Any sailor worth their salt can recruit a crew of Facebook friends, commandeer a sea-faring vessel to find the the legendary treasure of pirate captains past.

On their voyage players can amass a wealth of booty, facing all manner of trials and adventures that await them. Whilst you can’t plunder any real life doubloons or treasure chests buried beneath conspicuous X’s, one lucky crew can find the greatest treasure of all, a sailing trip to the Caribbean for the whole crew.

Earlier this month we awarded Risen 2 a hearty 7.5/10, read the full review here.

You can find the app here, on the Risen 2 Facebook page.

Why are pirates pirates? Because they ARRRR.

But I did manage to get it running at 40 fps after some tweaking and installing newer drivers, and I think that was sort of a satisfactory performance level for me after what I encountered earlier. I shouldn’t have to settle for that, though. Risen 2 does not set the world on fire when it comes to graphics; it does look great, but not that great to make my PC chug along slower than a snail.

Risen 2 is Piranha Bytes second entry under publisher Deep Silver, and I have to admit that I was a big fan of the first game. I did preview Risen 2 earlier which you can check out here, and while the preview code showed a lot of promise, the full game leaves a lot to be desired. Here’s why.

Risen 2 is a pirate themed RPG, and lovers of the first game will find a lot of things similar here, and as for Piranha Bytes, the developers of the game — some of the design changes they have implemented here a cause for concern. They’re mostly technical issues, as in, breaking down the land mass into smaller islands and what not. I actually preferred how it was set up in the first game, so this ended up being slightly disappointing for me.

The premise of the story is to find a mystical weapon. You also have to take down the Kraken, which is shown at the beginning of the game sinking a pirate ship with all its tentacles. Then it’s just a series of quests which help you accumulate Glory, so that you can dig deeper in the game.

As I mentioned in my preview here, the combat is slightly clumsy and the game is pretty challenging as well, so you need to be on your guards at all time if you are planning to engage in sword fighting and are thinking about leveling that area. Whenever I play RPGs, I tend to conserve whatever is the in-game currency for that specific game, and Risen 2 is no different. Yes, level up the cunning ability and you will be able to steal more accurately and in the end that benefits you.

Ranged weapons are also quite good for this game, as I mentioned above sword-fighting can be a real pain as you need to be quite precise when engaging in that sort of combat. Ranged weapons remove this required precision and makes the game, in my opinion, a lot of fun. I guess for me cunning and ranged weapons are the two areas where I concentrated a lot.

The production values aren’t that high, as there are plenty of glitches here and considering the character models and voice acting employed, it pales in comparison to something like The Witcher 2. Although, comparing this game to The Witcher 2 is probably harsh considering the size of Piranha Bytes. If you have a PC capable of running this game maxed out, then by all means go for it! It’s the way the game is meant to be played.

There are some good dialogues here and the banter between characters can often be a pleasant thing. But it is inconsistent and the quality of writing sometimes doesn’t do it any favours. There will be periods in the game, usually after the first section, that you will be completely immersed, but some quests are so poorly designed that they make the whole thing a frustrating exercise in repetition.

While I think the game isn’t that memorable as the first one, it does have its moments and if you’re a fan of RPGs in general, Risen 2 will satisfy you if you are a bit negligent to its shortcomings. All in all, this is a decent effort by the developers but I fail to understand why they broke down the game into different islands.

The game is already out on Steam and the other usual places, so if you loved the first game, then check it out, or just wait for a sale. Risen 2: Dark Waters will give you a genuine RPG experience, but it gets a lot frustrating sometimes.

This game was reviewed on the PC.

Risen 2: Dark Waters is getting two DLC packs right on its launch date.

The two packs are Treasure Isle and A Pirate’s Clothes.

The press release describes the two packs as:

The “Treasure Isle” DLC offers exciting new adventures in the world of Risen 2: Dark Waters. The player will embark on an additional story questline to uncover Captain Steelbeard’s legendary treasure – a quest that will continue a plot element from the first Risen game and finally bring it to an exciting conclusion.

In  a Pirate’s Clothes the hero can be equipped with impressive looking pirate items that include a hat, boots, trousers, a pistol and a special ring that will boost his ability to gain experience points by 5%.

This Treasure Isle DLC will be available for a price of £7.99 and Pirate’s Clothes for £2.49.

Björn Pankratz, Project Director at Piranha Bytes says that Risen 2’s pirate setting drew plenty of inspiration from “classics” like Monkey Island, Treasure Island and Pirates of the Caribbean.

“Naturally, we drew some inspiration from classics like Monkey Island, Treasure Island, or Pirates of the Caribbean,” he told GamingBolt in our recently posted interview. “Finally we sat down, tried to pool our ideas, and implemented them. What would a pirate game be without treasure hunts, eyepatches, and rum?”

When asked if Risen 2 would manage to be unique and fresh despite the pirate setting, which is quite stale now, he said- “We spent a lot of time debating what developments the player character as well as his friends and enemies could undergo.

