Review Risen scores 7.4 on the Kharn-o-meter

[dragonfk]

In my oppinion it's atmosphere is similar to Gothic 2, and quest design ans overall structure of the game is similar to Gothic 1. For the latter I have in mind that there are none, or almost none side quests in later chapters. In G2 new side quests were unlocked with another chapters. So it was viable and profitable to pay a visit to NPCs you've dealt with in previous chapters.

 

[Gragt]

Elaborate, bitte, 'cause I don't really find Gothic 1 and 2 too different.

I haven't finished G2 yet, so some of my observations might be wrong, but there are a few differences so far like the world size, more quests with multiple solutions, more hidden stuff (maybe I missed most of them in G1), many abilities to learn (combat style, alchemy recipes, old languages). There are also details like G1 story starting with you character being on his way to deliver a message while trying to fit in the penal colony while G2 starts right away with you as the chosan one who must destroy the host of evil.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I haven't finished G2 yet, so some of my observations might be wrong, but there are a few differences so far like the world size, more quests with multiple solutions, more hidden stuff (maybe I missed most of them in G1), many abilities to learn (combat style, alchemy recipes, old languages). There are also details like G1 story starting with you character being on his way to deliver a message while trying to fit in the penal colony while G2 starts right away with you as the chosan one who must destroy the host of evil.

Well then, apart from the story and world size aspects, Risen fits your description of G2.

 

[LazyD]

I still like Dragon Age better than Risen, tho.

rojectileVomit:

 

[Darth Roxor]

Dragon Age will probably be the... *gasp* Codex rpg of the year...

...

 

[Gragt]

Well, DA sounds at least better than Fallout 3. Maybe I'll manage to finish that one when I finally get around to playing it.

 

[Xor]

@Xor:

4 games, 10 minutes and you're already here with an opinion? Not very likely.

I've played through Baldur's Gate 2 three times, KOTOR2 four times, I haven't finished Dragon Age yet but I've only had it for a few days, and I've finished the NWN2 OC three times. How much should I have to play these games to form an opinion?

 

[Brother None]

Well, Fallout3 scored 8.4 in gamebanshee, but we can't blame Brother None for that. Anyway, the review of Risen is pretty accurate and I mostly agree with it.

I'd have scored it lower. But GB's review scores are very writer-based with almost no input from our head editor (Buck), which I haven't always been happy with. I've been for just dumping the whole rating system wholesale for some time now. Especially since it's hard to pick a rating and regardless of how you rate somehow the debate's always about the rating and not the review (more people read the rating than the review, obv, but still).

Risen is one of my higher-rated RPGs, though it scored less than Drakensang. It's better than a lot of crap released lately for sure, but it's nowhere near Gothic I or II.

I'll probably toss my hat in for DA for RPGotY (I'm not reviewing it, working on Borderlands now), even though that game - like all BW games - kinda bores me. It's still a better game.

the lack of character customization

That would be valid complain.

To an extent, yes, but I've always felt that as long as a game offers core customization, as in actually adaptable and meaningful stats, complaints about not being able to customize your character at the start or especially complaints about not being able to dress up or customize the look of your character seem frivolous. They're a nice bonus, but they should hardly be obligated to RPGs. Risen's character system isn't perfect, but lack of customization is not one of my complaints.

Everything he says is quite true, but he should still have noted that the game is better than 90% of the crappy RPGs that come out each year.

I should note I purposefully tried not to mention Oblivion in the review as the constant comparisons between the two were getting tiring, and it's just lazy journalism.

 

[thesisko]

I was planning to play Risen as my first PB game after reading the Codex review that it was basically a polished version of Gothic 2. But then I read GameBanshee's review and Brother None seems to think that the quest design has been severely dumbed down. So how badly dumbed down is it compared to the Gothic games? Should I skip Risen and just play Gothic 1&2 instead? Could you guys give me some examples of the dumbing down?

 

[villain of the story]

FFS just start with G1&2.

