Risen 3: Titan Lords

The overarching story itself is fairly generic - the world is in peril and only you can fix it - but the bits and pieces that it is made up of are all colourful and entertaining.

Even with the problems it has, I still think it’s worth any RPG fan’s time.

Risen 3 is a game tailor-made for a fan of Piranha Bytes' games. The first Risen was too eager in copying Gothiks, and Dark Waters was a bit too weird at times. Titan Lords is a great middle ground. It's a game in a well known universe with better combat system, an improved character development mechanic and a big, rewarding world to explore.

Risen 3 could be outstanding, for the world, the fights, the character system are almost made ​​for a first-class role play. But the story does not build tension. It serves its purpose, but remains arbitrary and acts in many places too contrived.

Combat quibbles and muddy graphics do little to spoil the fun of this enjoyable RPG.

Piranha Bytes is going back to its roots – including new cool factions like the Demonhunters and Guardians, both using powerful fantasy-spells. The game also offers a rich and detailed open world, mixing pirate- with medieval-setting where you can explore tons of rpg-content. Unfortunately the cinematic and technical presentation isn’t state of the art, including camera- and clipping-problems. Though the combat-system has improved since Risen 2, it still isn’t well balanced and polished.

In a normal year, this game would still be an easy one to recommend, but with 2014 being the strongest year for RPGs in at least a decade, there is a lot of competition. It might not be one to set aside time for immediately, but it might be one worth revisiting later once you have a lot of time available to put into it.

Despite still having a few issues Risen 3: Titan Lords is a vast improvement on Risen 2. The combat could be better but doesn't cripple the game this time, the world is more interesting and easier to get around, and there's tons of stuff to do.

This new episode in the Risen saga is targeted at the long-time fans of the series and it's packed with a lot of quests and accomplishments. Sadly a frustrating combat system and old-gen graphics relegate to the hardcore gamers this fascinating RPG.

Risen 3 is enjoyable most of the time, and I was only truly frustrated once or twice, but after twenty hours I felt I had seen all the game has to offer.

Better than Risen 2. Fun characters, interesting setting, and nice character progression but combat is still somewhat problematic. A fun adventure full of possibilities. However, Piranha needs to go back to what made Gothic such a timeless classic.

The Germans took a step back and reintroduced more of the distinctive atmosphere of the Gothic series and the first Risen, which is a huge advantage for me. The world is so vivid and lively that it really makes you want to be there and see as much of the vast content as possible. It’s a shame that the game’s engine is visibly aging and the story lacks the punch. [10/2014, p.48]

Risen 3: Titan Lords is a traditional Piranha Bytes game with everything that the definition entails. Fans of the company know all too well that it is more than capable of creating engaging, engrossing RPGs and Risen 3 is no exception. However, the series' trademark idiosyncrasies are still there and that means that Risen 3: Titan Lords is, as is often the case with Piranha Bytes games, a "love it or hate it" affair.

Risen 3: Titan Lords is a great game, but it is a bit short on story and depth. If you are into RPG’s, please take the plunge for a few hours and see if this is your cup of tea. Combat has been improved so Risen-fans will be happy.

It's a mediocre game for all intents and purposes, but if Gothic and the former installments in the series floated your boat, then you're in for a pretty good time.