Risen Review
The Short Version: Risen is an incredibly long and boring RPG that is damn near torture for any sane person to play (on Xbox 360). Only Hardcore RPG’ers willing to forgive a list of bugs, glitches and poor design choices a mile long need apply. Why anyone would subjugate themselves to Navigating an unforgivably backward-ass Map & Quest Interface in this Grindfest – that on occasion looks as if it was developed in 1999, for little to no reward is beyond me. Especially when there are far superior RPG choices out there. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from this one! Or at least wait for a bargain bin price to satisfy your morbid curiosity.
The Video Review:
What you’ll Like:
• Massive amount of Content, over 60+hours, but will you even want to play through it all?
• Surprising amount of Dialogue, and your main character has a voice, I like that fact.
• Some of the Spells are fun for a few minutes.
What you’ll Hate:
• Its Incredibly Boring throughout the entire game – No real “Epic feeling moments”.
• Awful Interface. Map & quest screens are nearly useless and buried under too many button presses.
• The game is filled with Broken Quests, Glitches, Bugs, and Framerate hitches (every time you kill an enemy). Unforgivable.
• Combat is underwhelming – Block, mash button, Push enemy up against wall, block, mash button. Rinse Repeat.
• Crude graphics and Pathetically Sloppy Textures.
Final Verdict:
3/10
Terrible Game!
Issue your own Final Score Above!
for some reason the game actually got good reviews. and a seuqel is coming out in april 2012
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love you joe !!! lol
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Lol dude, you obviously have no clue what a good RPG is. Sure it has it’s flaws but it’s a RPG in it’s purest form. I wish Bioware took note of how it is done! Peace
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You must be a Guild Wars fan. I approve.
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On PC it is so much better. If you look at youtube.com you will see a lot of comments on how good Risen actuall is and that most players cant understand the critics on that game. The problem is that most reviewers tested the Xbox 360 version while the PC Version is the version meant to be played (Risen is by Piranha Bytes, the developers of the Gothic series but also PC programmers). In this case the difference is too huge.
So perhaps Joe should test out the PC Version. It is not only way better looking (it actually is a very beatifull game), it also has better controls, better interface and way less bugs. Actually the pc version has so less bugs that the bugs won’t bother. Even in the vanilla version and Patch 1.1 makes it even better.
And yes, especially in the beginning the game is kinda hard. But not too hard. You have to get used to play more cautious, not like in Oblivion where it is only button smashin. And you have to accept, that if a foe is too strong, you simply tried him too early. Risen doesn’t have that stupid level scaling system like Fallout and Oblivion and thanks god that it doesn’t have.
In the end the game is a bit boring, it doesn’t have that epic moments. That’s true. But it is a very good RPG to play and very unique.
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I ROFL and LOL’d
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That’s it joe, sweep those floors soldier
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1. Dont fight against an oger with an axe
2. Dont play this game on X box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Saw the graphics on pc, really beautiful
4. After this review i see u have no real idea about rpgs, ok
there were some problems in the game but it was quite one of the best rpgs in the last 3 years
5. i would say 7/10
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Best thing about this game was the blacksmith calling me a nosy fucker. That’s all I remember about it.
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Epic Sweeping FTW!
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Why do they publice game like these world wide? This is a HUGE rip off, hell i paid 60€ for this.
This game is bad from the beginning.
I might consider Two World’s II next, least it has some colour to it.
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Hey Joe I want to know how do you execute magic attacks in the game with the controller? Nice review too
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I disagree with you completely. Best RPG of 2009!
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Man, I LOVE that floor sweeping quest! More games need that kind of quest! I mean, it’s better than a stupid fetch quest any day.
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hey Joe,
there is an improved version on the way to be released in the US only. Better visuals, much better fps, easier AND (yeah, now comes a BIG one) you can pause it by accessing the inventory.
