Risen

Risen is so like Gothic 2, it feels like an expansion pack. Problem is, enjoying it depends on you not having played Gothic 2. The maps & quests are so similar, I felt like they just took Gothic 2 & reskinned it. And playing it a second time doesn't make it more fun. In fact, as far as difficulty goes, Risen is more like Gothic 1 - stealing is easy (AI is mediocre), leveling up and improving stats is a breeze, collecting gold is as easy as breathing, & oftentimes I'd find myself biting more than I could chew, with no repercussions whatsoever. Because just like Gothic 1 & 2, you can use the environment to take on foes much stronger than you. You simply lure a monster from its pack using a long range weapon, pin it to a wall & whack repeatedly, or simply attack from afar. You can also climb some object you're not supposed to be able to climb, and use a bow or crossbow to mow down a dozen enemies at once. Plus, herbs & weapons are scattered generously throughout the map, making it easy to roam it. Oftentimes I'd finish quests before ever receiving them. I don't remember Gothic 2 being this easy.  Graphics are nice, despite everyone looking the same, and having hideous faces, but I much preferred Gothic 1 & 2's outdated graphics - again, maybe because I played them before playing Risen. The monsters in this game are also rather uninspired, and it takes a while for the more interesting ones to appear. As far as plot, there isn't any. Risen is pretty much a game without a cohesive plotline - rather a collection of sidequests. You're a no-name shipwreck survivor, whose entire goal in life is giving A to B for gold and experience points. There isn't the large overarching story Gothic 2 had. Not only that, but somehow the map feels smaller, or at least as if less thought went into it. Nothing feels natural - you can sense the devs' influence throughout. But despite it all I was willing to keep going, until I finally decided to enter the town, & the game came to a halt.

An excellent RPG in an incredibly detailed, hand-crafted world that feels alive and impacted by your presence. Every plant and flower was seemily placed by a designer, meaning that each step off the beaten path is rewarded by some kind of reward or prize. Enemies generally remain dead because you've killed them and there's no natural reason for them to respawn. NPCs have personality, go about their daily business, like patrolling or sleeping. Difficult enemies are difficult until you have the stats and skills to beat them. This sucessor to the Gothic series (minus the Arcania mess) takes the idea of a living world to the next level, which would later be emulated by so many other game studios, but still remains one of the greats. The game is, nonetheless, dated. The combat isn't the best. The AI stinks. There are a handful or large choices, like which of the three factions to join, but no Larian Studios type interactions. It's an old game. But it's a groundwork game, like it's grandfather, Gothic, that should be better regarded than it is. I tend to think of Gothic, Gothic 2, Gothic 3, and Risen 1 (Risen 2, Risen 3, Elex, and Elex 2 get close) as some of the best games ever made, not because of gameplay or story, but because the worlds are just such joys to be in and explore. It's well worth your time to check this game out if you like open-world RPGs, if only to see where some of the best ideas came from. 4/5 Stars - Combat could have been better - even for the time.

Great game, where you have all the time in the world to take a path that best suits you.

Risen is coming from the team who is created Gothic 1-3. All of them was a great RPG game and Risen is taking the very same principals with its gameplay. Fair visuals, good story, quite challenging adventure taking up you till the advertised 60+ hours. The start is very hard, you should adapt the combat style, it takes relative long time to get your first normal clothes and some weapon. Right after this you should choose a fraction, therefore the story continues into different directions but targeting the same end. All in all a good game with minor issues, but invites you to a long and great journey. Recommended.

Risen 1 is basically what Gothic 3 should've been in the first place. Changed setting doesn't really matter, since it's based on Gothic formula in an every aspect (story, characters, factions, bestiary, etc. are the same). Damn, you even have the immortal barrier in Risen 1. It's well balanced and fleshed out title, although lacking a bit in end-game (just like Gothic 1 and 2 were). There's not much to add, really. Every aspect from Gothic gameplay is here, they're all polished out and take from the best parts from all 3 Gothic games. The combat system wa almost driven to perfection with the best animations-timing based gameplay, with strong and transparently working character development mechanics. No, it's not a hard game. Everyone saying that is just brainwashed by low standards nowadays games set. It just requires some basic thought put into the game and building your character. A typical joy ride most nowadays "hardcore rpgs" provide is not present in Risen.