Launch Station: Risen 2: Dark Waters

Originally released for the PC back at the end of April, Risen 2: Dark Waters will finally be released for consoles tomorrow.  Risen is not a high profile game series so I was a little confused when it came out for the PC, but was delayed for the consoles.  It might be for the better as Risen 2 is being at a time when gamers are starving for new game releases due to the drought of games released these summer months.  A factor that could possibly spike the initial sales of the game.

Risen 2: Dark Waters is a pirate-themed action RPG, a unique theme for a game considering there are not many games based on pirates in the last few years.  Risen 2 picks up after the events of the first game (if anybody has even played it), humanity is at the brink of extinction by a group of raging Titans.  Due to all the destruction caused by the Titans, monsters have started emerging from the watery depths of the sea.  You take control of the Nameless Hero, a member of the military group known as the Inquisition.  The Nameless Hero is tasked with exploring the world in order to find out a way to stop these new threats from the depths of the sea.  Risen 2 offers a vast sea and a huge amount of islands to explore in this dark and gritty pirate-themed world.  Like most RPGs in this day and age, Risen 2 allows the player to take multiple approaches to each scenario in the game and make decisions that will change certain aspects of the game such as the world, story or character progression.  Speaking of character progression, there are no set classes in Risen 2.  The player will get to choose how to customize the Nameless Hero's skills and attributes however they want.  Risen 2 also offers a full day/night cycle which affects different aspects of the game as well.

Unlike zombies or nazis, pirates have not been done to death in video games that some gamers might give Risen 2: Dark Water a look.  Unless you are desperately looking for a new action RPG to buy in these slow summer months, Risen 2 does not look good enough to justify a full 60 dollar purchase.  If you really want to play it, I honestly suggest waiting for it to hit the bargin bin.