Risen 2 : Dark Waters [Download]

by Deep Silver

Product Details

• Downloading: Currently, this item is available only to customers located in the United States and who have a U.S. billing address.
• Note: Gifting is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B007NL5CYS
• Release Date: April 27, 2012
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,660 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #64 in Video Games > Digital Games > PC Game Downloads > Role-Playing

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Set several years after the end of Risen, raging titans have devastated the world and pushed humanity to the brink of existence. Subsequently, monstrous creatures have risen from the watery depths of the sea and their attacks have brought all seafaring to a grinding halt. The hero, now a member of the Inquisition, is sent out to find out how to stop the chaos caused by these creatures from the deep. His quest begins with rumors that the pirates who frequent the southern islands are the only ones who know a way to get rid of the creatures once and for all and end their reign of terror. With an all-new pirate-based theme, Risen 2: Dark Waters aims to combine the most loved classic RPG gameplay mechanics of the original Risen with a fresh theme and setting on a huge variety of themed island locales. A third-person role-playing game set in a dark and gritty universe, Risen 2: Dark Waters maintains the most immersive features of the original Risen, with multiple approaches to every challenge allowing players to shape the game world based on their own decisions. These choices will serve to unlock new paths, features and additional skills for the character. Together with a highly interactive environment and a full day/night-cycle affecting countless aspects of the game world, Risen 2 will be set in the most immersive RPG game world so far. Pre-order Bonus Content: Treasure Isle DLC pack Embark on a brand new adventure in pursuit of the legendary treasure of Captain Steelbeard. Join Captain Steelbeard's daughter, Patty, on a journey to an unknown island that offers new environments to explore and many puzzles to solve, treasures to loot and mysteries to unravel. An all-new exclusive legendary item awaits those who have the courage to undertake this quest. System Requirements   Minimum Specifications: Recommended Specifications: OS: Win 7, Vista and XP Processor: Dual Core with 2.1 GHz Dual Core with 3 GHz RAM: 2 GB 4 GB Hard Drive: 5.5 GB Video Card: 512 MB Radeon 3870 / GeForce 8800 GTX1024 MB Radeon 4890 / GeForce GTX 260 1024 MB Radeon 4890 / GeForce GTX 260 Additional Info: DirectX 9.1c - DirectX compatible sound card Steam account required for game activation and installation.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Could have been so much better May 3, 2012

By Jesse Rouse

This is a game that is both fun and frustrating in equal measures. While it retains much of the enjoyability of previous Piranha Bytes games, the terrible combat, graphical issues, and lack of climbing and swimming really detract from the overall experience. Most reviews of the game thus far have labeled it a "mixed bag," which is very accurate. Let me briefly list a few of the major issues you should be aware of before you purchase this game.

First and foremost, it definitely feels like a Piranha Bytes game. If you've played Gothic I/II and/or Risen, the style and feel of gameplay is very similar. I count that to be an enormous mark in its favor. The combination of a relatively non-linear, explorable world and open-ended rpg elements that made previous Piranha Bytes games great is definitely there, but not quite to the extent it was in previous games. If you are anything like me, as soon as you start a Piranha Bytes game you go off exploring, climbing everything in sight and trying to get to hidden treasure. Unfortunately, one of the first things you will notice when you start the game is that you cannot climb or swim. This is a huge, huge step backwards. I know it seems like small matter, but climbing exploration was such a huge part of the game for me in previous Piranha Bytes games that the failure to include it is extremely disappointing and makes the world feel significantly smaller. The map might be as big as previous games, but the fact that you can only go on the flat parts instead of climbing all over the place means that in terms of actual explorable space it is functionally smaller. And yes, I realize that you can climb in some places, but only where it was scripted, and they are extremely few and far between.... You also cannot swim, which is very annoying in itself, given that the entire game takes place on islands. It is made even worse by the fact that when you go out too far into the water the screen turns black and you are literally teleported further ashore. It is quite jarring.

