Risen games - worth a try?

[Wormerine]

As Risen games are currently on deep sale on steam, wanted to check what you guys thing of them? Are they worth a playtrhough?

I have hate/love relationship with Gothic1&2, really disappointed by Gothic3. 

[Orogun01]

Risen 2 is a bit buggy but its the best in the series. The main character tone and dialog is the best in any PB game, really refreshing to see them move away from their usual surly, gravel voiced piece of wood they call a PC.

[Gorgon]

It's all a blur. I played both Risen games but they meld into each other in my recollection. 

 

Islands, shooting things with muskets and things. I don't think I completed either but I had fun along the way. It's the kind of game you can't really play without using the wiki.

[Zoraptor]

For someone who liked Gothic 1&2 Risen (1) can definitely be recommended. Risen 2/3 are a lot more 'casual' and Gothic 3 like though, and there's a very large tonal shift (and a protagonist shift) across all three games but most notably 1 to 2. I personally liked all of them, but I also liked Gothic 3 a lot as well- all three games are very regularly on sale so you could safely buy one to play and if you like it buy the others later. They are also pretty long games too, so there's no particular advantage buying all three at once unless it's a bundle deal.

[Keyrock]

Definitely worth playing, provided that you can deal with the usual PB jank. 1 is the most like Gothic. 2 goes into a Pirate direction, which I liked while others were put off by it. I haven't played 3 yet.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Keyrock

[GhostofAnakin]

Which was the pirate one?  I enjoyed that one.

[Lexx]

Risen 1 is more a mix of Gothic 1 and 2. I actually liked it a lot. Looks beautiful and gives you exactly that Gothic experience. I even replayed that one a couple times... not as much as the original Gothic, though.

 

Risen 2 is not bad either, but I didn't enjoy it as much. The tiny islands, the story, etc... it just didn't worked that well, even though the pirate theme was cool. Also loved the tiny monkey you could have. Best gameplay.

 

Haven't played Risen 3 yet. Don't know why. Somehow it just didn't want to work on me. Maybe I will play it some day in the future.

/Edit: Oh yeah, Risen 3 went into that fantasy direction again, which I can't stand anymore. That's why I never bothered with it.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Lexx

[BruceVC]

As Risen games are currently on deep sale on steam, wanted to check what you guys thing of them? Are they worth a playtrhough?

 

I have hate/love relationship with Gothic1&2, really disappointed by Gothic3. 

I have played all the Risen games and I loved them, the underlying RPG mechanics are similar to Gothic but not as harsh

 

Piranha Bytes designs games with that sandbox world but where you are always presented with different factions that ultimatley you need to join and align with one

 

So yes I recommend Risen 

[HoonDing]

ELEX

[pmp10]

Risen 1 is good for Gothic 2 nostalgia.

Risen 2 was trying to up-date the concept with somewhat mixed results.

Risen 3 is largely retread of 2 only with bad mini-games, perfectly skippable.

[Tigranes]

It depends. If you loved Gothic 1 and 2, then you know the truly unique feeling that they have. Other games might be 'better', but the sense of danger, the sense of a true wilderness, the sense of a rugged world where nobody cares about you (without driving it home in some overly edgy way)... Risen 1 has a big dollop of that feeling. It will give you some great goosebumps.

 

It ultimately is a bit watered down from the majestic G2+NOTR formula, but it's a decent experience. The later 1/3 of the game is poor, all dungeon-delving hack and slash, but G1/2 devolved at late game too.

 

R2 & R3 don't really have the Piranha Bytes/Gothic feel at all. You might still like it if you're a sucker for open world ARPGs in general.

 

I highly recommend Risen 1, honestly - it still has a great deal of that intangible 'essence' anyone who loved G1&2 understands.

[Daled]

As others had said I really recommend the first one if you liked Gothic 1/2. Risen 2 tried to refresh their games with both settings and rules/progression (being the same since first Gothic...), I liked it but I cannot say it's a great game, really liked the third one though, they've improved on the technical hurdles and awful combat of the second and mixed the setting between pirate-y and Risen 1's more standard fantasy.

 

All in all if you like the genre, you don't mind the technical limitation of those games and considering how cheap they can be when discounted, definitely play them, especially one and three.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Daled