“We decided to give each main character an individual appearance and voice, and to reveal their story and motivation in the game. We hope there will be something for everyone.”

You can read the full interview through the link above. Stay tuned for more updates.

Björn Pankratz, Project Director at Piranha Bytes, has mentioned in an interview with GamingBolt that Steam offers a high level of security and is undoubtedly the best digital distribution platform on the PC.

“It is far from lucrative for both our publisher Deep Silver and us to find that the game can be downloaded free of charge on the internet two days before the release, so we opted for Steam this time, a platform that is widely used and popular among gamers, as well as providing quite a high level of security,” he said.

“We hope it will prove to be the best possible solution for everyone.”

We also asked him about which platform offers the best experience for Risen 2, and this is what he had to say.

“Although, we develop our games on the PC, privately some of us are console gamers and others prefer PC games. The advantage of consoles is quite clearly convenience – you can watch the game on a big TV screen while sitting comfortably on your sofa, while PC gamers usually sit at their desks.

“On the other hand, PC gamers get to enjoy better graphics, for example. So people should decide for themselves what is more important to them,” he added.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

We recently previewed the game and we absolutely loved it. Here is what our editor Kartik Mudgal said:

I really loved Risen inspite of its flaws, and from what I have played here, I can say that Risen 2 is shaping up to be a terrific one as well. Now if only the rest of the game holds up – we have a winner in our hands.

Shubhankar: The concept and story of Risen 2 (from what we’ve seen so far) definitely seem to be interesting. Was there any particular media that inspired you while developing this game?

Pankratz: Naturally, we drew some inspiration from classics like Monkey Island, Treasure Island, or Pirates of the Caribbean. Finally we sat down, tried to pool our ideas, and implemented them. What would a pirate game be without treasure hunts, eyepatches, and rum?

Shubhankar: There’ve been a lot of “Pirate games” in recent times, and none of the have been particularly successful in portraying characters. How will you avoid that in Risen 2?

Pankratz: We spent a lot of time debating what developments the player character as well as his friends and enemies could undergo. We decided to give each main character an individual appearance and voice, and to reveal their story and motivation in the game. We hope there will be something for everyone.

Shubhankar: The PC version of Risen incorporates the use of DRM, but it doesn’t require the DVD itself for the game to be played, and it has unlimited installs too. That is obviously the right way to go about this rather controversial issue. But does it pose any kind of problems for the developers or the publishers- at all? And what is your general outlook on DRM as a whole?

Pankratz: It is far from lucrative for both our publisher Deep Silver and us to find that the game can be downloaded free of charge on the internet two days before the release, so we opted for Steam this time, a platform that is widely used and popular among gamers, as well as providing quite a high level of security. We hope it will prove to be the best possible solution for everyone.

Shubhankar: The first Risen game was so successful in what it did because of its grounded charm and uniqueness. Is Risen 2 similar in that fashion, or does it have its own kind of charm?

Pankratz: We improved some elements such as the skill system for Risen 2, and dedicated a whole game to the pirate setting. This certainly gives Risen 2 its own kind of charm. However, the game is still quite unmistakably a Piranha Bytes title, especially with regard to the linguistic style and the design of the game world.

Shubhankar: How long will Risen 2 be? Will it promote replay value?

Pankratz: Risen 2 turned out to be a bit larger than its predecessor, but it was still important to us not to let the frequency of quests drop towards the end of the game, but to keep it exciting throughout. Depending on which faction you play for, the story also develops differently. Thus, you can choose to fight for or against the Natives or the Inquisition, specialize in firearms or voodoo, or take different crew members on board your ship. The dialogs also offer many choices of answers and different quest solutions for the player, which all increase the replay value.

Shubhankar: Risen 2 is being called by many to be a semi-open world game. How is that going to work here? How many and what kind of things will players be able to do? Can we expect a level of freedom that games like Skyrim offer, or will it be more towards the Fable side?

Pankratz: Risen 2 starts with a short tutorial introducing the player to the game, and becomes bigger and more open as the game progresses. You can move around freely on a medium-sized island to begin with, but have your own ship later in the game, allowing you to return to locations you have been to before, or travel to other islands. Eventually, the whole game world will be open to you and you can freely decide where you want to go.

Shubhankar: Risen 2 is a very unique RPG in that it doesn’t make players choose a particular class. Do you think that might have a negative impact among conventional RPG purists?

Pankratz: We feel that focusing on a specific hero and telling his story like a book has a positive effect on character creation and the game plot. Players have plenty of liberties in the course of the game. That is where they will make their choices and define their character further. We believe that the games market has enough room for both ways of playing, and we think that is a good thing.

Shubhankar: If a gamer has a PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, which version would you recommend picking up and why?

Pankratz: Although we develop our games on the PC, privately some of us are console gamers and others prefer PC games. The advantage of consoles is quite clearly convenience – you can watch the game on a big TV screen while sitting comfortably on your sofa, while PC gamers usually sit at their desks. On the other hand, PC gamers get to enjoy better graphics, for example. So people should decide for themselves what is more important to them.

