Risen

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 894 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 659 out of 894
  2. Mixed: 163 out of 894
  3. Negative: 72 out of 894
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  1. SeanF
    Oct 27, 2009
    10
    Let me start this review by saying that I've never played any of the Gothic games. Or Oblivion. Or pretty much any RPG that has been released (for PC or consoles) in the last 8-or-so years. I lost interest in gaming a long while back, after a marriage, kids and work took up all of my time. I bought a new computer last week, and figured I'd take a look on Metacritic and see which Let me start this review by saying that I've never played any of the Gothic games. Or Oblivion. Or pretty much any RPG that has been released (for PC or consoles) in the last 8-or-so years. I lost interest in gaming a long while back, after a marriage, kids and work took up all of my time. I bought a new computer last week, and figured I'd take a look on Metacritic and see which RPGs were well-received -- I used to love the genre, and have played many of the classics (Wizardry series up to 7, Ultima Underworld, Betrayal at Krondor, etc.) and figured that I'd pick up a title to play for an hour or two in the evenings before bed. After considering a few, I decided on Risen and purchased it from an online retailer. I had no idea what I was in for! I have scarcely done anything but sit in my computer chair, jaw gaping for the last 4 days. This game is just incredible... the world is so fully realized it's almost shocking. People go about their daily lives, the days and nights cycle and weather changes, the world has very lived-in feel and a real sense of history. It is so easy to get lost in it, especially due to all of the distractions that the game offers you: collecting animal trophies, crafting swords and jewelery, mining... the list goes on and on. Should you decide to focus on the main quest line, the plot is gripping and voice acting accomplished. The game has a sense of moral ambiguity throughout that's very mature and thoughtful. There is no right and wrong side -- you are left only with your own morals and instincts to decide your friends and foes. Also, characters are multi-dimensional and not always as they appear... you will often serve as a tool for someone else's ulterior motives unless you're wise enough to catch on and refuse. I am, perhaps, not the best judge of graphics since I've been out of the loop for a while, but i'd argue that Risen is indisputably gorgeous. Beams of rust-orange light poke through the swaying trees at sunset, water flows convincingly around rocks and down falls, nights are inky blackness, broken only by your torch, which casts realistic shadows from everything around you. Just wow. Don't let yourself miss this game, it is really truly a classic and has single-handedly rejuvenated my interest in video games.… Expand
  2. Andante
    Mar 22, 2014
    10
    Words cannot really describe what a masterpiece this game is. It's the best game I ever played after 2009, nothing comes close. Today I'm not really into gaming (tight schedule/engineering student) but I always remember THIS game....I tried to play some other RPG's but I uninstalled them immediately because after Risen almost everything felt crap...
  3. matthew11
    Dec 9, 2013
    8
    Another old-school RPG from Piranhas. I always loved Gothic and this is his spiritual successor. You have whole island to discover, you can do quests for every fraction you want, smithing, hunting, magic, fighting, nobody tells you what you must do for progress in story. In current time, there's not so understanding for RPGs like this, but for old Gothic players (like me) it's a greatAnother old-school RPG from Piranhas. I always loved Gothic and this is his spiritual successor. You have whole island to discover, you can do quests for every fraction you want, smithing, hunting, magic, fighting, nobody tells you what you must do for progress in story. In current time, there's not so understanding for RPGs like this, but for old Gothic players (like me) it's a great reminder for legendary games Piranha Bytes. 76/100… Expand
  4. mike88100
    Jun 21, 2014
    10
    Gra chociaż swoje najlepsze lata ma już za sobą, nadal jest bardzo wciągająca, także graficznie nie jest najgorsza przy najwyższych ustawieniach, polecam każdemu kto ma słabszy sprzęt a oczekuje jak najwięcej z rozgrywki. Osobiście jestem fanem serii "Gothic" a "Risen" To godny następca tej serii.
  5. Lucassmdt
    Nov 16, 2015
    10
    One of the best gamer I played! The history and the realism cativate until now. The history, centrated in a misterious organization (Inquisitors) and the fate of the world and me, I lone wolf in the mid of all this.
    One of the best gamer ever!
  6. InQuasi
    Apr 14, 2019
    10
    A masterpiece of sound, atmosphere and world building. A small yet dense world feels so alive, so real for a fantasy game this is truly amazing. I remember many scorching summer days spent wasting away in the immense game that is Risen. Thank you PB, for the best game ever made.
  7. Torgall
    Dec 12, 2020
    8
    Very good RPG that made me nostalgic because of how it resembled the good ol' Gothic. The way this series went after this first game is just sad.
  8. Pekaboyare
    Jan 26, 2021
    8
    Клёвая игрушка, проблемы у нее конечно есть, но она стоит того чтобы пройти её.
  9. Czechinator
    Oct 18, 2022
    9
    Last good game from PB. Great music, great ambient sounds, beautiful world where I enjoyed exploring every corner. The last game they made where I wanted to try another faction right after I finished. When it rained at night it was absolutely magical. Combat was fun. The story was interesting. Dialogue was pretty much ok.
    It really gave off a gothic vibe
    Too bad after this game, every    Last good game from PB. Great music, great ambient sounds, beautiful world where I enjoyed exploring every corner. The last game they made where I wanted to try another faction right after I finished. When it rained at night it was absolutely magical. Combat was fun. The story was interesting. Dialogue was pretty much ok.
    It really gave off a gothic vibe

