Risen 3 - Titan Lords
Risen 3 - Titan Lords
Game
Game2012
Risen 2: Dark Waters
Developer Piranha Bytes
Risen 2: Dark Waters is a 2012 action role-playing game developed by Piranha Bytes and published by Deep Silver. It is the sequel to Risen and the second installment in the Risen series. It is a pirate themed game set in a fantasy world where monsters, ancient gods, and voodoo magic exist. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in late April 2012 and for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in late summer of 2012. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
192 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Nov 1, 2026 · last updated Nov 4, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
77
LovedLoved
139 positive · 42 negative
95% range 70–82%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 139 | 42 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 0 | 10 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
1,395 of 1,954 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
76% recommend · 141 yes, 44 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 185 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (5,424 of 6,812 positive).
Many players praise the pirate setting and unique atmosphere. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note technical issues like crashes and freezing. [4][5][6] Several players find the combat clunky but enjoyable with guns. [1][2][7]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
I can’t recommend this game due to technical issues. The game frequently crashes, especially when teleporting between towns — after about 4–5 teleports it becomes very likely to crash. On top of that, combat can randomly freeze, forcing you to Alt+F4 and restart. It’s frustrating because the story and setting are actually quite good, but these issues make it hard to enjoy the game.
- [1]
Risen 2: Dark Waters will always have a special place for me. It’s been years since I first played it, and coming back to it now brings a wave of nostalgia. There’s something about its world, characters, and pirate setting that makes it easy to enjoy. Exploring tropical islands, searching for treasures, and meeting strange people gives the game a real sense of adventure. The combat system can be frustrating at …
- [2]
Played for the first time in 2024, right after finishing Risen 1. Took me 27 hours. It's a good Piranha Bytes game, don't be scared of some negative reviews and give it a go! Pros: -Fast travel points and sprinting -Multiple islands to explore, content feels concise (not too much, not too little) -Many treasures to uncover -Legendary items that passively increase your skills -Very nice pirate setting, feels like an …
- [7]
Risen 2 is somewhat of a departure from the traditional medieval settings of the first Risen or the original Gothic series, this time focusing on a pirate adventure. The game goes all in with pirate and voodoo themes, feels somewhat more light-hearted, and is more focused on humor and quips; it has some more fun characters that work well in this new setting, the new firearms add depth to the combat but also make the …
- [3]
Nice change over the first Risen, loved the pirate setting and how it chained to story.
Summarised from 34 of the 196 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Risen 2: Dark Waters talk about pirate setting and voodoo themes are engaging; those who didn't talk about frequent crashes and technical issues on modern PCs. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Risen 2: Dark Waters received mixed reviews. The PC version has a score of 69/100, the Xbox 360 version 60/100, and the PlayStation 3 version 47/100 on the review aggregation website Metacritic. GameSpot praised the pirate theme, noting atmosphere and non-cliché humor, jokingly concluding that Risen 2 "[offers] up a joyous and occasionally profane odyssey through humid jungles, dank caves, and imposing temples. It also lets you make monkeys fight each other, and that's a mechanic any RPG lover can get behind." However, they were less than impressed by the frustrating combat scenarios, annoying bugs that interfere with the player's journey, and with the game not being as free form as the…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 192 · most liked firstDecided to play Risen 2 for real and it's such a weird game. It like to pretend it's a pirate game, but it's really just a fantasy RPG with a pirate coat of paint on it. Swashbuckling is barely 5% of the game