Shubhankar: Can you detail the combat system of Risen 2 a little more?

Pankratz: There will be right-hand weapons such as sabers and cutlasses as well as left-hand weapons, e.g. the pistol or Dirty Tricks. Depending on the skills the player character has learned, these can be combined. There is also voodoo magic, which allows the player to set monsters against each other or weaken enemies, or muskets which have to be wielded with both hands. So the combat system is quite diverse. I recommend you try it yourselves!

Shubhankar: Can we expect any more games or DLCs from the Risen franchise in the future?

Pankratz: We are definitely planning DLC for Risen 2. It will be more like an add-in, not directly interwoven with the main story. We also have some ideas for the time after Risen 2, of course, but we will see where they lead in the future.

Shubhankar: Is there anything else you want to share about the game?

Pankratz: We tried to develop a game that we would like to play ourselves, and we achieved that. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!

Stay tuned to GamingBolt for the full review of the game.

Risen 2: Dark Waters, and that the game is now available for pre-order at all major retailers and online.

Gamers who pre-order Risen 2: Dark Waters will receive the Risen 2: Dark Waters Special Edition, which includes the “Treasure Isle” downloadable content (DLC) map pack with at least five extra hours of quest lines and an additional island location not available in the standard version.

Developed by Piranha Bytes, Risen 2: Dark Waters takes place several years after the end of the original Risen, when humanity is pushed to the brink of existence and one of the only safe havens is Caldera, a city located on the peninsula of the Lost Realm. However, even this sanctuary is threatened by the world at chaos, as monstrous sea monsters cause shipments of vital supplies to come to a grinding halt. The hero, upon discovering a rumor that the pirates of the Southern islands know of a way to banish the creatures of the deep, journeys to infiltrate their ranks and attempt to acquire this knowledge in time to save Caldera from imminent peril.

Deep Silver will release Risen 2: Dark Waters for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system on May 22, 2012 in the USA and Canada and April 27 for Windows PC.

Loved Risen? Want to support the developers for Risen 2? Then this collector’s edition is full of win. Yes, this is one of the best collector’s edition I have ever seen, especially for an RPG. It features no bloated statue but the thing that matters the most. A Pirate Flag! Who wouldn’t want that, ye?

There are some other cool things that will be available with the CE which you can check out below.

These are the collector’s edition contents:

•  Making of DVD – interviews with the developers from Piranha Bytes who delve deeper into the production of Risen 2
•  Soundtrack CD – The gripping tunes of the Risen 2 soundtrack will immediately absorb the listener into this fantastic pirate world
•  Double-sided poster – a large sized map of the game world on one side and an epic artwork featuring the hero and his crew on board their impressive ship
•  Pirate Flag – with the skull motif from Risen 2
•  Amulet – a pendant that every pirate and Risen 2 fan will be proud of
•  The Art of Risen 2: Dark Waters – an exclusive collection of art cards on high quality-paper
•  Three Risen 2 stickers

It costs £69.99 and will be available on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Risen 2: Dark Waters is in development and the first bits of info involving the game has emerged thanks to a user who has a copy of PCGames magazine being kind enough to share it.

Here’s the whole thing, courtesy of GAF:

Story

• You are again the same nameless heroes of Risen
• He is now living in a small harbour village called “Caldera”
• You are now wearing the Ocular of the inquisitor (story relation not known yet)
• The game is now spread about multiple islands
• There is still the inquisition located on one of the islands
• The story is more complex and will have different consequences depending on your choices
• You will meet familiar faces like Carlos, Gregorius Steelbeard

Setting

• Pirate setting
• It’s no longer on Faranga from Risen
• You can travel to different islands by ship (if you can have an own ship is not known yet)
• In the sea lives different sea monsters who attack ships
• It will also have an fast travel system on the islands
• The islands will have different climate zones with different settings and monsters
• Guns,canons and othe fire weapons in the game
• There is still magic
• Skill system same as Risen
• Should feel more realistic than Risen (for example chests who are empty or have rubble in it, but to every chest is a story)
• The world is bigger as in Risen
• Side quests should be more complex than in Risen

Graphic / Technic

• Animation is now motion captured
• NPCs and monsters more detailed
• Bump mapping, realisitc relatime clouds instead of a skybox
• More realisitc faces
• No loading times on the islands and invisible walls only short loading by changing the island
• NPCs talking with each other (for example you can hear a conversation between too NPCs when the treasurer leave his treasure)
• Every NPC has a daily routine like in Risen
• In the night different monsters than on the day like in Risen

Monsters

• There will be Gnomes again
• Minecrawler
• Some familiar and some completly new monsters
• Also normal animals like apes,boars,… depending on the climate zone

Risen 2 is far into development and is around 80% complete. Piranha are doing voice recording for the game right now.

You can check out the first screenshots from the game over here.

Risen 2 is in development for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.