Game review
Risen 2: Dark Waters
6.5 / 10
- Developer
- Piranha Bytes
- Publisher
- THQ Nordic
- Released
- 26 April 2012
- Platforms
- Windows
- Genre
- RPG
- Monetisation
- One-time purchase; a Treasures of the Ocean cosmetic DLC pack sold separately
- Players
- Single-player only
The short version
Risen 2: Dark Waters is Piranha Bytes' direct sequel to Risen, published by THQ Nordic and released on 26 April 2012. It sits at 71% positive ("Mostly Positive") across 1,944 English-language Steam reviews — noticeably lower than the original Risen's 84%, which this outlet also reviewed today, and this review read the 100 most-helpful negative reviews alongside the 100 most recent English reviews.
A direct comparison to the first game appears in roughly 30 of the 100 negative reviews read, and this review found it almost always unfavourable, centred on a specific tonal shift: Risen's dark, mystic fantasy island traded for a lighter, comedic colonial pirate setting. "Instead of the dark, mystic fantasy world of Risen, Risen 2 offers a colonial pirate setting and completely" different tone, reads one representative 2025 review. Combat draws even heavier criticism than in the original, appearing in 57 of the 100 negative reviews read. This review also found a distinct, still-active technical complaint separate from the tonal criticism: crashes tied specifically to teleporting between towns, corroborated as recently as April 2026. "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," reads that 2026 review, describing a problem this review found reported across 7 of the negative reviews from 2025 and 2026 alone.
Biggest strengths
- A distinctive comedic pirate tone that some reviewers who accept the shift away from Risen's original atmosphere describe as genuinely entertaining on its own terms
- Retains core Piranha Bytes open-world exploration and choice-driven quest design, even where combat and setting draw criticism
- Currently available at a steep 75% discount, softening the value proposition relative to its lower overall reception
Biggest weaknesses
- This outlet's same-day comparison found Risen 2 rated noticeably lower than its predecessor (71% versus 84% lifetime), with roughly 30 of the 100 negative reviews read making direct, mostly unfavourable comparisons to the first game
- The shift from Risen's dark, mystic fantasy setting to a lighter colonial pirate theme is a specific, recurring point of disappointment for longtime fans of the original
- Combat draws heavier criticism than in the original game, appearing in 57 of the 100 negative reviews read
Who it's for: Risen fans open to a tonal shift toward a lighter pirate adventure — go in aware this review's same-day comparison found the sequel rated noticeably lower than the original, both for its setting and its technical stability.
Our recommendation: A reasonable pirate-themed RPG on its own terms, but a step down from Risen by wide reviewer consensus — worth trying at a discount, with realistic expectations set by the tonal shift and a still-reported crash bug.
6.5 / 10
Introduction
Risen 2: Dark Waters is Piranha Bytes' direct sequel to Risen, published by THQ Nordic and released on 26 April 2012 at US$9.99, currently 75% off at US$2.49. It follows the same protagonist years later into a comedic, colonial pirate-themed world, joining a faction hunting sea monsters and lost treasure. It sits at 71% positive ("Mostly Positive") across 1,944 English-language Steam reviews — noticeably lower than the original Risen's 84%, which this outlet also reviewed earlier today. This review read the 100 most-helpful negative reviews of 558 total, plus a sample of the 100 most recent English reviews.
A tonal shift many fans didn't want
This outlet's same-day comparison of the two games found Risen 2 rated meaningfully lower, and this review found the reason stated directly across roughly 30 of the 100 negative reviews read: a shift away from the original's dark, mystic fantasy atmosphere. "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," reads one representative 2025 review. Another, more pointed: "I absolutely love Risen. Risen 2 however isn't up to par. Frankly it's boring... The cutscenes and enactment are cringy and make you feel like you're watching a B-movie." Combat draws even heavier criticism than this review found in the original, appearing in 57 of the 100 negative reviews read.
A still-active crash problem
This review found a distinct, purely technical complaint separate from the tonal criticism: crashes tied specifically to teleporting between towns, and this review found it corroborated as recently as April 2026 rather than being a settled, historical issue. "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" tab and restart, reads that 2026 review, with 82 hours logged. This review found the same category of complaint in 7 of the negative reviews from 2025 and 2026 combined — a real, ongoing risk rather than a launch-era memory.
Verdict
Risen 2: Dark Waters is a reasonable pirate-adventure RPG on its own terms, but by wide reviewer consensus — and this outlet's own same-day comparison with its predecessor — a clear step down from Risen specifically. The shift from dark fantasy to comedic colonial pirates is a real, recurring disappointment for fans of the original's tone, and a distinct, still-reported crash bug tied to town teleportation adds genuine technical risk on top of that. Worth trying at its steep discount for players open to the tonal change — just go in with expectations calibrated by its lower standing relative to the game that came before it.
Pros and cons
Pros
- A distinctive comedic pirate tone that some reviewers who accept the shift away from Risen's original atmosphere describe as genuinely entertaining on its own terms
- Retains core Piranha Bytes open-world exploration and choice-driven quest design, even where combat and setting draw criticism
- Currently available at a steep 75% discount, softening the value proposition relative to its lower overall reception
- Voice acting and setting the game embraces fully rather than half-heartedly, according to reviewers who enjoy the tonal change
Cons
- This outlet's same-day comparison found Risen 2 rated noticeably lower than its predecessor (71% versus 84% lifetime), with roughly 30 of the 100 negative reviews read making direct, mostly unfavourable comparisons to the first game
- The shift from Risen's dark, mystic fantasy setting to a lighter colonial pirate theme is a specific, recurring point of disappointment for longtime fans of the original
- Combat draws heavier criticism than in the original game, appearing in 57 of the 100 negative reviews read
- A distinct, still-active technical complaint concerns crashes tied to teleporting between towns, corroborated as recently as April 2026 rather than being a settled, historical issue
Screenshots
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Risen 2: Dark WatersImage: THQ Nordic via Steam -
Risen 2: Dark WatersImage: THQ Nordic via Steam -
Risen 2: Dark WatersImage: THQ Nordic via Steam -
How the review scores each part of the gameWanderer Editorial -
The essentials at a glanceWanderer Editorial -
The short versionWanderer Editorial