Risen
Risen is a PC action game developed by Piranha Bytes. It centers on platform movement and landing judgment, enemy and hazard responses, and stage objectives, with controls and information arranged around keyboard and mouse, with a controller where the game supports one.
- AI score · out of 10
- 8.0 / 10
About this game
Risen is a PC action game centered on platform movement and landing judgment, enemy and hazard responses, and stage objectives. Stages build pressure through routes, enemy patterns, and changing objectives, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Animation, hits, camera behavior, and readable hazards determine whether feedback remains dependable, while resolution, graphics settings, frame rate, aspect ratio, audio, text scaling, and hardware performance need to preserve action, state, and text readability together. The genre-specific limitation is that camera behavior, collision rules, input mapping, and repeated ground after failure can raise the entry barrier. Platform conditions also include OS and hardware requirements, installation media, patches, drivers, DRM and launchers, key binding and controller support, save locations, mod compatibility, servers, and era-specific OS compatibility affect the current release. This description covers only this platform release and does not import features or conveniences from remasters, emulators, or other console editions.
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Windows PCAI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
Consequential island role-playing with rough combat and quest tracking
Risen is strongest when decisions change how the island responds to the player. Choosing allies affects access to useful people and resources, making progression more meaningful than merely collecting experience. Exploration supports different martial and magical paths, while contrasting settlements and wilderness help establish a convincing setting. Its weaknesses are concentrated in execution: melee balance and quest tracking can make otherwise interesting situations needlessly awkward. This is an appealing adventure for players who enjoy finding their own route and accepting consequences, but a less comfortable choice for those seeking effortless action. The assessment concerns the original PC single-player design and documented release-era experience; it does not claim to test later updates or console conversions.
Strengths
- Choices connect character development with relationships and resources.
- Exploration and atmosphere reinforce the island setting.
Weaknesses
- Combat balance and quest management add persistent friction.
Who it is for: Players who enjoy independent exploration and consequential role-playing.
Play notes: Original 2009 PC scope; later updates and Xbox 360 performance are not evaluated.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Exploration and alternative development paths sustain engagement; their value comes from decisions rather than advertised duration. | Reviewed | 8.1 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Faction choices reshape access to resources, giving progression consequences; uneven melee execution limits the overall consistency. | Reviewed | 8.2 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Locations and voiced conversations establish a convincing island, while awkward faces weaken close character presentation. | Reviewed | 8.3 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Original PC quest tracking and recovery impose noticeable friction; this assesses the documented release-era interface, not untested current bugs. | Reviewed | 6.9 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Piranha Bytes
- Publisher
- Deep Silver
- Release date
- 2009
- Platforms
- Windows PC
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Role-Playing · Primary genre
- Tags
- Real-time CombatThird Person3D GraphicsReplayableMain Story Under 10 HoursSolo-friendlyLinear LevelsDodgeFast-pacedPlatforming
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- Not provided
- Perspectives
- Not provided
Release editions
- Windows PCWorldwide2009
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided