    May 20, 2012
    9
    If you always wanted to play a pirate RPG game, Risen 2: Dark Waters is definitely worth it. Risen2 is not based on the previous Risen, even though you still play a nameless dude. The game now takes place on several islands and you play as a pirate. There are new weapons as well, like musks and voodoo spells. You don't have to worry about a good reputation in this game. You are alreadyIf you always wanted to play a pirate RPG game, Risen 2: Dark Waters is definitely worth it. Risen2 is not based on the previous Risen, even though you still play a nameless dude. The game now takes place on several islands and you play as a pirate. There are new weapons as well, like musks and voodoo spells. You don't have to worry about a good reputation in this game. You are already thought about bad. Most quests are fun and not too hard to solve. But also not to easy.
    Even though the game is very enjoyable overall I wont give it a 10/10. That's because the combat system is really hard to get used to and the character animations and the character looks are sometimes a bit weird. The graphics a very good. The characters have (mostly) been narrated well. Risen 2 is not as open-world as the first Risen but the islands are still fun to explore. In quests there are many pirate themes like finding treasure.
    Risen 2 is more realistic than many other RPG's - if you want a lot of fantasy and magic this is not quite a game for you, even you do get voodoo spells. But don't expect the sort of magic from rpg's like the first Risen or Two Worlds II.
    For those who always wanted to play as a pirate, I can definitely recommend Risen 2. For fans of "classic" RPG's, like myself Risen 2 will take some time to get used to but will eventually get fun. But overall the game is really fun and I can definitely recommend it to those who always wanted to play as a pirate and those who want to play a RPG really different from the ones we are used to.    … Expand
  73. dryerlaw
    May 20, 2012
    8
    After the first patch, combat is considerably better and less clunky. The game itself is much more focused than the previous Risen and Gothic series. It's open for newcomers but at the same time still reward extensive exploration for hardcore fans of the series. Quests are simple but not too monotonic. Skill and leveling system is improved from the previous game, but crafting is lessAfter the first patch, combat is considerably better and less clunky. The game itself is much more focused than the previous Risen and Gothic series. It's open for newcomers but at the same time still reward extensive exploration for hardcore fans of the series. Quests are simple but not too monotonic. Skill and leveling system is improved from the previous game, but crafting is less useful now as buying the merchandise seem to be cheaper. Graphics is slightly above average; island atmosphere is deeply felt with lush foliage and superb lighting, but texture is not sharp at all. The game could use better voice acting and story presentation in order to increase immersion, but the pirate-natives-authority intricacies are well delivered. Overall a slight improvement above the previous games, albeit not a masterpiece.… Expand
  74. poupy1979
    May 15, 2012
    6
    I am not a fan of the Risen or Gothic franchise; but this game sounded good so i decided to give it a go. After nearly 45-60 min playing; i said Screw this, i am better off playing something else.

    Too much frustration to adjust camera and gampad. Fighting mechanics is weird. I wanted to give a new franchise a try but this failed to attract any fun for me. I hope the company reads our    I am not a fan of the Risen or Gothic franchise; but this game sounded good so i decided to give it a go. After nearly 45-60 min playing; i said Screw this, i am better off playing something else.

    Too much frustration to adjust camera and gampad. Fighting mechanics is weird. I wanted to give a new franchise a try but this failed to attract any fun for me.

    I hope the company reads our reviews coz there are amazing user reviews whom actually love the game and want it to be better. (i feel sorry for them as they deserve better)    … Expand
  75. Chaeote
    Aug 13, 2012
    8
    In all honesty, I think the problem a lot of people are having with this game is a simple of of "They changed it, now it sucks".

    If you're looking for it to be identical to the first Risen, stop, cause it won't be... and that's a good thing. It's better. What they have done is revamped the systems from Risen in such a way that a LOT of it is streamlined. Sure, some things have gotten    In all honesty, I think the problem a lot of people are having with this game is a simple of of "They changed it, now it sucks".

