Risen

Very few games are excused by players who are willing to look past the flaws in exchange for a throwback story-exploration experience. If you have an unconditional love for the Gothic series but, for some reason, stopped playing games on your PC, you might end up being able to appreciate this rough port.

Thankfully shipping without some kind of half-arsed multiplayer, Risen is the kind of game that will probably get played by fans of the genre but overlooked by everyone else, which is a bloody shame really, as there is a decent game behind the niggles - and one that impresses more often than it disappoints.

Struggle through the admittedly bad third-person action, and you'll find a role-playing experience well worth your time.

Risen loses a bit in the porting process to the Xbox 360, but aside from the technical shortcomings, this is still a pretty solid experience that brings some good things to the RPG table.

Developers like Bethesda and Bioware seem to have found something that works with console RPG fans the best, and if Risen was an experiment to see if they can be pushed further in the direction of discovering the game all by themselves, I think we can call this one a failure.

Risen is by no means a perfect port, or the best western style RPG on the Xbox 360. Despite its flaws I had fun with this game.

Risen is actually a real shame because of its promises. The world looks great and it’s funny to explore, but developers didn't pay enough attention to essential aspects like the combat and character progression.

Only the truly dedicated RPG player will persist through to the bitter end of Risen, as there's a great deal of perseverance required to even make it through the first section without tearing your hair out. The combat really lets the side down and the 360 visuals leave a lot to be desired, but stick with it and Risen will eventually suck you inexorably into its uniquely absorbing fantasy world.

Risen's sometimes engaging story and realistic characters aren't enough to save it from being benched as the stars take the field in this year's first quarter.

The issues are, to be perfectly fair, countless. One could nitpick problems forever and write a novel regarding them, but stepping into a game of this style you have to expect a little roughness – and unfortunately that is found in spades.

Lacking in polish and attention to detail, Risen still stands up as an absorbing and hugely playable RPG title.

Overall, there just isn't enough here to justify your time or your dime. Risen's got some depth and some detail, but you won't be able to get around the frustrating controls, irritating character development and levelling system, difficult combat, and sheer unfriendliness long enough to enjoy the story or the visuals.

Dedicated WRPG players who enjoy open world style games will find plenty of stuff to like if they can push themselves past the games numerous faults, unfortunately most of them have probably already played the unquestionably superior PC version of the game. For casual fans of the genre there are already too many solid games on the system (and a lot more on the way) for me to recommend sinking the time into Risen.

There's a great role-playing game here, but it's hiding behind a terrible interface and clunky combat.

Enough neat touches that speak to diehard Euro-RPG fans. [Apr 2010, p.84]

Unless you fit into the hardcore RPG demographic, I would sit this one out. However, If you are part of the demographic, then 'Risen' is a niche game that will entice your adventurers sensibilities-- that is, if you don't mind sitting through a few glitchy spots for the thrill of the hunt.

If you can overlook the flaws and are desperate for an RPG then its passable, otherwise avoid.

As an average RPG fan, fun moments in Risen came in doses and to get to them, it required some patience which includes saving lots, various boring missions and taking plenty of damage.

As an Xbox 360 RPG, even as an Xbox 360 fantasy RPG, it's so unpolished, so devoid of the oomph demanded by current gen games, so inaccessible and needlessly punishing, that it's offensive.

Risen is a RPG like you would expect from Piranha Bytes: an interesting world that dynamically reacts to your actions, filled with enough quests, areas and secrets to keep you busy for hours. But it's also filled with bugs and design flaws that will ruin the experience for most gamers.