    Too bad after this game, every game they made got worse and worse in every way.    … Expand
  10. ZOMBIEWINEGUM
    Jan 22, 2012
    9
    When I first saw this game I had no idea how good it was going to be. I will start with the graphics. The graphics are the only thing that make me give this game a 9 rather than a 10. The character models and building have a polygon count a bit on the lower side. The aesthetics on the other hand make this the nicest looking game I have seen for a long time the use of depth of field is justWhen I first saw this game I had no idea how good it was going to be. I will start with the graphics. The graphics are the only thing that make me give this game a 9 rather than a 10. The character models and building have a polygon count a bit on the lower side. The aesthetics on the other hand make this the nicest looking game I have seen for a long time the use of depth of field is just astonishing. The gameplay can only be describes as classic RPG. It looks, feels and plays like a high quality RPG. In my personal opinion this is better than skyrim.… Expand
  11. Ramanujan
    Mar 15, 2011
    9
    I've never played any of the Gothic games so this game was a quite new experience for me. A very enjoyable and engrossing experience too. I've logged 100 hours on this game without even noticing it - it's that immersive. Potions, cooking, mining, forging, stealing, freedom to go almost anywhere from the start and a fresh (to me) approach to combat, which I had to learn fast. Any game whereI've never played any of the Gothic games so this game was a quite new experience for me. A very enjoyable and engrossing experience too. I've logged 100 hours on this game without even noticing it - it's that immersive. Potions, cooking, mining, forging, stealing, freedom to go almost anywhere from the start and a fresh (to me) approach to combat, which I had to learn fast. Any game where spamming the left click button almost guarantees you defeat in battle is a welcome change. A serious or even semi-serious RPGer should find this game well worth their time and money. I had a few very minor grahical glitches (steam version) and the end could perhaps have been better, but this game is full of entertainment and I highly recommend it, especially if the you are disillusioned with the direction of other so-called RPGs.… Expand
  12. DevonM.
    Oct 10, 2009
    10
    Risen is a wonderful return to RPG roots. It does almost nothing wrong in my books. For people tried of the 'Diablo' style of action-rpg that dominates the shelves, Risen will be a wonderful breath of fresh air. This isn't a game where every five minutes you'll be levelling up, nor will you be constantly finding brand new weapons and armor to swap out. Until you start Risen is a wonderful return to RPG roots. It does almost nothing wrong in my books. For people tried of the 'Diablo' style of action-rpg that dominates the shelves, Risen will be a wonderful breath of fresh air. This isn't a game where every five minutes you'll be levelling up, nor will you be constantly finding brand new weapons and armor to swap out. Until you start to get some better equipment and training, each battle will be dangerous and rewarding. After Gothic 3 I was skeptical of buying Risen, I cannot believe I almost passed up what has rapidly become one of the most compelling RPG's I've played since Mass Effect. As far as decisions make in the game, I love how the idea of good and bad isn't so distinct, rather it focuses on what side you'll take and what lines you'll tread there. Sure you apprehend the thief, but do you choose to let him go or turn him in? And if you do, which side are your ambitions aligned towards? Graphically speaking I find the game absolutely beautiful. I love how dark is dark in this game, carrying a torch through the jungle in a rainstorm as the shadows of trees and bushes dance around is a compelling visual experience. The acoustic ambiance is nothing shy of excellent either, this game is a visual and aural feast. Combat, one of the things widely criticized is in my opinion pretty good. With the sole exception of a minor targetting problem, I've never felt like the system was unintuitive, boring or difficult. Combat IS difficult, but not because of the system in place. Rather use of tactics and timing are paramount and can lead to some pretty satisfying kills. At one point I had performed an overhead strike only to kill three gnomes with the same hit, which is not common mind you, but shows how the system is versitile. Also, unlike other casual RPG's, there are no -easy- enemies in this game. Until you get some good armor, training and weapons, even the earliest enemies will still be dangerous, you just get better at killing them. Most importantly I've had no technical issues and it runs fine on my Sony Vaio FW485J/B at max graphical settings. I'm running the steam version of the game. Now, the game does have a few hiccups in dealing with falling, drowning, and the occassional targetting mishap in combat. But none which get in the way to make the game unplayable or less enjoyable. All in all, I love this game. LOVE IT. Anyone rating it poorly most likely simply do not like the design or difficulty of it. Any true hardcore or old school RPGers will feel completely at home here, and like me, have been waiting for this game for a long time.… Expand
  13. JamesG
    Nov 27, 2009
    9
    Great character voice acting, good storyline and progression of hero from fighter to battle mage. They avoided a lot of the annoying aspects of similar games (unlimited weight carrying, fireballs don't kill friends, no limitations based on good/evil alignment, etc).. Beautiful environment with sunrises, birds, rain, nice water effects. Lots of weapons, but not too complicated. Simple Great character voice acting, good storyline and progression of hero from fighter to battle mage. They avoided a lot of the annoying aspects of similar games (unlimited weight carrying, fireballs don't kill friends, no limitations based on good/evil alignment, etc).. Beautiful environment with sunrises, birds, rain, nice water effects. Lots of weapons, but not too complicated. Simple approach to magic that works well. Great game!… Expand
  14. Synplasm
    Apr 9, 2011
    9
    A challenging and very rewarding game. One of the better RPGs to appear in the last few years. If you are prepared to invest in the game you will get your money's worth and much more. Even if you are only a semi serious RPGer you should give this game a try. I doubt if you will be disappointed. I won't go into specifics, I don't need to, just believe me when I say this game is very veryA challenging and very rewarding game. One of the better RPGs to appear in the last few years. If you are prepared to invest in the game you will get your money's worth and much more. Even if you are only a semi serious RPGer you should give this game a try. I doubt if you will be disappointed. I won't go into specifics, I don't need to, just believe me when I say this game is very very immersive. Of course, if you are an instant gratification bod who wants to be walked through the game whilst playing it, simultaneously one shotting everything in your path, then I wouldn't bother.… Expand
  15. DanM
    Oct 2, 2009
    10
    Great RPG. with an unique and impressive fighting gameplay... you can kill much higher level enemies just by being able to control your character and avoid their attacks, block or counter attack in semi combos; the world is a joy to explore and the graphics are a real work of art. Story is captivating and even though I haven't finished the game, I can't wait to start over again Great RPG. with an unique and impressive fighting gameplay... you can kill much higher level enemies just by being able to control your character and avoid their attacks, block or counter attack in semi combos; the world is a joy to explore and the graphics are a real work of art. Story is captivating and even though I haven't finished the game, I can't wait to start over again and take a different path for my character.… Expand
  16. roboticsun
    Oct 14, 2011
    8
    Risen is said to be the successor of the gothic series. I used to try playing gothic 1and 2 but never get into them, because of their weird interface and controls. but I actually liked Risen. the interface is intuitive and easy to handle. the controls are better than gothic games. you just use left mouse button to attack, right button to block and space to jump which makes it quite easy toRisen is said to be the successor of the gothic series. I used to try playing gothic 1and 2 but never get into them, because of their weird interface and controls. but I actually liked Risen. the interface is intuitive and easy to handle. the controls are better than gothic games. you just use left mouse button to attack, right button to block and space to jump which makes it quite easy to get into battle and of course this game is hard, so at lower level, you'd better not get involved with some high level monsters or persons. In this game you have to learn skills from certain NPCs and they will charge you gold for that which is quite realistic. I suggest start with talking to various NPCs and get some easy fetch quests first. The exploration in this game is fun and level design is well-done though the characters' animations are very awkward. story wise it's not impressive however this game has several factions, when you joined one, the quests from other factions will be locked so there are some replay values here. overall if you want to find some realistic open-world RPGs, Risen is a good start but just keep in mind the world in Risen is dangerous even at the beginning if you used to a easy run like in oblivion you will be pissed :).… Expand
  17. AlexH
    Oct 13, 2009
    10
    Very addictive, beutiful world full of secrets, secrets and secrets. Brings back memories of how awesome TeS III: Morrowind was, not as great as MW, but still a great RPG experience. Some minor flaws aren't enough to alter the overall experience of this game. PS. 360-commenters, the 360 version has it's own title.
  18. KevR
    Nov 29, 2009
    9
