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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: RPG Developer: Piranha Bytes Publisher: Deep Silver |
game, “Risen.” The will find a familiar world ambiance, presentation, game play and style of exploration. They will also find it to be
quite user friendly, compared to the studios Gothic series. For those unfamiliar with Piranha Bytes and the Gothic series, this is not a
game that leads player through easily, but the games tone and method for advancing make the player feel much rewarded.
“Risen” takes the work that can be seen in the Gothic games and reduces it to an easier to handle and manageable space, namely, the
volcano island of Faranga. Although it may not look like much in the beginning, there are plenty of rocky cliffs, wooded areas and
farmlands that are filled with caves to make any treasure hunter happy. However, for those that are looking for amazing loot, it isn’t just
handed out to players with a vast amount of statistical bonuses. Instead players have one slot for armor, one slot for a helmet and can
carry a bow, a melee weapons and a few pieces of jewelry. It will quickly become apparent that gear doesn’t get changed very often, but
when it does it shows that the player has either increased in status or in accomplishments, giving the player a bit of a storyline to wear
that adds a few bonuses.
Though melee attacks are useful in the game, ranged combat with bows and magic spells are a more exciting way of defeating
enemies, and players will find the magic system is also built into dungeon exploration. Players will use telekinesis to turn winches and
press buttons from a distance, levitation to cross deadly pits and transformation spells to fit through holes in walls. Although the
puzzles in the game aren’t very sophisticated, they do offer players a nice change from the puzzles and looting. Players need to make
sure that they are ready to move into dungeons, which should be a problem later in the game after they have accumulated a large
amount of money and scrolls.
In order for players to get the most out of the game, they will have to earn the trust and respect of the mages in the game. After a good
amount of trust and respect has been earned, the residents of the world will begin to react and in turn will begin to make powerful items
which players are able to obtain. This of course makes the idea of getting powerful items feel more like an event instead of something
that will eventually happen in the game no matter what the player does. NPCs will be impressed by the accomplishments of the player,
while others will show a very open disgust at the player’s decision to join a particular faction over another one. If players are the type
that needs to continually swap out new equipment to stay interested in the game, then this may not be the type of game to play.
However, for those players who appreciate a title that makes a serious effort at trying to tie its items to the overall storyline of the game,
teasing the player and offering new paths of progress with a pace that is very well measured, they will find it in “Risen.”
The sense of adventure in the game is helped by some amazing visuals and sound. It is a style of fantasy world that feel dirty and
authentic. The landscape is rarely every flat, the forests are overgrown and wild, buildings feel like they have been lived in and tombs
feel old and ancient. The sunsets offer players an amazing sight, helping to immerse the player in the fiction and make players think
twice about this being a virtual realm. While moving across the world between quests players will find themselves stopping from time
to time to look at the world around them, especially when they come close to the sea where foam shoots up from waves crashing on the
rocks.
Once players reach a point in the game where they have a lot of money and have powered up a few skills, they will find the pacing of the
game go through a little bit of a shift. In the beginning of the game they are directed into towns and are handed structured game play,
while afterwards things begin to open up as the game offers the players a sense of wonder as the culture and atmosphere of Faranga
is taken in. It makes the whole experience feel a little uneven, but this type of setup will be appreciated by newer players who aren’t
ready to take on the entire world right from the beginning of the game. More skilled players may want to take on the countryside of
Faranga right away and may be frustrated to find it isn’t possible without working through the introduction of the game.
Whether or not players will enjoy “Risen” will depend on what kind of gamer players are. Though this is a humble and more user-
friendly title, it is still a role-playing game for hardcore gamers. If players aren’t willing to figure out some things for themselves and the
idea of freedom of choice is a bad thing, this game isn’t the right game. If players are familiar with the genre and are looking to take the
next step towards a more mature fantasy world, then this is it. The combat system isn’t the greatest and its pacing is fairly inconsistent,
but for those who put in the time to see all that “Risen” has to offer, it is an experience that won’t be forgotten.
quite user friendly, compared to the studios Gothic series. For those unfamiliar with Piranha Bytes and the Gothic series, this is not a
game that leads player through easily, but the games tone and method for advancing make the player feel much rewarded.
