Risen

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 96 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 96
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 96
  3. Negative: 23 out of 96
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  1. Mattaclysm
    Feb 11, 2014
    7
    Very fun but difficult game, I found myself saving frequently as the traps in the game were overboard and monsters sometimes caused instant deaths resulting in game over! Graphics are dated but story is good and music is great. Combat is decent but I did struggle with annoyance as it seemed like even enemies who you'd think wouldn't be very intelligent blocked like they were a master ofVery fun but difficult game, I found myself saving frequently as the traps in the game were overboard and monsters sometimes caused instant deaths resulting in game over! Graphics are dated but story is good and music is great. Combat is decent but I did struggle with annoyance as it seemed like even enemies who you'd think wouldn't be very intelligent blocked like they were a master of the art. Glitches do occur and several times I witnessed my screen turning different colors resulting in a dashboard of the 360 and not to mention I fought the end boss invisible as my character would not load up for some reason.… Expand
  2. CappyBlack
    Apr 17, 2012
    6
    An ok port of an all-around great game. The 360 version retains everything that made this game (and it's father series, Gothic), a hit on the pc. A vast open world. Interesting character progression. Engaging combat. And a hardcore sense of self. Sadly, this version also comes crammed with issues not seen in the pc version . The game's visuals range anywhere from lackluster, to straightAn ok port of an all-around great game. The 360 version retains everything that made this game (and it's father series, Gothic), a hit on the pc. A vast open world. Interesting character progression. Engaging combat. And a hardcore sense of self. Sadly, this version also comes crammed with issues not seen in the pc version . The game's visuals range anywhere from lackluster, to straight bad, with little to be seen that rises above this. Many character models are under-developed. There are many texture glitches to be found. And the lighting can sometimes be a bit much. Though, it has to be said that Risen shows a level of art design not seen much in games. It allows for a game that while not the prettiest around, is still very much an interesting place to look at. If nothing else, the port is passable by today's standards. At least in terms of open-world rpgs. Aside from graphical issues, the game's interface left a lot to be desired. The map can be a pain, as can finding the specific quest log you wish to access. Just about everything regarding the menu system seems muddled and is more or less a hassle. The only thing the game has going in for it is the mapped sliders on the d-pad, allowing for fast access to certain parts of the menu. Too bad everything goes to hell after that. Now that those are out of the way, let's get on to the good stuff. The game, in terms of design, is almost genius. Something that has not really been seen in console games. Much like Risen's father series, Gothic, the entire game takes place in a largely hostile world. All manners of creatures inhabit the land, and their strength largely varies from type to type. Unlike many rpg's that set you on a more or less straight path, ensuring that you are always more or less capable of handling what is in front of you, this game sets you loose in the world to explore at your leisure, accompanied by all the risks that come with that level of freedom. What you get with this is a game that largely rewards exploration and experimentation. Making you work towards conquering certain areas, and always giving you something to strive for. It is a breath of fresh air, especially for console gamers. And I would love to see more games take this route in the future. The combat is also very well done. Risen is more of an action-rpg experience, than a traditional one. And the combat system that it has in place is a shining example of this hybrid genre done right. During my playthrough, I played the game as a fighter, ignoring the magic system that the game uses. Therefor, this review will be based solely on melee combat. With that, I found melee to be (more or less), very well done. Enemy ai reacts rather well to the character's attacks, and the game takes a lot more concentration and planning than you would think. Blocking in this game, is key, and without taking advantage of it, don't expect to live long. You can upgrade your fighting skills by spending the skill points you get after leveling, allowing for you to enhance your strength, in order to wield better weapons, or improve your overall skill with different weapon types, giving you different tactics when using weapons. The only negative thing I have to say for this is, when more than three enemies are to be dispatched, the lock-on feature can go a bit wonky, often times following the enemy you weren't trying to. It can get annoying, though it rarely hampered combat too bad. Well, those were the basics for this basic review. While the game is not perfect, the game's pros largely outweigh the negatives. Anyone looking or a challenge and are fans of open-world rpgs should take a look. At the low price of twenty bucks, it is hard not to recommend this to anyone even slightly interested in this title. While I would like to give this game a higher rating, technical issues leave the title with a bit to be desired. An all around good game, but it could have been handled a bit better in the transfer.… Expand
