Review RPG Codex reviews Risen 2: Dark Waters

[hoverdog]

And you still deserve to get clobbered for saying that PB games have shit combat

but they have

 

[GaemzDood]

Seems like Piranha Bytes wants to go down the way of the BioWare, and I loved Gothic 3 (why do people hate it?). I blame it on the fact that Risen 2 is coming to consoles.

 

[MicoSelva]

Thanks for the review Roxor/Codex. I can be pretty forgiving to a game's faults and ignore many things that are deal breakers for others, but this:

DLC. Disc-locked content in this case. Two DLCs for Risen 2 have already been released after the game’s launch – Air Temple and Treasure Isle, each for the bargain price of 10$. What is not being said, however, is that all the content of these DLCs can be unlocked via console commands in the vanilla game.

This nailed it. Fuck this shit. Not buying.

 

[Revenant]

A very misleading review. I am glad I tried out the game for myself to see that it was way better than the impression created by the review.

The first thing that's wrong with the review is the overly edgy, almost hipstesque "ironic" tone. Some quotes:

The 25 hours it takes to finish the game is better spent hitting your head against the wall.

Really? I can't even imagine a game that bad. Even atmosphere alone (which you liked) makes a game quite better than hitting your head against the wall. How ironic.

Every piece of food does exactly the same thing, it regenerates 20% of your health over time. Lame.

Just like fried meat did in Gothic 3. And that's good, because you didn't have to consume ridiculous amounts of food as your HP pool increased towards the end of the game. What's so lame? Must be the irony.

<...> the exploration tedious <...>

An interesting quote from a PB fan, "exploration tedious". Do you prefer popamole corridor shooters? The world of Risen 2 is bigger than that of Risen 1, even the first two islands almost make up for a standalone game. Environments also aren't as monotonous as you claim - even Tacarigua alone has towns, jungles, coasts and beautiful shore islands.

And these are only examples. The whole review is extremely drenched in butthurt, and one can't help but feel that the reviewer hates the game so much that he nitpicks at every possible opportunity and almost ignores the highlights of the game. ITT other people already pointed out nice stuff this game has - multiple ways to accomplish quests, VARIED combat options, etc. Coupling that to great writing (I laughed quite a few times at the jokes, that doesn't happen often in games for me) and pirate atmosphere, Risen 2 is a good game.

It's disappointing that this review marks the point when I can no longer trust Codex reviews to make opinions about games. The editor's note says that the author was a fan of Risen 1 and very eager to review Risen 2? Maybe the sensible solution should have been to do the opposite - to allow someone more neutral to write the review, thus avoiding all the butthurt and ruined personal expectations. Who would have thought, maybe objectivity would be better than the TRVE CODEXIAN posture.

 

[Grunker]

I can no longer trust Codex reviews

You realize any user can review for the Codex as long as their research and writing are up to par, right? From their, it's all their opinion and analysis, as any review must be.

The Codex has good reviews because we require reviews to have some thought put into them, the research be done (i.e. the reviewer has actually played the game extensively), and the writing to be at a certain level. Not because we have a cabal of censors who moderate and quality-check reviews. If someone were to pay us for that, however...

objectivity

Ah, I see where your problem is. I don't think this word means what you think it means.

 

[Revenant]

<...> because we require reviews to have some thought put into them, the research be done (i.e. the reviewer has actually played the game extensively), and the writing to be at a certain level.

Bullshit. TNO's New Vegas review disproves your statement.

 

[Darth Roxor]

The first thing that's wrong with the review is the overly edgy, almost hipstesque "ironic" tone.

You look like a dumbshit that can't read. Is that edgy and hip enough?

Really? I can't even imagine a game that bad. Even atmosphere alone (which you liked) makes a game quite better than hitting your head against the wall. How ironic.

No, "even atmosphere alone" doesn't make anything better. Those funky things called "games" are usually composed of "gameplay", and atmosphere is just a very thin layer of coating that can change fuck-all if all other, thicker, layers are horrible.

Just like fried meat did in Gothic 3. And that's good, because you didn't have to consume ridiculous amounts of food as your HP pool increased towards the end of the game. What's so lame? Must be the irony.

Reading 101. The lame thing is that there is no variety in the foodstuff. No variety in items you find. No different types of food that would regen 10% or 30% instead of 20% hp.

An interesting quote from a PB fan, "exploration tedious". Do you prefer popamole corridor shooters?

Reading 101 yet again.

The world of Risen 2 is bigger than that of Risen 1, even the first two islands almost make up for a standalone game. Environments also aren't as monotonous as you claim - even Tacarigua alone has towns, jungles, coasts and beautiful shore islands.

Who the fuck cares if it's bigger if that's the only thing there is? It has less stuff to do, less varied monsters to chop chop, less varied stuff you can use to chop chop, less interesting dungeons, less interesting views, less interesting hiking, less interesting EVERYTHING.

Yes, even Tacarigua alone has towns, jungles, coasts and beautiful shore islands (how do you get on those if you can't swim? huehuehuehue). You know what else has that? The sword coast, the maracai bay, antigua, the list goes on.

