C4G looks back at Risen 3:

Why You Should Play Risen 3 in 2023? | 9 Years Later Retrospective

Thanks Couchpotato!

Mortismal Gaming looks back at Risen 3:

Risen 3 - Review After 100%

Thanks Couchpotato!

A new teaser trailer for next month's Risen 3 Enhanced Edition for the PS4 has been released.

A PC version is coming too, but for 64bit systems only. That's not really a surprise because modders had already hit the limits the 32bit version of the game could handle. An update or upgrade will also be offered in one way or the other.

Swiss site GBase let us know that Risen 3 Enhanced Edition will be coming exclusively to PS4 on the 21st of August.

The site is in German, but the details are that they will present it at the Role Playing Convention in Cologne later this month and it is scheduled for release on the 21st of August.

The Extended Edition is the patched version of the game with all additional content, new effects, a new volumetric cloud system and support for the Sony console functions (remote play, Streaming, recording and share play).

Deep Silver & Piranha Bytes quietly released a new patch this week for Risen 3. If it wasn't for a post from DArtagnan I would have never found out about the patch.

Changelog Risen 3 Patch 1.20

New Feature:

• New difficulty mode "Ultra". In Ultra mode the player is not invincible anymore while evading and there is a cooldown while using healing potions

Balancing:

• Balancing adjustments in final sea serpent fights
• Exploit fix: Jaffar doesn't multiply the value of collected gold pouches anymore

Bugfixes:

• Fixed issue where the player got stuck while jumping after climbing a ladder
• Fixed issue where the player was unable to find the shimmering pearl in collected shells for the "The Sign of the Ancients" quest
• Fixed crash when Jaffar tries to collect an item which is currently under telekinesis by the player
• New session: Fixed rarely occurring issue where corpses were removed from the world so that some quests couldn't be resolved (Honor the Dead, Lost in the forbidden valley,...)
• New session: In some rare cases, there where issues with Zacharias teleport onto Skullisland. Zacharias will now be teleported correctly.

This patch is only meant for the DRM-free retail edition. The patch is cumulative, working for all earlier game versions. Owners of the Steam version should update the game via Steam. In some cases Avast Antivirus causes error messages, when starting the game the first time. Don't mind. Nevertheless the games works fine.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun posted their final review for Risen 3: Titan Lords after writing 10 daily diaries from playing the game. Here is a short quote from the final one.

As much as the awkwardness, the wobbly writing and the ghastly attitudes often pushed me away from Risen, I’d still take its offbeat ambition and clumsy ambition over a slick, impersonal Diablo or a focus grouped Bioware effort. At the same time, sharper, caveman-free writing and a big spend on more accomplished voice-acting would be redempetive – would transform Risen from appealingly odd and into truly impressive. But maybe what’s special about this would be lost if it were able to pursue norms. Perhaps it needs to be as weird and awkward and unpleasant as it is. Perhaps that’s why I like it so much, even when I hate it.

Here is the last review roundup I will be doing for Risen 3, and the scores for most are negative. I'll let you all be the judge if their correct as opinions differ it seems.

RPG Codex - No Score

I doubt they will ever reach their past greatness again. This is made apparent both by the quality of their last two games, and by comparing the credits of Gothic 2 and Risen 3. Hell, even comparing Risen 1 to Risen 3 should be enough to draw the necessary conclusions.

The Gamers Hub - 4.5/10

Ultimately, Risen 3: Titan Lords isn’t that great. It does have its moments, but it certainly feels more like a chore to play through than a pleasure. If you consider yourself a fan of the series, or a serious RPG fanatic, then there’s undoubtedly some good content here to sink your teeth into. However, if you’re looking for a world to explore and just kill some time in – a la Skyrim – then this isn’t really the place for you.

3rd Strike - 5.5/10

Risen 3 as a game might work for some people and if you have played the first two games, you might give it a shot. We however have not been convinced about the game and hope that with a possible next installment Piranha Bytes will step up their game.

Hardcore Games - 95/100

Gamers who can see past Risen 3’s healthy measure of challenge and small handful of flaws will find themselves immersed in a dynamic RPG replete with compelling gameplay and a lively interactive narrative.