  3. AlloySeven
    Feb 14, 2013
    5
    Man, this game has more flaws than you'll know what to do with. But, you may still have a good time if you decide to play it. Full Review Here http://alloyseven.com/articles/game/item/88-risen-flawed-fun
  4. AlfieCat
    Sep 9, 2010
    2
    This game has so many downfalls. Controls are not intuitive at all; Camera speed is not customisable; Conversations with the NPCs are awful; There are so many bugs.
    One of my main gripes with the game was that I had completed every quest to become to mage, however, because I spoke to one particular person before speaking to another, the quest dialog was glitched and would not allow me to    This game has so many downfalls. Controls are not intuitive at all; Camera speed is not customisable; Conversations with the NPCs are awful; There are so many bugs.
    One of my main gripes with the game was that I had completed every quest to become to mage, however, because I spoke to one particular person before speaking to another, the quest dialog was glitched and would not allow me to proceed. In order to rectify this, I could either, open up a console and cheat, impossible on the 360, or to reload to a saved game which was over 5 hours of game play in difference. I'm not gonna make a new save game file for each minor order of conversation I have with a character.
    . . . Also, what the hell is up with jumping? Right-Thumbstick in is not a comfortable button to use to jump. The animations are awful too.
    The subtitles are at the top of the screen, and are quite blurry which hurts your eyes. The best thing about this game is when I stopped playing it. That darn buggy glitch caused me to have completely wasted 13 hours of my life playing this pile.
    My God, if you *have* to get this game, get it for the PC. At least if you mess up by speaking to the right people in the wrong order you can fix it! Although, getting it for the PC is such a mess too. It's not longer available for basically 90% of the world over STEAM. The game for PC also uses Tages, so it's limited to 3 computers. Goodness, Deepsilver. . . What are you thinking!?    … Expand
  5. thebrock
    May 25, 2011
    7
    I quite enjoyed this game. Feel as if it has been hard done by. The gameplay works well, storyline is good and the island that it is set on is believable. Would definetly recommend this to rpg fans, has been underrated.
  6. Nosradna
    Mar 3, 2011
    5
    Decent RPG with lots of potential. TERRIBLE amount of bugs (often robbing the player of achievements) made the game frustrating. I enjoyed playing through the game but I would rent it.
  7. MilesB.
    Oct 4, 2009
    4
    Terrible game. Everything about it is below average. The graphics look like like they came straight out of a PS2 game, and despite this the framerate is still inconsistent. The gameplay isn't much better with movement being way to sensitive and with no way to change it. Combat is slow and clunky and the inventory system is a nightmare to navigate. As for the sound, the acting is Terrible game. Everything about it is below average. The graphics look like like they came straight out of a PS2 game, and despite this the framerate is still inconsistent. The gameplay isn't much better with movement being way to sensitive and with no way to change it. Combat is slow and clunky and the inventory system is a nightmare to navigate. As for the sound, the acting is pretty bad too despite having some famous actors involved. I must admit though, the games music is OK. I've seen pictures of the PC version which looks miles better in comparison. I also know that this game will definitely play better with a mouse and keyboard. So, if you do decide to pick Risen up. Go for the PC version... It may actually be good!… Expand
  8. aspentitan
    Jan 24, 2011
    3
    By far the worse game I have tried to play in a long time with emphasis on tried to play as you can tell by my score I will not finish this one. There is nothing really nice to say about this game. It is a poor showing. You hear the comment all the time "this game plays and feels like a ps2 game" - well i think this game matches that comment more perfectly than any other game i have playedBy far the worse game I have tried to play in a long time with emphasis on tried to play as you can tell by my score I will not finish this one. There is nothing really nice to say about this game. It is a poor showing. You hear the comment all the time "this game plays and feels like a ps2 game" - well i think this game matches that comment more perfectly than any other game i have played on any next generation system. (well maybe also Turning point, Fall of Liberty). Anyway the bottom line i think is stay away unless the only types of games you play are RPG games and you love the relaxed and mindlessness of old school style and playing games on systems that are really outdated. This game seems more like it was released in 2000-2003 including all the shoddy graphics and cheesy stand still characters....To list a few deficiencies - NPC characters are not dynamic. Quests aren't really accepted you can finish them without even knowing you were on one. The maps you have to earn, not really a problem but they are so small when you get them they are almost worthless and only help in finding your general direction. Being open world you can have different interactions with the characters, good and bad but you don't know if you are doing what is required or not because game is poorly delineated. NPC characters can kill you if you do something bad then you spawn in front of them and carry on, you just re-equip your gear