As has been written here: "Back to basics" is seen only on the cover. The whole is a mere continuation of Risen 2, so you are confronted all the time with these pirate setting or the voodoo stuff.
The combat system is very simple contents - Block is unnecessary, as it usually does not help or a skilful role sideways, backwards or forwards is more effective - one decides for a magician, we have far too few spells. So all in all a big disappointment!
After 9-10 hours of play (after all, you want to play, too what you have bought ;-)) sees it a little better:
Hooray ... finally I must no longer be a pirate! The missions are also partly quite funny, although they are a bit to my taste too much or is too much to do on each island, which can sag a bit the story. At the same time attracts the truly beautifully made landscape to explore :-)
All in all, I am no longer so disappointed by this game ... Gothic atmosphere it creates, not more (as easy for my taste too much pirate is a medieval heroism indoors), but gameplay is still guaranteed ... and thanks to the 3 to be selected guilds also certainly for every fantasy fan something suitable here (where magicians and demon hunter huge similarities show).