Risen Some constructive critism - Where did all the sidequests/NPC's go after Chapter 2?

First, let me say I loved this game, loved the atmosphere especially, very immersive. The graphics, while not as technically strong as some games, were excellent imo, due to attention to detail, art direction, the world felt very alive, very immersive as your walking around the environment. Loved the quest variety, and the dialog was very good (Better then I expected). Loved how much replayabilty, choice the player has. Also, loved the detail of the island, so many spots to explore, exploring was fun in this game.

Combat, seems to be the thing some people did not like, I loved melee combat, the different sword techniques, diving left, right or back, timing, added a lot of depth comapred to button mashing like Oblivion IMO, I actually really liked the combat. It makes you pay attention, keeps you immersed, and makes you focus on each enemies techniques.

A few things that held the experience back, what happened to side quests after chapter 2? Once chapter 3 starts there are basically no new NPC's, very few sidequests, this game felt like it needed one more population centre, to do more quests, to break up the main campaign. Or, at least, new quests pop up in the bandit camp and harbour town. Basically now, after chapter 2, there is little to do outside the main quests, too much comabt and linear quests progression, and I alone here? Seemed the game is a little too short in regards to side quests, NPC's after harbour town, needed more side quests, NPCs, maybe another town.

The other nit pick is loot, not enough sword, helmet, armour variety, one of the fun things about RPG's, is finding that new piece of armour, new sword, not a lot of loot IMO. I only found like 2 helmets the entire game. Loot variety good have been better.

Overall, loved the game, one of the better RPGs I haved played in awhile, so the above is just my take on what could have really made this great game a classic. Very good, had potential to be even better.

PB, keep making games like this,l I will buy them everytime for PC.

I guess no one else found the last 2 chapters missing side quests, NPC''s and content?

Yeah, I think most of us agree about that - and I mentioned it in my "review" here.

A new town/hub with more NPC's and sidequests would have made this game epic. maybe a town that has not much to do with the mainstory, but a place to get sidequests, meet new NPC's. This would have made chapter 3 and 4 on par with the first 2 chapters.

Game should end in chapter 1 or two then it would be great, though short. Chapter 2 was mediocre, 3rd and 4th are boring as hell and I'm not sure if I'll finish this.

Konjad said:

Game should end in chapter 1 or two then it would be great, though short. Chapter 2 was mediocre, 3rd and 4th are boring as hell and I'm not sure if I'll finish this.

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Thats an exaggeration, yes, the game loses some in the last 2 chapters, but the main story is still decent, and the dungeons are very well done. still some places to see you could not go before as well. There did need to be more side quests and NPCs and another town or city for sure though.

I don't know... there's something to be said for keeping to the main storyline once the setting and the main characters are introduced. Chapter 1 and 2 were preparation, now it's time to take off the training wheels and see what this character you built can really do!

I understand the way the game is designed though - as the main story becomes more important, you are forced to focus primarily on it. That's actually an aspect I hated about Oblivion:
"There are Demon gates popping up everywhere! Demons are invading! You are the only one that can stop it, so you must do something NOW!! .. Or you could stroll the country side for years if that's what you feel like."

There was a constant feeling of urgency in the main quest, yet no actual urgency. In Risen (and Gothic 1), once you get to the point where you feel that this is truly important, you simply have no other choice but to stick with it.

In my opinion, Gothic 1 pulled this off better, and I would've preferred if Risen had put off the "point of no return" by a chapter at least (so chapter 3 and 4 would be 4 and 5, with a new chapter between the current 2 and 3). Like this:
Chapter 1: Normal
Chapter 2: Normal
Chapter 3: New chapter, new quests, probably a new quest hub or just an overall change in the world.
Chapter 4: Previously chapter 3.
Chapter 5: Previously chapter 4.

Perhaps that is something we'll get in an add-on, similar to NotR for G2, which really added a lot.

Maylander said:

In my opinion, Gothic 1 pulled this off better, and I would've preferred if Risen had put off the "point of no return" by a chapter at least (so chapter 3 and 4 would be 4 and 5, with a new chapter between the current 2 and 3). Like this:
Chapter 1: Normal
Chapter 2: Normal
Chapter 3: New chapter, new quests, probably a new quest hub or just an overall change in the world.
Chapter 4: Previously chapter 3.
Chapter 5: Previously chapter 4.

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Hm, I´d definitely prefer the added chapter/hub/quests to take place after chapter 3.
Imo, chapter 3 is quite ok as is. After ch1 & ch2 which are mostly filled with surface exploration, one huge dungeon doesn´t hurt.
The problem is it´s immediately followed by 5, though smaller, other ones and that´s it.