So are you gonna review the US release? It would be great. You could choose the Don this time around. So you would see the better quests in Risen. No more sweeping (maybe the lames quest of all. I didn’t encounter it on my playthrough).
Well probably you would destroy this one either but hey, they are at least trying. And I think you should give the official US version a try, not the imported one with it’s serious problems.
Without those problems you’re gonna have much more fun with it. And like you said, there are some interesting ideas behind it. And in the official US release they no longer overshadowed by this nightmare of glitches. (there are gonna be some though)
Just my thoughts. It’s not a 7 out of 10 all of a sudden. But you get my idea.
Love your show.
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Hi, no its not only for US I live in sweden and I just bought it and when I accses the inventori its pause. (sorry for my bad english)
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I i liked this game, it had problems and it was no gothic 2 but it was challenging and had a nice atmosfer. Played it on PC though and if it was sadistic at times whit a key board and mouse it must have been a nightmare on the Xbox.
Love your show Joe, but i wish you’d review more PC games.
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Epic Sweeping with Guild Wars title screen music.
That’s awesome. I’m gonna let my menu run the next time I’m cleaning my room. Just for the epic.
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This was truly a very VERY good game, better than ego draconis, and better than DA:O. i usually can relate to angry joes reviews, but I think his judgement might be very colored on how god awful the xbox port was.
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Epic pouting at 9:12. Had me rewinding the video several times. It’s nice to see that the back screen gets more wordy talky.
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Walmart was trying to rip people off, I dont blame them if the game is really THIS bad.
Risen- 31.99- My reaction “WHAT THE!!?!! There must be a mistake”
Fallout 3 Game of the Year edition: 30.99- My reaction: “I cant breath too much laughter”
So they’re trying to sell a game that has bugs MORE than a good game with ALL of the DLC.
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Hey Joe try to play Gothic 2 Night of the raven ! I think this game is the best of the RPG games ever !
P.S. All consoles like PS, xbox SUCK ASS
Because of stupid controlers !!!!!!!!!!!
I almost can die from laught that somebody is playing shooting games with this FU**** controlers !! <= That's BULLSHIT !
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Typical American attitude towards one of the best RPGs of all time…
Granted, it might be far superior on PC, I haven’t tried the 360 version, but a score like that just shows that you didn’t get it at all.
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Did you even bothered watching video and listening to his arguments? And shove your “typical american” up your ass (I’m not American.) – anybody can express his negative opinion, and unlike you, Joe presented his arguments well. PC version is probably far superior to this one, but it’s still an average game. Your comment proves that YOU don’t get it at all.
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Lol one of the best rpg’s ever are you high, dragon age origins is way better than this game.
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Yet “Random” fails to refute any of Joe’s arguments.
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Ok this is my last comment before I decide to stay quiet but I think you joe can make a borring thing like swepping epic.LOL you really made swepping epic.But I highly disagree with the review.No I don’t like the game because it really sucks but the guys might not have that good of a budget.Take for example the movie dead snow it was a low budget movie.But they put what they could in it to make it be as good as posibale and it rocked.but the guys hear did what they could so please no rage on this comment.
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A low budget is an excuse for poor or non existing voice acting as well as non state of the art game engine and graphics, but it doesn’t excuse bad storytelling, poor game design, boring and uncompelling quests, bad combat system, or awkward controls. I think it got what it deserved.
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I actually like this game… but that might have something to do with the fact that i played it with PC
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i was excited when i bought this game
it has the most terribly designed interface i have ever witnessed and the visuals are literally unbearable, nice on joe, your right
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hey^^.
this is far the most boring game ever dude… this game was abou to destroy my fking live dude!!!
i felt like WHYXYYYY WHY DO PPL LIKE THIS GAME…. let me say they are all ignorant hradcore rpg suckers. well finally found some ppl who think like me.fuck this game it has nothing. And yea the game producers just thought hey we dont want much effort but much money so just give these idiots another gothic 2 ahahaha.
