Risen

Starting at $3.42Buy now

Risen is an open-world fantasy RPG set on the island of Faranga, filled with earthquakes, monsters, and treasures. Players can choose their own path, becoming a swordsman, staff fighter, or mage, and every action has a consequence, affecting the island's destiny. With over 60 hours of gameplay and countless side quests, Risen offers a gritty, immersive experience with meaningful choices.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,062 reviews

story292 positive mentions

stability84 negative mentions

Engaging and immersive world with a rich atmosphere and interesting quests.
Challenging gameplay that rewards exploration and character progression.
Strong voice acting and well-written dialogue that enhances the storytelling experience.

Clunky combat mechanics that can feel frustrating and unresponsive, especially in group fights.
Numerous bugs and glitches, particularly related to climbing and jumping, which can disrupt gameplay.
The story becomes repetitive and less engaging in the later chapters, with a disappointing final boss fight.

story
1,009 mentions
29 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story in "Risen" is generally described as engaging but somewhat simplistic, with a classic RPG setup involving factions and quests that often feel repetitive or linear. While many players appreciate the immersive world and character interactions, they note that the main plot lacks depth and can become tedious, especially in the later chapters. Overall, the game offers a decent narrative experience with opportunities for exploration and choice, but it is marred by bugs and a lack of meaningful consequences for player decisions.
- “The story is gripping and fresh all the way until the finish, and all the while you're surrounded by realistic, very human characters in an unusual, very original world.”
- “The game presents a compelling narrative that unfolds through a series of well-crafted quests, often offering multiple paths and choices that impact the storyline and character relationships.”
- “Risen is a worthy successor of the Gothic franchise when it comes to its impressive world building, fun exploration, and good storytelling.”
- “The story is very weak, and there are very few interesting quests in the game.”
- “Considering that the player receives most of the content in the first two acts, and main quests in acts 3-4 are pure grinding and backtracking, this all creates a very repetitive, frankly boring and not rewarding experience from a story point of view.”
- “The main story is nothing out of the ordinary though.”
gameplay
310 mentions
28 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Risen is characterized by its challenging mechanics reminiscent of classic RPGs, particularly the Gothic series, offering a mix of exploration, character progression, and combat that can be both rewarding and frustrating. While some players appreciate the depth and freedom in gameplay choices, others criticize the clunky combat mechanics and outdated design, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its flaws, many find the game engaging, especially for fans of old-school RPGs, with a significant emphasis on exploration and decision-making impacting the narrative.
- “The gameplay system of Risen 1 is overall simple and basic in a good way.”
- “In terms of gameplay, Risen captures the essence of the Gothic series, with a focus on open-world exploration and character progression.”
- “It's an incredibly entertaining and rewarding game with great gameplay and combat mechanics.”
- “Gameplay is hard; if you are used to modern games: absolutely no hand-holding, success in battle depends as much on your skill as a player as on your decisions regarding which skills to take and how well you explore for gear.”
- “The combat mechanics are a little clunky, being an old game, but it works and gives you the ability to find your own strategy.”
- “Clunky combat mechanics, extremely tedious combat, enemy movement is erratic and the patterns are just too messed up, leveling up is a chore, and healing the damage you took from the annoying combat is an absolute nightmare.”
graphics
305 mentions
37 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated but still visually appealing, especially for its 2009 release. Many players appreciate the beautiful art style and well-crafted environments, noting that while the graphics may not compete with modern titles, they effectively contribute to the game's atmosphere. Some users recommend using graphical mods to enhance the visuals, while others acknowledge the game's low system requirements, making it accessible for older computers.
- “The graphics are surprisingly good.”
- “For a game that is from 2009, it has beautiful graphics with a stunning world.”
- “The graphics and scenery are wonderful to look at, as much as the music is a joy to listen to.”
- “The graphics are ridiculous, even though they are remastered.”
- “The graphics are badly dated.”
- “This game has one of the worst graphics I've ever seen in my entire life.”
atmosphere
122 mentions
64 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Risen is widely praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, combining gothic elements with a tropical island setting. Players appreciate the game's rich sound design, evocative music, and diverse environments that enhance exploration and storytelling. Despite some technical issues and dated graphics, the overall ambiance and world-building create a nostalgic and engaging experience reminiscent of the beloved Gothic series.
- “From lush forests to eerie dungeons, the game world offers a diverse range of environments that immerse players in a unique and atmospheric setting.”
- “The atmosphere this game manages to create elevates it to another level and draws me in like rarely any other game has managed to.”
- “Risen offers an amazing atmosphere rarely seen in the genre.”
- “It's not the worst, it's still gothic-like, but somehow even more clunky, bugged and without the same atmosphere.”
- “Looks like a nice return to the roots of the first two Gothic games with some improvements here and there, just wish it had the same dark atmosphere and replayability.”
- “The story is engrossing, the environment is hostile, and the atmosphere is thick.”
music
109 mentions
44 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the immersive experience, with many players noting its beauty and diversity across different environments. However, some reviews mention that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, and there are occasional bugs that affect the audio experience. Overall, while the music is considered a strong point, it may not reach the memorable heights of other titles in the genre.
- “The atmosphere is quite dark, the music is beautiful and there is plenty of diversity regarding equipment, skills, quests, and more.”
- “Risen's setting on an island full of mysteries and riddles combined with a superb soundtrack generated this unique atmosphere and immersion that I was deeply craving for.”
- “The music goes well with complimenting the environment and is nice to the ear.”
- “The music is forgettable.”
- “Totally forgettable sound effects and music, compounded by a bug (fixable by fan patches) that breaks music in-game due to some sloppy sound file editing by the devs.”
- “Risen lacks the sort of musical score which can make a memorable impact on its players but they are still nice to listen to.”
stability
91 mentions