I´d probably cut the original story somewhere around Usergor and add most of the new content there, maybe even via utilizing Usergor himself.

Ideally, the last chapter would be reworked too. I´d welcome new faction development there with quests varied depending on you faction.
Additionally cut the number of tombs needed to explore. Leave the best two unchanged and put the armor parts there.
The biggest flaw in the final boss fight is that its course is totally independent on player´s class and skills. That could at least a bit be remedied by putting different weapons in remaining tombs and thus leave only one of them mandatory, depending on player´s weapon of choice.
Blah blah.

This is what I´d welcome in add-in then:

Chapter 1: Normal
Chapter 2: Normal
Chapter 3: Normal
Chapter 4: New chapter, new quests, probably a new quest hub or just an overall change in the world.
Chapter 5: Previously chapter 4, reworked.

Zloth said:

I don't know… there's something to be said for keeping to the main storyline once the setting and the main characters are introduced. Chapter 1 and 2 were preparation, now it's time to take off the training wheels and see what this character you built can really do!

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This can be done without ignoring what was the best aspect of this and most RPG's, NPC interaction, exploration and questing.

mastorofpuppetz said:

Thats an exaggeration, yes, the game loses some in the last 2 chapters, but the main story is still decent, and the dungeons are very well done. still some places to see you could not go before as well. There did need to be more side quests and NPCs and another town or city for sure though.

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I think opinions vary here. I didn't find it an exaggeration. The game goes from a mix of overland exploration, discovery of an intriguing island situation, npc interaction, quest solving, and fighting and improving your character to 90 % walking and fighting and 10 % puzzle solving in the final 2 chapters. The puzzles were amusing, but not enough to justify all the walking and fighting which had just become tedious at this point. The character advancement was settled and you really had nothing much to improve by fighting. It is like the last two chapters (though Chapter 2 started this process) just strip out what really makes Risen (and the Gothic games) fun and just draw out the experience for a dozen (? it felt long) boring hours or more.

The more I think about it, the more I have to agree that the last two chapters nearly ruin the entire game.

When I wrote my review, I was still caught up in how great the first chapters were - but now I can sense that I really don't want to replay it at all. Which is a surprise, and it's really because I know what I'm in for - and I've explored all of it already. Yes, there's still the faction differences, but since many quests are available to all - it'll be relatively minor and I don't see the point when the world is known to me.

Bah, how sad.

Burress said:

I think opinions vary here. I didn't find it an exaggeration. The game goes from a mix of overland exploration, discovery of intriguing island situation, npc interaction, quest solving, and fighting and improving your character to 90 % walking and fighting and 10 % puzzle solving in the final 2 chapters. The puzzles were amusing, but not enough to justify all walking and fighting which had just become tedious at this point. The character advancement was settled and you really had nothing much to improve by fighting. It is like the last two chapters (though Chapter 2 started this process) just strip out what really makes Risen (and the Gothic games) fun and just draw out the experience for a dozen (? it felt long) boring hours or more.

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I see what you are saying, yes, the last 2 chapters the game takes a turn away from its strengths. I think this has to do with PB's budget, and not taking on more then they can chew ala Gothic III. They had to cut the game short imo, too bad, as the first 2 chapters are brilliant. Lets hope an expansion or the next game keeps up the first 2 chapters of this game mainly for the whole duration. I wouldnt say it ruins the game, as overall it is still a good game, but it certainly drags it out, with no exploring, or character progression left to do. It's like they just decided we have to stop here and finish this up.

I feel it is a symptom of being a smaller dev trying to make an ambitious large scale rpg like this.

The part that dissappoints me, is that there is little reason to play again, the world is smaller so I have seen and discovered everything, the differences in each side are small, and most quests are the same. Errr. So much potential.

By the end of CH2 you had just got into the swing of questing .... ;-(

DArtagnan said:

The more I think about it, the more I have to agree that the last two chapters nearly ruin the entire game.

When I wrote my review, I was still caught up in how great the first chapters were - but now I can sense that I really don't want to replay it at all. Which is a surprise, and it's really because I know what I'm in for - and I've explored all of it already. Yes, there's still the faction differences, but since many quests are available to all - it'll be relatively minor and I don't see the point when the world is known to me.

Bah, how sad.

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All that said, it was still fun to dungeon delve for the items, some of the better dungeon crawling I've had since Gothic 1. I do agree that Ch. 3 and 4 were a little empty comparatively, but I felt that was just the time to kill all those areas that were too hard before.