Huh, you are correct. Maybe they used to have different dates, don't really remember where I got that from. Thanks for the clarification, then.

Steam says 27th for the UK.

Apparently, based on what I have read from several previews (on based on my limited experience with the beta) the "simplification" often mentioned is about the fact that consequences are a lot less definitive especially concerning NPC.

If a NPC can sell/offer/teach you anything he/she is basically immortal and very "forgiving" as if you kill him he will resurrect some seconds later and no matter what you did to him (even if you betray him because a quest) will still accept to talk/sell/train/offer quests to you.

Yikes, not a positive critical reception so far...

I liked Risen a lot, and my only complaint is that it wasn't ambitious enough. I accepted that after the relative failure that was Gothic 3 (much better than it's reputation as I see it, but the general consensus seems to be that it failed) they had to scale down a bit. However, I think they should think bigger, and without DLCs (they should be extras), and try to offer something of the scale of Gothic 2 Night of the Raven. Their idea to re-use the mine valley area was excellent (more developers should do similar things).

This time, however, I think they have taken after Bioware (Dragon Age 2) and try to maximize money and minimize content (DLCs).

I don't mind essential NPCs as long as they actually are essential... we shall see how it goes in Risen. Oblivion had way too many essential folks, but Skyrim toned that way down.

Risen was fantastic IMO... done far better then most RPG of that era... as a pure spell caster the ending pissed me off and felt like a total cop-out... other then that a wonderful!

Just finished Risen 2. It was very enjoyable.

The main issue with the game is some small and linear environments. Breaking the world into islands is not the problem, that works fine and makes sense for the setting. The problem is you unlock them one at a time and after the first two large and open islands the rest end up being corridors and much smaller. Kind of kills the second part of the game.

Everything else about this game I loved though. The setting is perfectly done and unique, the gun system is also unique and fun to use. The quests, dialogue and leveling systems are all classic Piranha Bytes and extremely enjoyable. The combat does get a little too easy late in the game but I've never minded the whole "PC is God" thing at the very end.

Those later islands kill exploration, that holds it back from being a great game, but it's really good.