Risen - Matt Chat Retrospective
- Thread starter Aubrielle
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The first Risen imho was the best of the 3. Still, I enjoyed 2 & 3 though 3 was too long and too easy. It was a decent series but I'd like to see a faithful return to the Gothic series and a proper Gothic game.
Nerevarine
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Risen 1 was an excellent game. It had a nice atmosphere, and the combat system was quite good. I am still baffled that Piranha Bytes abandoned the solid mechanics of Risen 1 in the sequels, and replaced them with rather mediocre alternatives. This is especially prevalent in the realm of combat, which saw the effective system of the first game wiped out in the sequels in favor of an awkward, abysmal replacement. It's almost as if the same people who designed Risen1 were cast aside and replaced. Very frustrating that they didn't keep what worked so well in the first game.
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Completely agree with the previous two posts. I think the entire series is underrated, but Risen 1 was the better of them.
The sequels were more polished and obviously had larger budgets, but the combat was weak, and Risen 1 had the superior atmosphere.
The sequels were more polished and obviously had larger budgets, but the combat was weak, and Risen 1 had the superior atmosphere.
S
sakichop
Guest
This game is getting dangerously close to my never being played pile. I played it for a few hours on release and thought it was pretty good but never got back to it.
Every time I think of playing it I ultimately end up playing something else. Also not sure that I like the pirate theme in the second one.
Every time I think of playing it I ultimately end up playing something else. Also not sure that I like the pirate theme in the second one.
lackblogger
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One minor nit-pick: why do the characters keep swaying their arms about when they talk, it's really distracting, the motion suggests they are advising you to 'Go That Way/Look That Way' when you don't have to go that way to find whatever it is they are talking about.
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Both the pirate theme and UI of Risen 2 kept me away for a long time. But finally one time I gave it a real go and got hooked. It's worth playing if you like these sorts of CRPGs. The intro area is really unappealing imo but once you get to the first island the game feels like a good ole Risen game.
Carnifex
SasqWatch
The first was by far the best for me. The other two ok, but the first was simply outstanding, and still is.
BoboTheMighty
SasqWatch
Huh…this makes me want to give this another shot. Nice atmosphere and slow, satisfying sense of progression, even if setting and characters were not as compelling.
What killed it were poor factions…either side with Don Soprano to get his protection racket up and running or religious fruitcakes who attack/abduct people on sight.
At least in Risen II you get to dance with the tribals.
)
What killed it were poor factions…either side with Don Soprano to get his protection racket up and running or religious fruitcakes who attack/abduct people on sight.
At least in Risen II you get to dance with the tribals.
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Risen 1 is definitely the best one of entire series. Superior atmoshphere, gameplay, world design, writing and storytelling. Its almost as good as gothic 1 or gothic 2. Also voice acting should be mentioned here. They casted no other than Andy Serkis to play the Inquisitor, JohnRhys-Davies to play Don Esteban and Ursegor and Lena Headey to play Patty and few other notable female characters!
After risen 1 the series went rapidly downhill. Sequels were alright, but these games definitely had a different tone. Risen 1 was more serious while sequels had this light hearted adventure game feel. In addition gameplay and world design took a turn for the worse.
After risen 1 the series went rapidly downhill. Sequels were alright, but these games definitely had a different tone. Risen 1 was more serious while sequels had this light hearted adventure game feel. In addition gameplay and world design took a turn for the worse.
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Farflame
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Agreed. Risen 1 was developed with bigger freedom because publisher still believed in that Gothic vibe. But the game wasnt big hit like they expected so I think that design of Risen 2 was influenced by Deep Silver much more. They tried to make easier combat for console audience + use fame of Pirates of C.
I know that there was some group of ppl who bashed Risen 1 for bad combat. It sounds crazy, guys, but I really spotted it. I assume that they were console players because console port of R1 was bad.
Risen 1 > Risen 3 > Risen 2.
Vitirr
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I think some key people left Piranhat in the last years, probably after Risen 1, which also explain the downgraded quality in the last products. This was for instance the last soundtrack by Kai Rosenkranz as he left Piranha afterwards.
I liked Risen, specially in what Piranha shines the most, the great handcrafted open world, exploration and atmosfear. However I felt it was already a few steps below Gothic 1 and 2. The characters were quite meh, the story and presentation was really bad, and even the character progresion felt someway unpolished. I haven't tried the second or third part but I suspect I'm not missing anything grandiose.
I liked Risen, specially in what Piranha shines the most, the great handcrafted open world, exploration and atmosfear. However I felt it was already a few steps below Gothic 1 and 2. The characters were quite meh, the story and presentation was really bad, and even the character progresion felt someway unpolished. I haven't tried the second or third part but I suspect I'm not missing anything grandiose.
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Agreed on both points. I wish Piranha Bytes would make another Gothic. A lot of people do. Hopefully Elex doesn't bankrupt them and they'll get around to it one of these days.
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Nerevarine
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I'm actually very happy that PB is making Elex. I loved the Gothic series and Risen 1, but I don't really have any desire for yet another medieval fantasy. PB offered something refreshing to a familiar setting, and I look forward to seeing what they can do in the under served sci fi genre. It might be the spark they need to once again reach their previous heights. Even at their worst PB has a unique and interesting approach to design, and it will be exciting to see if they can do for sci-fi RPGs what they once did for medieval fantasy.
As a side-note, one of the biggest disappointments I had with Risen's sequels - aside from the aforementioned drop in overall quality - is that they didn't do enough to take advantage of the pirate setting. It still very much felt like a typical RPG world with a thin pirate disguise. If you took out the tricorn hats and eye patches and were left with only the gameplay, one would never know that it wasn't a standard fantasy RPG.
As a side-note, one of the biggest disappointments I had with Risen's sequels - aside from the aforementioned drop in overall quality - is that they didn't do enough to take advantage of the pirate setting. It still very much felt like a typical RPG world with a thin pirate disguise. If you took out the tricorn hats and eye patches and were left with only the gameplay, one would never know that it wasn't a standard fantasy RPG.
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Nerevarine
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Ignore this man. That's crazy talk.
Ha, so you have no optimism for Elex, then? I think PB and lo sci-fi could be a very good match!
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I was referring to the crazy talk about being tired of a fantasy setting, which again, is just crazy talk.
If PB's next game was a dating sim, I would still buy it.