Gamers lament at how simplistic a lot of Western RPGs are these days, and developer Pirahna Bytes has heard you. Their new game, Risen 2: Dark Waters is set to give players what they want -- no lengthy tutorials, a giant world to explore, and an epic adventure that will take a massive amount of time to finish.
Risen 2 is all about making your character your own. After a short introduction you're dropped onto an island, left to decipher what exactly you're supposed to do. Sure, you're pointed in the vaguest of directions by a friendly NPC, but ultimately it's up to you to talk your way to success.
Conversation and dialogue are a big part of Risen 2. Over 250,000 lines have been recorded, and players have a number of options when they're interacting with the various characters they encounter. It's a significant undertaking, but done so that they can have multiple ways players can tackle a quest. For instance you might be offered an easy way off the island in return for killing some escaped slaves, while the less evil route might take you three times as long. It all comes down to what type of person you want your character to embody.
Risen 2 is all about making your character your own. After a short introduction you're dropped onto an island, left to decipher what exactly you're supposed to do. Sure, you're pointed in the vaguest of directions by a friendly NPC, but ultimately it's up to you to talk your way to success.
Conversation and dialogue are a big part of Risen 2. Over 250,000 lines have been recorded, and players have a number of options when they're interacting with the various characters they encounter. It's a significant undertaking, but done so that they can have multiple ways players can tackle a quest. For instance you might be offered an easy way off the island in return for killing some escaped slaves, while the less evil route might take you three times as long. It all comes down to what type of person you want your character to embody.
Interacting with other characters is also a good way to learn additional skills. You don't pick a class or put points into a giant skill tree, you simply work with characters and they teach you how to do new things. For instance a prisoner might need your help to get out of jail, so working with him will teach you how to do things like sneak and lock pick. Or, if you're more of the witty type, you can interact a lot with prostitutes to learn how to get a "silver tongue."
Your character in Risen 2 is preset, but that isn't necessarily bad. I love altering the face, race, sex and more of my avatar, but it doesn't allow a game to be designed around that specific character. Risen 2 is very much the story of one man's journey as a pirate, and it's up to you to determine what sort of man he'll be.
Risen 2 isn't going to be as approachable as something like Fable III, but it looks like it could satisfy that niche audience that longs for a hardcore adventure. We'll find out in the first half of 2012 when it releases for PC and 360.
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