Risen 2 - Review | One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

A review/critique/retrospective/analysis of Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012), the pirate-themed action-adventure RPG by Piranha Bytes. As a sequel to Risen 1, Risen 2 has some interesting new twists on the familiar formula, namely to do with the new pirate setting and an increased emphasis on the storytelling, but unfortunately several other aspects (ie, most of the gameplay systems) feel like a step backward from Risen 1. Overall, it's somewhat disappointing, because instead of simply improving and expanding on the success of the first game, they chose to change practically everything -- many things for the worse -- to the point that it doesn't even really feel like a sequel to Risen 1. Still, there's some redeeming quality in the main quest and the storytelling, so it's not wholly unpleasant to play -- it just feels like a mediocre, underwhelming, and sometimes frustrating follow-up to a modest classic.

0:00:00 - Introduction
0:04:34 - Backstory, Premise, and Risen Lore
0:08:08 - Main Story + Main Quest
0:12:41 - Quest Contextualization + Mechanics
0:15:58 - World Design + Content Distribution
0:18:05 - Narrative Presentation
0:19:50 - Voice Acting + Dialogue
0:24:06 - Crew Members + Party System
0:29:30 - Main Quest Spoilers
0:35:36 - Exploration + Environments
0:40:19 - World-Building + Logistics
0:44:01 - Faction System (Inquisition/Natives)
0:49:26 - Melee Combat Basics
0:55:53 - Advanced Melee Combat Maneuvers
0:58:55 - Feedback Systems + Difficulty
1:06:10 - Stats, Skills, and Progression
1:14:43 - Audiovisual Aesthetics + Atmosphere
1:21:00 - Technical Issues
1:22:37 - DLCs (Treasure Isle + Air Temple)
1:24:23 - Conclusion


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