    If you're looking for it to be identical to the first Risen, stop, cause it won't be... and that's a good thing. It's better.

    What they have done is revamped the systems from Risen in such a way that a LOT of it is streamlined. Sure, some things have gotten removed (The useless animations of turning lizards on sticks, or sawing wood comes to mind.), but other stuff is a lot better. Looting is simplified, in that, you automatically get everything from a corpse. The skill system is a LOT simpler. "Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom, etc." are GONE. Instead it's more like your base skills have taken their place, and instead of going to a trainer to increase these, you can upgrade them directly from the character menu. Instead, you only need to go to trainers to increase your SPECIFIC skills. (It's like being able to increase your Axe skill from Risen, but then you have to go to a trainer to learn "One handed Wield")

    I've seen two major complaints though reading other reviews here, the first being the controls. At first, i was going to agree with this somewhat, until i realize what was causing it.

    In Risen, the character was locked to the camera. Turn the camera, and you turn the character. In Risen 2 this only applies if you are currently moving forward. otherwise, the game has a free-floating character. This can create the illusion that the controls are a little laggy or "floaty", but once you get used to it, it's a non issue. Skyrim has a similar style camera, the only difference being the character response to turning is a bit sharper.

    The second is combat... which honestly I don't understand. Original Risen's combat was unforgivably punishing. Especially at the beginning, and then once again when the Saurians show up.

    Risen 2, while still challenging, is a least balanced. You can parry pretty much everything (which is nice, since shields have ceased to exist), and the dirty tricks are actually a LOT of fun. For me, they taken the place of the magic spells I used to use in Risen. So instead of using Frost bolt to freeze an enemy and then charging in and playing "block, attack, block, attack". Instead I rush in first, get an attack in, parry for a bit, and once an opening happens, kick them away, get a shot off with my pistol, switch my pistol for a handful of salt, wait for another opening, toss the salt to blind them, then use a power attack, and a couple quick attacks while they're stunned, and I'm only a few hours in, and only have the basic attacks! I still haven't gotten parries and counter attacks (let alone power-counters), and I haven't gotten the bigger guns (or magic if you so choose) yet, so that will just add to my arsenal.

    Also, during most of the early game at least (and from the looks of it later on as well, from the looks of it), you have a crew member with you. With basically fills the role of the Summon Skeleton scroll from the first game... except for one major difference... they don't suck. lol.

    and I haven't even touched on the NEW stuff.

    My second favorite new addition to this game over Risen? SNEAKING... holy crap SNEAKING. You actually crouch down and SNEAK into a building in order to "liberate" them of their stuff, and as long as you stay out of the NPC's line-of-sight, it actually WORKS. Unlike the original where if you walked into someones house the owner and every guard rushes in from 100 feet away. That now only occurs, if you actually go barging in and full speed... which is much more realistic.

    As for my favorite thing? Simple, PERSUASION MECHANICS!!! =D

    Yo have "Silver Tongue" which is basically "Persuade", and then you have "Intimidate", which is... well, "Intimidate". These are awesome, I love being able to talk NPC's into doing stuff they don't want to do. =)

    Now, in all fairness, I HAVE used a few mods, and aside from the "Unofficial Patch 0.5" that is a fan-fix of a few bugs, none of them affect the base functionality of the game. I steer clear of those, I only use the ones that add eye-candy (improved textures, dynamic torch lighting, a couple minor tweaks to fix texture/tree pop-in). So while my version of the game is prettier than others, it plays the same, and I just cannot see while they're is so much hate for this game, and the only thing I can fathom causing it, is that fact that it's not exactly like Risen or the old Gothic games.

    It's been modernized, streamlined, and updated, and while some of the extra fluff things have been slashed in order to accomplish that. The core mechanics have been enhanced.