neutral · AI labelView post →Alright so after finishing this game for the second time and 100%ing it I can say for certain that this is one of the most underrated games I have ever played. This may be the black sheep of the risen trilogy but it is definitely worth it. RIP ,Piranha Bytes, even one of your weakest games is still far superior than 99% of the AAA garbage that's out there nowadays.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After replaying Risen again a while ago, I decided to give Risen 2 a try. Sadly, the game was something completely different than expected. Instead of the dark, mystic fantasy world of Risen, Risen 2 offers a colonial pirate setting and completely ignores the world of the previous game. It mostly feels like completely different developers used the same engine and assets to create a continuation without ever having played the first game. What I mean is that it’s a completely different world but…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can’t recommend this game due to technical issues. The game frequently crashes, especially when teleporting between towns — after about 4–5 teleports it becomes very likely to crash. On top of that, combat can randomly freeze, forcing you to Alt+F4 and restart. It’s frustrating because the story and setting are actually quite good, but these issues make it hard to enjoy the game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Risen 2 builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, Risen, which itself was a solid game but rough around the edges and a spiritual successor to the Gothic series. However, instead of refining the existing formula, the developers chose to overhaul nearly every element of the game. The result is a title that leans heavily into a pirate setting, moving away from the grounded fantasy of the earlier games to move into a more linear action adventure experience. The first change you probably…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Risen 2: Dark Waters will always have a special place for me. It’s been years since I first played it, and coming back to it now brings a wave of nostalgia. There’s something about its world, characters, and pirate setting that makes it easy to enjoy. Exploring tropical islands, searching for treasures, and meeting strange people gives the game a real sense of adventure. The combat system can be frustrating at first, especially since melee fighting feels a bit rough and clunky. But once you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →💎 A Flawed Jewel Awash in the Tides of Nostalgia ⚓️ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 📜Ahoy there, mateys! Gather 'round as I, Captain Gregorius Emanuel Steelbeard, the most infamous pirate to ever sail the seven seas, have taken a wee break from plunderin' to recount ye the tale of Risen 2: Dark Waters.🏴☠️ ☠️Now, I may not be as young as I once was, but I've plundered enough treasure to know a good adventure when I see one, and this game's got the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good morning! I forgot to make a list at the end of June so here is every game I've finished this year so far. I'm fairly close to the end of AC Rogue as well, might finish that today. More Risen 2 and AC Unity as well. Maybe dip my toes back into Division 2 for the event. Have a good one!
neutral · AI labelView post →Risen 2: Dark Waters I have a very weird relationship with this game. Risen 1 is one of my favourite and most nostalgic games and although I wanted to continue the story with Risen 2, I just couldn't. Besides constant problems with crashes and file compatibility, the pirate theme is just not interesting to me, besides Pirates of the Caribbean with Johnny Depp and AC Black Flag, I have no interest in pirate stories. I also don't like how our main protagonist, that in Risen 1 managed to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →May not be the best Piranha Bytes game, but it is a Piranha Bytes game nonetheless - very enjoyable niche game that scratches the itch no other company or RPG game can address to this day.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played for the first time in 2024, right after finishing Risen 1. Took me 27 hours. It's a good Piranha Bytes game, don't be scared of some negative reviews and give it a go! Pros: -Fast travel points and sprinting -Multiple islands to explore, content feels concise (not too much, not too little) -Many treasures to uncover -Legendary items that passively increase your skills -Very nice pirate setting, feels like an alternative universe -Nice plot and fun dialogues Cons: -No swimming... In a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A lot of hot boys