    This game is a gem of role-playing games. It is not perfect and let me tell you, if you are not up to the challenge this game will annihilate you. It features a beautiful, detailed and living world (except on the 360) and the best combat system ever made for a role-playing game. One that actually requires skill and where every fight is a challenge. The game's main flaw is its This game is a gem of role-playing games. It is not perfect and let me tell you, if you are not up to the challenge this game will annihilate you. It features a beautiful, detailed and living world (except on the 360) and the best combat system ever made for a role-playing game. One that actually requires skill and where every fight is a challenge. The game's main flaw is its chapters. While the 1st and 3rd chapter are insanely well made and I literally finished them without exiting the game, I was disappointed that the 2nd and 4th chapter could not quite keep up with the other two. The game is probably the best RPG to come out since Gothic 2 and KotoR and definitely worth getting. And with an add-on to make up for the weaker chapters and a few flaws (which are so small I cannot recall them atm) may even be the best RPG ever made.… Expand
  19. KevinF
    Oct 18, 2009
    9
    I recently played through this game and enjoyed it immensely. DO NOT get the 360 version and stick with the PC version. Don't even acknowledge that the 360 version exists and your life will be better. That said, I really enjoyed the overall design of the Island and really the most entertaining part of this game is just wandering around getting in trouble and accidentally coming I recently played through this game and enjoyed it immensely. DO NOT get the 360 version and stick with the PC version. Don't even acknowledge that the 360 version exists and your life will be better. That said, I really enjoyed the overall design of the Island and really the most entertaining part of this game is just wandering around getting in trouble and accidentally coming across awesome treasure. I didn't think the story was all that great but I honestly didn't care. The game's characters are all somehow memorable and you'll be surprised how often you hear an NPC referenced and you know exactly where that person is on the island. I was planning on getting this to tide me over until Dragon Age releases in a few weeks but I got so addicted that I finished this damn game already!… Expand
  20. Poloman
    Oct 24, 2009
    8
    Best single player RPG I've played in a very long time. I don't have anything else recently released to compare it to, but I enjoyed it more than Elder Scrolls - Oblivion or Fallout 3.
  21. MikaelO
    Dec 6, 2009
    8
    A solid RPG, with a lot of atmosphere. The combat system is at times not so responsive as one might wish for, in a game that requires you to master your keyboard in order to just survive. The upside of that is of course the good old Gothic feel. This game is difficult. The enemies are really dangerous, and your skill and your character's, will determine the outcome of combat. For A solid RPG, with a lot of atmosphere. The combat system is at times not so responsive as one might wish for, in a game that requires you to master your keyboard in order to just survive. The upside of that is of course the good old Gothic feel. This game is difficult. The enemies are really dangerous, and your skill and your character's, will determine the outcome of combat. For some, this will be a let down, but for the rest of us, it heightens the feeling of accomplishment. As with any quest-based RPG, there are some glitches with the quests, but all-in-all I feel that it works out very nicely. A negative point is the horribly stereotype view of women, but to be perfectly fair, most role playing games on PC tend to be massively sexist.… Expand
  22. CraigB
    Oct 3, 2009
    9
    Awesome game. One of the best RPGs in the last few years. Great to see that PB are back into making beautiful game experiences. Gothic 3 might not have received good reviews, but hopefully Risen gets the praise that it surely deserves.
  23. BenjaminL
    Oct 4, 2009
    10
    great RPG and adventure. I was pretty much thinking that Piranha Bytes were done after Gothic 3 but i gotta say this is one of the most stable games i've played coming out of Germany. The engine is not really the best and brightest of them all but it delivers definitely on the atmosphere front. If you're into RPGs and adventures and like to explore and quest, Risen might very great RPG and adventure. I was pretty much thinking that Piranha Bytes were done after Gothic 3 but i gotta say this is one of the most stable games i've played coming out of Germany. The engine is not really the best and brightest of them all but it delivers definitely on the atmosphere front. If you're into RPGs and adventures and like to explore and quest, Risen might very well be better than Dragon Age.… Expand
  24. lizard
    Nov 7, 2009
    9
    I've not played any of the gothic games but I'm finding this to be a solid and enjoyable RPG. There are a few minor technical issues and I've experienced a couple of annoying CTD's but this hasn't affected my enjoyment of the game too badly, I also feel that performance could be a little bit better. The graphics and world design are superb, despite the reletively I've not played any of the gothic games but I'm finding this to be a solid and enjoyable RPG. There are a few minor technical issues and I've experienced a couple of annoying CTD's but this hasn't affected my enjoyment of the game too badly, I also feel that performance could be a little bit better. The graphics and world design are superb, despite the reletively small size of the island and limited number of major settlements there is still a great deal to discover in this game. The AI is of a reasonable standard and I find combat quite enjoyable, one thing that is a little annoying is the fact that NPC's etc. aren't drawn until reletively close to the player character and the fade in is quite noticeable. Voice acting on the whole is pretty reasonable and the story itself is quite interesting . There's a wide range of different quests and a good amount of different skills that your character can learn ranging from cooking to smithing weapons. Overall I'm really impressed with this game even though it has a few irritating technical issues, one of the better games to appear on the PC this year.… Expand
  25. TomE
    Oct 21, 2009
    10
    This is the game that Gothic 3 should have been. Game play is interesting and thought provoking. The graphics are beautiful. Game play and the story line flows nicely, and can be played leisurely. If you like Gothic 3, even in its broken state, or liked Oblivion or The Witcher, you will love Risen.
  26. TravisL
    Oct 3, 2009
    10
    It's an amazing multiplayer game , the maps are well detailed , and the controls are easy to use and learn , i recommend this to any person who enjoys playing First Person Shooters.
  27. VincenzoN
    Oct 4, 2009
    10
    Really good and exciting experience!! Amazing adventure, full of story, mysteries tied with a huge and complex combat system! Wonderful! I loved Gothic 1 & 2 and I really love this game: the real sequel of the Gothic series! I've appreciated the great job Piranha did! The maximum expression of it! Thanks Piranha!
  28. The_Fiend
    Dec 3, 2010
    9
    I thoroughly enjoyed this game. Great music and atmospherics. Love the AI of the NPCs (.e.g f you stand somewhere high and be a douchebag like me taking crossbow shots at random people, they don't just come up to the building butting their heads on the wall, but actually climb up to come and get you lol). I think a good combination of a bit of hack and slash with solid rpg. BIG THUMBS UP!
  29. imbrex
    May 27, 2011
    9
    First, looks great, decisions have a large impact on the game. The combat works very well, as you upgrade skills. You'll have alot of trouble if you just button mash. The drawback of the game is that I had some very irritating bugs when I played - missing quest triggers, etc. On the whole a very fun game for RPG fans.
  30. mrrgl
    Sep 25, 2011
    8
    A fun little adventure, appropriately challenging combat, an initially engaging plot. Very rough around the edges upon closer inspection but not in a game-breaking manner. Ultimately what this game lacked entirely was character. No goofy cast of recurring characters like in the Gothic series. Just a series of faceless plot devices. An amusing game that is great need of some goodA fun little adventure, appropriately challenging combat, an initially engaging plot. Very rough around the edges upon closer inspection but not in a game-breaking manner. Ultimately what this game lacked entirely was character. No goofy cast of recurring characters like in the Gothic series. Just a series of faceless plot devices. An amusing game that is great need of some good storytelling, humor, drama, tragedy, something. Nevertheless, Risen is a rich game that is fun to play from beginning to end which is more than I can say for most games.… Expand
  31. Awesomebutton
    Mar 21, 2012
    10
    Risen is one of the best RPGs ever. Its behind Gothic 2, because it is shorter an with less choices and dialog and the end boss is just not right for the game. But the combat is amazing, the world is beautiful as always with PB games. Their games are extremely involving and engaging and has a unique atmosphere. Piranha Bytes are the real kings of RPG games. Hope Risen 2 will be as good asRisen is one of the best RPGs ever. Its behind Gothic 2, because it is shorter an with less choices and dialog and the end boss is just not right for the game. But the combat is amazing, the world is beautiful as always with PB games. Their games are extremely involving and engaging and has a unique atmosphere. Piranha Bytes are the real kings of RPG games. Hope Risen 2 will be as good as Risen, that would give me a new chance to keep up playing games. I am extremely disappointed about games like Skyrim, Dragon Age 2 etc.. They made me thinking about quit playing games for ever. Sorry for my bad english, Im a north with an arrow to my knee..… Expand
  32. renejr902
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    Risen 1 is the best RPG i have played in my life. ( except some japanese rpg)
    Its really better than skyrim, even witcher 2 that i love, dragon age...
    BECAUSE the STORY, the characters, the quests, the items, magic, the worlds, the difficulty in battle, ARE AT THEIR BEST !!! no game can beat that. Risen 1 is a game like no other. its the only game that i feel im really living in    Risen 1 is the best RPG i have played in my life. ( except some japanese rpg)
    Its really better than skyrim, even witcher 2 that i love, dragon age...

