Risen 2 is a strange game. The developers have taken a heavy thematic departure from the original Risen, trading the old school sword, board and magic setting for one of pirates, guns and smattering of vodoo in place of magic. I am not convinced the change in direction is warranted or successful and I am still confused as to whom the developers were trying to appeal to. Fans of the original clearly enjoyed the setting and while growth and evolution is both welcome and needed for any franchise to depart so heavily from a setting that fans liked doesn't make much sense. In terms of gameplay, Risen 2 takes a decided step back. Yes, back. The developers failed to address the power curve present in the original - namely that players start off the game being bullied by the meekest of opponents only to begin mopping the floor with any enemy they encounter around midgame. So the game goes from an exercise in frustration to mindless hit and win. This is especially tue for players who choose to pursue the use of guns over voodoo and swordplay. Simply aim, shoot and reload your way to victory. The voodoo mechanic which replaced the magic system of the original Risen fails to impress. While I enjoy the idea of native voodoo magic the entire skillset is gimmicky at best. Voodoo acts as a set of support skills. Instead of damage, you can make enemies fight each other or run away in fear. Voodoo dolls are one-time craftables that let you curse an enemy, even bosses, so that they take huge amounts of damage. Trust me when I say that it reads a lot cooler than it actually works in game. Storywise, the game completely lacks the mystery of the original. You learn right from the start what your quest is and why and shuttle from island to island to reach your end goal. The MC's motivation for becoming a pirate is contrived at best. So do I recommend it? Yes, but only on sale. Fans of the original will probably find some enjoyment. It isn't a complete dumpster fire, merely mediocre.
