Incline Risen 2 is awesome

[adddeed]

I was not going to play this because of the low scores, i'm glad i changed my mind. It has a very refreshing setting (to me at least) with pirates, rum, swearing, natives, guns, giant termites, voodoo and pet monkeys etc. Good stuff. Quests and writing are great (already failed a couple), the world feels lively and well crafted, love the character progression and talents and skills, combat is good, just a very enjoyable game.

It has a few minor issues like glitchy visuals or animations but those are easily tolerated. So what's with the mediocre reviews?

 

[Excidium]

Why can you still create threads

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Definitely an overbashed game.

 

[Raapys]

It started out okay'ish, but quickly grew bland and boring. Even at its best it didn't come close to competing with the Gothics though.

 

[thesheeep]

I played it and I think it was fun. But awesome? Naaaah...

 

[Tigranes]

It's a decent game, sadly you get far too powerful after midgame, esp. due to muskets, it is a significant step down from the company's earlier games, and the plot only gets sillier and sillier as you go. I still liked it and it holds up for a couple playthroughs.

 

[Eyeball]

I played it up until the first fight. Never, ever picked it up. again

 

[adddeed]

First fight is where, still in the fortress at the very beginning. When you you have zero skills, are weak and your opponent is superior in every way. You know this is an RPG right? Not Tekken.

 

[imweasel]

I was able to finish the game, it's just not anywhere near as good as Risen. I did enjoy it a bit even though I was disappointed.

Risen 2 isn't terrible or very good, it's just mediocre and good for what it is ™.

 

[Havoc]

At least it isn't bad like "the game that doesn't exist".

 

[Metro]

Not as bad as I originally thought but it's mediocre at best. Melee combat is atrocious compared to the first game. Companions are stupid. There are basically no factions save a shallow choice of siding with Inquisition or Natives that has no real impact compared to Risen 1. Shitty QTE's. I could go on but this is probably a troll thread so why bother.

 

[bloodlover]

Risen 2 is shit. Reasons: Yes, the setting is refreshing to the point where it becomes a cliche. The combat is shit, especially if you play with muskets and can rape every enemy from range. You forgot to mention the annoying QTE.

Another big problem (and I find this in most new games) is the lack of enjoyment whenever I find new stuff or a secret area, or passed a certain area. Oh look a chest, yay. Oh look, a new gun that gives NOTHING except some extra stats. etc

 

[Crooked Bee]

I enjoyed the setting and the NPC dialogue (not the "dramatic cutscenes" though -- those were just terrible). Overall, setting-wise the game world felt interesting to me. Unfortunately the world design was very bland and too corridor-ey, and the "factions" were crap.

I also liked that they tried introducing guns as weapons -- too bad it wasn't much fun.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

dramatic cutscenes

Patty: Boohoo.

 

[Darth Roxor]

risen2 is the bestest

 

[sea]

I think Risen 2 is underrated, but I also don't think it's as good as the original Risen or Gothics. The core strengths of that style of gameplay are still there, but the combat kinda took a downgrade in my opinion (feels a lot spammier and cheesier than Risen's, and guns are just awfully balanced and unfun), and I am not sure I like the much more bog standard progression system. On the other hand resource availability, quest design and progression overall are still in that classic Piranha Bytes style, and the writing and voice acting are solid.

I haven't finished it (but will go back to do so at some point), but I think it's been judged a bit unfairly by some. If it was any other developer without the Gothic lineage attached (or even the first Risen), I think people would be praising the game a lot more.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Not with the swordplay it had, they won't. Compared to Risen it lacked weight/impact and certainly went in a different direction with respect to variety.

 

[sea]

Not with the swordplay it had, they won't. Compared to Risen it lacked weight/impact and certainly went in a different direction with respect to variety.

That's why I said, spammier. The duels and stuff are still not bad at all but fighting monsters just comes across as a stunlock festival.

 

[LivingOne]

Not with the swordplay it had, they won't.

Spoiler

 

[Tigranes]

If combat wasn't inexplicably crippled in initial release by having no way to dodge, if guns were more balanced, if the world wasn't quite so split into so many small islands, if they watched a bit less Pirates of the Carribean... the 'little' things could really have made Risen 2 a very enjoyable game in its own right. What they tried with voodoo and guns was a welcome and smart move in their bread and butter formula, the setting was fun when it wasn't being DRAMA!, and occasionally you come across some good old PB exploration.

 

[cvv]

If combat wasn't inexplicably crippled in initial release by having no way to dodge

This.

I think this was the single biggest reason R2 failed so misearbly with journos and in sales. I loved Risen 1 so the sequel was D1P for me but after the first fight with an animal I simply uninstalled. No waiting for patch, no second chance, just uninstall. I'm quite a calm guy but that day my computer was this close to fly out of my window. To this day I can't fathom the thought processes of those responsible for removing the dodge without which the game was essentially unplayable.

After the fans went ballistic they fixed it within a few weeks from release but the damage was done, especially considering it was indeed a decline compared to R1, let alone Gothic. It's still an enjoyable RPG though and the PB magic is still there. That's why I'm actually not entirelly pesimistic about Risen 3.

 

[adddeed]

Then i should be happy i'm playing this now, not at release. Hopefully Risen 3 has a better launch.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Then i should be happy i'm playing this now, not at release. Hopefully Risen 3 has a better launch.

Given that it's PB it'll take at least two patches.

 

[taxalot]

Quick! Let's insult and mock the foolish guy who dared to like something!

 

[Metro]

When that something is Risen 2 the criticism is well deserved. Anyone familiar with PB games can objectively point out where they utterly failed to provide the aspects that usually make their games stand out.