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Ignorant hardcore RPG fans? What is that supposed to mean? You could just as well call someone an ignorant hardcore FPS or Strategy fan without really having said anything. How does the fact that you are a hardcore RPG fan make you ignorant in any way?
Yes, the reviewed game sucked, but Gothic 2 was great and very well received everywhere. If it was too “hardcore” RPG for you, nobody forces you to play it. Maybe RPG’s simply aren’t for you, so you can be an ignorant hardcore something else.
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Really a great review Joe ! xD
I liked the Guild Wars music in the sweeping scene, made it really epic ;3
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Yeah, good save Joe, this sounds like exactly the game i would buy, loving the genre and then be ultra pissed off by. I certainly won’t buy it. This is the Joe Soldier, at ease. OOH RAH!
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why do they do this to us
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Howdy there,just discovered your Post when i google something and wonder what hosting do you use for your web site,the speed is more faster than my web site, i really need it.will back to check it out,thank you!
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I wonder if Drug Dealer Joe had any Skooma?
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This game sounds like crap. I’ll stick to buying an RPG that’s not amaziling BORING!!
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*Jack
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Joe I think the game developers were working with Joe Thompson to piss off gamers.
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dude if u hate this try demon it will be the best reveiw in m,y opinen and i think u would personly love it
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[...] Joe has made a great video review on Risen for the Xbox 360. I like his style of not holding back but rather telling it how he sees [...]
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Well i played this game for about 2 hrs and i was not impressed at all.
yes there were moments of neat elements. I liked the ‘large’ world feel and the fact you can loot anything you find. it did have this neat hardcore rpg feel to it that i appreciate. graphics were fine with me (i know there was room for better but i care more about other aspects of a game).
anyways long story-short for me i would give this game a solid 2/10. i was bored out of my mind. i know 2 hrs doesnt sound like a long time…but sometimes you just feel when something can potentially be a waste of your time.
as for the map….forget it i didnt even bother using it after seeing how annoying it was.
popped on some FF7 and had 10000000 more fun! teehee! take care Joe!
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Hey! I love your blog but I’m having trouble getting it to show properly in the K browser. You might want to check your css code. Rock on!
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I had problem accessing this post using my Iphone, whats the cause?
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Hey Joe, if you like FPS and RPG’s with four player CO-OP Then you will Jizz your self when you research a game called “Brink.” its a mix between
Mirrors Edge
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Kill Zone 2
WITH not just 4 player CO-OP but EIGHT PLAYER CO-OP in a drop in, drop out, style of multiplayer.
It has an amazing system called S.M.A.R.T. (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrane)
Which as you see in this vid Looks amazingly, well… AMAZING.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z4QJoMVCPQ
I hope you enjoy this game and if you would please make a preview/ hype meter vid, Thank you.
-Я Бог, меня слушаться, или страдать в аду вечно!
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Going back to Dragon age joe? or have you played it for the 600th time already and wanted something different?
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Oh wait Piranha Bytes made it after all.=P
Gothic III was just as bad. The strongest of NPCs and your own char would get stunlocked from a wild boar.
Too bad they never bothered learning from their mistakes.
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Gothic 3 has its problems, but credit Piranha Bytes for developing classic hardcore RPGs like the first two Gothic games.
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For those saying the PC version is better I would like like to point out that Risen is a ROLE playing game, not an Controller Playing Game or even a Graphics playing game, the game is being sold on its role playing aspects and not its controller aspects or graphics which a lot of commenters seem to be mentioning. Just because the PC version has better graphics or a end user interface doesn’t make it a good game. The saying is that you can’t polish a turd and the PC controls and graphics are just attempts at polishing a turd, ie the game is still shit.