    So, while not perfect (what game is?), I definitely feel it's a step up, and I'm really interested to see where they take this style of RPG in this new direction.    … Expand
  76. Phix105
    Jul 1, 2012
    1
    Please do yourself a favor and pass this game up till its a bargain price. I really liked the first one. The controls are clunky and its just flat not fun. i wish they could have stuck with what was working so well in all their other games that I've played and loved so well.
  77. mrkartofel1
    Dec 10, 2012
    6
    I don't play many RPG games, but this game is not bad. I know Witcher 2 is better, but Risen come from Germany - country with many worst games. Risen have good graphic and effects, but movement of shadows are weird. I have played some hours and I haven't seen any bigger bugs (game don't make 'automatic' off). Animations of characters are very funny - You must see how playable characterI don't play many RPG games, but this game is not bad. I know Witcher 2 is better, but Risen come from Germany - country with many worst games. Risen have good graphic and effects, but movement of shadows are weird. I have played some hours and I haven't seen any bigger bugs (game don't make 'automatic' off). Animations of characters are very funny - You must see how playable character jump! If you haven't played yet, I recommend you to buy this game in a sale on Steam or elsewhere.… Expand
  78. orctown-troll
    Oct 29, 2013
    1
    The problems with this game are DEEP and stem from a lack of programming skill on the part of the programmers: From the first moment impressions are TERRIBLE: Lack of graphics options, CHECK. Lack of character creation options. CHECK. Bad camera position, CHECK. Lack of first person perspective, CHECK. Unwieldy UI and gear menus, CHECK. Difficult movement CHECK. Moving and exploring inThe problems with this game are DEEP and stem from a lack of programming skill on the part of the programmers: From the first moment impressions are TERRIBLE: Lack of graphics options, CHECK. Lack of character creation options. CHECK. Bad camera position, CHECK. Lack of first person perspective, CHECK. Unwieldy UI and gear menus, CHECK. Difficult movement CHECK. Moving and exploring in this game are a CHORE from the start and it only gets worse when you are in combat, meaning that you will die continuously due to the terrible game controls. From such a dreadful foundation, nothing good can be built. There are any number of great MMOs available that allow players to make their character and move freely in exciting worlds. I would avoid this game and any others by this developer as they are simply obsolete and less-than-acceptable in terms of the basic ability to build a game in 2013. Suggest they hire some programmers who know their stuff, or use a function engine like the one used for Oblivion (back in the day) or even Never Winter Nights. Finally, who thought it would be a good idea to have storm sounds so LOUD they give you a migraine even when turned down to 10%. Also I have a new computer and the lack of adjustments for mouse sensitivity means that the damned game camera moves so fast it makes you dizzy. I uninstalled this POS within 20 minutes of trying it! You want to make video games? Learn How!