Deep Silver has a new post on the Steam forums with news that Risen 3: Titan Lords has a new patch to fix a problem a lot of users  had with the game.

The problem preventing the game form starting on hexacore (or above) systems has been fixed

Here is a post for Joxer as he sent me a link to a few Risen 3: Titan Lords CG Environments from 3D Artist Sascha Henrichs. Just click the link for the various images.

Some environment screenshots from our current game Risen3 greetings to the best art team, this was a good time!Enjoy.

I found another hilarious NSFW video review from Zero Punctuation for Risen 3. Now if improper language, and satire are not to your liking please skip the video review.

This week, Zero Punctuation reviews the pirate RPG Risen 3: Titan Lords.

Worldsfactory inteviewed Piranha Bytes at GamesCom to talk about Risen 3.

The main character is different from Risen2, is that correct?

Yes, that is correct. The protagonist of Risen 3: Titan Lords is a new character. As you can notice is physically different from the previous one, because in Risen 3 it describes the story of a new hero who must face the Titans

Is the engine the same of Risen 2?

The graphics engine is that of Risen 2, but modified. We are dedicated to improving the management of lights and shadows, we have improved textures and we tried to make all areas of the game very immersive.

Compared to Risen 2 there is also a lot more variety of environments, depending on the geographical location of the place you’re going to explore.

Is the physics engine “homemade”? Is physics also applied to elements? I mean, if it’s raining and I summon a fireball, does it lose effectiveness?

Yes, the physics engine is “homemade”. But we have not applied physics to elements. The effectiveness of a fireball is determined by a system of resistance to the fire element; each enemy will have a different resistance.

RPG France offers a translated interview with Björn Pankratz  the Lead Game-Designer, Projectplanner, and Storywriter at Piranha Bytes.

Do you intend to work only with Deep Silver, or do you consider working with other, more ambitious, publishers ? Maybe it would allow you to take it to the next level, with more means ? 

We ever had the possibility to make game, we wanted to play by ourselves and the cooperation with Deep Silver works well. But what the future will bring, we will see. 

 

I believe remembering that you intend to get into the development of other genres of games. Could we have more accurate informations on this topic ? 

We don't know anything about this rumors. We're really successful in making RPG's and like it, so you could say "Never change a running system". Of course you should never say never, but there is no other genre planned at the moment.

Risen 3 seems to intend to be much closer to the first opus than to Risen 2. Is it a personal choice from the developers, or are you following the community's reclamations ? 

Both of it. With Risen 2 we we wanted to develop a real pirate RPG, so we went too strong into one direction. With Risen 3 we wanted to use all of our forces and of course had a look at what our fans wanted to see, so we made a mixture of fantasy and caribbean setting with a huge world, more choices and interactions.

Here is the second round of english reviews for Risen 3: Titan Lords that I could find.

Chalgyr's Game Room - 8/10

Where Risen 3: Titan Lords has a number of rough edges when it comes to some voice acting, control schemes (or lack there of), and endgame narrative pacing and discovery, the entire package as a whole is a wildly successful, often thrilling, and quite fun pirate adventure.

ZTGD - 8.5/10

Risen 3 features some improvements over the first two games. The combat is still cumbersome at times mainly due to the targeting and camera, but the story, customizations and characters are all very enjoyable.

GamesTM - 4/10

The whole experience isn’t awful, just thoroughly uninspiring; a box of biscuits where some are moldy and all are digestive. It’s fun to be a pirate, but it’s far, far more fun elsewhere, with Risen 3 once again struggling and failing to rise above anything but its own mediocrity.

Gamebanshee - No Score

Risen 3 feels like a transitional title. It manages to smooth some of the rough edges of Risen 2, but makes mistakes of its own. Ultimately, it doesn't match the original Risen or the Gothic series. The focus and excellence of Piranha Bytes is gone, as is the feeling of genuine connection with the setting, which was the distinguishing feature of the German studio's early titles.

Eurogamer gave Risen 3: Titan Lords a 6/10 in a new review posted this week.

