Despite the flaccid melee combat & clumsy controls, Risen has still managed to become one of my favourite RPG's.
I never really expected the game to be as good as it was. I think what I enjoyed the most was the excellent atmosphere & isolated setting the game takes place in. There's only one town & a few settlements on the whole island.
Let me say that this is not a game for the action junkie. It's a very slow paced & ambient journey through the pretty landscapes of the island you're marooned on. There's plenty of combat but more on that shortly.
One impressive aspect of Risen are those sound effects. The lapping of waves or the crackle of a burning torch have rarely sounded so like they're meant to. Graphics too aren't bad. The draw distances are a bit weak & the HDR a little over done but the overall quality should impress anyone with a decent enough card. There's a day/night system & some nice weather effects to boot.
Voice acting is worth a mention. The character you will play sounds a little on the emotionless side but some of the other characters are really well acted & help make some of the quests so enjoyable. I played as a warrior for my play through, though you can play as a more mage like character. Doubt I ever will replay it though to see the magic side. Maybe in a few years.
If there's one thing that needed work in the game it was melee combat. Personally I spent all my points on the archery skill & kept opponents at distance as much as possible because once you start swinging a sword get ready for plenty of frustration. Enemies will mind read you & block your swings easily & your character will make a god awful racket while he swings. I tried to practice. I raised my sword skill right up but still I struggled even with the best sword & shield. Controls are clunky to, especially in tight confined areas. Man did I shout in frustration during some of the temple sections. Death after death.
The bugs I heard this game has a lot of I did not see. Never a single crash. I did notice with the first driver I used that the game was stuttering a bit frame rate wise. I updated it & it improved a lot. I recently updated again & it runs butter smooth. My experience is that this is a driver sensitive game compared to other games.
Also, is this the first review ever to have the word flaccid in it's title?
So, if you like a slow paced, highly atmospheric RPG with excellent side & main quests but are willing to overlook some flaws in the close combat system then prepare for at least 40 hours of chilled gaming. It can be a chore in places but it's worth seeing right until the very disappointing ending. Certainly gets my recommendation.