For Gothic veterans and RPGers a must

Already Gothic 1 had me at the time fascinated; no other game had so far managed to create such a breathing, believable world which was still filled with this interesting quests, people and loving details.
Gothic 1 was rough, brutal, strange and yet beautiful and belongs alongside classics such as Baldur's Gate 2 or Planescape Torment at the top of my nostalgia list.

Gothic 2 and the addon DNDR managed then effortlessly to the quality of Gothic 1 to tie. Although impacted world and story is no longer so unusual and fascinating as the first part, but it was immediately sucked into the game, fatigue or boredom for me there was only after the credits roll.
Both games generated almost incidentally incredible atmosphere and adventurous feeling; and beyond an emotional attachment that you actually rare in software. Abrackern feelings for the other games and explode halfway across the world ... and yet fail it.
Playing Gothic has always been how to operate me home kommen..keine escapism as many people in World of Warcraft, but a way off and dive into a deep, atmospheric world.

But then came Gothic 3:
After initial enthusiasms, I quickly realized that something is wrong with this game. There was not only bugs, crashes and graphical glitches on every corner, but the world was strangely empty and illogical. Even strong characters of the previous games had been reduced to simple Stooges and visually significant change (from the formerly black Greis Vatras was in Gothic 3 as a white youth and Lares got a bald head).
Combat system and balancing voted back and forth not, quests were pure delivery service tasks, dialogues consisted mostly of a few sentences and a noteworthy story was also not offered.
In short, almost everything had Gothic 1 and 2 so special, in Gothic 3 was no longer there.
The game was a pretty but largely soulless Hack'n'Slay who lovingly detailed worlds had given a large, beautiful but boring continent.

My enthusiasm for Gothic was extinguished and thus for the time being as the developer Piranha Bytes set for me to be on record.

2. Risen:

That's why my interest after the announcement of Risen was not too big.
Gradually, however, leaked details that ran my attention; the game should be again more similar to Gothic 1 & 2, playing in a smaller world and work again after the chapter system.

And indeed: Risen is like Gothic 1 & 2! So much so that it sometimes does almost painful.
There are again oblique characters long dialogues, creepy forests and gloomy caverns, fallenbespickte temples, dark nights and detail elaborate cities and camps.

2.1. Gameplay

Just like before Gothic 1 & 2 also exerts a suction effect from Risen relatively quickly and you dive into a deep, interesting world.
The game features a very good fight this system, in which each combat unit to the challenge. Unlike many competitors, one must pay attention not only to be at Risen timing, positioning and even battle tactics play a role. Each opponent has different fighting mechanisms and again you will be surprised.
So just about the next opponents sometimes occurs against opponents at their punches you can block easily, the sign from his hand struck to come and then to stand without coverage. Other enemies evade almost every swing, contact nasty tricks like Eiszauber or gas attacks to break through to our block or are just so well armored that they can crack only by attacking FRAGILE points .... which at times also on the abdomen of the Being lie.

In addition, you learn with each step new weapons skills to do so; to one thrashes Initially cumbersome like a Stone Age man, one prances later elegantly through the enemy ranks and can even defeat tough opponents alone tactics.

The melee system works so splendidly, also the ranged combat looks good (but not as extensively developed as the melee). Less well-my magic system has fallen. Although there are many original charm (transformations, Levitation, illusions, or skeletal sympathetic companion "Fred"), but in the field of combat spells lacks significantly in size and variety. In addition, some spells are too fast too strong: later you just bombing enemy groups to get away while you have the beginning constantly struggling with Manamangel.

At the quests I have little to complain; they often tell small, nice stories and offer always surprises. But Gothic veterans smile about the difficulty, because in total there are seldom really challenging quests. Difficult only the tasks that you are confronted with stronger opponents ... particularly within the city and the Bandit Camp you will be hardly demanded, even though there are quite a lot of good ideas.

A Quest For example:

The dealer Konrad is a choleric snob. At the very first encounter with the heroes he insulted those he considers him a beggar or thieves.

It is learned that the Konrad Bandit Weasel is he has long been an eyesore because Konrad refuses protection money for his trading company to pay ... after all, the Inquisition now say that in the city and the bandits have no reason, nor funds collect.
Nevertheless Weasel is keen on Conrad's gold and is now asking to find the heroes a way Konrad obliterate one.
From the farmer's wife Tilda, who works in their need for the despotic Konrad (which in turn leads to two separate quests), we learn that Conrad maintains a very cordial relationship with a cow named Bertha .... this is located in the stables of the Inquisition in the north of the city.