 

[Metro]

Risen's quest design isn't really 'dumbed down' compared to G1 and G2. If anything Risen is an amalgam of those two games. I think some people have a tendency to view G1 and G2 with rose colored glasses... don't get me wrong, they're great games but their quest design wasn't anything stunning. Take it from someone who has replayed them at least three times each in the last couple of years.

 

[Elwro]

Risen is very good, don't mind the naysayers. But you should also play the Gothics.

 

[Kz3r0]

Risen is very good, don't mind the naysayers. But you should also play the Gothics.

Add Night of the Raven expansion for Gothic 2, most of the praise for the game comes from there.

 

[thesisko]

I'm confused here, Codex review reads basically like "Risen is Gothic 2 but better!" while Gamebanshee's reads like "Nowhere near Gothic 2 and severely dumbed down quests". Both can't be true!

 

[curry]

I guess people just had higher expectations for it. It's still very good though.

 

[Fens]

I'm confused here, Codex review reads basically like "Risen is Gothic 2 but better!" while Gamebanshee's reads like "Nowhere near Gothic 2 and severely dumbed down quests". Both can't be true!

we're at war, pick a side

well... not really... gothic 2 is bigger, has more things to do and has the gothic lore to work with, while risen is prettier, has combat that even the physically impaired can handle, is just about as big in content as gothic 1 and has a shitty endfight, that sours the experience a bit, but still has a good atmosphere

as others have stated: play gothic, gothic 2 + notr and play risen (in this order)... gothic 3 got a lot better with the community patches and is playable on most systems now, so play that as well (you can ignore the outsourced expansion, which breaks stuff and is generally considered crap)... don't play arcania... seriously, don't

 

[Darth Roxor]

Dragon Age will probably be the... *gasp* Codex rpg of the year...

...

I fucking knew it

Codex review reads basically like "Risen is Gothic 2 but better!"

Eh, nah, I didn't mean to write it like that. Risen is better in some aspects, worse in others. Gothic 2 is overall a better package, tho, with a bigger gameworld, more to do, etc. Risen has some expanded options, better combat system, etc.

Still, if this is to be your 'first PB game', I suggest you go chronoligically with Gothic 1 -> Gothic 2 (-> Night of the Raven, don't think the expansion is worth to play first playthrough) -> Risen.

Yes. Chronologically. Shame there was no Gothic 3 or 4.

 

[thesisko]

Eh, nah, I didn't mean to write it like that. Risen is better in some aspects, worse in others. Gothic 2 is overall a better package, tho, with a bigger gameworld, more to do, etc. Risen has some expanded options, better combat system, etc.

Alright, but your review didn't touch on the quest design - which was Brother None's biggest criticism.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Eh, nah, I didn't mean to write it like that. Risen is better in some aspects, worse in others. Gothic 2 is overall a better package, tho, with a bigger gameworld, more to do, etc. Risen has some expanded options, better combat system, etc.

Alright, but your review didn't touch on the quest design - which was Brother None's biggest criticism.

Quest design in Risen in a nutshell - very much the same as in Gothics. At least from what I remember, so there

 

[Brother None]

What the hell.

Nice bump-ing. I'll be previewing Risen 2, soon.

 

[thesisko]

What the hell.

Nice bump-ing. I'll be previewing Risen 2, soon.

Thanks. So, do you still think the quests in Risen are dumbed down and hand-holdey compared to earlier PB games?

 

[Brother None]

Risen 2 actually improves on Risen in quest design (and my biggest beef with Risen was the one-direction, one-stupid-solution to the in-town quests). But both are relatively more accessible/easy. Risen 2 is significantly less open-world than any of the previous titles. Kind of a shame. I still liked it, though.

 

[Stauff]

What the hell.

Nice bump-ing. I'll be previewing Risen 2, soon.

Have you managed to get a full blown copy of Risen2?

 

[Brother None]

It's about 1/4th of the game. Preview copy. Cuts off at the end of third island.

 

[Stauff]

It's about 1/4th of the game. Preview copy. Cuts off at the end of third island.

Weird! I have some beta which cuts out when you're about to enter pirates camp.