Risen is a good RPG, but certain gameplay imbalances prevent it from achieving its full potential.
1. Good story
2. Good voice acting
3. No level scaling
Cons:
1. Poor ending
2. Second half feels like a different game
3. Poor boss fight, lame ending
Risen started off as an interesting, slow-paced, story-driven RPG with a great deal of interaction with characters,. Then, halfway through, it turned into a darker, all-combat RPG where you`re completely on your own.
While the story immerses you into the game`s atmosphere in the beginning, I couldn`t help but feel lonely toward the end, as if nobody around cared about what I was doing. The ending was also too short, vague, and not worthy of the 50+ hours I spent playing this game.
Which half of the game you`ll like more depends on what kind of a gamer you are. Risen could have achieved greatness if only the developers were able to bridge these two parts of the game into one cohesive and consistent RPG experience.
Yet, it is still an excellent purchase for any RPG fan.
Graphics: 7/10
Combat: 8/10
Story: 8.5/10
Production Values: 8/10
Fun: 8.5/10
Overall: 8/10