Second, the combat is truly awful. Some people say that Piranha Bytes always has clunky combat, but I love it. Gothic II's combat was, in my opinion, the best melee combat ever in a rpg. It was all about skill and timing. The combat in Risen II is all about luck and stunlocking. They removed the dodge move from Risen I, and now there is literally no way to get out of the way of attacks. Against humanoids with weapons the combat is decent at best, with the ability to parry and block at least giving you the time you need to charge your pistol shots or dirty tricks (you can throw sand or other items in their eyes to stun them, but both dirty tricks and your dueling pistol can only be fired once every 20 seconds or so). Against animals, however, you have no block or dodge, and no choice but to keep saving and loading until you get lucky and hit them enough before they start stunlocking you into oblivion. Until you get guns (which is about 15 hours or so into the game), any fights against animals are nothing but button mashing, luck, and lots of loading. It is possibly the most frustrating combat I've ever encountered, rivaled only by the abominations that were the wild boars in Gothic III. Once you get guns it gets a whole lot easier, but until then, you will spend lots of time looking at that loading screen. They clearly meant to include a dodge, as right at the beginning an npc tells you that the best way to fight boars is to wait until they charge at you and dodge out of the way. Only problem is, you can't. You have no choice but to stand there and take boar tusks to the knees while you impotently try to get your character to finish his sword swinging animation, which keeps getting cut off by the boars' attacks.

Third, the graphics leave much to be desired. The game looks decent enough, if slightly outdated. I usually do not care about graphics at all. I could have cared less if they had just reused Risen's graphics engine. However, even I noticed the graphics in this game, because the problem is that there are a LOT of graphical bugs, several of which are extremely noticeable and frustrating. Many, if not most, NVIDIA users have problems with flickering trees, and everyone must deal with the ludicrously short draw distances. They seem to have two draw distances, one for undetailed textures and one for detailed textures. The undetailed texture draw distance is fine, but the detailed texture draw distance is set to something roughly equivalent to ten feet of game space. The trees literally change shape and expand and contract as you run past them as the game switches to and from levels of texture detail. Many of them look like they are imploding on themselves then exploding into leaves. It's hard to describe, but very strange and annoying. And while Piranha Bytes lets you modify just about everything in their ini files, for some reason the detailed draw distance is not one of those things. How this made it past the play testers in beyond me.

Now, you may be wondering why I've had so many bad things to say about a game I'm giving four stars to. It's because this is a good game, but the whole time you're playing it you're thinking how great it could have been. They have come so, so close to making a truly excellent game, but they fall just short. It has all the things we loved in the Gothic series; the exploration, the choices, the guilds/factions, the unique characters, investing is unique skills, etc. But many of those things are merely echoes of what they were in previous games. They are there, but they aren't there as much as they were before. If you liked Gothic and Risen, I can almost guarantee that you will like this game. But you will think how much more you would have like it if they hadn't screwed some of this stuff up so badly. The fact that I'm giving four stars to a game that has truly awful combat should be some indication of how good the rest of the game is when you realize that a large portion of your time is spent in combat. Piranha Bytes may have lost bits and pieces of what made their games great, but Risen II is still a good game and certainly worth playing. It definitely isn't as bad as Gothic III, but that's not really saying much. The game isn't fundamentally flawed in the way that Gothic III was, so there is still hope that a patch or two could up this game from good to great. When it comes down to it, though, a year from now when I'm looking to replay an old game, it's going to be Gothic II, not Risen II, that I turn to.

Edit (05/15/12): Now that the first patch has been released, I must amend my review. Several of my complaints have been addressed, most importantly the combat against animals. Piranha Bytes has added in both the ability to dodge at any time during fights, as well as the ability to block most animals. This has significantly improved the combat. While it is still not a fantastic combat system at its core (too much button mashing instead of skilled timing as compared to their previous games), it is miles ahead of the truly horrific mess it was on initial release. They have also improved several graphical glitches, notably the flickering trees and Level of Detail draw distances. The trees and shrubs still change size and shape, but they now do so at a distance instead of two feet in front of you. Again, it's still not ideal, but it is an enormous improvement. In all, they adequately responded to two of my three main complaints (very quickly, no less), and while my first and foremost complaint (the decrease in overall openness of the world compared to their previous games) is not likely to be fixed at any point, I am very satisfied with their quick response to public outcry. My rating of the game has changed from a 7.5 to a 9 in light of the new patch. It's still not as good as their previous games (excluding the aberrational Gothic III), but the patch has brought it significantly closer. Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Game, But Piranha Bytes More Than They Can Chew January 25, 2013

By H. Le

Amazon Verified Purchase

As a long time Gamer who still hail Gothic 1 and 2 as two of the very best Action RPGs ever made, and who was happy to see PB (Piranha Bytes) took wings and rose once again from the Gothic 3 ashes with Risen 1, I really look forward to Risen 2. However, I am somewhat dismayed to discover that, instead of keeping on rising, PB is sitting back down once again with Risen 2.

