Risen

Disclaimer: review based on the Steam version. Risen is an action RPG with a fantastically well-built world, cool factions to pick from, diverse quests, an interesting storyline (even though it does feel a bit cliche), and overall a solid experience. The game is not as big as Gothic and and the game is more confined and linear, but there's still plenty to do to fill 30 hours or so. There are two main factions - the inquisition and the rebels - as well as the mages, who are sort-of neutral, except not really. Fortunately there is no "good vs evil" split, each faction has its own viewpoint on events and neither is really the bad guys (nor the good guys). Class choice is based on the faction that you join, character development is not particuparly diverse beyond that. The melee combat system is, regrettably, rather subpar. It looks good in theory - you get defensive and offensive moves, need to watch your opponent for mistakes and attack patterns, then capitalise on weaknesses. In practice, however, it feels very slow and often frustrating, and getting the timing wrong can easily lead to losing a long fight. Fortunately, if you select the path of a mage, you will be able to ignore melee from the second act onwards, and the experience improves significantly. The above is just my impression - some people like the combat system a lot, others hate it, so you'll need to try for yourself and see.

Risen is a good, solid RPG experience. As with Gothic 2, I have played Risen several times - it is a game which I return to, whose world draws me back in. Combat is challenging and does take time to get to grips with. As with all the Gothic games, getting the timing right is essential. Also, learning the correct strategy in how to attack and defend against the different opponents is crucial. This is a tough game, but it rewards exploration and experience. Where I feel Risen shines is in how it utilises the island space as the story develops. I loved the fact that you explored the island inside and out. Some areas you revisit during the course of the game, but I found the dynamics of how you revisit those areas kept the areas fresh rather than them feeling repetitive. Although character development is straightforward you do need to experience the game somewhat before finalising exactly which options to maximise. There is perhaps more choice in this game than it initially appears. The first time I played this game through I restarted immediately. The only other game I've done this with is The Witcher. In both instances, my enjoyment the second time through was far greater than the first. If you enjoy a challenging RPG that offers decent replay value then this is one to get.

Except for character models, I like the graphics more than in Skyrim for example. The whole world is incredible detailed in behaviour. I killed an animal with a bow and wolves in the area started eating the cadaver before I could even get there. Most animals sleep at night, you can walk up to those ostriches and kill them easy at night with a single blow because they put their head under the wings while sleeping. At dusk you can see swarms of bats coming out of caves in the mountain. You are no hero, no fighter or anything. You find a wooden stick on the beach and use it to rescue the young lady who shipwrecked with you. Stay on the path, do not even think of killing anything larger than insects. Save often (F8)! Many quests and quest-givers exist for each faction and you decide where you put your heart and influence the story. Melee/ranged, you can do single blow/shot, with more skill you can hold and charge the blow/shot or zoom in. In melee with you can cleave through several opponents, counter-attack, disarm. For close combat you want to use a shield. You can switch between melee/ranged within 1-2 sec. Ranged kills are not always detected by other enemies. Every support spell like shapeshift, speed, telekinesis, levitation are needed to solve the riddles and can be bought/scribed. Magic skills increase the damage and enables crystals. Lockpicking, sneak, pickpocking and brawls are also present, how you solve a problem is often up to you.

I bought Risen several years ago in a Steam sale. The first time I played I was stunned by the world detail, but put off by the combat and sub-par dialogue. I got frustrated and quit. I've repeated this process since then, several times, and never made it far enough into the game to find it really enjoyable. When I saw this release on GOG, I decided, what the hell, and installed it yet again, dialed the difficulty to "easy" and prepared for the same disappointing experience. But this time, instead of trying to railroad my way through the first act, I went a different direction and had fun with it. I played combat defensively, letting fights drag out while I noticed nuances in enemy combat style, mastered blocking and dodging, and spent more time poking around and exploring (and dying), hitting the F8 key every few minutes to quick-save. And I'm having a great time. The world only gets more interesting as the game progresses, and though the character models (especially faces) are dated, everything still looks stunning in a nostalgic kind of way. The dialogue also gets better as you meet more people. The voice acting is decent, especially from major characters, largely due to the caliber of talent in the pool. (Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Lena Headey... look up Risen on IMDB for more info.) I will likely buy the GOG release for the soundtrack. If you are on the fence and enjoy these types of games, $10 is a great deal for the whole package.