It's a rusty cutlass in the heart of a sequel that, otherwise, is progressive in small but welcome ways. The series still lacks a worthwhile identity of its own and is too quick to run away from its piratical setting in favour of more familiar fantasy archetypes, but for surprisingly hefty chunks of Risen 3 I was drawn in and entertained, at least until another clumsily staged battle soured me again. For those who have been able to cut through the clutter and clumsiness of the series so far, this may well be a small hurdle, and you'll discover a commendably deep and full RPG for your trouble. It's just a shame that such a fundamental feature as combat takes the shine off what could have been the sequel to make Risen popular beyond its small audience of devotees.

Everyone's favourite RPG news site, RPGWatch has an excellent Impressions/Review of Risen 3 posted in the forums by Maylander. Here's a short taste:

Exploration 
It's excellent. There's really not a lot more to say than that. All the loot is hand placed, so every little corner of the world is worth exploring. The economy is very tight (will discuss that more later), so all the loot really is needed. 

Swimming is back, which is something I rarely care about in games, but in this particular case it actually works. There are several secrets that can only be found by swimming around in somewhat unlikely places. Extensive use of flying (parrot form) is also needed to find many of the secrets, and that's another bonus in my opinion.

Be sure to check it out regularly as Maylander promises to update it after each playthrough.

Deep Silver released a new launch trailer to celebrate the release of Risen 3.

Defeated, killed, deprived of his soul, a new hero has Risen, out to fight for what was taken from him.

More info at http://bit.ly/risen3titanlords

The world has been abandoned by its gods and is scarred from the rampage of the Titans. Humanity is struggling to regain strength and rally its forces. You, however, have more pressing concerns: your own life has been shattered and you must set off to reclaim what is lost amidst the darkness that is spreading throughout the world. Who knows, maybe you'll even save the world at the same time?

Here is a new sixty minute video preview of the beginning for Risen 3 from Robert Cram of Cram Gaming. Now a warning must be given as it will spoil the game for you.

A look at the Risen 3 gameplay in the opening 60 minutes of Risen 3 Titan Lords from Deep Silver. This is the PC version running on Max settings and using an Xbox 360 controller. Risen 3 releases from August 15th on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

To begin the large news-bit I have new press release from Deep Silver about the release in the NA market. Don't worry as we will be the beta testers this time.

Risen 3: Titan Lords Now Available in North America

August 12, 2014 - Cologne, Germany - Deep Silver announced the release of  Risen 3: Titan Lords for the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system as well as Windows PC today in North America and on August 15th in Europe and the rest of the world. With  Risen 3: Titan Lords, Piranha Bytes, the creators of Gothic and Risen, return to their origins with a new, classic RPG that pulls the player in to a hand-crafted role-playing world full of rugged charm where every decision changes the course of the story.

In their "Factions" gameplay video, Piranha Bytes introduce the three factions of  Risen 3: Titan Lord s and takes you on an unforgettable, visually stunning journey. In  Risen 3: Titan Lords, every faction comes with its own unique skills and tasks and offers a very unique style of play. 

See the launch trailer:  https://rcpt.hightail.com/2603501253/0415437012e9dc08a4227ce295cf53d2?cid=tr-1001012/

Then I found a few more reviews for the game, and not all of them like the game.

Innergeek - 1.5/5

It’s a shame the game is so riddled with issues, because it has some cool ideas up those frilly sleeves. The game’s pretty relaxed about how you go about quests, even telling the quest giver to f**k off if you get bored.  Unfortunately, for all its ambition, once I got wings I just wanted to fly away.

Analog Addiction - 9/10

Fans of the Risen franchise will absolutely love Risen 3: Titan Lords, while newcomers will definitely enjoy it, and maybe even get interested in the other two entries.

The Sixth Axis - 3/10

Though Risen 3 has its moments, there is simply too much to overlook, even if you’re patient enough to make it five or six hours into the game. Role-playing die hards may be able to wring a few morsels of enjoyment from Titan Lords though others, including casual fans of the genres, will find it almost unplayable.

Attackof The Fanboy -  No Score but Meh

Risen 3: Titan Lords is an old-school RPG that will appeal to only the hardcore Risen/Gothic community. For the rest, this last-gen offering is one that will likely fly under the radar. And given that well-executed freedom of exploration and passable combat barely balance out the handful of negative aspects, this is one experience that can wait for a price drop.

And for last I have another twitch.tv recorded live stream.