The whole review is extremely drenched in butthurt, and one can't help but feel that the reviewer hates the game so much that he nitpicks at every possible opportunity and almost ignores the highlights of the game.

Or hey maybe that's because there's so many bad things to spot at every possible opportunity they completely overshadow the very few highlights that have also happened to be noted in the review?

VARIED combat options

Coupling that to great writing (I laughed quite a few times at the jokes, that doesn't happen often in games for me) and pirate atmosphere, Risen 2 is a good game.

Good writing alone does not a good game make.

It's disappointing that this review marks the point when I can no longer trust Codex reviews to make opinions about games.

And you know what? Boofuckinghoo.

Who would have thought, maybe objectivity would be better than the TRVE CODEXIAN posture.

There is no such thing as an objective review. The faster you realise that, the faster you'll spare people from reading your retarded rants.

 

[Revenant]

Really? I can't even imagine a game that bad. Even atmosphere alone (which you liked) makes a game quite better than hitting your head against the wall. How ironic.

No, "even atmosphere alone" doesn't make anything better. Those funky things called "games" are usually composed of "gameplay", and atmosphere is just a very thin layer of coating that can change fuck-all if all other, thicker, layers are horrible.

Even so playing a game is arguably better than hitting your head against the wall. Playing a game that has SOMETHING good about it is definitely better than hitting your head against the wall.

The lame thing is that there is no variety in the foodstuff. No variety in items you find. No different types of food that would regen 10% or 30% instead of 20% hp.

There is at least some variety, because only FOOD restores 20% of your health over time, there is also some drink that restores 100% of your health over time as well as grog and rum that restore health instantaneously partially and fully, respectively. Keeping all this in mind there is more variety to healing than there was in Risen 1, because now there is instantaneous and slow healing. Incline!

The whole review is extremely drenched in butthurt, and one can't help but feel that the reviewer hates the game so much that he nitpicks at every possible opportunity and almost ignores the highlights of the game.

Or hey maybe that's because there's so many bad things to spot at every possible opportunity they completely overshadow the very few highlights that have also happened to be noted in the review?

Or maybe the reviewer FOCUSES on negative aspects more than positive ones? The review is insanely biased, that's all.

VARIED combat options

As people pointed out, you can use your main attack, dirty trick, and you have a companion to boot. What did you have in Risen 1? Melee or ranged or magical attack.

There is no such thing as an objective review. The faster you realise that, the faster you'll spare people from reading your retarded rants.

Why yes there is. If there can be a biased review, then the opposite is true as well. Do you deny that there exist biased opinions?

 

[Darth Roxor]

Even so playing a game is arguably better than hitting your head against the wall. Playing a game that has SOMETHING good about it is definitely better than hitting your head against the wall.

If I am playing a game and almost all the time I'm thinking "GOD PLEASE MAKE THIS HORROR END ALREADY", I don't think good atmosphere is doing something to ease the pain there.

Keeping all this in mind there is more variety to healing than there was in Risen 1, because now there is instantaneous and slow healing. Incline!

Yes, the instant "tap 3 to automatically consume healing potion while in the middle of swinging your bayonet and reloading a pistol and shotgun" is definite incline!

... now what was it about that love of corridor shooters?

Or maybe the reviewer FOCUSES on negative aspects more than positive ones? The review is insanely biased, that's all.

I didn't focus on shit. I kept noting down stuff I observed while playing and then wrote it all up into a review. This man seems to disagree with you btw:

This review was pretty interesting to me, because while I can't really say I disagree with any points, I still think the game as a whole is decent.

So is it biased as fuck or does it actually list valid stuff? I is confuse

As people pointed out, you can use your main attack, dirty trick, and you have a companion to boot.

Yes, and as I happened to point out in the review, with main attack you do nothing but mash LMB, dirty tricks are shit and companions are nothing but meatshields. You've read the review, right? Or did your biased point of view make you not notice those?

Why yes there is. If there can be a biased review, then the opposite is true as well. Do you deny that there exist biased opinions?

You want an objective review? Take the game box and read the 'minimum requirements' section. That's all the objectivity you need right there.

 

[Revenant]

If I am playing a game and almost all the time I'm thinking "GOD PLEASE MAKE THIS HORROR END ALREADY", I don't think good atmosphere is doing something to ease the pain there.

You mentioned in your review that firearms aren't that bad, and muskets can do significant damage, thus shortening combat. Now how is this worse than Gothic 1/2's archery? At least in Risen 2 you can AIM. And who wants to play melee character when you can have guns anyway.

Do you imagine that gunfight encounter in a pirate setting should be something complex and tactical? More like you shoot stuff, it falls over, end of story.

Yes, the instant "tap 3 to automatically consume healing potion while in the middle of swinging your bayonet and reloading a pistol and shotgun" is definite incline!

As if no healing during combat is any better. Yes, no healing, because frantically hitting a potion key while cursing under your breath that you wouldn't get hit during the drinking animation is not a good healing mechanic.