    Orctowngrot    … Expand
  79. nikolas0
    Apr 15, 2015
    10
    It is difficult to get to its mode but once you have got into it it's nearly perfect; a pirate song. A true successor to Gothic and Risen Series. After one hour of game playing you want leave it. As Jaffar says: **** yes!
  80. euu
    May 7, 2012
    8
    With all it's flaws, Risen 2 is still the best Pyrahna Bytes game since Gothic 2. It's so refreshing to play a fantasy RPG that doesn't involve orcs, dragons and armors with shoulder plates the size of truck tires. The main flaw of the game is the combat system, but it's nowhere near as bad as Gothic 3. Once you put some glory points and gold in your abilities the game gets a lot better.With all it's flaws, Risen 2 is still the best Pyrahna Bytes game since Gothic 2. It's so refreshing to play a fantasy RPG that doesn't involve orcs, dragons and armors with shoulder plates the size of truck tires. The main flaw of the game is the combat system, but it's nowhere near as bad as Gothic 3. Once you put some glory points and gold in your abilities the game gets a lot better. This is a PB game afterall, anyone who expects to kill 5 enemies with one flashy attack is better off playing Kingdoms of Amalur. The graphics are okay; character models look pretty bad and the animations are terrible, but the enviorments are beautiful and it's a great pleasure to explore, unlike Skyrim where everything is gray and brown. People are really unfair to this game, it may not be great( even compared to newer titles like The Witcher 2), but so far it's the best game I played this year..… Expand
  81. Scritty
    Oct 9, 2012
    4
    The first half an hour this is a promising game, the graphics seem ok as you are introduced, but once you get really going and introduce combat - the game falls over dramatically. The graphics glitchm the textures clash, the combat is both clumsy and irksome (and boring). Voices are really terrible, plot is hokum. Not an awful game, but not a 2012 AAA release by a long way.
  82. graywolf15236
    Feb 24, 2014
    10
    this is one of the most underrated RPG game ever!
    it might kind of annoying at first but once you get used to it everything will be great.
    the story is not the best, but I've seen worse in nowadays crappy games that people claim to be great. this game has fantastic music and the strongest point of the game is the atmosphere. player who don't know how to immerse themselves into the game    this is one of the most underrated RPG game ever!
    it might kind of annoying at first but once you get used to it everything will be great.
    the story is not the best, but I've seen worse in nowadays crappy games that people claim to be great. this game has fantastic music and the strongest point of the game is the atmosphere. player who don't know how to immerse themselves into the game will no doubt think this game suck, which is, sadly, plenty of them.    … Expand
  83. giskard
    May 4, 2012
    8
    Risen 1 had that cheesy feel about it but turned out to be a very good game, Risen 2 is an improvement over Risen 1 in most ways. The best way to describe it "Pirates of the Caribbean" in RPG format. Combat is the worst part of the game, it has that Assassins creed/Batman/Witcher 2 close your eyes and left click issue, not very good but that is the worst part of the game. The rest getsRisen 1 had that cheesy feel about it but turned out to be a very good game, Risen 2 is an improvement over Risen 1 in most ways. The best way to describe it "Pirates of the Caribbean" in RPG format. Combat is the worst part of the game, it has that Assassins creed/Batman/Witcher 2 close your eyes and left click issue, not very good but that is the worst part of the game. The rest gets better and better with each new island you sail to (which is a kind of cut scene based fast travel affair). At many points you have to make a choice that affects the rest of the game, the first choice is to help the natives or the Inquisition, which opens or closes various options in the game. Adding reply value to the game in the process. Spears thrown at you can be dodged by simply moving out of the way despite what somebody said in their review. But the secondary weapon, a pistol which you can shoot whilst fencing can also be used against you when fighting pirates which makes some fights more interesting than others thanks to this second attack. The NPCs are all unique, there are many laughs to be had in this game. Jaffar the Gnome has to be my favorite followed by the Native Chani and then Patty. I played the game for about 35 hours in the first play through but missed some quests, so it is over the 30 hour mark easily. The Story is interesting with many good settings for quest locations. There is an issue with distant items popping in to existence at close range making it hard to ignore, but I suspect this is to allow the game to work right on the consoles which might otherwise struggle to run this game if full detail was visible at greater distance. The islands and towns look great and the native villages feel authentic. Very nicely done actually. You can run this game in 2048x1152 with max detail on a 5 year old PC without issues. But it might be better if we had an option to increase the level of detail at a distance on the PC version in order to reduce the pop in effect. Much of what i have read from the low scores on Metacritics seems to come from people who have not actually finished the game yet or gotten past the first 2 islands. The only real issues in this rock solid stable game that I could see is the combat which is horrible and the pop in effect. Other than that, the game is great, hard to put down once you get going. I hope to see Jaffar again in Risen 3, he was so funny. As was patty :) Most peoples biggest gripe is the game costs £40. I have a value for money test which I apply to games that is a games value can be measured by the hours spent playing it. My test is £1 per how. This game lasted me 34 hours so its true value is £34 not £40. But since I enjoyed it and am likely to play it again, it may go to 70 hours next time making £40 look pretty good value for money. A great game, heartily recommend it.… Expand