Now the player has to blow the whistle on choosing the angular Weasel or to leave an unsightly Konrad surprise in his bed. For the latter, one must, however, only be overcome or deflect several guards, murdering a defenseless cow and enter at night over the rooftops in the well-secured house of the merchant, while a few meters from patrolling the Inquisition. Atmospheric.

The Quest to Konrad is just one among many, all in all, you just at least 8 hours in the busy port town with side quests, many of which are truly original. Unfortunately, this only applies to the first of four chapters, because then almost everything revolves only around the rather boring main quest, which unfortunately consists of many collection and delivery tasks.

Nevertheless, there are still several interesting quests; about a scavenger hunt across the whole island, where one does research together with the pirate's daughter Patty after her father, the ventilation of the legend of the so-called Gyrgers, a mythical creature from which no one knows whether it exists or the rescue of a kidnapped Druids, the one only can be found by Beagle. Etc. Etc.

So the game reconnected full of great ideas, the world is beautiful and succeeded again fall very dangerous (who is too curious and careless, will die very quickly).

Graphically the game is mostly a dream; especially the lighting effects are fabulous succeeded.

2.2. Criticisms

However, besides a lot of light, there are unfortunately also shadow.

As already mentioned, the main quest is mostly been rather boring. Moreover, the story is not really original, both Gothic 1 and Gothic 2 have here clearly godfather ... virtually everything is discussed in Risen, you already know from previous games.

From the third chapter you crawl mainly through dungeons, which are unfortunately drab surprisingly fast, as you repeatedly encounter the same enemies and the same traps. Here more creativity would have been necessary.

In addition, we learn very little about the world of Risen; there is little background, only the Grand Inquisitor Mendoza has a lot to report here.
Here and there one finds times names of distant cities or snaps Details on the situation on the mainland, far from the island Faranga on. All in all, remains Risen in this respect but behind the first two Gothics back and is suspended mercilessly by competitors like The Witcher, Mass Effect or Baldur's Gate 2.

The world of Risen is predominantly, in which one moves in the game. From history, culture, religion and political conditions one learns only fragments. Too Bad.

In addition, the character representation of the game works outdated. Many NPC faces repeated constantly, in addition there are (apart from the lip movements) no facial animations and gestures often seems exaggerated and wooden dolls like. Here you have seen on the PC much better and the otherwise very good, and often ribald really hilarious dialogues goes so unfortunately quite a bit lost.
Degrees in the (often used) Close you realize that for Risen 2 is catching up even more clearly here.

Overall, it lacks a bit of genuine ties with the NPC. Was there in the Gothic series still recurring characters and counselors as Diego, Gorn, Milten, Lester, Lee, Lares and Xardas, from which more than a clever Patty or ogres Dork really reduces this factor in Risen only a few characters, the memory remain.
Although there is no lack of distinctive characters, but much of emotional attachment to these. Unlike in Gothic 1 and 2 of the hero from Risen is not integrated into a social network ... it acts more like a visitor, the time just the problems on the island aimed again and always has a dry sarcastic dorms.

Although the whole shall never to the extent of more anonymous Gothic 3s, but I felt the world of Risen less connected than they were Khorinis or the Valley of Mines ... even the death of important figures barely touched me.

3. Conclusion:

So that no wrong impression: Risen is a great game.
It is stable and bug free, looks good and is great fun. It motivated at least in the first two-thirds at any time and bares also a few weaknesses. Collectors will find them at every turn, even on remote mountain peaks you come across treasures or even hidden NPCs!

Musically the game is a treat for the ears, even soundscape and dialogue setting are top notch. In terms of control, balancing and combat system is also almost everything in butter, just the magic system deserved more scope and love.

Nevertheless, there is of me only 4 out of 5 stars. How So? Because still a lot of potential is extremely up!
Piranha Bytes has proven with Risen that you still can create more loving, more detailed worlds as the complete competition. But they have also proved that they story moderately since Gothic 1 could no longer increase ... and do it seemingly not even try!

For Gothic fans the game is as good as compulsory, as should access lovers of good, engrossing role-playing games or action adventures. People who put more emphasis on strict Story leadership or profound stories are, however aderswo better advice.

I had fun with the title, hoping for a sequel that improves the few criticisms and am very satisfied that the Gothic principle still rises.

Risen has become not a masterpiece, but an exciting, high-class game, which enriches the genre and the old fans can satisfy.