“Risen” takes the work that can be seen in the Gothic games and reduces it to an easier to handle and manageable space, namely, the
volcano island of Faranga. Although it may not look like much in the beginning, there are plenty of rocky cliffs, wooded areas and
farmlands that are filled with caves to make any treasure hunter happy. However, for those that are looking for amazing loot, it isn’t just
handed out to players with a vast amount of statistical bonuses. Instead players have one slot for armor, one slot for a helmet and can
carry a bow, a melee weapons and a few pieces of jewelry. It will quickly become apparent that gear doesn’t get changed very often, but
when it does it shows that the player has either increased in status or in accomplishments, giving the player a bit of a storyline to wear
that adds a few bonuses.
Though melee attacks are useful in the game, ranged combat with bows and magic spells are a more exciting way of defeating
enemies, and players will find the magic system is also built into dungeon exploration. Players will use telekinesis to turn winches and
press buttons from a distance, levitation to cross deadly pits and transformation spells to fit through holes in walls. Although the
puzzles in the game aren’t very sophisticated, they do offer players a nice change from the puzzles and looting. Players need to make
sure that they are ready to move into dungeons, which should be a problem later in the game after they have accumulated a large
amount of money and scrolls.
In order for players to get the most out of the game, they will have to earn the trust and respect of the mages in the game. After a good
amount of trust and respect has been earned, the residents of the world will begin to react and in turn will begin to make powerful items
which players are able to obtain. This of course makes the idea of getting powerful items feel more like an event instead of something
that will eventually happen in the game no matter what the player does. NPCs will be impressed by the accomplishments of the player,
while others will show a very open disgust at the player’s decision to join a particular faction over another one. If players are the type
that needs to continually swap out new equipment to stay interested in the game, then this may not be the type of game to play.
However, for those players who appreciate a title that makes a serious effort at trying to tie its items to the overall storyline of the game,
teasing the player and offering new paths of progress with a pace that is very well measured, they will find it in “Risen.”
The sense of adventure in the game is helped by some amazing visuals and sound. It is a style of fantasy world that feel dirty and
authentic. The landscape is rarely every flat, the forests are overgrown and wild, buildings feel like they have been lived in and tombs
feel old and ancient. The sunsets offer players an amazing sight, helping to immerse the player in the fiction and make players think
twice about this being a virtual realm. While moving across the world between quests players will find themselves stopping from time
to time to look at the world around them, especially when they come close to the sea where foam shoots up from waves crashing on the
rocks.
Once players reach a point in the game where they have a lot of money and have powered up a few skills, they will find the pacing of the
game go through a little bit of a shift. In the beginning of the game they are directed into towns and are handed structured game play,
while afterwards things begin to open up as the game offers the players a sense of wonder as the culture and atmosphere of Faranga
is taken in. It makes the whole experience feel a little uneven, but this type of setup will be appreciated by newer players who aren’t
ready to take on the entire world right from the beginning of the game. More skilled players may want to take on the countryside of
Faranga right away and may be frustrated to find it isn’t possible without working through the introduction of the game.
Whether or not players will enjoy “Risen” will depend on what kind of gamer players are. Though this is a humble and more user-
friendly title, it is still a role-playing game for hardcore gamers. If players aren’t willing to figure out some things for themselves and the
idea of freedom of choice is a bad thing, this game isn’t the right game. If players are familiar with the genre and are looking to take the
next step towards a more mature fantasy world, then this is it. The combat system isn’t the greatest and its pacing is fairly inconsistent,
but for those who put in the time to see all that “Risen” has to offer, it is an experience that won’t be forgotten.
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