  84. FaMy
    May 2, 2012
    10
    In my opinion Risen 2 is a great game. Sure there are weak points like the combat system: You have just to left-click against animals, because there is no option to block or evade their attacks (against human enemies you can block and even counterattack). Moreover the story is not the most exciting. However, on the other hand, there is a lot of good stuff that makes you enjoying the game.In my opinion Risen 2 is a great game. Sure there are weak points like the combat system: You have just to left-click against animals, because there is no option to block or evade their attacks (against human enemies you can block and even counterattack). Moreover the story is not the most exciting. However, on the other hand, there is a lot of good stuff that makes you enjoying the game. The atmosphere of the world is awesome, it´s so much fun to explore the area (even it´s all "jungle isle"-setting). For example there is lots of different monsters to fight and many chests to open. In addition i think the characters (everyone is unique) and dialogues are brilliant, i really love the humour (Jaffar is such a funny figure!).
    It took me about 35 hours to complete the game and i can assure you every second was well spent. :)    … Expand
  85. azefir1
    Jun 5, 2012
    10
    As a big fan of RPG games, especially Gothic series, i must say that this game is.... GREAT! I wasn't expecting that this game would be soo good, but i was positively surprised. I only wish that piranha bytes would have bigger budget....
  86. Andante
    Mar 22, 2014
    0
    After the BRILLIANT Risen 1 I had huge expectations that went horribly ill. This is the biggest disappointment of my gaming career, PB took a 180 degrees turn and slaughtered everything that was genius about the original game (open world, mature feeling, exploration, uniqueness) and created this bad excuse of a game. Avoid it at all costs.
  87. RoninX
    May 1, 2012
    8
    I have read through a couple of reviews here at metacritic and I have a hard time agreeing. I can accept if folks have technical issues with the game and are mad about it, it's understandable. But giving a bad score because of that I believe is not a fair review of the game itself. I have given Risen 2 an 8 out of 10 and I have played the game almost to the end and hopefully can give thoseI have read through a couple of reviews here at metacritic and I have a hard time agreeing. I can accept if folks have technical issues with the game and are mad about it, it's understandable. But giving a bad score because of that I believe is not a fair review of the game itself. I have given Risen 2 an 8 out of 10 and I have played the game almost to the end and hopefully can give those undecided a better review than just ranting over several paragraphs on how they suffer with the display or graphics. I for one have no such issues and the game looks wonderful. Although the start is somewhat bumpy and the player is thrown into the game without much explanation, Risen 2 turns out to be one of my current favorite RPG. The game does not have the well rounded professionalism and polish of Skyrim and I would not expect it with a much lover budget. The character movements are somewhat choppy; however, Risen 2 makes it up with witty conversations and a unique gameplay. The game really starts to shine once the world opens to the player, as the beginning is fairly linear. And I can see that a lot of reviewers haven't even played long enough to appricate the mid to late game openess. Once you have your crew and ship the fun really starts. What I really like about Risen 2 is the unique combat. It's tough, especially in the beginning and I prefer it over Skyrim, as it is much more rewarding. You really have to make a fight and it's often a tactical blade dance. NPC and monsters are not leveled with the character, wich means you will run across critters that you won't be able to beat right from the start and for many of them you have to make a serious effort to beat. Winning a battle in Risen 2 can be very satisfactory or if you do not want to leave the tough once for later, it can be frustrating. I also like how the 'Thief' talents are developed. Having a pet monkey and steering it yourself to get through windows, roof openings or small wall wholes in order to sneak into houses, ruins or temples to get to treasures you otherwise would not be able to, is a fun addition. Same counts for the parrot, (which should not be missed in a good pirate game) which is responsible for distracting your prey. I also like that you seriously have to develop the 'cunning' path before you can open the hard treasure chests. It is much more rewarding than in Skyrim, where one, with a bit of patience, can already open a 'Expert' or 'Master' chest right at start of game.

