Risen Reviews

The Xbox 360 version of Risen doesn’t appear to be winning over a whole lot of new fans, as demonstrated by the latest three reviews.

Gaming Union goes with a 5/10:

Overall the game holds little for anyone looking for a very rich and detailed RPG experience, attempting to mimic similar titles in its genre but falling very short. It’s hard to justify a single playthrough for plot sake, let alone additional playthroughs. A dull combat system and dry storyline make for a very dull experience, which is a shame since a lot of nuance and detail (design wise) was put into the world that Risen takes place in. With a better story and more detail overall Risen could have been a really solid title, but as it stands right now there’s nothing to see here that isn’t done somewhere else, but better.

GamingEvolution gives it a 6/10:

Risen is the kind of game that really makes me want to see what developer Piranha Bytes could do with more time and money. They’re no rookies, having long-since established themselves with the cult-favorite Gothic series, and they have a lot of big, great ideas. Some of my problems with Risen, such as poor graphics and frame rate hiccups during combat, are the result of a shoddy port, which is a damn shame (I understand the PC version is quite a bit better on the technical side). If you’re looking for a new experience that you can take your time with and really bite into, or are just hungry for a good RPG, you could do a lot worse than Risen, even on the 360. Even with its technical hangups and poor presentation, it still beats yet another generic JRPG in my book. However, only the patient need apply.

And Extreme Gamer hands out a 6/10, as well:

‘Risen’ has an appetizing sarcastic sense of humour that attacks some of the clichés in role-playing games, and then oddly endorses them. This turns the stranded tale of another nameless-hero into one that isn’t exactly cut-and-paste. However, ‘Risen’ has its share of probelms. More than its dated graphics, ‘Risen’ and its other problems, that aren’t worth rehashing, might cause most gamers to look somewhere else. You really have to be ready to put in the time if you truly want to get the most out of this title. Unless you fit into the hardcore RPG demographic, I would sit this one out. However, If you are part of the demographic, then ‘Risen’ is a niche game that will entice your adventurers sensibilities– that is, if you don’t mind sitting through a few glitchy spots for the thrill of the hunt.