    BECAUSE the STORY, the characters, the quests, the items, magic, the worlds, the difficulty in battle, ARE AT THEIR BEST !!! no game can beat that. Risen 1 is a game like no other.

    its the only game that i feel im really living in that world. i played 30 hours without sleep the first time i played. Try it for yourself, its really better than any other rpg if you have patience.

    i played both the PC and xbox 360 version. the xbox 360 version is not beautiful VS PC, but its still the same game. RISEN 1 is the best !    … Expand
  33. [Anonymous]
    Oct 2, 2009
    8
    Graphics overall are decent,with plenty of colours(not just brown) and trees and bushes in the screen to make it look like a jungle island, but arent anything that would make your jaw-drop in awe, and most obvious reason for this is that the character models could be better and more detailed. The gameplay is quite good. Combat requires you to dodge, parry , and you cant just keep clicking Graphics overall are decent,with plenty of colours(not just brown) and trees and bushes in the screen to make it look like a jungle island, but arent anything that would make your jaw-drop in awe, and most obvious reason for this is that the character models could be better and more detailed. The gameplay is quite good. Combat requires you to dodge, parry , and you cant just keep clicking the mouse and expect to win. Which is a good thing. However controls could be bit more accurate and fluid, but they arent bad, nor are the controls a major issue. Skill system COULD use few more skills, like a shield skill for an example, and the skill system doesnt have anything revolutionary in it, but it is sufficient and pretty solid. Improving skills requires you to get training and PAY for it. It fits the overall game quite well, even though it might seem unforgiving to people accustomed to easier games, its not a bad thing. Atleast the game doesnt pamper you too much. Writing is sufficiently coherent and well written, but it isnt amazing nor will it win any prizes for it. Also the voice overs could be better, at times they dont sound all that good , but otherwise sounds are again, good. UI is well done, and there is really nothing to complain here. Overall, its a good action RPG, but it isnt great nor a isntant classic. It manages to be actually challenging and entertaining, and is worth buying if you like WRPGs. It reminds me of better days , days where games werent pleasant strolls with no challenge.… Expand
  34. Jamie
    Oct 4, 2009
    10
    It's been ages since I've liked an RPG this much. I loved Gothic 1 and 2 (BOTH of which are much better games than Oblivion - Oblivion just looked prettier) but Gothic 3 was completely broken. Risen is what Gothic 3 should have been. The engine is unbelievably smooth, even on my 2 year old rig with all the settings on high - no pauses before combat, and no loading or unloading It's been ages since I've liked an RPG this much. I loved Gothic 1 and 2 (BOTH of which are much better games than Oblivion - Oblivion just looked prettier) but Gothic 3 was completely broken. Risen is what Gothic 3 should have been. The engine is unbelievably smooth, even on my 2 year old rig with all the settings on high - no pauses before combat, and no loading or unloading when entering / leaving dungeons. The world looks great. There's lots to do and collect. Everything just works simply - see something highlighted? Left click to pick it up. Middle click to toggle combat. Right click to block. It just seems to do everything right. Looking forward to playing this for a LONG time because, unlike Oblivion, everything in a piranha bytes game is hand designed, no computer generated lego-block dungeons here - therefore, you never know what you will find, or where a dungeon will take you. On a technical note, even the shaders are spot on this time... none of the weird artifacts they had in G3, everything looks wonderful and performs flawlessly, no crashes or freezes or even slowdowns... THANK YOU piranha bytes!! Glad to have you back !!!… Expand
  35. RyanM
    Oct 5, 2009
    10
    Quite possibly the most fun I've had in an RPG since Morrowind a decade ago. A solid, intriguing game with an absolutely jaw-droopingly crafted world that will have you exploring its every nook and cranny for hours upon hours. The amount of secrets, REAL secrets, in this game is absolutely staggering! Hidden passages abound in dungeons and treasure is tucked in the most out of way Quite possibly the most fun I've had in an RPG since Morrowind a decade ago. A solid, intriguing game with an absolutely jaw-droopingly crafted world that will have you exploring its every nook and cranny for hours upon hours. The amount of secrets, REAL secrets, in this game is absolutely staggering! Hidden passages abound in dungeons and treasure is tucked in the most out of way places. Hands down, Risen is the best PC RPG to come along in a very, very long time.… Expand
  36. ToreH
    Oct 8, 2009
    9
    Five minutes ago I completed this game, of almost 5 days of intense playing, I just could not stop! All the way through the game I was amazed by the freedom, the many path and of course the story. I liked the gameplay itself so much, that I want a Risen 2! - NOW! Seriously, try out this game, even if you don't play RPG, it's definitely worth it. I give it a BIG 9 of 10.
  37. mattl
    Oct 8, 2009
    10
    I thinks this a great game despite being a gothic esque clone (replace "magical barrier" with "island surrounded by storms") the game pulls from you a need to explore its dark secrets and a game that compells you to play it is agreat game indeed. oh and not every game needs to push the graphical limit because not everyone is a rich fat bastard who can afford a super computer then bashI thinks this a great game despite being a gothic esque clone (replace "magical barrier" with "island surrounded by storms") the game pulls from you a need to explore its dark secrets and a game that compells you to play it is agreat game indeed. oh and not every game needs to push the graphical limit because not everyone is a rich fat bastard who can afford a super computer then bash lower end games made for the rest of us!… Expand
  38. AlexV
    Nov 12, 2009
    9
    Great rpg, Doesn't seem that great at first but beyond that it becomes excellent. Challenging (which some people may not like) but gives you a real sense of achievement when you finally off a tough beast or solve a major quest. It's free-roaming, has tons of interesting quests, and once you get used to the controls you'll find them natural. Only thing wrong I found is the Great rpg, Doesn't seem that great at first but beyond that it becomes excellent. Challenging (which some people may not like) but gives you a real sense of achievement when you finally off a tough beast or solve a major quest. It's free-roaming, has tons of interesting quests, and once you get used to the controls you'll find them natural. Only thing wrong I found is the combat controls for optimum combat are set too fast for me (but I'm useless at beat-em ups etc). Didn't really matter though since you can still have very fun and tactical combat without them (it's not that big a deal). Overall a fantastic game.… Expand
  39. Travie
    May 18, 2011
    9
    I just replayed this game for the 3rd time. If it wasn't for the short chapter 3 this would be a 9.5 for me. This game deserves many accolades, and I hope there are more great PB games incoming in the near future.
  40. BigOn85
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    Risen is a good production, although it still needs a number of cuts. If you are fans, or just love the Gothic series, this work also fall in love with you. Additionally, if you plan to test the Risen 2, it is useful to first reach for the first part, because I secretly believe that it will close follow-up adventures. I leave you, you may miss the chance to buy this game and remember ...Risen is a good production, although it still needs a number of cuts. If you are fans, or just love the Gothic series, this work also fall in love with you. Additionally, if you plan to test the Risen 2, it is useful to first reach for the first part, because I secretly believe that it will close follow-up adventures. I leave you, you may miss the chance to buy this game and remember ... Do not let the counter bison!… Expand
  41. RickD
    Oct 11, 2009
    10
    Risen, oh my god, this game deserves an award in my opnion. Never have i had so many fun in an rpg since a long time, let alone Piranha Bytes did a great job on the story and the graphics. The few doensides i had were a few little bugs whereas you run into a house and appear upon the roof, although it made me laugh more than it actually annoyed me. Let alone the many easter eggs ive found Risen, oh my god, this game deserves an award in my opnion. Never have i had so many fun in an rpg since a long time, let alone Piranha Bytes did a great job on the story and the graphics. The few doensides i had were a few little bugs whereas you run into a house and appear upon the roof, although it made me laugh more than it actually annoyed me. Let alone the many easter eggs ive found were not only funny, but also very original. All of this together makes me say 10/10, its been worth the 50 euros i've spent on it. If there's plans for a Risen 2 or any rpg game from Piranha Bytes it definately will be something for me to look forward to.… Expand
  42. DonC.
    Oct 7, 2009
    10
    Piranha Bytes is back! After the undercooked Gothic 3 failed to impress, Piranha Bytes left the series, went back to the drawing board and came up with a next gen spiritual successor to Gothic 2 called Risen. It's just as hardcore and unforgiving as the Gothic titles, but also keeps the same immaculate attention to detail, deep leveling system and immersive game world. The combat Piranha Bytes is back! After the undercooked Gothic 3 failed to impress, Piranha Bytes left the series, went back to the drawing board and came up with a next gen spiritual successor to Gothic 2 called Risen. It's just as hardcore and unforgiving as the Gothic titles, but also keeps the same immaculate attention to detail, deep leveling system and immersive game world. The combat system is a significant improvement over the mindless click-fest that was Gothic 3, and much more streamlined than the clunky system from 1+2, without sacrificing the complexity. The wide-open gameworld, the most dearly loved feature of the franchise, is back with a vengance. You can roam freely throughout the massive island without a single loading screen, indoor and out. Almost every quest has multiple ways to complete it, based on your moral compass or your character's skills. Every NPC is killable, and even four beginning-to-end playthroughs could not possibly be enough to see the many paths that are open to you throughout the game. As for the graphics, the environments are lush and gorgeous, but the character models are simply passable. I hardly noticed, however, since everything else about the game engine is top-notch and the world is filled with believable, organic exteriors and interiors. To sum it up, Risen is a godsend; a hardcore western RPG bursting with content. This may not be for everyone, but it's hands-down the best game I've played in years. If you love RPG's and are sick of the hand-holding, spoon-feeding games crowding the market lately, don't let this one fly under your radar.… Expand
  43. CaptainChaos
    Oct 3, 2010
    10
    I base this rating on pure fun value. This is hands down the best combat system ever in any RPG anywhere; it is extraordinarily challenging without being gimmicky. No matter how strong you are, if you get lazy, a pack of wolves will eat you b/c they will use good AI and surround you so that one distracts you while another eats you. Progress is slow but steady and you can design theI base this rating on pure fun value. This is hands down the best combat system ever in any RPG anywhere; it is extraordinarily challenging without being gimmicky. No matter how strong you are, if you get lazy, a pack of wolves will eat you b/c they will use good AI and surround you so that one distracts you while another eats you. Progress is slow but steady and you can design the character you want. With perseverance, luck and skill, you *might* beat something relatively much stronger than you and then reap your xp and treasure rewards out of proportion to your level which is my favorite thing about well designed RPGs as they reward courage and creativity. But mostly likely you will be reloading a lot! (as you should). And don't even think about the toughest creatures until you are truly advanced.

