RPGWatch Feature: Risen Preview

'When asked what in Risen is better compared to the previous Gothics the answer was exploration'

! Yes please.

Gameplay?

Nothing about the gameplay? I've got to say that this preview was useless to me without that. I assume that it's like the Gothic games, but since I haven't played them, that's no help, either.

OK, it's "real-time," but is it an action game? Or is it more like the Elder Scrolls games, where you CAN play more deliberately, if you want - especially if you sneak around with a bow? Sorry, but without info on the gameplay, reading this preview was a big waste of time.

It isn't a review, it's a first-hand impression, the In depth reviews will come in due course as always.
I just hope that genuine gothic players write the Risen reviews and not "look at me" type bloggers promoting themselves.


edited - reclarified.

Very nice preview - can't wait!

WCG said:

Nothing about the gameplay? I've got to say that this preview was useless to me without that. I assume that it's like the Gothic games, but since I haven't played them, that's no help, either.

OK, it's "real-time," but is it an action game? Or is it more like the Elder Scrolls games, where you CAN play more deliberately, if you want - especially if you sneak around with a bow? Sorry, but without info on the gameplay, reading this preview was a big waste of time.

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Risen takes a "back to the roots" approach after Gothic 3 failed in some important areas. The fan patches repaired it somewhat, but that's a topic for another thread.
The first two Gothics had a reasonably big world, extremely compact, full of details, with a couple of very beautiful places and brilliant use of the 3D environment. Which made it possible to make the world feel much bigger than it actually was. It's worth noting that everything was placed and created by hand. A hand-crafted dungeon by a capable designer is better than a (semi-)generated one.
The Gothics and the later The Elder Scrolls games are comparable, but the Gothics aim for depth were MW and Obl. offer breadth. G & G2 have deep, memorable characters, pretty good quests, sometimes alternative solutions to the quests, consequences to the choices. Exploration is rewarding and the world is not filled with procedurally generated fluff. On the other hand the world really is smaller, so you cannot play for more than a couple of hours without the main quest. Sooner or later you need to finish a chapter and move on. A chapter change sort of reconfigures the world. Some of the creatures respawn, an FMV is shown, a new objective is given. The world itself is 95% open, if you are clever enough to get past the obstacles in your way.
The gameplay is like all comparable serious RPGs. Dialogs, quests, decisions, a lot of exploration. The action is usually not endless like in a Diablo clone but rather bound to an area, for example enter a cave and you have to clean it; enter a place owned by an enemy faction -> a lot of action. Which leads to factions. The early Gothics both have a long first chapter in which you can explore as much as you like, talk to every faction to find out whom you like, do quests for everybody, understand the whole (political) situation. Then you formally end chapter one by joining one of the factions, the story advances and the games become more linear.

Nice recap, Gorath; thanks.

Thanks for the great preview. This game is already on my "to buy ASAP" list, great to see that it seems like it is going to live up to its expectations.

However, I do have question about the performance of the game. Can you guys comment on how smooth the game felt? Noticed any glitches? I hope it won't be plagued with bugs and performance issue at the time of release.

TheMadGamer said:

I don't understand this part of the review. Doesn't the whole game take place on the island? Therefore just by being on the island you are thrown in jail? I know this isn't the case but can you please explain this? Great preview by the way thank you.

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VPeric said it right:

VPeric said:

As I understand, they have patrols roaming the island, and if they see and catch you, you'll be thrown in jail. You could avoid them, or try to fight if spotted (but they'll be tough!).

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Alrik Fassbauer said:

- additionally, one can also decide to be on his own, if I recall this correctly, but that would be hard.

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IIRC you can stay on your own for a certain amount of time, but you will have to make a choice at some point

Alrik Fassbauer said:

The bottom line is that as a member of the bandits or alone, one can always be caught by the inquisition. Or so I understood this.

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Correct. Noone is safe from the inquisition.

WCG said:

Nothing about the gameplay? I've got to say that this preview was useless to me without that. I assume that it's like the Gothic games, but since I haven't played them, that's no help, either.

OK, it's "real-time," but is it an action game? Or is it more like the Elder Scrolls games, where you CAN play more deliberately, if you want - especially if you sneak around with a bow? Sorry, but without info on the gameplay, reading this preview was a big waste of time.

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We have a large Gothic fanbase here. You would be one of the very few people who haven't played Gothic/II. Bear in mind Myrthos was at a convention, which means seeing lots of games for 30 or 60 mins each. If we have the chance for a proper hands-on, such details might be covered but the current purpose is an overview from the convention.

I'm not too thrilled about the no swimming thing...

Don't get me wrong though, this is a release day purchase.

Korplem said:

I'm not too thrilled about the no swimming thing...

Don't get me wrong though, this is a release day purchase.

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That's still my biggest hang-up as well. The game takes place on an island, and is supposed to have a strong emphasis on exploration, and yet there's no swimming....

If there is no swimming then how does the monster in the ocean throw you back to the island?

I guess it's just for levitating too far out.

Like most rpgs that have water but no swimming you usually can walk out so far and then can't go any further. The distance all depends on how much the land slopes and/or when you reach a drop off point. This could mean there is some water exploration and enemies in the water but no swimming.

Sneaking??

Can you realistically sneak? I hate hate hate it when developers get this wrong i.e. psychic guards in unpatched Two Worlds and unmodded Oblivion. Gothic series did ok with this I think, if you sneak into the guy's house and he doesn't see/hear you he won't come running in asking what you're doing there? (I hope.) Or wake up when asleep... (maybe more points needed in sneak skill for that).

And of course it has to be well implemented if the patrols are to be avoided.

Sounds good so far, I like that there seems to be something new around every corner

skavenhorde said:

If there is no swimming then how does the monster in the ocean throw you back to the island?

I guess it's just for levitating too far out.

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You can walk a certain distance in to the water and then the creature shows itself. It probably does the same thing if you are levitating.

The ability to forge you own jewelry is new, i take it this means amulets, rings etc' - or maybe more, i got the impession from somewhere that jewels could be added to weapons (during forging) but i'm not sure? - definitely a skill improvement from PB.

with the long shield on his back, the hero looks a cockroach on screen I am looking forward to play this game.

Cockroaches belong to the oldest land-living animals.

Among the very first fossils of land-living animals there are cockroaches.

Apart from that - may I remind you of the famous Tower Shield of ancient Greece and Crete ? Look here for more: http://www.salimbeti.com/micenei/shields1.htm

I'm almost surprised, by the way, that this kind of shield hasn't been unsed in any game yet.

I have to say I'm looking forward to seeing what this game has to offer. I'd really like to experience a CRPG world that really feels handcrafted (as this one seems it will) with lots of interesting pathways and detailed vertical space, as well as interesting, relevant itemization and all that other stuff that tends to deepen this type of experience.
I'd really like to feel that I'm moving through an involved, evolved world rather than hopping over geometry and geometric stumbling blocks.

Latest news:

A CE is confirmed for Germany, France and Italy.