Risen 2: Dark Waters Previews
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Joystiq would have probably enjoyed something more streamlined:
If you enjoyed the first Risen, then you'll probably love Risen 2 -- the graphics are significantly more colorful and vibrant, the fighting is more organic, and the stories and factions that were in the first game are back in the second, still allowing you to do more and explore the world.
The one major change we got to see was that Pirahna Bytes has abandoned the sword-and-shield idea, and instead gone for a dual wield setup, letting you put a gun in one hand and a sword in the other. But even that isn't really necessary -- the whole point of a game like this is that you can do what you want, so if you want to just hack and slash or just shoot from a distance, that's viable as well.
Which sounds good in theory, but in practice, Risen 2 seems to fall back down to the realities of game development. While the graphics look better, the gameplay still looks as frustrating and inaccessible as all of these other hardcore RPG titles, with various monsters assaulting you as soon as you step out into the world, and lots of complicated mechanics with not a lot of direction.
I was told, for example, that you'd have your own ship, with faction companions on it that would open up new skills and abilities. But even just watching the gameplay showed me that there wasn't much explanation for that. And even things like combat came across as difficult and unclear, even without a controller in my hand.
While GamesRadar compares the title to.. uhm, Die Hard:
Risen 2: Dark Waters is Die Hard with a Vengeance. Well, sort of. German studio Deep Silver stated that the main character in Risen 2 is a John McClane-esque sort an unrecognized hero spinning into alcoholism before being called back into action. This is how they explain the open world series' shift from a medieval epic (the first game) to Risen 2's (pirate RPG.)
Need back story? Here you go. Following the events of Risen, the only human city left in the world is Caldera, a port city protected from raging titans by a magic crystal. It depends on sea-shipping and now sea monsters are halting shipments. So the main character has to ally with pirates and figure out the cause for the most recent attacks (hint: it's probably whatever sea monster that gigantic tentacle that shoots up at the end of the trailer is attached to). Your character in Risen 2 starts off as a blank slate, his skills acquired via the people he meets and the decisions he makes. If he hangs out around sketchy pirates, he'll pick up sneaking and pickpocketing. If he befriends the local baker. well, we don't know what would happen. We only saw pirates. Who hangs out with bakers when there are pirates around?
The first Risen was a solid game, but was understandably criticized for its dated graphics and occasionally stupid allies (and enemies). Deep Silver has taken note of these problems and is taking a stab at fixing them. Graphically, the environment looks more photorealistic and the characters have also had a makeover. It's not quite Skyrim just yet, but it's a huge improvement over the first title.
Finally, RPGamer serves us some more in-depth impressions:
The combat in the game has been changed greatly thanks to the addition of firearms. Your character can quickly switch from ranged to melee combat, although if you want to, you could easily specialize in any one area. When engaged in swordplay, counter moves and parries play a big role in the combat along with identifying an enemy's weak point. For example, you will have better luck defeating large crab enemies by kicking them and knocking them on their backs. However, you wouldn't want to kick an alligator as it would simply try to bite your foot off.
Perhaps the most interesting and unique aspect of the gameplay in Risen 2 is the skill tree or lack there of. The skill tree in this game has been moved out into the game world and is represented by various teachers. I was told that the goal was to have learning new skills be more of an emotional experience and be tied directly to the choices you make and the relationships you form in the game. For example, there are always different options to solve a quest. In one scenario, you can persuade a bouncer blocking a door to leave or you can simply beat down the guy to move past him. Things get interesting if that guy is a mentor in the world and could potentially teach you a new skill. If you beat him up and he hates you, then he may not want to train you. Similarly, if you start doing quests for shady people, you will start learning rogue-like skills from them. Rather than clicking on an icon in a menu when you level up, the choices you make in the game have a direct impact on how you grow as a character.
