Risen 2: Dark Waters Previews

We have rounded up two new hands-off previews for Piranha Bytes’ upcoming pirate-themed sequel to the open-world action-RPG Risen, which this time will be released as a multiplatform title.

Xbox360Achievements:

Following Jaffar, we have to track down ten wooden planks, five vines to bind it all together and six shirts to act as a sail. The portly gnome leads us towards a cave, using his natural thieving talents to loot and gather items for us, as we’re attacked by giant termites in the jungle. The insects are easily smacked down with a sword, and once at the cave, we’re able to obtain the things that Jaffar has scavenged for us, gaining +10 Glory points while we’re at it. This concludes part one of our demo, with the second part taking us to a small settlement inhabited by gnomes (again), where there’s a quest to try and decipher what one of the gnomes named Nuri wants in exchange for some parts for our raft. Having worked out the gibberish, it transpires that we have to part with a valuable black pearl (it’s suitably ‘dako’ enough for his tastes, apparently) for a few shabby old shirts.

We then encounter Kaan, a well-spoken gnome who actually corrects our pronunciation and sentences, as he’s well-travelled and a bit of a smart-arse. He wants us to kill a monster for him and he’ll help us get off the island if we do, but that’s where the second section of the demo wraps up, leading us to the penultimate part, further on into the game where the unnamed hero has acquired his own ship and is forming a burgeoning crew. It’s dusk on the island, and we’re stationed in a small village where the inhabitants go about their daily routines. Here you can visit the cooper to forge weapons from the ore you’ve mined and chat to the people for additional quests and incidental exposition.

Ready-Up:

Now, I’ve gone ahead and broken the sacred rule of journalism and I’ve saved the two best bits for last. Two new components which will be coming to the Risen experience with Dark Waters are the ability to gather and control a crew of AI characters and a monkey.

That’s right, you heard me right folks, the ability to gather and control a fully fledged crew. Just like Captain Jack Sparrow (DAMMIT!), in true Pirates of the Caribbean style as you are down on your luck, high on blood alcohol content and with nary two planks of wood to rub together you are after a pirate crew to help you gain a ship and presumably plunder, pillage or rescue various fair maidens (Deep Silver were very cryptic about the plot-line thus far). I’d love to delve into it in more detail but, aside from explaining that gathering a crew is a rather prominent feature in Risen 2, Deep Silver were very hush hush about the whole thing so the best I can tell you is that it is definitely a thing that is happening.

Who cares about any of the previous 1,000 words, though, because MONKEY! Again, Deep Silver were not willing to divulge the full extent of how the monkey comes into play but they did let a few gems slip out. First, and most important, of all: yes the monkey is playable. As far as what was shown, playable on command. This means whenever the situation suits you, Nameless Hero de jour is able to ask his little chum to run into a house to steal supplies, distract guards, swipe keys off belts and get into smaller areas through very convenient monkey-sized holes. I doubt the monkey itself has a set name, but even if it does I full intent to call mine ‘˜Fuzzylumpkins’ and hope that it’s possible to not have to control anyone or any thing else for the entire game.