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Risen 2 is somewhat of a departure from the traditional medieval settings of the first Risen or the original Gothic series, this time focusing on a pirate adventure. The game goes all in with pirate and voodoo themes, feels somewhat more light-hearted, and is more focused on humor and quips; it has some more fun characters that work well in this new setting, the new firearms add depth to the combat but also make the combat feel more forgiving, there's an element of exploration as you'll get…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The huge amount of reports I found of people having constant problems with crashes, including recent reviews on large channels, tells me that this game doesn't work well on modern machines. I tried almost everything recommended, from starting the game in compatibility mode to installing 4GB patches, and nothing worked. As soon as I left the tutorial area, the game became unplayable due to the constant freezes that softlocked my system. The crashes in this game are the kind where you can't…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A good sequel to Risen 1 that you'll likely enjoy even if you haven't pleyed the first. Kinda like the first one, the first 3/4 of the game is what I enjoyed the most thanks to exploration and the immersive environment. I have to say that level design is a bit of a step back: Risen 1 was set ona single island that had interesting level design, it was compact but vertical; Risen 2 has multiple smaller location, I therefore expected them to have more depth, but that is not the case, exploring…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As someone who loves Risen 1 and the Gothic series, Risen 2 was a strange experience. Risen 1 had that classic Piranha Bytes atmosphere that reminded me of Gothic: a dangerous world, rewarding exploration, and the feeling that every improvement to your character mattered. Risen 2 takes a different direction with pirates, firearms, and voodoo, which took some time for me to appreciate. The early game is honestly rough. Your character feels weak, combat can be frustrating, and progression…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I bounced off piranha bytes hard after trying all the available demos (3 gothics and 2 risens). I don't mind jank but the useless quest, map without markers, no minimap and all the 'realism' I'm not looking for in video games pissed me off. and the non-realism of not showing interactable items around me if I have my weapon drawn on a strange island with big ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ monsters. but just like [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/dohi64/recommended/1930]two worlds, despite everything the atmosphere…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The first Risen game was a pleasant surprise for me. It was a very well made, small, but focused, RPG. I was a little bit worried about Risen 2: Dark Waters, because it wasn't well received by the public when it was released in 2012. Now let's see what kind **** it actually is. The game looks good, for the most part. Vegetation is plentiful, polygon count is a little higher than in the first game, and some of the effects, like the sunrays, look impressive. Combat is very similar to the first…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Risen 2 Dark Waters Review Review is after completing the main story, all available side quests and obtaining all of the artifacts. Also played Risen 1 previously to completion. Pros: Interesting story about vanquishing another titan. Some fun side quests on each of the islands. The pirate theme adds to the game, making it different from the first game. Good plot twist in one of the islands in the main quest. Some unique weapons. Some hidden artifacts that add bonuses Final battle was easy…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is an unplayable abandonware. The menu loaded but it was simply unable to start a new game, it just ended up freezing on a black screen. I applied some fixes such as PhysX reinstall, .ini edits and file verification. After that at least it started and played the opening cinematic. Then right after loading into the tutorial room it CRASHED MY PC into a complete power down - shut down. Maybe one day GOG will patch this to a working condition in their games preservation program.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game failed to launch 6 times.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nice change over the first Risen, loved the pirate setting and how it chained to story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's Risen with pirates, gators (crocs?), and... uhh... boats. Yea, boats. After revisiting Risen 1 and having a blast replaying it (mostly for the achievements, but also because it's a great RPG), I realized I never reviewed the rest of the trilogy. So here I am, picking my brain and trying to remember... Yep, Risen 2 is a good game. It's not all that much like the first game, but pirates are fun, so I dunno. The combat felt a little less stiff than Risen 1, although I kind of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What is this sh*t? Coming from Risen, a very beautiful and great-for-its-time game we now come to crappy pirat-land. How can you fu*k up a sequel that badly? On scale of 1 to 10 this crap-shoot of an RPG lays somewhere between "acidic vomit" and "explosive diarrea".