    Although Risen 2 environment is not as stuning as Skyrim's and it has some restriction on displaying further away objects (for me however it is not as bad as some of the descriptions here), it still has it's unique and breathtaking moments. My favorite so far was taking a walk though the jungle of Antigua just before sun set, when the sun rays are breaking the tree canopies. The light and shadow effects are amazing and is something I have not yet seen in any other game.

    So far I only tried the sword, pistol and musket playstyles and as far as I can see, the most fun and tactical play is the combined sword with pistol style. Musket gets a bit repetitive and too easy in the end game, while sword and pistol is a much more tactical and diverse style. The Vooodoo path I have not yet taken, but I read it is not as greatly developed, though I will not pass judgement here before I have not played it myself.

    All in all, Risen 2 is in my opinion a worthy successor of the original Risen and by far batter as the last attempt of the Gothic series. It is a good alternative to Skyrim for those who like a bit more challenge and of course a Pirate theme!    … Expand
  88. XenonLightz
    May 2, 2012
    9
    I don't understand why so many people rate this game negative. I like everything at it. Ok, to be honest, the new combat system is not as good as the one from risen 1, but risen 2 is an excellent game for which the developers get recognition by myself. The RPG aspects are all fully in this game, the graphics are really good again, a small performance leak, but that is okay, the charactersI don't understand why so many people rate this game negative. I like everything at it. Ok, to be honest, the new combat system is not as good as the one from risen 1, but risen 2 is an excellent game for which the developers get recognition by myself. The RPG aspects are all fully in this game, the graphics are really good again, a small performance leak, but that is okay, the characters have great animations, the sound is good, some great lip-synced speeches and much more... Good work, piranha bytes!… Expand
  89. olehastr
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Great game.Great story; great gameplay; exceptional graphics...I don't understand who wrote the low scores and why.....Awesome game.Its more hardcore than some RPG's.
  90. Gadarol
    May 2, 2012
    10
    This game is an outstanding example of why content is always more important thant technical details. Risen 2 ist the best Piranha Bytes Game since Gothic 2. If you are into good role playing games with just awesome designed worlds, Islands in this case, this is the game for you. Hundreds of hand crafted Quests, not generic or automated as with the so called "blockbusters".
    Of course there    This game is an outstanding example of why content is always more important thant technical details. Risen 2 ist the best Piranha Bytes Game since Gothic 2. If you are into good role playing games with just awesome designed worlds, Islands in this case, this is the game for you. Hundreds of hand crafted Quests, not generic or automated as with the so called "blockbusters".
    Of course there are some downsindes, for example the fighting system, which does not appeal to the gamer today. This however is not the core element of the game. Lots of detailed story elements, side storoes, lots of hidden places, beautiful landscapes and errrrr pirates with humor in the right places: This game is a worthy new game keeping up Piranha Bytes outstanding knowladge of creating "good old roleplaying games". The are some issues with the graphics / engine, those can be resolved by editing the config file. The game made me enjoy every 40 hours I spent in it up to know, and I am still realy sure I have not seen all the places and details hidden somewhere. Going to play it a second time now, and I certainly do not regret the purchase. So if you are OK with a somewhat dumbed down fighting and skill system to appeal todays audience but are also into good old roleplaying games, where all the love and details is more important to you than stupid fighting this for sure is the game for you!    … Expand
  91. dr0pi
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Yesterday I finished Risen 2 after 32 hours.

    In contrast to many review I enjoyed Risen 2 much more than Risen. IMO the pirate setting had a refreshing effect. The story in Risen was good until chapter 3 (IIRC), where it just got to "fast". In Risen 2 the storyline is consistently interesting and the different islands keep this up. The fighting system is weak at the beginning due to    Yesterday I finished Risen 2 after 32 hours.

    In contrast to many review I enjoyed Risen 2 much more than Risen. IMO the pirate setting had a refreshing effect. The story in Risen was good until chapter 3 (IIRC), where it just got to "fast". In Risen 2 the storyline is consistently interesting and the different islands keep this up. The fighting system is weak at the beginning due to the lack of skills. I played w/o the use of muskets and found myself struggling with enemies around hour 18, when not using skills like "kick" or "counter attack". So for me this is not a button masher, even against monsters you need to keep moving or kicking them away to be able to beat them.

