Ahoy, mateys!

Posted 1 year ago By - Michelle Gonzales

Most RPGs nowadays are set with the same old themes, whether it’s ancient times with a sword and shield or shot into space with futuristic guns and weapons. In comes Risen 2: Dark Waters, which hopes to shake up the genre with a unique pirate RPG set in lush jungles with a colorful atmosphere. During E3 we had the chance to sit down with members of the development team to see how the game is progressing.

At the end of Risen, the Inquisitor was defeated, the Titans’ power was sealed, and the world was destroyed. Risen 2 picks up 10 years later with a nameless hero who’s affectionately compared to Sgt. John McClane from the Die Hard films because he’s not a leader by nature. Caldera, the last vanguard of city of mankind, is protected by magic crystals and serves as the setting for the game. Since there are no supplies on the island proper, they have to be delivered by ships that are sometimes attacked by sea creatures. With a focus being on the open-world, exploration occurs between a chain of islands within the city.

This shift in setting was best exemplified for the graphical upgrades on display. The developer showed screenshots comparing the original and the sequel and the differences were unmistakable. Textures were sharper and the landscape was more populated with green foliage. Piranha Bytes also took the time to improve the overall architecture. Animations and character designs have all been upgraded as well.

Why the shift to pirates? They’re masters of the sea who create bonds with their shipmates. With Risen their was no emotional attachment to the characters, so the developer hopes this shift will help enrich the character development in Risen 2. Companions will be key characters on the hero’s ship and each will have their own dialogue and be easy to control. The ship serves as a hub where players can swap out companions or travel to other locations. Though there will be no sailing or sea fights since the focus is on being a strong RPG and other games already cover that market.

Pirates are known to be dirty fighters and Risen 2’s mantra is to “Live Like A Pirate, Fight Like A Pirate”. Moves like parrying and countering are unlockable, but the lack of a shield provides more options. Having a free hand means players can throw sand or a bomb to gain an edge in combat. Pistols and muskets with bayonets are attainable and enemies can be hit with the butt of the weapon. The hero can even summon his parrot during a battle.

A combat sequence was demoed for us as the hero worked his way through a bright, grassy area surround by trees. He easily slayed sea creatures like giant crabs after kicking them and slashing their soft underbellies. Companions will also aid in battle, but only one can accompany the hero at any time. Each has their own scenarios where they are most useful such as long or short range combat.

The gameplay demo ended with a visit to a beautiful waterfall. Piranha Bytes stated they want to create a living, breathing world with a variety of creatures. Areas are hand-drawn and each island only has to be loaded once upon arrival to create a seamless adventure. The graphical leap between games was apparent and the shift to a greener setting definitely helped.

Piranha Bytes concluded the session discussing console development. For Risen, Xbox 360 development began six months into the cycle, which was fairly late. Risen 2, on the other hand, the development has been parallel between the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 versions. The interface has been re-worked for controllers and is in 16:9 ratio compared to 4:3.

Given the improvements being implemented into Risen 2: Dark Waters, Piranha Bytes is working to correct the main issues from the original game while making it an attractive and unique RPG. Look for it to ship sometime next year for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.