As for objectivity, your remark of hitting head against the wall implies a very low rating of the game, say 1/10. This is inaccurate, because of the said highlights the game is worth at least 5/10 - there are far worse games, after all, so reserving the lowest rating possible for Risen 2 is edgy and hipstery.

 

[Excidium]

And who wants to play melee character when you can have guns anyway.

2/10 made me quote you

 

[Darth Roxor]

At least in Risen 2 you can AIM

'lol' is the only thing I can write in response to this

And who wants to play melee character when you can have guns anyway.

Apparently, someone who would want to play with voodoo

O hey let's just remove other weapons altogether and make it a corridor shooter, CUZ GUNS R AWESUM AMERICA FUK YEA

Do you imagine that gunfight encounter in a pirate setting should be something complex and tactical? More like you shoot stuff, it falls over, end of story.

I imagine any combat encounter to be enjoyable, regardless of its setting and substance. I also imagine it taking the possibility of using abstractions that eliminate the need for 'shoot stuff, it falls over, end of story'

As if no healing during combat is any better.

There's a fine line between 'no healing' and 'SPAM HEALING POTION HOTKEY LIKE MAD TO NOT DIE WHILE RELOADING TWO GUNS AND SWINGING A BAYONET', and I know I'll take the first one any day.

As for objectivity, your remark of hitting head against the wall implies a very low rating of the game, say 1/10. This is inaccurate, because of the said highlights the game is worth at least 5/10 - there are far worse games, after all, so reserving the lowest rating possible for Risen 2 is edgy and hipstery.

Sir you got it wrong, every game beneath 8+ is an unplayable piece of crap and the reviewer should be fired for ever giving a note as unfair as that

And in any case, I cannot imagine returning to Risen 2 anytime soon, probably not in the next 10 years either. Because it was bad, it was even infuriatingly horrible. A bad game is a bad game, and whether it's 1/10 or 3/10 or 4+/10, it doesn't matter anyway because the game in question is still garbage that I will never ever revisit unless I want to pop some blood vessels.

On the other hand, hitting your head against the wall takes a lot less time (5 seconds versus 25 hours) and sometimes acts as a very good stress reliever. Oftentimes, the resulting headache is less severe, as well. Thus, head->wall > Risen 2.

 

[Revenant]

Fine, let's evaluate Risen 1 in the same way you covered Risen 2: shitty magic, insulting quest design (find FIVE pieces of an artifact over and over again IN THE MAIN FUCKING QUESTLINE), atrocious Zelda boss, bland setting shamelessly copied from Gothic 2. Conclusion - Risen 1 is a shitty game ololo. Don't see anything inconsistent here?

 

[Grunker]

And who wants to play melee character when you can have guns anyway.

Holy hell in a handbasket.

Hey - I detest both games equally. And your conversation with Roxor is at least keeping me entertained for now. But if you're not trolling you sure are an... interesting user.

Fine, let's evaluate Risen 1 in the same way you covered Risen 2: shitty magic, insulting quest design (find FIVE pieces of an artifact over and over again IN THE MAIN FUCKING QUESTLINE), atrocious Zelda boss, bland setting shamelessly copied from Gothic 2. Conclusion - Risen 1 is a shitty game

I completely agree!

See, Roxor, I'm not the only one who detests Risen

 

[Darth Roxor]

Y U NO AGREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

butthurt detected

 

[Clockwork Knight]

And who wants to play melee character when you can have guns anyway.

Holy hell in a handbasket.

Hey - I detest both games equally. And your conversation with Roxor is at least keeping me entertained for now. But if you're not trolling you sure are an... interesting user.

Lately I've been playing Gothic 3 WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY PATCH and the game keeps crashing with an "Out of memory. Please free some memory and click Retry" error. I know that installing the CP fixes this, but that is not an option (if you have to know, I hate the CP because it ruins the texture of the paladin's armor).

 

[Grunker]

lol

 

[RK47]

What a shame. Even Angry Joe slams this game.

 

[Darth Roxor]

What a shame. Even Angry Joe slams this game.

But what about The Brazilian Slaughter have to say about it?

 

[ghostdog]

The key to understanding Revenant :

Gothic 3, one of the greatest games ever

 

[Revenant]

FYI, the official Codex Gothic 3 review by VD is very favorable.

Gothic 3 is the latest addition, and, in my opinion, the best game in the Gothic series, developed by Piranha Bytes, a German developer.

 

[ohWOW]

I'm shocked that someone actually tries to defend this unfinished, bugged, short, broken piece of shit with shit dlcs you can unlock without buying a shit.
And some gothic fags still are wilingl to pay a lot for a half an hour of dlc quests, knowing it's unlockable for free. Because "deep silver and pb can charge for whatever they like, they deserve it, they worked hard for it".

Arcania is better.

 

[Revenant]

Arcania is better.

 

[SCO]

I knew there was a reason i'd ignored this guy

 

[ohWOW]

Don't get me wrong, Arcania is a pile of shit.

But Risen 2 is a shithole of elephant's diarrhea.

 

[Konjad]

Don't get me wrong, Arcania is a pile of shit.

But Risen 2 is a shithole of elephant's diarrhea.