Risen 2: Dark Waters is the latest release from Germany-based action/exploration RPG specialist Piranha Bytes. Compared to their usual fare, it does a lot of things differently in setting, character system and in smaller details, but at its core it has the recognizable strengths and weaknesses of a...

Pirates, monsters…and wenches! by Sam Warhurst ©2012 Sam Warhurst While I normally wouldn't sit down to play a single player Role Playing Game (RPG), being more of a social gamer and playing online multiplayer games, Risen 2 certainly attracted me at first sight.

Writing this review has been one of the most difficult pieces I've done this year. On one hand, I think Risen 2: Dark Waters is different, refreshing, and has a great sense of humor.

The dialogue is frequently brilliant

Starting a new game because there's no re-spec option

With so few pirate games around - and classics like Sid Meier's Pirates! and the Monkey Island series showing what the genre's capable of - it's easy to get excited at the thought of a full-on pirate-themed RPG. Even one as flawed as Risen 2: Dark Waters .

+ A sprawling pirate adventure with plenty of depth

- Unclear objectives and headache-inducing map will frustrate many newcomers; ? Piranha Bytes definitely has design chops; but can they harness their ambition and build a polished product

Land lovers beware, pirates are on the open seas of consoles now. Our full review inside.

+ Massive game; + Getting your own pirate ship

Graphics are rough; Maps/quest log hard to read; Combat is limited and mediocre; Poor translation from PC

I found this game to have a somewhat interesting story. One that grabbed just enough of my attention to keep wanting to play it.

Story can be interesting

I've played games on the first Xbox that looked better than this

Risen 2: Dark Waters strives to deliver something we really haven't seen before, an open-world pirate RPG that tempts players with the allure of a fully realized swashbuckling fantasy.  Given that the developers of Risen 2 have chosen a pirate theme, it has a unique advantage over other open-world...

I gave up on this game after about twelve hours. It is just SO dull. On top of that the graphics are abysmal. They truly have to be seen to be believed. There's a beautiful engine under there but either it's been nerfed really badly for the 360 or it's just a bad port.

If there's one genre that the 360 has no shortage of, it's action-RPGs. From sci-fi to Skyrim , medieval to Mass Effect, the console is positively drowning in open-world adventures – there are just too bloody many of them.

If you played and enjoyed Risen you'll probably like Risen 2 as it's a worthy follow-up. It definitely has it's problems but if you can look past those flaws there's a gem of a game underneath and there are plenty of things to love about it.