    The story might be forced, but which PB game did not have several story-lines, that merged (more or less) together at the end?

    What I DISLIKED was the difficulty / balancing. The boss battles where no challenge at all, but one Island was damn hard in contrast to that.
    What I miss in Risen 2 is the possibility to keep on solving Quest / looting Treasures after beating the
    storyline. This was possible in Skyrim (but also necessary because the mainquest there only longs for mere 8-10 Hours...).

    My conclusion is simple: If you want a pirate game, play Risen 2. If you want a game you are able to beat in rational time play Risen 2.
    If you want a game not a non-sterile RPG play Risen 2.
    If you want the best graphics, don't want a "new" setting, need an very large open world RPG w/o a interesting story to pursue, ..., go play Skyrim.    … Expand
  92. 30cmOfLuck
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Risen 2 is a nice game, with catching storyline, nice atmosphere, a big world to explore.
    Well done cutscenes, as usualy lot's of interresting "pirnaha style" quests: beat the crap out of a guy, who doesn't let you through, distract a guardian with a whore, explore dangerous dungeons and temples for treasures. Good looking graphics, very well done human and monsters, sexy looking black    Risen 2 is a nice game, with catching storyline, nice atmosphere, a big world to explore.
    Well done cutscenes, as usualy lot's of interresting "pirnaha style" quests: beat the crap out of a guy, who doesn't let you through, distract a guardian with a whore, explore dangerous dungeons and temples for treasures. Good looking graphics, very well done human and monsters, sexy looking black woman :p All together is a really enjoyable game, which deserves a good note

    Guys who rate this game with 1-5, seems to have some private problems.    … Expand
  93. Kulinkwatz
    May 2, 2012
    9
    Risen 2 is a really good game which is in the style of the previous products of Piranha Bytes. It has some flaws like a mediocre combat systems(at least at the beginning) and some graphical glitches you can solve with some ini tweaks. However: the story, exploration, dialogues and and atmosphere is as good as every piranha-game. Since this part is much more important for me i just love it.Risen 2 is a really good game which is in the style of the previous products of Piranha Bytes. It has some flaws like a mediocre combat systems(at least at the beginning) and some graphical glitches you can solve with some ini tweaks. However: the story, exploration, dialogues and and atmosphere is as good as every piranha-game. Since this part is much more important for me i just love it. Don't believe all the hatred in this zero-score reviews. Most of them are pre-release reviews of disappointed core-gamers who didn't get a exact copy of the old Piranha Bytes games. It seems like many of them haven't even played the game. PB tried something new with their fresh interface and new combat system. Its not that perfect, but the game is not only about a good combat system and not having drinking animations for potions(some of this guys are really refusing to play the game in cause of this). Its about things like story, exploration, interesting characters and good and often funny dialogues.… Expand
  94. apoc_reg
    May 1, 2012
    9
    This is a fantastic game.

    PB are a great developer and in Risen 2 they have captured the feel of their Gothics and Risen 1. Risen 1 was great but had too few populated areas and was unbalanced in terms of how the content was spread. Risen 2 addresses both of these flaws and adds pirates!!! The only step backwards is the melee combat has been dumbed down, I hope they patch that!    This is a fantastic game.

    PB are a great developer and in Risen 2 they have captured the feel of their Gothics and Risen 1.

    Risen 1 was great but had too few populated areas and was unbalanced in terms of how the content was spread. Risen 2 addresses both of these flaws and adds pirates!!!

    The only step backwards is the melee combat has been dumbed down, I hope they patch that!

    highly recommended for amazing atmosphere, enviroments, good fun story and general adventure!    … Expand
  95. EmperorZorn
    May 1, 2012
    10
    I don't understand who wrote the low scores and why.

