Risen 2: Dark Waters is a deeply flawed open world RPG that will entertain those who are willing to stomach some hefty mechanical shortcomings for a pitch-perfect treatment of a pirate fantasy.
Risen 2 picks up after the events of the first game, with players taking on the role of the same nameless hero as last time. It’s been a rough stretch of time for him since we last saw him. He’s developed a taste for booze. Lots of booze. The game opens on the port city of Caldera, where you’re serving as a member of the Inquisitors. Sea monsters have been causing lots of trouble for merchant ships and you’re sent off to go undercover with pirates as you search for Steelbeard, who is said to have a way to turn the tide (no pun intended).
You don’t need any real knowledge of the previous game to step into Risen 2 and figure out what’s going on quickly enough. It does a decent job of laying out the situation and revealing the facts of the world around you in its opening section. From a narrative perspective at least. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for how the mechanics of play are introduced.
You don’t need any real knowledge of the previous game to step into Risen 2 and figure out what’s going on quickly enough. It does a decent job of laying out the situation and revealing the facts of the world around you in its opening section. From a narrative perspective at least. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for how the mechanics of play are introduced.
The prologue serves as a sort of tutorial, but it’s a very light one. You’ll learn how to move, how to draw and swing your sword, and how to interact with objects, but Dark Waters really doesn’t go out of its way to educate you on any of its more complicated elements. Which is a shame, since resources early on in the game are very tough to come by. If you make a few bad choices early on, you’re essentially stuck struggling to catch up for the next bunch of hours. This is definitely one of those games that you’ll want to fire up, play for a few hours until you get the hang of it, and then take a mulligan and start the whole thing over again.
The Pirate’s Life
In spite of all of those shortcomings, I found myself frequently entertained as I played through Risen 2. In some ways, it reminds me of an Elder Scrolls game played from a third-person perspective. Bethesda’s open world RPGs are very engaging in spite of various technical shortcomings. Risen 2 isn’t exactly on the level with Skyrim, and its open world is much more restricted, but the sensation of having fun with a game that is in some ways broken ties the two together.
A big source of the fun that I had playing Risen 2 is its treatment of the pirate myth. If there’s a trope, it finds its way into the game somehow. You’ll dig up buried treasure by finding marked X spots (after you obtain the necessary treasure map, of course). You drink Grog like it’s a health potion, because it is. You’ll eventually put together a crew and then choose mateys to accompany you on trips to the shore. You’ll even get to train a thieving monkey and an attack parrot.
For fans of pirate fiction, you’re left with the feeling that your childhood fun and games are being brought to life. Risen 2 may fall short in some ways, but in perfectly nails the feeling of dropping you into your very own swashbuckling pirate fantasy. Sure, you might spend a few hours grinding your way through pack after pack of wild boar for their +50 Glory boost, but you’ll be doing it in a lush jungle environment, decked out in pirate gear with a bottle of Grog in your hand.
For some people, that’s going to be more than enough. For me it was. Despite any flaws, Risen 2 captures its subject perfectly. It’s got heart. That usually isn’t enough to save a lousy video game, but in this case it is. Or it was for me. I think the ability to appreciate the experience stems from two things: your fondness for pirate lore and your tolerance for bad design. If you’re big on the former and patient enough to deal with the latter, then Risen 2 is an experience that you won’t want to miss.
In spite of all of those shortcomings, I found myself frequently entertained as I played through Risen 2. In some ways, it reminds me of an Elder Scrolls game played from a third-person perspective. Bethesda’s open world RPGs are very engaging in spite of various technical shortcomings. Risen 2 isn’t exactly on the level with Skyrim, and its open world is much more restricted, but the sensation of having fun with a game that is in some ways broken ties the two together.
A big source of the fun that I had playing Risen 2 is its treatment of the pirate myth. If there’s a trope, it finds its way into the game somehow. You’ll dig up buried treasure by finding marked X spots (after you obtain the necessary treasure map, of course). You drink Grog like it’s a health potion, because it is. You’ll eventually put together a crew and then choose mateys to accompany you on trips to the shore. You’ll even get to train a thieving monkey and an attack parrot.
For fans of pirate fiction, you’re left with the feeling that your childhood fun and games are being brought to life. Risen 2 may fall short in some ways, but in perfectly nails the feeling of dropping you into your very own swashbuckling pirate fantasy. Sure, you might spend a few hours grinding your way through pack after pack of wild boar for their +50 Glory boost, but you’ll be doing it in a lush jungle environment, decked out in pirate gear with a bottle of Grog in your hand.
For some people, that’s going to be more than enough. For me it was. Despite any flaws, Risen 2 captures its subject perfectly. It’s got heart. That usually isn’t enough to save a lousy video game, but in this case it is. Or it was for me. I think the ability to appreciate the experience stems from two things: your fondness for pirate lore and your tolerance for bad design. If you’re big on the former and patient enough to deal with the latter, then Risen 2 is an experience that you won’t want to miss.
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