I’ve read a lot of excuses for this game in these very comment threads and they are deluded at best, fanboyish at worst. The fact that the developers made the Gothic series is NOT a free pass, and this game being a spiritual successor to the Gothic series does not buy it brownie points. This game, like any game has to stand on its own two feet and this game barely crawls. Just because the Gothic series had good combat, a good storyline and good RPG elements doesn’t mean this game automatically has it because the game, as proven by Joe’s review has none of them. Its like saying Star Wars Episode 1 should have received an Oscar for best movie just because the original trilogy was so well received.
Risen is not even a homage to the past, its a developer’s vain attempts at sticking its head in the sand, not moving with the times and claiming its outdated design is hardcore. Its not, it is merely a pathetic cry for help from a studio that has lost its way and needs its fans to push them back onto the path.
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@MattEvansc3 – You sir should not post about things you obviously know nothing about…
Have you played Risen on PC? For a start, the console versions of Risen were not even made by Pirana Bytes, they were contracted out to another (obviously inferior) studio. Almost every aspect of the game, including the combat, writing, interface and even the way the story branches due to C&C (Choice and Conseqences), are far superior in the PC version. And yes, I have played both versions – the 360 version is indeed shit.
The game is a completely differnet experience on PC. I would not say it is a classic WRPG by any means, mainly due to the 3rd and 4th (thankfully fairly short) chapters. However, the game is definately worth playing if only for the excellent first 2 chapters, which easily make up more than 2/3rds of the game.
So yes, the PC version is much more than just a “polished” console version of the game – it’s a different game altogether.
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I can understand an angry review over the 360 version. I have not played it and won’t, because I have the PC version. I wish those of you who think this is a boring game could play that version. It’s not even the same game as what you describe in this review. As for “polishing a turd” — ROFL is all I have to say to that. Again, it’s not the same game. Risen is an absolute gem. I am having FAR more fun playing it than Oblivion. Risen has a handcrafted feel and a charm to it, an atmosphere that other roleplaying games lack. And Risen is challenging. Noobs need not apply. The combat is most certainly NOT “block, mash button…”– you do that and you’ll get your ass handed to you every time. The combat requires real skill and forethought. And a grindfest? Hardly. I haven’t experienced anything as engaging, atmospheric, or fun as this game in a long time. It reminds me of the old Ultima games–the sense of wonder, exploration, and the sheer joy of succeeding at a hard fight where you failed at first, knowing you’ve advanced and grown is a treat most modern games lack. I didn’t play any of the Gothic games, so I can’t comment there, but Piranha Bytes has done a stellar job here with the PC version of Risen. May they produce many, many more.
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Looks like a imitation of Gothic.
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Gothic 1 gets out,JoWood(publisher) and Piranha Bites (developer) make a contract with JoWood keeping all copyrights to the name “Gothic” ,the character names and the universe of the game.Gothic 2 comes out (best in the series imho),all is good.Gothic 3 is rushed by JoWood (or so they say) and turns out to be as bugfest-Piranha makes a gigantic patch and wants to give it to the players for free,since the game wasn’t complete when it came out (bless those publisers).JoWood dissagrees because they want to sell it as an expansion and stop cooperating with Piranha Bites,while keeping all rights to the name.Piranha Bites makes would-be Gothic 4 but they can’t name it Gothic since they no longer have the rights to their own game-thus came Risen.Publiser this time is Deep Silver.
JoWood hired some other developer to work on their own “Gothic 4″ which will seem to make heavy use of old characters/names to convience peps used to the series it is a Gothic.Now if it will be a good game or a rushed sellout or a bugfest like 3 remains to be seen…
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Thank you for that insight.
I agree with you on Gothic 2 being the best of the bunch. To be honest Gothic 1 and 2 are easily my favorite games of all time.
I don’t understand though why some of the problems from Gothic 3 seem to be carrying over to the console port (at least) of Risen if, as you say, the publisher was forcing the developers to release early.
I have very briefly looked at the game play on the PC version and it seems to be much tighter in comparison to the console version Joe reviewed. Either way I simply have to get a copy of Risen because I’m a huge fan of Gothic.
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thank you cpt. scrambles
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