Risen 2 - First Look @ GameSpot

Some quick impressions from Risen 2 are available at GameSpot, based on a short viewing at GDC:

Yes, islands. While the first game took place on a single landmass, Risen 2 will take place across a series of different islands. The developer isn't commenting on exactly how your swashbuckling pirate Hero will make his way between these beleaguered areas, but given that Piranha Bytes suggests that the game will be "the perfect pirate RPG," it's not hard to guess how you'll be getting from point A to point B. And you won't be going it alone, either; like in Risen, you will from time to time have companions join your side. At least one of the companions will be a mysterious woman practiced in the dreaded art of voodoo magic. This character appears in one of the game's early video trailers and rescues the Hero by means of a voodoo doll and a lit match, just as he's about to be finished off by a group of attackers.

Also check out World of Risen for several screens.
More information.

"While we took our first look at the game during a hands-off demonstration session, Piranha Bytes representatives took a great deal of time to address the specific complaints from Risen's fan community, including bland-looking character models, flat-looking environment textures, a lack of variety in enemies to fight, and technical problems in the console versions."

This is why the console crowd typically gets watered down RPGs as opposed to their PC counterparts. Because that demographics is pretty much obsessed with the visual presentation of games.

I don't mind great visuals, but I'm always looking for innovations in gameplay.

And don't get me wrong, while I'm a PC gamer first, I still love consoles and have owned most of them since the Original Oddyssey released in the mid 70s.

If they were addressing the feedback they'd address the tedious last part of the game, before anything else.

Originally Posted by Alistair
If they were addressing the feedback they'd address the tedious last part of the game, before anything else.

What makes you think they didn't?

And you won't be going it alone, either; like in Risen, you will from time to time have companions join your side. At least one of the companions will be a mysterious woman practiced in the dreaded art of voodoo magic.

Sounds cool, but I hope they continue to keep the companion situations at a minimum, like all their previous games.

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
"While we took our first look at the game during a hands-off demonstration session, Piranha Bytes representatives took a great deal of time to address the specific complaints from Risen's fan community, including bland-looking character models, flat-looking environment textures, a lack of variety in enemies to fight, and technical problems in the console versions."

This is why the console crowd typically gets watered down RPGs as opposed to their PC counterparts. Because that demographics is pretty much obsessed with the visual presentation of games.I don't mind great visuals, but I'm always looking for innovations in gameplay.

And don't get me wrong, while I'm a PC gamer first, I still love consoles and have owned most of them since the Original Oddyssey released in the mid 70s.

This site is also obsessed with the graphics part, it's not just the console crowd. How many comments on DA2 or Skyrim have been about graphics?

I'm not sure I am crazy about islands, does that mean seperate loading areas…?

They definitely DO need some more NPC models in the game.

Voodoo woman? But what about Patty from the first game??

Guns( I don't like guns with my magic.

Arcanum had guns and magic, and maybe the worst combat in a RPG ever? but still turned out to be a really good game. I guess my point is, who cares about the guns, even if they screw them up, as long as the important stuff is there.

Originally Posted by Zloth
Voodoo woman? But what about Patty from the first game??

Patty is in, too. I'm sure she'll be a companion. What we know about Patty from the PC Games article so far is…

If drinking and pouting in bars gets you that kind of a facelift and emo haircut, I think I am going to open a new pub in Hollywood. I'll call it the "Makeover Inn".

Originally Posted by JDR13
Sounds cool, but I hope they continue to keep the companion situations at a minimum, like all their previous games.

yep , Calypso is enough.

Originally Posted by Moriendor
Greg(orius) Stahlbart (Steelbeard)

As far as I know, JoWood doesn't have the rights to make future Gothics. Given how obvious it is that the world of Risen is actually the same world as Gothic, I wonder if we'll ever see Gothic 5: Risen or some such thing. Or maybe Risen 3: Gothic.

The storyline and events even fit, given the Xardas ending of Gothic 3.

I could tolerate guns as close-range high-damage one-shot weapons, only usable again once you're out of combat for a bit. A bit of stealth and silent arrow murdery to contrast with the gunplay would be great - Risen lacked stealth and really worthwhile ranges combat.
Guns vs magic? Could be interesting…

Originally Posted by Maylander
Given how obvious it is that the world of Risen is actually the same world as Gothic, I wonder if we'll ever see Gothic 5: Risen or some such thing. Or maybe Risen 3: Gothic.

That will never happen.

A game of such magnitude might tear a hole in the space-time continuum and could mean the end of all life in the universe.

But it would be worth of all that!

At least one of the companions will be a mysterious woman practiced in the dreaded art of voodoo magic.

Monkey Island, anyone ?

Pirates Of The Carribbean ?

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
Monkey Island, anyone ?

They did mention being influenced by that game (looking for inspiration) in this interview so you may be onto something.

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
"While we took our first look at the game during a hands-off demonstration session, Piranha Bytes representatives took a great deal of time to address the specific complaints from Risen's fan community, including bland-looking character models, flat-looking environment textures, a lack of variety in enemies to fight, and technical problems in the console versions."

This is why the console crowd typically gets watered down RPGs as opposed to their PC counterparts. Because that demographics is pretty much obsessed with the visual presentation of games.

Did you play the console port of Risen? It was pretty bad. I'm no graphics whore, but this is a visual medium after all, and the first port's visual handicaps really hurt the game. There's a certain bar you're expected to meet, and the Risen port fell far below it.

As far as I can tell, they're just aiming to make it look respectable this time around on all platforms — which I welcome.

Originally Posted by rune_74
This site is also obsessed with the graphics part, it's not just the console crowd. How many comments on DA2 or Skyrim have been about graphics?

Sure, there is a lot of discussion on these boards relating to visuals, I'll give you that. But there is, at the very least, equally as much discussion about gameplay (many times, very deep analysis) on these boards - that's why I like coming here.

IGN Boards, Gamespot Boards, they are mostly obsessed with visuals.

I'm not even enjoying the official TES boards this time around with Skyrim. Have you looked at the posts there since TES V was first announced? You have to wade through one hundred posts that ask some kind if insert_skin_deep_question_here to find one that wants to discuss some aspect of meaningful gameplay. Or you can just visit the Skyrim thread here and bypass most of the nonsense discussion.