Although much better than Gothic 3, Risen 2 is rather a disappointment when compared to its predecessor Risen 1. Now let's be clear that R2 is not a bad game at all. In fact, I think it is a good game; it's just that it could have been so much better than what it is. But first, let's talk about the CONS:

- Combat: Nowhere as bad as Gothic 3, but still disappointing. PB was getting much closer to getting it right in R1's combat, but is slipping with R2. Whether playing with a controller or KB/M, melee combat feels more cumbersome than before. It is not easy to block animal attack, and the much dreaded 'stun-lock' issue from Gothic 3 rises again on some occasions - even after the combat-fix patches. PB really need to put this ugly issue to rest once and for all. In addition, some of the advance melee skills are not useful at all; that is, don't waste money to learn them; rolling out of the way and attack again is the most effective tactic of all. Also, enemies are not well balanced. Curiously, with the exception of one, bigger enemies actually hit much faster than small ones.

- DLC Rip-Off: Take what is definitely the shortest game in playing time and probably the smallest in playing area that PB has ever made, rip out one of the quests and call it the "Treasure Isle" DLC, and then sell it as a Day-1 DLC.... Either PB is taking the piranha moniker too seriously by literally biting chunks out of their game - or this piranha has been transformed into a bottom feeding corporate catfish by Deep Silver.

- Bugs: In general, PB games are not complete without bugs. In this regard, R2 is not an exception, as it also contains a game-breaking bug. However, although it is a legitimate con that needs to be pointed out, as a long time fan, I am used to this by now - and even expect it in a sarcastic way (please see the comment section for important bugs info.)

The NEUTRAL:

- Mini Games: For the first time, PB introduced mini games - namely target shooting, and drinking contest - into their game. IMO, the mini-games are neither good nor bad; and they neither add nor subtract from the game; they are just there. Mostly, they feel out of place in a PB game.

- The Pirate Theme: Which started way back with Gothic 2, is more fully realized here. Although I generally like it, I wish that PB would implement it in a more in-depth way rather than just skin-deep. For an example, let me arm, upgrade, and customize my ships a la Mass Effect 2's Normandy style for some sea battles. As is, I hope PB will improve on this in the future. Also, like what Two Worlds 2 had done with its series, the continuous open world that we used to know in the Gothic series and R1 are now broken up into smaller islands in R2. Admittedly, I do find this condition befits the pirate theme of the game. However, PB need to: A) Made the island more diversified as they are too similar in R2, B) Not to take advantage of the islands setting and turn it into excuses for DLCs, and 3) Put swimming back into the game. It's too awkward to have an islands world with a pirate theme without swimming; that is, that little islet laying a mere 10 yards away from the shore should not be off-limit to exploration.

- DRM: For those who are concerned about DRM, please be aware that all versions of Risen 2 use Steamworks DRM that requires a one-time online activation and account tie-in. This would be a con if I had bought the disc version. However, in this particular case, since I purposely bought the download version - at only $10 to boost - it is not an issue for me.

The PROS:

- Atmosphere: No matter how critical I get with PB for the issues above, when it comes to atmosphere, PB still has the magic in spade. I can never put my fingers on it in a concise manner, and simply call it an `unnameable quality' that made the gaming atmosphere so immersive - so much that in spite of the things that PB get wrong, it's extremely difficult to tear myself away from the game. Bravo, PB. A few other devs may come close, but PB is still the best in this category.