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Beat it in 33 hours and enjoyed it a lot because I also loved the Gothic series. It feels like a Gothic 2 full conversion mod with pirate theme and guns. The guns also gave me Fable vibes while I'm exporing and looting caves in the jungle. Lots more good to say, would recommend to any Gothic fans.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Worse than the first game, but still a unique experience. The signature Piranha Bytes charm is definitely there.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's not that bad or good compared to the Gothic franchise. Very small game world if I'm comparing it to Gothic 3 BUT It's bigger and has more content that the first Risen. I enjoyed the ranged flintlock combat a lot. Like the previous one,you pick one of the major factions to side with. Dozens of side quests to keep you distracted. Get it on sale.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is how to run Risen 2 guide is written by a guy called Banana ( NOT by me, but may helpy you) ==================================== Risen 2 - Dark Waters > Guides > banana's Guides Forcing Risen 2 to Run on Modern Computers [Text and Video] By banana I've decided to make a return to Risen 2: Dark Waters after a few years and quickly discovered that it was having difficulty running on modern hardware. Now I'm not exactly sure what the root cause of each and every specific issue is but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a fun Pirate game very different from Risen 1 Nostalgia 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Arrrr Matey! Streaming a pirate game! Is Risen 2 Dark Waters for the 1st time! #Vtuber #ENVtuber twitch.tv/Mena_the_Great
neutral · AI labelView post →Janky but charming pirate shenanigans
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I had high hopes for Risen 2 after enjoying the first game, but sadly, it was a major disappointment for me. One of the biggest issues was the drastic genre shift. Risen 1 had a medieval fantasy vibe with magic and swords, but Risen 2 turned into a pirate-themed game with pistols and swords. It just didn’t feel like the same series, and the charm of the first game was completely lost in this transition. The dodge rolling mechanic was clunky and frustrating. It never felt smooth or…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gothic I Gothic II Gothic III Risen I Risen II and Risen III are the best rpg series out there.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Risen look alike ✓ Sword and Pirate Life ✓ Lemons ✓
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It was an good game not for everyone but i had a lot of fun playing it risen 1 was kinda better despice being more ugly tho but it was an solid game 33hours to finish it is honnest
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I downloaded Skull and Bones and surprisingly it’s not bad. Having really low expectations probably helped but so far I like what I’ve seen. Seems like a decent time killer arcade style pirate / naval combat game. I got Black Flag, Skull and Bones and Risen 2 going now. A pirate’s life for me!🏴☠️
neutral · AI labelView post →I've given Risen 2 more chances than almost any other game. First on physical discs, then on GOG, and now on Steam. The platform was never the problem, the game itself was. For a long time, I kept trying to convince myself that I liked it because I have so much respect for Piranha Bytes. They created some of my favorite RPGs of all time: Gothic 1 and 2, as well as Risen 1 and ELEX to some lesser extent. I wanted to believe that Risen 2 was better than I remembered, but after several attempts,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played Risen 1 years ago. This is not it. Something is missing. Couldn't get into it. If you are a morrowind fan, you will be disappointed
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The only thing that has Risen after this game is my blood pressure due to janky combat, horrendous graphics and light effects, more bugs than enemies in the game, broken gameplay, broken achievements and much much more. Just like you would do with a middle child, ignore this one and focus on the first and last game This one never happened.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you liked the first game, you will like this one. It’s a great follow-up that expands on some of the more barebones systems from the original, such as armor and weapons. Also, the pirate theme gives the game a lighter tone that leans more into humor than the original. Overall, this is a good game full of humor, memorable quests, and decent combat. 7/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A pirate themed RPG full of voodoo magic island hopping and monkeys that steal things sounds epic until you realize you are mostly murdering crabs with a side of alcohol problem
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Released in 2012 by Piranha Bytes and Deep Silver, Risen 2: Dark Waters is the sequel to the cult classic Risen. The game shifts away from the traditional medieval fantasy tone of its predecessor and sets sail for uncharted waters, embracing a pirate-themed world filled with rum, voodoo magic, and deadly creatures. -The game picks up several years after the events of Risen. The world has fallen into chaos as colossal Titans wreak havoc, and the seas are dominated by monstrous creatures, cutting…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →started the game in 2012...crashed in the first 20 minutes started the game 14 years later...game crashed in the first minutes will try in 6 years