Risen 3: Titan Lords should be available for all US members today, and it seems the first batch of reviews have been released, So here they are in no particular order.

PC Gamer - 83/100

Combat quibbles and muddy graphics do little to spoil the fun of this enjoyable RPG.

Game Informer - 7/10

While Risen 3 doesn’t have great combat or an enthralling story, there’s a lot of content to delve into for those hungry for an open-world action/RPG, and that might be enough to entice fans to give it a try.

Strategy Informer - 8/10

Despite still having a few issues Risen 3: Titan Lords is a vast improvement on Risen 2. The combat could be better but doesn't cripple the game this time, the world is more interesting and easier to get around, and there's tons of stuff to do.

Escapist Magazine - 2/5

Bloated in the mission department, threadbare everywhere else, Risen 3: Titan Lords is cobbled together from rehashed material, and the series' many flaws are enhanced a hundredfold in the process.

Twinfinite - 2/5

Nestled beneath the banal exterior of Risen 3 is a great fantasy RPG. Multiple factions and characters which could add masses of character to the game but do little more than drain it away from the world.

Hardcore Gamer - 2.5/5

Risen 3: Titan Lords is a clunky mess of a game that fails to capitalize on the potential it has put forth. While the concept sounds alluring, and it’s chock-full of charm, it’s weighed down by stodgy design and a lack of polish.

A small site called Gamers Honest Truth has a preview for Risen 3: Titan Lords.

I was whining about the lack of good RPG games available, and my friendly neighbourhood computer game guys introduced me to the first Risen. I liked and played both games, but definitely enjoyed the challenge of the first game more. Both games scored well by reviewers – typically between 3 and 4 stars, and both games had that familiar Gothic 3 look and feel.

Although I’m always looking, I missed the game announcement in February. Then, just a couple of days ago I read that Risen 3: Titan Lords was being released on August 12. I was super surprised and excited that yet another of my long-time favourite developers was releasing a game during the summer game void.

I also have a new German video that shows what's included in the Collector's Edition.

Deep Silver did another live stream on Twitch.Tv for Risen 3: Titan Lords, and they once again posted a recording for those who missed the live stream.

Will continues dying across the lands of Calador, home of the Demon Hunters. At the end, he runs into an old friend.

Deep Silver hosted a live stream event on Twitch.Tv eariler today for Risen 3: Titan Lords. Unfortunately the event is over but they posted a recording of the live event.

Just a warnig the video takes a bit of time to load.

Deep Silver & Piranha Bytes have released a new English trailer for Risen 3: Titan Lords.

Our new trailer explains how Risen 3 takes all the good traits from the Gothic and Risen series to make it the best experience possible. Risen 3 - Titan Lords will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC on August 15th 2014.

Thank you Vurt for the link.

A gaming blog by the name of One Angry Gamer has posted a new English preview for Risen 3. So maybe we have more incoming soon, and it's about time I say.

To keep some of the game’s appeal mixed up and diverse, Piranha Bytes has various mini-games and treasures sprinkled throughout the game. So exploration is most definitely encouraged, even though the game mechanics are somewhat limited in how the exploration takes place (there is no parkour like in Assassin’s Creed, so it sometimes requires a bit of creativity to get around).

As for the mini-games, players will be to partake in various activities outside of the standard main and side-quests. For instance, there is an archery mini-game available where players attempt to get their arrow as close to the bulls-eye as possible. Also, there are other interactive-world activities such as being able to lock-pick doors and treasure chests in order to access areas that aren’t easily reachable.

There’s really no telling how well players will take to a game like this. The limited customization will instantly keep certain gamers from wanting to give the game a chance. However, the hard-as-nails combat and free-form character scaling – as far as attributes, stats and abilities go – could give gamers looking for a serious challenge a bit of something to tide them over until Wasteland 2 comes out of Early Access, or Project Eternity drops for public consumption.

Deep Silver & Piranha Bytes have released more information a new guild in Risen 3: Titan Lords called the Demon Hunters Faction. As usual here is the press release.

To go along with the news of the sale it seems you can now pre-order Risen 3: Titan Lords on Steam. You of course get the usual DLC that goes along with the pre-order.