so a waste of time. You are never sure if you are supposed to do something at a location of NPC or if you do if that NPC will attack you cutting off any quest or perk that character may have offered you in return. Many things you don't know if you should or should not do and if it matters...Different weapons do different damage to enemies but there is no quick swap (or i have not found out how to). Manual doesn't explain quick swap and other important things like how the skills will be implented as the game proceeds but does mention no brainer stuff like how to run by pressing the left anolog all the way up (with the nerve to also print "hint" next to it). I mean i could go on with another 100 things but the game is just poor poor poor and would only appeal to players who do not venture outside this genre. I did like the sound and special effects but that is about the only thing this game would get a passing grade from me.… Expand
  9. 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
  10. Groundzr0
    Jan 28, 2011
    4
    I am a fan of the medieval RPG and since Dragon Age I have been starved. That being said I still must caution anyone thinking about picking up this game. The graphics are dated and the combat is horribly repetitve extremely early. The voice acting is lackluster and the music score numbers around 3 tracks that seem out of place at times. Even so, what kills the experience are theI am a fan of the medieval RPG and since Dragon Age I have been starved. That being said I still must caution anyone thinking about picking up this game. The graphics are dated and the combat is horribly repetitve extremely early. The voice acting is lackluster and the music score numbers around 3 tracks that seem out of place at times. Even so, what kills the experience are the control issues and game-killing bugs. The auto-targeting makes fighting more than 3 enemies a chore at best and the over-sensitive X-axis is terrible, neither of which can be changed. Many times I found myself losing my entire health bar from a glitch occuring when hit by more than one enemy at the same time. Frustrating sums up my experience with this game. Look somewhere else for your RPG thirlls and your sanity will be the better for it.… Expand
  11. McCully243
    Jan 19, 2012
    0
    Just a god awful game, i wouldn't even call it a RPG it is a crappy interactive movie is what it is man what a waste of a rental. It is repetitive long and not even decent character development or RPG stats/ leveling this has to be the worst RPG i have ever played
  12. GrahamS
    Oct 8, 2009
    8
    A fine RPG, not overly well implemented on 360, but still very playable. Has an unforgiving progression curve, like Gothic 3, which is NO DOUBT, what this game is a follow up to in all but title. If you like Gothic 3 you will love this. And the beauty of the 360 version over the PC version, is you can play it on a 50 inch screen on your sofa !
  13. VermillionHaze
    May 11, 2012
    3
    This PC port is a train wreck. Graphics are dated, controls are clunky, dialog corny and the gameplay is often glitchy or downright broken. It has some good idea's but fails to execute on a massive scale. This game is also a huge grind with constant reptition. Play at your own risk.
  14. GeorgeA
    Oct 2, 2009
    3
    This game was a huge disappointment, I was looking forward to it for so long but it turned out to be hype. The Xbox controls are terrible and the dialogs are almost like they were written by a child. It's got the Oblivion problem of having four voice actors do all the voices for the entire game, which is excluding the tiny dialogs that Andy Serkis and Jhon Rhys Davies have (which are This game was a huge disappointment, I was looking forward to it for so long but it turned out to be hype. The Xbox controls are terrible and the dialogs are almost like they were written by a child. It's got the Oblivion problem of having four voice actors do all the voices for the entire game, which is excluding the tiny dialogs that Andy Serkis and Jhon Rhys Davies have (which are brilliantly done). They used the vegetation to build the levels at the cost of every other object in the world. The props are quite basic and have huge smudged textures. When you look at the dialogs and the normal animations your stomach turns because of the repulsive quality. Still the worse thing is that the character development is practically nonexistent, you try to understand and relate to the main character but because he is portrayed as a total RETARD you tend to dislike him from the get go, there isn… Expand
  15. Les
    Oct 18, 2009
    6
    as a fan of Gothic I pretty much knew what to xpect. Major disappointments are that the graphics are dated, too dark and camera often confusing especially in fights, but overall fun whilst we wait for Dragon Age and Mass effect 2
  16. LloydO
    Oct 6, 2009
    8
    While it may not look fantastic, the emersive storyline and fantastic characters more then make up for that. Shame most reviewers these days only care about graphical quality over actual gameplay and emersion.
  17. MegWhiteley
    Mar 6, 2012
    6
    Risen is one of the most stranger games that I play, because the story is good, but have some mistakes, the gamplay is very strangem is not like the normal RPG's, and the graphics, sound, music are good, the controls are terrible, I suppouse that the 60 is correct.
  18. Oltarino
    Jun 22, 2013
    5
    Risen is game that is neither terrible or good. I expected more from the creators of Gothic series. I didn't finished the game, but I have over 40h gameplay experience with it and I think that justify my review.