    The graphics while a bit dated but beautiful render cilnky skeletons and icky giant moths; even the wolves have menacing yellow eyes and sping tingling growls. And the real star is the gorgeous FarCry-esque seascapes, with hidden paths and easter eggs everywhere. Even after 25 hours I still was surprised to suddenly realize an area I knew really well, actually bent back across the mountain to something else I knew... speaking of which, the map design is brilliant. There are shortcuts all over but you won't be able to use them until you are powerful enough to be where you should be because the monsters guarding them are either very tough or numerous - so it's not gimmicky at all, just well thought out and immersive. Honestly, I should rate this game a 9 b/c the combat was a bit tricky in the beginning and the quest system definitely needs a lot more help in figuring out, both of which sent me to the walkthroughs more than once. But if you don't mind doing that once in a while this game is a 10. Otherwise, it's still a 9.    … Expand
  44. desik
    Aug 5, 2011
    10
    Best RPG since it's release so far. Piranha Bytes keeps my hopes alive that RPG genre didn't died out yet. And the graphich is really amazing for a 2009 game. Managed to get 30 FPS medium, 1024*768, Radeon 5750.
  45. KaseyC
    Oct 10, 2009
    9
    Great game, fun combat(albeit a little annoying at times, but a fine representation of "you can't win them all" lol), fun quests that force you to decide how you want to go about the task, decent textures, nice water! I prefer this type of game on the PC, I'm not a console gamer anymore, but I couldn't imagine it being any worse than morrowind or oblivion console versions. Great game, fun combat(albeit a little annoying at times, but a fine representation of "you can't win them all" lol), fun quests that force you to decide how you want to go about the task, decent textures, nice water! I prefer this type of game on the PC, I'm not a console gamer anymore, but I couldn't imagine it being any worse than morrowind or oblivion console versions. This game, spawned of the Gothic series, is tough to start if you don't know how the series rolls. Gothic III and Risen, while they have their moments, seem to be lacking a little of the humorous edge Gothic II had. Also, I thought Gothic II had a much more compelling social environment aside from the humor factor. Don't get me wrong, though. The humor and compelling environment are still prevailent, it's just not delivered as well in my opinion. Risen is still a triple A title!… Expand
  46. DavidD
    Oct 10, 2009
    10
    Don't listen to this stupid "Bad Graphics" shouters.Its a really funny and well balanced game.The point of a game is that you can have some fun.Risen made me have fun all the time.Its absolutly pointless to rate a game a 0 because it has bad or average graphics.And Risen is very funny to play.
  47. DanW
    Oct 13, 2009
    9
    A thoroughly enthralling game. I feel I need to express my take on some of the issues raised in various critic reviews. Those who criticise the combat or leveling system have almost certainly not invested enough time in the game. This is game design by the old rules, back when you were rewarded for your time and commitment with depth and complexity. Piranha Bytes' are basically the A thoroughly enthralling game. I feel I need to express my take on some of the issues raised in various critic reviews. Those who criticise the combat or leveling system have almost certainly not invested enough time in the game. This is game design by the old rules, back when you were rewarded for your time and commitment with depth and complexity. Piranha Bytes' are basically the Anti-Bethesda, whose games consistently present you with skin-deep gimmickery and utterly fail to deliver on their apparent ambition. This is a combat system that you have to learn as much as your character does, and a leveling system that rewards you with a genuine feeling of progression rather than just a page full of big numbers and an increased dice roll. All skills are useful and compelling, crafting and pickpocketing are just as meaningful as combat and magic. Lastly, it is one of the most consistently diverse and designed games I have played. The technology may not be the most cutting edge, but the attention to detail in all aspects of the game's design manage never to break the atmosphere. Even the english translation and voice work have come on leaps and bounds from their earlier work, and borders on genuinely compelling more often than not :-) If I had to describe this game in a single word, it would be "Solid".… Expand
  48. NikolayK.
    Oct 13, 2009
    10
    I have not played Gothic 1-3, but Risen impressed me a lot. Beautiful graphics, exciting story. Of course it has some drawbacks, but you don`t notice them while playing. It is the third RPG me played after Deus Ex and Kotor 1-2, so Risen can compete with them.
  49. AndyB
    Oct 24, 2009
    9
    Very good game indeed. Great graphics, combat, VO, world to explore. Quests in chapter one are fantastic, not quite so good in later game, just rather linear. Still fun because of combat system, which feels clumsy at first because your char is crap at fighting, with effort and skill increases becomes more and more fluid. Character system is okay, not the best, but sufficient. Definitely Very good game indeed. Great graphics, combat, VO, world to explore. Quests in chapter one are fantastic, not quite so good in later game, just rather linear. Still fun because of combat system, which feels clumsy at first because your char is crap at fighting, with effort and skill increases becomes more and more fluid. Character system is okay, not the best, but sufficient. Definitely the most fun I've had in a game all year, hope it sells well.… Expand
  50. YuriU
    Oct 28, 2009
    10
    There isn't anything I disliked about the game. Combat system is challenging, and I like that. I have to actually think and know how to move, when to block, when to hit. I like the fact that with enough experience in combat you can defeat monsters that are a lot stronger than you. Alchemy is nice - picking all those plants, looking for special ones in hidden places. This isn't There isn't anything I disliked about the game. Combat system is challenging, and I like that. I have to actually think and know how to move, when to block, when to hit. I like the fact that with enough experience in combat you can defeat monsters that are a lot stronger than you. Alchemy is nice - picking all those plants, looking for special ones in hidden places. This isn't something optional if you want to make your character considerably tougher. RP setting is great - I liked Don's Camp a lot, with the bad, tough guys. How they try to frame inquisition as the *real* bad ones, and how it turns out, when you meet them, to be quite nice guys. Sights are great - ocean, forests, sky - are very beautiful. Music is very, very nice. Miscellaneous: Climbing rocks and trying to get to previously unreachable places using Acrobatics skill is cool; girls are pretty.… Expand
  51. WayneSturik
    Oct 9, 2009
    10
    Wow, Piranha Bytes really amazed me this time too! Great game! You never get bored playing this game. There's really an awesome story mixed into this RPG and it should diffently be played by all roleplayers! Graphics are great and the leveling system really makes the game even better. The game is balanced, so it doesn't get boring after the first play hours, but it is moreWow, Piranha Bytes really amazed me this time too! Great game! You never get bored playing this game. There's really an awesome story mixed into this RPG and it should diffently be played by all roleplayers! Graphics are great and the leveling system really makes the game even better. The game is balanced, so it doesn't get boring after the first play hours, but it is more challenging. Try it out!… Expand
  52. JH
    Oct 11, 2009
    8
    First, Wade G, is smoking crack. To give this game a zero shows someone who is having a hissy fit - I have played Two Worlds (which I would give a 6-7) and this is much better and more fully realized. The graphics are a bit more "European" which mean they are more real and gritty than cartoony and colorful like Oblivion. Overall, this game is excellent - especially in that the main quest First, Wade G, is smoking crack. To give this game a zero shows someone who is having a hissy fit - I have played Two Worlds (which I would give a 6-7) and this is much better and more fully realized. The graphics are a bit more "European" which mean they are more real and gritty than cartoony and colorful like Oblivion. Overall, this game is excellent - especially in that the main quest portrays a power struggle and you cannot remain neutral ... I have played pretty much every RPG that comes out and would put this as well worth the buy. Is it one I will return to again and again? No. I may play through twice and then it will be over - but it is an enjoyable RPG and I am glad I bought it. If you like RPGs, and if you enjoy the Gothic series, this is by far the most accessible one yet and is a lot of fun to play.… Expand
  53. [anonymous]
    Dec 23, 2009
    10
    The Risen is great game. When you play you feel magic.If yo played Gothic and you like it Risen is game for you.It is in my opinion the best RPG in this year!!!
  54. wowtgp
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    a must play game for those who love rpgs.this game is fantastic.once you get into the game you will start to understand how deep and big this game is.there are some peoples and animals with whom you cant fight until you level up your skills.i played and finished this game after almost sixty hours.there are a lot of things to explore and loot.you need to make wise decision about what sidea must play game for those who love rpgs.this game is fantastic.once you get into the game you will start to understand how deep and big this game is.there are some peoples and animals with whom you cant fight until you level up your skills.i played and finished this game after almost sixty hours.there are a lot of things to explore and loot.you need to make wise decision about what side you want to be with(don or inquisitor).i chose to be with don.ifv you havent played it yet then play it.… Expand
  55. drakenseng
    Feb 12, 2013
    9
    a great rpg with great story and character progression. no option to create your own character and the dialog choices don't really affect your character that much. it would have been great to have 360 controller support on the pc version. the combat takes some time to get use to, and its really easy to get killed even by something that looks harmless. the game uses a lot of exploration anda great rpg with great story and character progression. no option to create your own character and the dialog choices don't really affect your character that much. it would have been great to have 360 controller support on the pc version. the combat takes some time to get use to, and its really easy to get killed even by something that looks harmless. the game uses a lot of exploration and the story has alternate endings. the thing i most remember is the funny things that happen during my interactions with the npcs. lots of random things happen, and the game takes awhile to complete. overall, great game and nothing really new to add to the rpg genre. but great story, and it follows the Gothic game series. although i have never played those.… Expand
  56. ReviewsForFolks
    Aug 10, 2013
    8
    Remember that game called Arcania: Gothic IV? Well? Forget that, put Risen in its place and name Arcania Risen. Mindf**ked! Risen is Gothic with its soul and heart and nothing else. And those nasty bugs are gone too!
  57. NecroMnemic
    Aug 26, 2013
    8
    Good game, unfortunately still some bugs, weird animations and not enough weapons, but every true gothic fan will find this to be a pleasent experience.
  58. TranscendentalX
    Nov 3, 2013
    10
    This is by far the best single player RPG i've played in a long while. I really love how you start off with little more than a branch in your hand and a lungfull of seawater, and essentially claw your way up until you're an unstoppable god. The game has the right level of difficulty (every time I got an upgrade I breathed a sigh of relief), great story, great conversation with NPCs, and isThis is by far the best single player RPG i've played in a long while. I really love how you start off with little more than a branch in your hand and a lungfull of seawater, and essentially claw your way up until you're an unstoppable god. The game has the right level of difficulty (every time I got an upgrade I breathed a sigh of relief), great story, great conversation with NPCs, and is all around so enjoyable. There are a few glitches (don't try jumping up ledges or you might fly into space and have to close your game) but I can overlook that because I had more fun with Risen than all the last 3 elder scrolls games combined.… Expand
  59. SoftwareWulf
    Mar 6, 2014
    10
    Gothic 2 remake? One of the best games Ive ever played and I dont understand a metascore from 77/100 o.O Nice Soundtrack, Nice open world, a really good story and last but not least gothic feeling and this is exactly what we want!
  60. deathbringer
    Oct 17, 2015
    10
    One of the best RPG experiences i've had! Truly a 10/10 and this game is so underrated, i don't actually know why, but i guess it's because many played it on the crappy ported xbox version.
  61. Levethian
    Nov 15, 2010
    10
    Actually I like this game now -- It's almost as compelling as Gothic 2.
    Can Metacritic delete 'AndyG's' review, given that he's me, and that I've changed my opinion?..
  62. DawidErnestK
    Oct 9, 2009
    9
    Piranha Bytes is finally back with an extremely absorbing game, Risen is simply EPIC. Any service that will rate it below 80% must have people who judge the game by its cover.
    Loved Gothic I and II but hated all-for-money Gothic 3? You will simply love Risen, can call this game a piece of art, really.
  63. chantaraSinghSen
    Jan 21, 2010
    8
    Everything are great but it very short after defeat the Titan the game end very disapionted it should be continues like go to the mainland or something interesting and never end.
  64. Kulski
    Oct 19, 2009
    10
    Gothic is Risen is Gothic..... - yes this game is not wat, in my opinion, everyone expected from gothic 3. All in all gothic 3 was a good game with some disadvantages like a real bad combat system - and a very disapointing story. In my opnion these two issues were the only issues gothic 3 had - and risen just fixes these issues and makes some thing s even better than gothic 3. The Gothic is Risen is Gothic..... - yes this game is not wat, in my opinion, everyone expected from gothic 3. All in all gothic 3 was a good game with some disadvantages like a real bad combat system - and a very disapointing story. In my opnion these two issues were the only issues gothic 3 had - and risen just fixes these issues and makes some thing s even better than gothic 3. The graphics are so beautiful - everything fits together in this game ... great work - looking forward to get an add on like the night of the raven for gothic 2 ...... i think there are some possibilities tie integrate such a thing into risen...... thanks piranha bytes, that you're back where you belong.… Expand
  65. Dziver
    Mar 5, 2012
    9
    Great game but takes around 10-15 hours to really get into if you don't already know what you're doing. You might be a bit disappointed at first but if you're willing to give it a chance and you will surely like it.
  66. BinarySplit
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    Risen is the RPG I've been dreaming of. You have complete freedom in the open world, but there's a strong story and never a moment where you've run out of quests to pursue. It has fun combat and no grinding.