8 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, including game-breaking issues and frequent crashes. While some users have managed to enjoy the game despite these problems, others find the instability detracts heavily from the overall experience, particularly in combat and navigation. Overall, players should be prepared for a buggy experience, with varying degrees of impact on gameplay depending on individual systems and settings.
- “Still runs great.”
- “A good all around RPG that was bug free and smooth in every way.”
- “In short, it's well thought out, a story that is well written, a program thoroughly baked and bug free, combat and experience growth well balanced and satisfaction in just the right places.”
- “This game is still buggy to this day, some game breaking.”
- “The combat and constant glitches make it barely playable.”
- “The story is cool and it's fun to explore the island, but there are so many random crashes, noclip through the map, and soft lock glitches that make it very hard to want to play.”
humor
45 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of funny dialogue, sarcastic main character interactions, and amusing NPCs, often enhanced by entertaining voice acting. While some players appreciate the dry humor and comedic moments, others find the humor inconsistent, with certain jokes falling flat or becoming repetitive over time. Overall, the game offers a blend of engaging and humorous experiences, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate its comedic elements.
- “The main character is a massive dickhead sometimes, which can be hilarious.”
- “The dialogue is hilarious at times, and the main character often insults others in very amusing ways.”
- “A lot of attention to detail and funny NPCs... and it's challenging... I enjoyed it a lot :)”
replayability
45 mentions
40 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate to high replayability, primarily due to its multiple factions and character paths (bandit, mage, warrior), which allow players to experience different storylines and gameplay styles. While some players appreciate the variety and depth of choices, others feel that the lack of multiple endings and static item placements can limit the incentive to replay. Overall, the replay value is enhanced by the game's challenging mechanics and diverse combat options, making it appealing for those who enjoy exploring different character builds and faction dynamics.
- “This adds a lot to the replay value, as you can explore different factions and experience the game from different angles.”
- “The game has replayability in the way that you can choose different factions, and for sure you will not explore and discover everything in just one run.”
- “Great game..atmospheric, realistic, open world, adventure into the woods or dark temples, three factions to choose from, nice combat mechanics, great replay value, appealing story...you need some time to get accustomed to the game mechanics, but this game is a true RPG gem.”
- “In terms of replayability, we have not much.”
- “Great game, though lacking much replayability; going the 'don' path really isn't a fun or worthwhile option.”
- “My first half of the game was spent thinking about how I was looking forward to replaying the game as a mage on my second playthrough, but having finally finished the main story, the game offers absolutely zero replay value for me.”
grinding
41 mentions
2 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding in the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later acts where backtracking and combat become monotonous. The leveling system is criticized for being slow and requiring players to seek out trainers, while combat mechanics often feel clunky and frustrating. Although some players appreciate the variety in quests and the potential for exploration, many agree that the grinding detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Not too grindy with a little help online and too good to ruin with too much help.”
- “Considering that the player receives most of the content in the first two acts, and main quests in acts 3-4 are pure grinding and backtracking, this all creates a very repetitive, frankly boring and not rewarding experience from a story point of view.”
- “The game has decent potential, but as you progress through the game you learn that it's one big tedious mess.”
- “Combat is so unbelievably tedious and repetitive, with enemies launching jump attacks and breaking through your parry or shield parry and interrupting your combo attacks.”
character development
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is characterized by a rapid initial progression that can feel abrupt, with limited impact from faction choices. While it offers decent depth and meaningful decisions through various storylines, some players find it less immersive compared to earlier titles in the series. The classless system allows for good customization, but the overall pace of development may require careful planning from players.
- “Character development in Risen is decent; however, the various factions and their associated storylines provide opportunities for meaningful decisions and alliances, adding some replay value to the game.”
- “Good character development options in a classless system.”
- “Character development is slower than some games but seems quite free - but you do need to think very carefully about how you use those precious 'learning points' carefully.”
- “Since most of the content is available to the player in the first two chapters, character development at the beginning is quite rapid and ends quite abruptly.”
- “- As far as I know, faction choice doesn't matter much when it comes to character development.”
- “Character development is slower than some games but seems quite free - but you do need to think very carefully about how you use those precious 'learning points'.”
optimization
16 mentions
38 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and good graphics, others experience significant stuttering and technical issues, particularly on older hardware. Despite some dated audio-visual elements, the game generally runs well with decent gameplay mechanics, though optimization could still be improved for a better experience.
- “The game itself runs very smoothly with good performance and very good gameplay mechanics.”
- “I have an older laptop and this game ran well - it seems to have the best graphics/performance ratio of any I've played on here.”
- “Risen has all the elements we loved from Gothic 1 (lockpicking minigame, combat evolution as you level up your sword-fighting skill, etc.) with upgraded graphics and sick optimization.”
- “Lots of stuttering in the game.”
- “The graphics are surprisingly good, but it's pretty hard to play with the stuttering.”
- “Fun challenging game with decent story and gameplay, but it's horribly optimized, so I can't play much.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed feelings among players; some experience a subtle emotional connection, particularly towards character interactions, while others find the story lacking in depth and emotional engagement. The game's atmosphere and humor are noted as touching, but it doesn't reach the emotional highs of titles like The Witcher or Mass Effect. Overall, the emotional impact seems to vary significantly based on personal experiences and expectations.
- “This is one of the few video games where I actually felt a little emotional boost from her getting friendly at the end.”
- “Just as atmospheric and touching with rough language and good humor.”
- “Maybe it's all personal, and maybe I'm overestimating some stuff, because I'm going unusually emotional about writing this review, but at the moment I don't feel like I want to continue this game.”