    Good things about this game: SOUNDTRACK Not excellent but it does its work well. HERO HAVE A VOICE- They could have found better actor but he does his job as well. DEEP RPG    Risen is game that is neither terrible or good. I expected more from the creators of Gothic series. I didn't finished the game, but I have over 40h gameplay experience with it and I think that justify my review.

    Good things about this game:
    SOUNDTRACK Not excellent but it does its work well.
    HERO HAVE A VOICE- They could have found better actor but he does his job as well.
    DEEP RPG ELEMENTS- There are dozens of skills that you can learn. Besides combat skills there are also crafting skills, through not very important(not counting alchemy). Simply put it´s classic RPG level up experience, decent one too. Magic is overpowered late in the game.
    OPEN WORLD- Quite big open world. There are some interesting things to discover, caves to clear, treasures to find and so on
    NPC- There are some interesting characters and others less so.
    COMBAT- Quite good, you get more options as you level up, new movements and abilities. Magic is effective (on your frame rate too) through there is few spells, little to few. Bow sucks.

    Bad things about this game:
    FRAME RATE- simple fireball causes frame rate so low that it is nearly unplayable! And with graphics like this...
    GRAPHICS- I'm not the type that care that much about graphics but this game do not have esthetic beauty ethier. Everything looks just bad, horribly bad, like a average game from 2000-04 period.
    THE MAP- Hard to truck quests. There are to sort map, under one button. The one that shows you were you are and the one that shows you quest objective. Not only you have to switch between them all the time but you have to search for a quest and choose it every time you close the map. It´s one of most irritating game experiences that I had.
    BORING QUEST- There are two categories: unepic quests the type of... sweep the floor, go to him, brought me this, give me gold so I can heal my wife(10gamepoints for 75g or something like that). And "Epic" quest that include you killing enemies taking one thing and go collecting reward, no inversion. There are some traps in temples, but even that don´t making this fun.

    I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end this game is average! :(
    Want some better RPG, there are plenty, why waste time on average tittle when you can play something else. If you want to play something similar to Risen, play Gothic 1 and 2 (and three witch enchanted edition) same game studio, buy these games are so much better.    … Expand
  19. Bloodlustrous
    May 12, 2013
    0
    Some games are just bad and need not to be played. My brother, seemingly a fan of poorly constructed RPGs, had this game. I've inherited it, and decided to try and play it. I wasted 3 hours of my life. The combat is painfully boring, the graphics are terrible, and all the voices sound the same.