    Some people might not like that character advancement is at the whim of story-unlocked trainers (e.g. to even start learning magic skills, it can take up to 10 hours to get to the    Risen is the RPG I've been dreaming of. You have complete freedom in the open world, but there's a strong story and never a moment where you've run out of quests to pursue. It has fun combat and no grinding.

    Some people might not like that character advancement is at the whim of story-unlocked trainers (e.g. to even start learning magic skills, it can take up to 10 hours to get to the trainers and pass their initiation trials), but I see this as a bonus. It adds to the immersion quite a bit (access to magic is strictly controlled by The Order), and unlike Morrowind/Oblivion, it's a lot harder to build an overpowered min/maxed character.

    Also, the graphics/art are amazing. It has the most attention to detail I've ever seen in an open-world RPG.    … Expand
  67. Levardos
    Apr 19, 2012
    8
    For me this game is a solid 8. It has decent graphics, quite innovative attempt as for fighting and pretty looking open world which is neither too huge nor too small. We start off on the beach, after surviving a shipwreck, in an unknown island. Then we learn about the island and it's problems, and we get pulled into the story... Which is, I must say, so-so. There are too many similaritiesFor me this game is a solid 8. It has decent graphics, quite innovative attempt as for fighting and pretty looking open world which is neither too huge nor too small. We start off on the beach, after surviving a shipwreck, in an unknown island. Then we learn about the island and it's problems, and we get pulled into the story... Which is, I must say, so-so. There are too many similarities to Gothic series in the story, so it was a little bother to me. For someone who didn't play Gothic, it shouldn't really be a problem. As I said, the story is linear but we get the possibility to join one of two factions. We don't create our character, and neither we choose it's class. But it's up to us how do we want to develop skill-wise. With each level we earn skill points which we are able to exchange for strength, dexterity or other useful skills like brewing potions or smithing. Overall, it's really a game one can enjoy. Mostly for the gameplay. Side quests aren't really anything special, and main story line isn't all that fun, but it could be worse. I really think the gameplay makes up for it. As I said, fighting is really fun. It's partially about tactics, but mostly about our reflex, dodging and attacking at the right time... The more we boost up one fighting style the more various things we are able to do, like parrying an attack, then doing a counter attack.. or combos. We can play as a mage too, obviously. Overall, I think it's really a good solid RPG. It's all that Gothic 3 should be but wasn't. The game seemed a bit short in my opinion though. Doing everything what was possible, including killing almost every single evil creature on the island, it took me 25 hours to finish the game. Oh, and I won't spoil but the last boss fight should have been better. As for difficulty, I think it's just right. It may seem a bit difficult for some people, but mostly because most of the new games are terribly easy. Pros: -Innovative fighting. -Nice open world. -Decent graphics. Cons: -Story could be better. -Too many things seemed like in Gothic series... I could give many examples but I'll just throw one. A port city to which ships aren't able to come right now. This alone made me think "Again?".… Expand
  68. hfffoman
    Jul 5, 2012
    9
    A beautifully atmospheric game. Just try the demo and you will buy it straight away. The dialogue and acting are brilliant. You feel like you are dealing with real people. The ending is a terrible letdown but in every other way it was worth 10.
  69. Nichtswisser
    Apr 24, 2012
    8
    A very enjoyable game until the last act. Far too many lizard people in far to similar dungeons and a very low quest density make the end a lot less enjoyable than the rest of the game. It still gets an 8, a very low 8 at that, from me because I had a good deal of fun with it.
  70. Lobby
    Feb 2, 2013
    8
    If you liked Gothic series this is must have title. Nice story, three different sides to join with, where non of them is god or bad. Big live believable world with no loadings. Good RP factor, you can decide how or if you are going to complete quest, sometimes NPC joint to help you with your quest. Nice craftsman skills of creating weapons, jewellery, potions and scripts cooking they areIf you liked Gothic series this is must have title. Nice story, three different sides to join with, where non of them is god or bad. Big live believable world with no loadings. Good RP factor, you can decide how or if you are going to complete quest, sometimes NPC joint to help you with your quest. Nice craftsman skills of creating weapons, jewellery, potions and scripts cooking they are not so deep as in MMO games, but they are decent and make game more complex. The only problem is combat system enemies seams to be stronger than you and seams to be unfairly advanced in combat (quicker attack and block). Also I am not big fan of combat systems that are not purely states based in RPG.… Expand
  71. ElPitooo
    Apr 14, 2013
    8
    Risen have boring storyline but other thinks in this game compesating it. There were good thinks as living game world, excelent music, solid graphics with good optimalization, good voice acting in dialogs and some excellent quests which is very interesting with great characters. But there are too very well made monsters. But for some difficulty may be too difficult, for me 8/10.
  72. nightshark
    Aug 11, 2014
    8
    I have been very pleased with the quality of this game, playing for the first time in 2014.

    The good: a great open world to explore and never a lack of things to do. Graphics are decent for 2009. Voice acting has been good, I am usually not a fan of listening to a lot of dialogue in game, but there is interesting lore to be found in this game. The development of your character feels    I have been very pleased with the quality of this game, playing for the first time in 2014.

    The good: a great open world to explore and never a lack of things to do. Graphics are decent for 2009. Voice acting has been good, I am usually not a fan of listening to a lot of dialogue in game, but there is interesting lore to be found in this game. The development of your character feels very sandbox and earning your way through the game is less of a chore/grind and more interesting than your typical RPG.

    The bad: While I have seen others praising the combat, I have found it unnecessarily difficult to start and frustratingly boring. Maybe I haven't mastered it yet, but almost every enemy will kill you in just a few hits, while it will take you 20-30 hits to kill your enemies. Due to this I find myself saving before and even during almost every encounter I have.    … Expand
  73. Count69
    Sep 30, 2013
    9
    Great backtrack to the original Gothic model, but the feel of it is not exactly same, which is not exactly a bad thing.
    It's pretty, and well optimised, with a steep learning curve, something like the original gothic had.
    The story and the world is interesting enough to keep you up, and I hope I learn more of this world from the second game. Ending boss was a little lame, but the    Great backtrack to the original Gothic model, but the feel of it is not exactly same, which is not exactly a bad thing.
    It's pretty, and well optimised, with a steep learning curve, something like the original gothic had.
    The story and the world is interesting enough to keep you up, and I hope I learn more of this world from the second game.
    Ending boss was a little lame, but the fighting mechanics were overally allright.    … Expand
  74. Keychain
    Nov 1, 2013
    9
    By far one of my favorite RPG experiences. A very unique world filled with feral creatures to slay, people to talk to, and missions to take on. Risen provides a decent combat system, a decent variety of equipment to obtain, and a large amount of world to explore. It is challenging, and rewards you fulfillingly.
  75. MadnessisRising
    Mar 15, 2019
    10
    A game totally done right! Focus on gameplay not on graphics. Beautiful world with an even more beautiful soundtrack and like I said a perfect combat system. Great story, great characters, great monsters ... everything is great in this game. I played it so many times, one of the best games ever created.
  76. subglitch
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    This game is very odd, they are a lot of characters that are doubles and voices are re-used often too, the game even seems to acknowledge this with a quest to help the identical triplets. A lot of people in the game are very rude and curt when you try to talk to them and they don't have a mission to give. It's such a bizarre game, a lot of things don't seem to connect. For me thisThis game is very odd, they are a lot of characters that are doubles and voices are re-used often too, the game even seems to acknowledge this with a quest to help the identical triplets. A lot of people in the game are very rude and curt when you try to talk to them and they don't have a mission to give. It's such a bizarre game, a lot of things don't seem to connect. For me this generates a lot of humour and I think there's a lot of value in that.
    Also the combat is great.    … Expand
  77. keefbaker
    Nov 4, 2015
    8
    When I first attempted to play Risen I played for 30 minutes, noticed all it's flaws and decided to rename it "Risible". I've never been so happy to be convinced to give something a second try.

    Risen is as wobbly as a dog with 3 legs, you will need to ctrl-alt-del out of it more than once in your game. The voice acting can be a bit "amateurish" at times, the graphics a bit wonky, the    When I first attempted to play Risen I played for 30 minutes, noticed all it's flaws and decided to rename it "Risible". I've never been so happy to be convinced to give something a second try.