    This game is an excellent RPG and it's even bringing a fresh setting to the genre.
    I strongly recommend any fan of RPGs to ignore the scores and to try it out, otherwise you might miss out on one of the better RPGs we get this year.
  96. Halba
    May 2, 2012
    10
    This game is awesome, not perfect but awesome. I cant understand all of this Hater-votes. 4.5 is a silly joke for a game like this. Since G1+2 the best game from PB.
  97. Vazoth
    May 2, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed playing this game, although I was worried about many of the simplifications, which were added since Risen 1. However, having played the whole game, the quite simple fighting system (although it's still better than I expected), the little variety of armors and the disappointing content of some chests is everything, which remains a bit unpleasant. In contrast to it you haveI really enjoyed playing this game, although I was worried about many of the simplifications, which were added since Risen 1. However, having played the whole game, the quite simple fighting system (although it's still better than I expected), the little variety of armors and the disappointing content of some chests is everything, which remains a bit unpleasant. In contrast to it you have the wonderful setting, interesting and funny dialogues and a unique atmosphere, which you enjoy throughout the whole game.… Expand
  98. kozzy420
    May 1, 2012
    10
    Fantastic rpg with a great gameworld, fantastic characters, fun exploration and epic music.

    There are some issues like the graphics bugs and the animations are pretty average but everything else is good imo! This is more PB magic, if you liked Gothic2 or Risen1 I think youll enjoy Risen2! The combat seems boring at first but as you train more moves by trainers it really gets to be good    Fantastic rpg with a great gameworld, fantastic characters, fun exploration and epic music.

    There are some issues like the graphics bugs and the animations are pretty average but everything else is good imo!

    This is more PB magic, if you liked Gothic2 or Risen1 I think youll enjoy Risen2! The combat seems boring at first but as you train more moves by trainers it really gets to be good fun! The game also has great atmosphere, nice graphics and is a ton of fun to play.

    In a day and age when rpg devs are dumbing everything down, Risen2 is a breath of fresh air! This is the best PB game since Gothic2 imo! If you enjoy PB games give this one a try! Its a true rolepalying game and better then the last few rpgs I bought such as Reckoning, ME3 and Skyrim.

    This game does NOT hold your hand and the first few hours are very tough, but if you can keep at it you will be treated to one of the best rpgs in recent years (To me its best rpg since Witcher2).

    Not perfect, but whats here is a flawed Gem that every rpg fan that has an open mind should try!!! PB Has done it again! Another classic!    … Expand
  99. Gracek
    Apr 28, 2012
    8
    In my opinion it is good & beautiful mature RPG. If you played Risen and you liked it I hope You will like Risen 2. Spirit of Gothic and more than 40h of gameplay.
  100. agotmanov
    May 9, 2012
    8
    I had a chance to try Risen 2 for about 2hrs, and I think there is a lot of potential there. Low user scores of 4 and below don't do it justice. Most importantly the atmosphere reminds me strongly of Gothic. Nice music and voice acting. Interesting and rich environment. There are some issues with graphics at the moment (somewhat annoying on occasion), but nothing that can't be fixed by aI had a chance to try Risen 2 for about 2hrs, and I think there is a lot of potential there. Low user scores of 4 and below don't do it justice. Most importantly the atmosphere reminds me strongly of Gothic. Nice music and voice acting. Interesting and rich environment. There are some issues with graphics at the moment (somewhat annoying on occasion), but nothing that can't be fixed by a patch. Animations are a bit clunky, but I really don't care. I was playing on hard difficulty mode and didn't quite master the swordplay (human opponents were beating my character all the time). However, at a glance the combat system seems more interesting and challenging than in Risen 1. In short, definitely not Arcania. PB should fix the graphics and release a demo. Really looking forward to spending more time with it.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Jun 13, 2012
    60
    The real trouble with Risen 2 is that it doesn't really do anything particularly right. [July 2012, p.72]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    May 30, 2012
    70
    Despite the puppeteer's strings getting caught, Risen 2 puts on a good show that you'll see through to the end. [June 2012, p.58]
    Read full review
  3. 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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