About the Game

The world has been abandoned by its gods and is scarred from the rampage of the Titans. Humanity is struggling to regain strength and rally its forces. You, however, have more pressing concerns: your own life has been shattered and you must set off to reclaim what is lost amidst the darkness that is spreading throughout the world. Who knows, maybe you'll even save the world at the same time?

Three threads of destiny lie before you. Three ways to rise up against the Titans and regain your soul. Which path to take? The choice is yours.

Features

Freedom: Freely explore and take on quests at your leisure. Quests will have different ways to tackle them and different outcomes. You can play different parts of the game in whatever order you wish and shape your character individually.

Exploration: Discover quests and characters as you make your way through the diverse world of Risen 3 - Titan Lords. From quaint medieval-style towns to delving deep into the dank dark of mines, to the supernatural shadow world, there is a wealth of possibilities waiting to be explored. You will be able to traverse this world in a variety of ways, from swimming to climbing.

Enhanced combat: Featuring a revamped fighting system, with new animation systems in place that add nuance to the fights.

Magic is back! Crystal magic has returned, bringing with it devastating new combat abilities. Wield elements such as lightning, fire and ice to obliterate your foes, or make use of a multitude of additional magical skills to aid you in exploration - the choice is yours!

Guilds & factions: Choose to ally yourself with one of three distinct guilds, each offering unique skills, armouries and quests allowing you to approach your quest in very different ways. Discover additional factions that exist to bend the balance of political power in the world, each with their own agenda for you to uncover. Be careful which characters you trust – some might ally with you with the intent of fulfilling their own sinister plans.

Deep Silver & Piranha Bytes released a short press release a few days ago about the Guardians Guild for Risen 3. They even released some more screenshots.

Risen 3 Titan Lords: Introducing the Guardians Guild

Magic fights a grim battle against a dark menace.

Larkspur, Calif. – June 26, 2014 – Deep Silver and Piranha Bytes unveiled details and the first screenshots surrounding the Guardians Guild in the upcoming and anticipated role playing game, Risen 3: Titan Lords, coming later this year to  PC, the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3. Showcased via a series of visually stunning screenshots, the last Mages and their faithful Guardians face a sinister and dark menace. Once a proud and elite order, the Mages were well-respected counselors of the kings. Now, outlawed by the Inquisition, they live a secluded life on the thunderous island of Taranis. As the hero of Risen 3: Titan Lords, you have the option to join the guild of the Guardians and learn the powerful spells of their crystal magic as you traverse the land in an effort to conquer your enemies and save the world.

Exiled to an extensive abbey in the mountains of Taranis, the old circle of wise men continue their experiments to create an enchanted weapon that can defeat the enemy Titans and set an end to the everlasting conflict. Armed with a private army of former soldiers, the Guardians Guild offers players training in the powerful magical arts and provide increased combat expertise if you choose to advance in the ranks. Players can gain access to exclusive armor from this proud order, and boost an array of magical spells to the limit.

The world of Risen 3: Titan Lords tells the tale of a land abandoned by all gods, with its inhabitants suffering from the Titan Wars and a new threat rising from the very soil of the land. A young warrior is attacked from the shadows and deprived of his soul. He sets off to reclaim what is lost amidst the darkness that is spreading throughout the world. Banned and long forgotten Mages versed in the magical arts could be powerful allies on the quest. To get their help, he needs to find the Mage sanctuary on Taranis, also known as the Island of Thunder. Protected by the Guardians, the Mages search the mines of Taranis for crystals loaded with magic energy. Will the player join the Guardians to get in contact with the Mages? Or will he choose one of the other guilds in Risen 3 to reach his goals?

Official Website: http://risen3.deepsilver.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/risengame
Twitter: www.twitter.com/deepsilver

I managed to find some new screenshots for Risen 3: Titan Lords on Neptune Games. So here is the link as I am too lazy to upload them to our gallery

Here is a new video of Piranha Bytes RPG Risen III presentation from RPC 2014. I'm sorry to say the video is not in English, but you can still watch the footage.

Deep Silver & Piranha Bytes have released a new CGI trailer for Risen 3. No game footage yet guys but at least we have new game coverage at last in English.