    Risen is as wobbly as a dog with 3 legs, you will need to ctrl-alt-del out of it more than once in your game. The voice acting can be a bit "amateurish" at times, the graphics a bit wonky, the quests so vague you'll occasionally need to use google...

    But you know what? Absolutely none of that matters because the world it's in is brilliant. When you start the game nearly everything is tougher than you, you'll learn to fight by grinding enemies down and parrying to stop them 3 hit killing you but by the end you'll be mashing them down like a tank.

    Risen is a gem in the rough. Stick with it and try to ignore it's (many) foibles and it'll reward you in spades with the kind of game freedom rarely seen and the kind of tactical combat that teaches you to treat enemies differently and not simply button mash.

    I'd love to give it a 9 or 10 but with the bugs and wonky bits I can't bring myself to do that.    … Expand
  78. Zerook
    Jul 1, 2014
    9
    Played a heck of a lot of RPGs but this one really gives a challenge. It's really easy to die in this game if you're not careful. Did get sick of how incredibly hard combat was so changed the mode to easy to get on with the story. While challenges are good, the combat became more of a boring and frustrating hassle rather than something to triumph. Risen surprised me at how addicting it wasPlayed a heck of a lot of RPGs but this one really gives a challenge. It's really easy to die in this game if you're not careful. Did get sick of how incredibly hard combat was so changed the mode to easy to get on with the story. While challenges are good, the combat became more of a boring and frustrating hassle rather than something to triumph. Risen surprised me at how addicting it was despite the slow pace of gameplay and story and was hooked before I realised it. Very similar to Gothic.

    Graphic mods are available and really enhances the game.    … Expand
  79. IcecreamSnowman
    Mar 12, 2014
    8
    Apart from the ending, Risen is very good. The ending gives you no choice and I didn't agree with the choice being made for me: I would rather risk the lives of a handful of people to try to save the entire world than ensure that one island survives and everyone else is left to be killed by monsters. I understand in the sequel (I haven't played it) some stuff get's done but that's notApart from the ending, Risen is very good. The ending gives you no choice and I didn't agree with the choice being made for me: I would rather risk the lives of a handful of people to try to save the entire world than ensure that one island survives and everyone else is left to be killed by monsters. I understand in the sequel (I haven't played it) some stuff get's done but that's not made apparent in this game so my point still stands. As with other games by Piranha Bytes there's no wasted space in the game world. Paths are divided by cliffs, separating areas and making the world feel larger than it would in, say a Bethesda RPG where the whole world is one big meadow. Enemies are everywhere, around every corner, lurking in every bush. Step off the beaten path and you'll be mauled by the indigenous wildlife. Enemies don't respawn so eventually you'll kill all the indigenous wildlife and destabalise the ecosystem but that doesn't feature during the game's timeline so never mind.… Expand
  80. Jazzkill
    May 9, 2014
    9
    Just decided to look at rpg games on pc that is really old then i found this in some forum.this game is so awesome even its already too old, glad i borrowed it from my friend haha :D
  81. Phobius
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    I must start by saying i can be a little subjective on this game because my favourite childhood game series was Gothic. When this game appeared i had a lot of expectations of it and i must say it surpassed my expectations. In my opinion this is the true genre of rpg's with a little of open world to explore for your own pleasure. I can proudly say i finished this game 5 times now and iI must start by saying i can be a little subjective on this game because my favourite childhood game series was Gothic. When this game appeared i had a lot of expectations of it and i must say it surpassed my expectations. In my opinion this is the true genre of rpg's with a little of open world to explore for your own pleasure. I can proudly say i finished this game 5 times now and i didnt get bored on any of the occasions. So for the ones that are wondering if they should try it my vote goes for definitely yes.… Expand
  82. nolte11
    Mar 28, 2015
    9
    I liked Gothic 2 very much and this game many points similar to it. I think the best non Gothic game Piranha Bytes made till now. Better than Risen 2 or 3 and in my opinion at least as good as Gothic 3.
  83. Nuker
    Jun 29, 2015
    8
    - Good: Setting, Atmosphere, Exploration, Combat system, Character progression
    - Mixed: Story, Characters
    - Bad: Second half of the game

    The first half of this game is very good, sadly the whole game didn't maintain such a high level
  84. chemgeeked
    Jan 11, 2016
    10
    I have been out on my gaming for awhile for personal choice; I use to play a lot of games and felt burnt out and overall just bored with video games in general. Its been around a year of me not playing games besides the brief occasions of dabbling for a few hours through out for the nostalgia. I recently had an urge to get into a fun rpg, something open world that had a survival feel toI have been out on my gaming for awhile for personal choice; I use to play a lot of games and felt burnt out and overall just bored with video games in general. Its been around a year of me not playing games besides the brief occasions of dabbling for a few hours through out for the nostalgia. I recently had an urge to get into a fun rpg, something open world that had a survival feel to it. though I was very limited on games I could get, because I sold all my consoles awhile, and all I have is a 4 year old 300 dollar HP pavillion laptop. So with hours spend looking up reviews then checking if my laptop could run them I decided on risen. I AM SOOO GLADD I DID!!! My choices were down to gothic 3, two worlds 2 and risen. Which all of them have mixed reviews so it was hard to decide. I crossed out gothic even though it looked fun I didnt like the fact that it needed a mod patch to even run right. So HERES MY REVIEW. GRAPHICS - To me graphics really don't matter much if the game is really fun and this is the case here. keep in mind I play on all low for better performance but even at that I think the world is beautifully done. The weather and the lighting are awesome. when the sun is shining its really bright and actually looks like how bright it would be in real life. Then when its dark its as dark as it really would be in real life. its soo awesome looking when its dark out, your exploring, its storming and lightening and you get flashes of bright light where you see everything, it really looks badass. (now on high settings the graphics are really nice for its time.) so torches are actually a must if your going in really dark caves or traveling at the dark of night or you can wait to journey and sleep in a bed till morning. I think it really immerses in the world. GAMEPLAY- Now what I really really like about this games is the overall small details that a lot of games over look that really makes the world feel alive IMO. For a RPG I think this details im about to explain are really important to a RPG because theirs people who play and really wanna get into the role of there character and the world hence ROLE playing game. First I'll start off with getting food and cooking it. in this game food really does matter idk how many times i was out exploring and if i didnt have food to boost my health I would of died. and you can find water barrels to drink from that will really boost your health when your in need like being out of potions or only having a few and want to save them. I like how when you cook food you need to get a pan and you see your character really cook the food, and when you drink you see your character really drink or when you eat whatever your eating he will actually take it out and eat it. when you kill someone in the game no matter who it is they will stay dead for the whole game, IT MAKES SENSE. when you go into someones home they will get mad and threaten you, it makes sense. when you want to up your stats in lets say pickpocking or swords you have to find someone who specializes in that art and pay them to trai n you, again it makes sense. the map isnt that big compared to like gta or skyrim but I think its pretty much perfect because there is a lot of content packed into it and it feels actually pretty damn big because you only run as fast as you do in like fallout 3 and new vegas. Plus in the beginning there is a lot of unknown places you cant explore because there are monster their that are just to hard to kill untill you get stronger and better gear. So it gives you something to work for on the side. youll find a cave and get half way through it then find there to be an monster that is just to strong so you take note leave build up gear up get stronger bring potions and go back later and find treasure and what not. The game has so much dialoge and you can basically talk to anyone and your character actually speaks what you pick and he is such a smart ass 98% of the time I love it. The story is not that special but I think its cool its kind of like star wars but no force instead magic and theres the iquisition(which is like the empire) and then the bandits/ dons men (which is like the rebels) and your fighting for control of the island basically and you have the choice to choose what side you want to support. Now a lot of people dont like the combat and a lot love it, I love it even though it is basically 2 buttons, block and attack, what makes it really fun is you have to be really good with timing, its kind of like a timing mini game. if you attack at the wrong time you leave yourself open to get hit blocking is really important and swinging at the perfect time is also important cause this game is really hard and if your not smart you will die tons. If you like games that hold your hand this isnt for you then. But if you like games that really give you a challenge then it is for you. #noquestarrows. theres a lot more I can say about this game but it would go on too long. This game… Expand
  85. Yabs
    Mar 9, 2019
    8
    58.2 hrs on record
    Wheww.. finally beat Risen after 58.2 hours, solid game. Combat is a bit clunky thus leading to lots of deaths and reloads (also due to traps), However, the setting and narrative of Risen is beautifully crafted. The Island is fun to explore and is open world. I enjoyed the game very much, albiet progression in the beginning is slow. It takes nearly 15-20 hours of game    58.2 hrs on record
    Wheww.. finally beat Risen after 58.2 hours, solid game. Combat is a bit clunky thus leading to lots of deaths and reloads (also due to traps), However, the setting and narrative of Risen is beautifully crafted. The Island is fun to explore and is open world. I enjoyed the game very much, albiet progression in the beginning is slow. It takes nearly 15-20 hours of game time just to get the first peice of armor (unless the player steals it from the first farm they encounter). Great game, though lacking much replayability, going the 'Don' path really isnt a fun or worthwhile option.    … Expand
  86. KayVen17
    Jan 4, 2017
    8
    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln verstanden?
    Dann sind hier meine Punkte.