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's not as good as Risen 1, but still a very good RPG. The skills/perks aren't as deep and there's a lot less player choice - it's like going from Oblivion to Skyrim. The combat is much simpler and you can use most weapon types without skill investment. The only major choice is if you want to use guns or magic. Unfortunately it's quite buggy and half of the achievements don't work so I used cheats. I had an issue where a boss was invincible as I went my own way on a previous quest (when you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →IT IS A ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ MESS! steam version is close to unplayable, with constant crashes annoying bugs like invisible npc's and items, bugged achievements etc. if you want to enjoy the game get this particular one on GOG.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I think I've put enough time into this game to be able to say that it's not worth visiting if you're not looking for a nostalgia trip. This game has quite a bit going on but it doesn't do any of it particularly well. The combat at the start of the game is frustrating and unresponsive while at the later stages of the game combat encounters feel more like a chore. The story isn't particularly interesting and neither are any of the characters, they're all very shallow and not very well written.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After playing the first Risen game, I thought I will give a shot to Risen 2 and I didn't regret it at all. The world you can explore is basically a set of islands with their own set of missions, story lines or characters. Some of the side missions and the main quest line goes through multiple islands, the world builds on itself. There are multiple factions to follow and sides to take, finding collectibles which adds permanent buffs, looking for treasures and so on. The game looks alright for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the game crashed about 80% in and for whatever reason the last save game was an hour ago? no auto save no nothing. at the area were you have the ridiculous waste of time fetch ingredient quest on the isle of dead. Literally the worst part to have no save game available. ye im not gonna spend another hour searching for that stuff. Aside from that, if you want something like an old classic like gothic 1 or 2 forget it. this game is a joke, and a pretty bad one at that. Creative direction went…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Updated Review Final Score: 7.5 This game is actually pretty underrated now that I've given it more time. It's not perfect by any means, but it has good voice acting, quirky characters, beautiful and varied islands to explore (they are really green and lush), a neat pirate them you don't really get to experience anywhere else in the genre, a companion and party system, as well as fairly unique and varied enemy types with there own behaviors similar to Monster Hunter - though not quite as…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The only proper pirate RPG in the market, competition keep shooting themselves in the foot (a certain AAAA game for example) What is this business strategy called PB ?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Big old RPG, pirates, ghosts, titans, good companions. A long adventure. Combat is cluncky and requires some patience but as satisfactory as any of the other Piranha Bytes titles. Writing this in 2024, where I have had a great time reviewing and finishing the game. Arrrr!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played this a long time ago near its release, but I didnt finished back then because I jumped into it having never played the 1st one and, truth be told I wasn't really enjoying it. I'll probably never play it again but I'll give it a thumbs up because, even though it's not an amazing game, its never afraid to do its own "Piranha Bytes" thing, and that's praiseworthy for itself in a world where everything tends to look similar. I do remember that it was a bit too silly though, like it doesnt…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a really good RPG experience still very much worth playing today(2026 as of writing this review) I mainly recommend this because of storyline and pirate atmosphere. Weapon and armor variety is pretty low although skills make it interesting. 7.5/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →very buggy, constantly crashes
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you enjoy old-school RPGs with a strong atmosphere, Risen 2: Dark Waters is definitely worth playing. The pirate setting is refreshing compared to typical fantasy games. Exploring different islands, jungles, caves, and pirate towns feels immersive and gives the game a unique vibe. What I really like is the atmosphere and the sense of adventure. The world feels rough and dirty in a good way, and the music and environments make you feel like you’re on a dangerous pirate journey. The quests…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great third person pirate RPG
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wish I could know if there's anyone on earth who 100% sincerely and truthfully "Risen 2" is their favorite game all time
neutral · AI labelView post →This game.. ah.. this game. It took a while before I even started to play the Risen series at all because of Risen 2 , I knew that after playing the first title, with a dark tone , I would have to play a pirate theme rpg at some point and I don't really like the theme in general , so much so that I consider AC Black Flag not a good AC game because of the same reason, skipping it entirely from the AC series. I'd loved to touch this series before tho, as the theme of this title is misleading.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ayeaye captain!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was my first Risen game. The graphics are very good for its age. The characters are well-developed, and you enjoy talking to the NPCs. The atmosphere is very well done, a good game. Unfortunately, I played this game first, you should obviously start with the first one.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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