Risen 3: Titan Lords – CGI Trailer Sets Tone For The Classic RPG

Deep Silver and Piranha Bytes today reveal an action-paced CGI-Trailer to set the tone for the upcoming classic RPG “Risen 3: Titan Lords”.

Bereft of his soul, a young warrior seeks for salvation and has to fight the soaring darkness. Even worse: In the whole world, skull caves rise from the grounds and spill creatures of the shadow on the earth. To win back his soul, our hero must fight the darkest threat of the Risen saga.

About Risen 3
The key element of the cult Gothic series as well as Risen is the vivid world and the freedom to explore it. The world of Risen 3: Titan Lords will be diverse, authentic and full of life, providing the player with an authentic, classic RPG experience.

“Like a carpenter with a hand-crafted piece of furniture, we put together the story, the characters and the landscape until it all fits and the player has the possibility to discover things all around the place. You can try out and find things that others might not. Exploration is the key to our game”, says Bjoern Pankratz, Project Lead at Piranha Bytes.

The world of Risen 3 is abandoned by all gods and suffers from the Titan Wars when a new threat rises from the soil. A young warrior is attacked from the shadows and deprived of his soul. He sets off to reclaim what is lost amidst the darkness that is spreading throughout the world. The banned Mages could be powerful allies on his quest. To get their help, he needs to find the Mage sanctuary on Taranis, also known as the Island of Thunder. Protected by the Guardians, the Mages search the mines of Taranis for crystals loaded with magic energy. Will the player join the Guardians to get in contact with the Mages? Or will he choose one of the other guilds in Risen 3 to reach his goals?

Official Website: http://risen3.deepsilver.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/risengame
Twitter: www.twitter.com/deepsilver

Here is a Risen 3 trailer, which might be interesting eventhough it is a CGI trailer:

If you like to pre-order based on this  or just because you know you will like it, you can do that at the DeepSilver site.

Despite information being leaked earlier this week Deep Silver has now officially announced the next Risen game called Risen 3: Titan Lords. Here are the details.

It is also now safe to post screenshots so check out our gallery here.

Risen 3: Titan Lords – Piranha Bytes Return To Their Roots With Classic RPG

Piranha Bytes, the creators of Gothic and Risen, return to their origins with a new, classic RPG. Risen 3: Titan Lords pulls the player in to a handcrafted role-playing world full of rugged charm where every decision changes the course of the story. Risen 3: Titan Lords is set for release in August 2014 for the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system as well as Windows PC.

The key element of the cult Gothic series as well as Risen is the vivid world and the freedom to explore it. The world of Risen 3: Titan Lords will be diverse, authentic and full of life, providing the player with an authentic, classic RPG experience.

“Like a carpenter with a handcrafted piece of furniture, we put together the story, the characters and the landscape until it all fits and the player has the possibility to discover things all around the place. You can try out and find things that others might not. Exploration is the key to our game”, says Bjoern Pankratz, Project Lead at Piranha Bytes.

The world of Risen 3 is abandoned by all gods and suffers from the Titan Wars when a new threat rises from the soil. A young warrior is attacked from the shadows and deprived of his soul. He sets off to reclaim what is lost amidst the darkness that is spreading throughout the world. The banned Mages could be powerful allies on his quest. To get their help, he needs to find the Mage sanctuary on Taranis, also known as the Island of Thunder. Protected by the Guardians, the Mages search the mines of Taranis for crystals loaded with magic energy. Will the player join the Guardians to get in contact with the Mages? Or will he choose one of the other guilds in Risen 3 to reach his goals?

Official Website: http://risen3.deepsilver.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/risengame
Twitter: www.twitter.com/deepsilver

Thanks to two of our members TheMadGamer, and fragonard we now have information on the next Risen game. You can check out IGN, or visit the German site PC Games.

German gaming magazine PC Games revealed today the next game in the Risen series, Risen 3: Titan Lords.

The magazine's cover, which you can see below, shows an armored man, mid-sword swing, in a Mordor-eque setting. This looks to be a departure in setting from the second game in the series, Risen 2: Dark Waters, which took a fantasy approach to the world of classic pirates, and perhaps shows a return to a harder, more traditional fantasy setting.

The game is being developed by German developer Piranha Bytes and will be published by Deep Silver.