    Mein persönlicher Score = 75/100
    Mein User Score = 8/10    … Expand
  87. Jernas
    Oct 27, 2016
    9
    There's never enough of good RPGs out there in fact, there's a lot of options on the market, but many are underwhelmingly boring and make you question if they're worth the usually huge time investment. Luckily, Risen is a very good option if you want to spend countless hours in a world of monsters, magic and heroes.

    Risen can sure look good, dense forests with tons of vegetation,    There's never enough of good RPGs out there in fact, there's a lot of options on the market, but many are underwhelmingly boring and make you question if they're worth the usually huge time investment. Luckily, Risen is a very good option if you want to spend countless hours in a world of monsters, magic and heroes.

    Risen can sure look good, dense forests with tons of vegetation, beautiful night skies and lighting strikes during a storm. The story is good and well presented. It's not overcomplicated like it happens way too often in the RPG genre. Main characters are well designed and have interesting personalities, more so than in The Elder Scrolls series, but not as much as in The Witcher or Mass Effect series. Gameplay remains interesting throughout the entire experience and If we compare Risen to the preceding Piranha Bytes game, Gothic 3, which had some pretty broken combat mechanics, dull quests and an underwhelming main story, Risen comes out as a clear victor. One of the stronger points of the game, taken straight from the Gothic series, is that enemies don't scale with you as you level up. This makes you feel the progress your character is making on the environment. Once tough enemies become easier and easier to fight, unlike in The Elder Scrolls games, where enemies are constantly equally (easy) to defeat, despite all the leveling up. Risen is no Gothic 4 (or 5), but that's a plus. After a solid, but not great, Gothic 3, it's an improvement in almost every way. The world is smaller yes, but it feels alive. It is both, small and big, but in a good way.

    On the other hand, despite the nice graphics, many textures are of low resolution and polygon count is not the highest. This becomes very apparent in the largest town on the island and in many dungeons throughout the game where most of the buildings are made out of stone, yet all the walls stand completely straight. A technique called tessellation would have helped tremendously in this case. Human characters are also copied and pasted a bit too much throughout the island, which takes away from the illusion of an authentic world. The combat is unfortunately still quite literary a hit or miss and is liked by some and hated by others. The truth is, it can get frustrating being killed by a pack of wild hogs or wolfs at mid-stages of the game, when you should be slaughtering such weak animals without problems. It's a far cry from Gothic 3 though, where a single wild hog could have easily killed you at the late-stages of the game. Sword, axe and staff fighting is designed around parrying and blocking enemy attacks, but that becomes almost impossible when multiple enemies attack you at once and surround you. In such cases, it's crucial to use either, a crossbow, a bow or magic, and your legs to run away. This becomes a problem in enclosed environments such as underground dungeons, which offer little room for maneuvering. In the first half of the game, there's a lack of variety in weapons and armor to choose from. In fact, there's only about three worthwhile swords, two axes and two shields available. Not to mention, you only get to wear a proper fighter's armor about 25 hours into the game, which is absurd for an action RPG. In addition to that, most of the early quests are basic and can get a bit boring and the game only picks up after you leave Harbor town, about 15 hours into the story. Interestingly though, later parts of the game turn into a little bit of a dungeon crawler and you suddenly start getting better and better equipment.

    All in all, Risen is a very well made RPG, that has a good story with, for the most part, well made characters, interesting world and varied enemies. The ending might be a little bit underwhelming, some of the early quests boring and combat not for everyone, but it's a very good game nonetheless. Low scores and ratings this game received upon release and later are, in my eyes, not justified.    … Expand
  88. shadorn
    Feb 18, 2017
    9
    If you like RPGs and retro-gaming don't miss this one: it is technically quite poor for nowadays standards (it has been released in 2009), but this game has a soul. Art, music, gameplay, balance, are all well crafted and the experience is overall extremely pleasant.
  89. Gelaos
    Sep 20, 2018
    8
    Risen is a great spiritual successor to Gothic 1 and 2.

    The world with it's inhabitants feels authentic, like a real living place. The combat is pretty good, I don't understand why so many people hate it so much. Quests are typical RPG standard, factions and characters intrigued me, story isn't bad. Risen is easier than Gothic 1 or 2 but it won't hold your hand and you must learn to    Risen is a great spiritual successor to Gothic 1 and 2.

    The world with it's inhabitants feels authentic, like a real living place. The combat is pretty good, I don't understand why so many people hate it so much. Quests are typical RPG standard, factions and characters intrigued me, story isn't bad. Risen is easier than Gothic 1 or 2 but it won't hold your hand and you must learn to play this game. Solid RPG with old-school vibe.    … Expand
  90. DaniloNovakovic
    Aug 26, 2020
    8
    Personal favorite game from Piranha Bytes since Gothic 2. Honestly, it might have the best melee combat system out of all of their games (it still has it's flaws but much better than Risen 2,3 or Elex).

    The only major flaws that I have with this game are: - magic feels more like shooting something from a gun which is a major step down since Gothic 3's amazing magic system - it feels a    Personal favorite game from Piranha Bytes since Gothic 2. Honestly, it might have the best melee combat system out of all of their games (it still has it's flaws but much better than Risen 2,3 or Elex).

    The only major flaws that I have with this game are:
    - magic feels more like shooting something from a gun which is a major step down since Gothic 3's amazing magic system
    - it feels a bit too short (I wish they made DLC in NotR style that introduces new questline with maybe a new map)

    Genuinely would recommend this to anybody who enjoys a solid RPG game :)    … Expand
  91. Genek13
    Nov 15, 2019
    8
    As a fan of Gothic game series I think this is a very good game.
    Very enjoyable playthrough :) Not as good as Gothic, but still worth to play.
  92. GraysonUA
    Mar 31, 2020
    9
    Ну це Готика 1 у новій обгорці, а що мені ще треба. Моя улюблена з усієї серії, саме через темну атмосферу.
  93. hoanns
    Jun 6, 2020
    9
    great fun. you have different ways you can go, funny characters, good rpg .
  94. KaianMatheus
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Jogo ótimo e super explorável para um RPG da época. Marcou muito para mim tanto no desenrolar do jogo quanto na trilha sonora.
  95. nexus151196
    Feb 27, 2021
    8
    Классная рпг , в которую всем стоит поиграть. Атмосфера игры - поражает и затягивает, музыка бесподобна, чего только стоит главная тема. Остров очень красивый и живописный, всегда за любым кустом пожно найти какие то руины и приключения на пятую точку, Один раз в начале нарвался на ящеров в каком то храме и меня за секунду развалили, ох весело было :) Сюжет интересный, мифология мира тоже,Классная рпг , в которую всем стоит поиграть. Атмосфера игры - поражает и затягивает, музыка бесподобна, чего только стоит главная тема. Остров очень красивый и живописный, всегда за любым кустом пожно найти какие то руины и приключения на пятую точку, Один раз в начале нарвался на ящеров в каком то храме и меня за секунду развалили, ох весело было :) Сюжет интересный, мифология мира тоже, фракции со своей мотивацией. Годная игра, можно и сейчас перепройти.… Expand
  96. TaQkful
    Nov 16, 2020
    10
    A perfect reincarnation of PiranhaBytes’ Gothic series. Game is overall similiar to Gothic 2, yet it is so different. Lovable NPC’s, gripping story, thrilling atmosphere. The fact that you need to stick to one role (mage, warrior, thief...) really makes you role-play and offers countless replays. For me, one of the best RPGs - 10/10
  97. kolarz3
    May 19, 2023
    8
    Pretty nice gothic like game. It was my favorite game from the risen serie. Nice main character
  98. svansolojo
    Jul 18, 2021
    9
    A very good game. Definitely very underrated game. By far better than the other Risen games and Elex.
  99. Deant_Magnetic
    Sep 5, 2021
    9
    Отличная рпг, которая достойна внимания, особенно если тебе полюбилась готика.
  100. Nick7000
    Mar 7, 2023
    8
    Ну это Готика ребят, Во всех смыслах. Добротная, хорошая Готика, ни больше, ни меньше.
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best PC Game of 2009
19
#19 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
21
#21 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Meristation
    80
    Fun, large and with many things to do, Risen is a good game for medieval RPG lovers. It has its flaws, specially due to technical issues, but overall it's a great experience, where every choice has its consequences. The great storyline and the different paths that we can follow are the strongest points of this game.
    Read full review
  2. SpazioGames
    80
    While Gothic sails away to other developers, Piranha Bytes turns the tide with this return to the origins of true RPG. Deep, polished, compelling, Risen is an RPG for RPG true lovers. Some small glitches and a general lack of accessibility make it step down a little bit on the score, but it's still THE game to have if you love RPGs.
    Read full review
  3. Everyeye.it
    80
    An old-fashion RPG, with an impressive number of quests and NPC, and a deep level-up system.
    Read full review
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