    I truly did not have fun AT ALL through the 3 hours I played this game. I cannot give a rich    Some games are just bad and need not to be played. My brother, seemingly a fan of poorly constructed RPGs, had this game. I've inherited it, and decided to try and play it. I wasted 3 hours of my life. The combat is painfully boring, the graphics are terrible, and all the voices sound the same.

    I truly did not have fun AT ALL through the 3 hours I played this game. I cannot give a rich review as I did not complete the game.    … Expand
  20. FreeRPGer
    Jul 19, 2023
    6
    This is solely for the Xbox 360 port of Risen.
    Like every Piranha Bytes game I played so far, I was completely getting into playing as the weakling protagonist that struggled even against the smallest of forest creatures in the game's beginning hours, only to level up to the point of being able to stand up to just anything in the game. No hand holding, just figuring everything out as it    This is solely for the Xbox 360 port of Risen.
    Like every Piranha Bytes game I played so far, I was completely getting into playing as the weakling protagonist that struggled even against the smallest of forest creatures in the game's beginning hours, only to level up to the point of being able to stand up to just anything in the game. No hand holding, just figuring everything out as it comes, by trial & error, even. I loved the feeling of accomplishment & progression in this game (not unlike I see many say about the Souls games).
    My one MAJOR problem with Risen is the glitches I found RIGHT AT THE END OF THE GAME ... (on the Xbox 360 version). Yes. I made it to the final boss, but the glitches prevented me from finishing it. Instead, I rage-quit & never picked it back up. Not to mention I HATED the menu as I tried to find healing items, which didn’t even pause the game on top of that.

    (thankfully I finally finished the game on the much better PS4 port).

    Risen 3 fixed that problem on the 360, thank the gods. (then the enhanced HD version on PS4).
    I read that this glitch is only on the 360 version of the game, but it makes me wish that the 1st Risen got the Enhanced Edition treatment that Risen 3 got. But at least it was ported to the PS4, slightly enhanced & MUCH BETTER. If you ran into glitches on the X360, as well, give it another try on the PS4 or PC instead. Rant over.    … Expand
  21. quickster6243
    Oct 2, 2014
    7
    Just played through this is around 45 hours.

    Pros: Game is challenging, but not too hard. I felt it was just right. There isn't too much hand holding. The game encourages exploration. It's very quest driven. You can literally spend like 5 hours in a city doing all the quests, looting all the houses, finding all the secrets. The island is very large and you can spend a good amount of    Just played through this is around 45 hours.

    Pros: Game is challenging, but not too hard. I felt it was just right. There isn't too much hand holding. The game encourages exploration. It's very quest driven. You can literally spend like 5 hours in a city doing all the quests, looting all the houses, finding all the secrets. The island is very large and you can spend a good amount of time just mowing down enemies.

    Cons: Graphics are horrible. A lot of the game is pointless. There is very little reward in exploration. You can get most of your top tier jewelery crafted by the 2nd chapter. There isn't very many sets of armor. The stat system is very bland and simplistic. The worst things about this game are the bugs and there are MANY!

    This game is much better on the PC. It plays better and the graphics are much better. So if you have the option, then pick this up for your PC instead.    … Expand
  22. reviewthis4u
    Jul 15, 2016
    1
    Nothing works... Not questing... Not combat... Not the inventory... Not exploring... Not one single thing in this game works as designed. Unless every aspect was designed to be double-plus unfun.
  23. Stio
    Jan 10, 2023
    9
    Hier und da ein paar Bugs Aber die Atmosphäre ist echt fesselnd Die Charaktere authentisch und die Spielwelt angenehm.

Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
77
#77 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 37
  3. Negative: 6 out of 37
  1. 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.
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  2. XGN
    80
    Risen is a successful RPG that looks really good and offers a lot of fun gameplay, which keeps you busy for hours and hours. However it's a pity that the game offers less innovation.
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  3. 3DJuegos
    65
    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.
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