- Magic: To be more precise, NO, there is no such things as mages or the GOFB (good-ol fire-ball) spell in R2. Magic is now deemed dangerous and is universally banned after the events in R1. However, in the colonialism era of R2, there is now Voodoo to be contented with. In chapter 2 of the game, you must make a decision whether to side with the Inquisition to improve your firearm skill or side with the natives to learn Voodoo. Although firearms is much more effective in a direct manner, I strongly recommend that you choose Voodoo - if you plan to play the game only once - as it is much more fun IMO.

- Companions: Not really a new concept for PB, but this time around, you actually have several companions to actually choose from. These companions will follow you on your quests - instead of you following them as in previous PB games - and will prove to be very useful. In addition, they actually have unique mannerism and characteristics that will remind you of the Gothic companions. Indeed, one of these companions is not only unique - and hard to get - this person can also teach you skills that can made you virtually invincible (please see the comment section if you want to learn how to get this companion). In addition, these companions have excellent path-finding AI for the most part. Overall, unlike the mini-games, PB really put some serious thoughts into the new companion feature, and it is a new feature that I really enjoy.

- Technical Stability: With the exceptions of some minor graphical glitches (and the previously mentioned bug), the game ran almost flawlessly for me - with only 2 crashes for the entire game.

In conclusion, Risen 2 could be - should be - much better than what it is. However, in spite of some glaring problems that cannot be ignored, R2 is still a good game that is designed with the advanced Gamers in mind. Most importantly, although it is diluted in some ways, it still retains most of the core Piranha Bytes qualities that some of us have come to love. Indeed, in line with what the old hero used to say, there is still "something to be had" here. As is, I definitely recommend this game to PB fans and advance Gamers alike, and a cautious recommendation to casual Gamers. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Read more ›

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A killer game all around. September 26, 2012

By Nerfalus

Amazon Verified Purchase

I loved Risen 2, and highly recommend it. I have played gothic 1, 2 and 3 (I skipped 4 since the guys at piranha bites didn't make it and I heard it sucked) and Risen 1, so I can say with good authority that Risen 2 is another great addition to the gothic universe, buy this and you won't be disappointed. So let me try and be more specific.

Gameplay: So the gameplay here is very similar to Risen, and all the other gothic games. You are the mysterious hero who sets out to right the wrongs of the world. You have a pretty open world (once you get your ship) and can roam to your heart's content. There are loads of treasure chests, herbs, monsters and all sorts of hidden goodies off the beaten path, which is the thing I love about this line of games. So have fun exploring, and make sure to make a note of all those high level treasure chests you find, so you can get them later. Combat is pretty much the same as the previous games and I didn't have any trouble with getting stunlocked, like some of the reviewers had (I am playing post patch for that so that might be the reason). There is a good variety of skills and different weapons to master, although I have to say I loved the musket...something satisfying about taking on a horde of spear wielding savages and ghouls and gunning them down before they can chuck those spears at you! Magic has been replaced with Voodoo which fits into the theme very well. I did not use the voodoo system, and stuck to swords, cunning and guns myself, but in the future I plan too. Your companions are handy and are a big help in combat (try out the goblin guy if you want a good laugh....man can he swear like a....well pirate I guess LoL.) As far as the challenge goes I found myself very challenged for the first half of this game (save, and save often).... But after about mid game, once I had a double barreled musket I could take down most enemies fairly easily with a companion. The boss fights in the game are fun, and unique, although the battle with the giant toad demon thing was my favorite (hint...throw bombs at him).

Storyline: The story is great as always, with meaningful characters and villains. I really came to hate some of those pirates, which made it all the more satisfying to take them down. I was a bit worried about the pirate theme of this one, but it works, and is a nice change for the series. My one complaint is that there is only one faction choice you get in the game (siding with the protectors or tribesman), which really only affects which one of two companions you get, and does not affect game play on the other islands. The previous gothic/risen games always gave you 3 factions to choose from, and each faction had its own separate storyline. So you do miss out on that this time around. However, overall the story was still great, and I found I could not put this game down.

Overall impressions: Great game that ranks right up there with Gothic 3 as one of the best. The dialogue is great, and really brings out the personality of your character. I would have liked more explanation of what had happened between Risen 1 and 2, and I was really annoyed that I could not go back and keep exploring after I had killed Mara, but those are minor complaints. Hope you have as much fun playing this as I did. Read more ›