Title: Risen
Genre: RPG
Developer: Piranha Bytes
Publisher: Deep Silver, Koch Media
Platform: PC, Xbox 360
Faranga is a fictitious volcanic, mediterranean island with different sub-climates and vegetation zones. The island is inhabited by humans, as well as many fantastic creatures.
Recently, ancient temple ruins have risen from the ground, providing access to a network of interconnected underground areas such as catacombs and dungeons. As a result, the humans have put in place an Inquisition, forbidding anyone from exiting their city or the island.
In the intro cinematic the player's main, nameless character and a gypsie named Sara can be seen sneaking around on a small ship in the middle of stormy seas. As they get to deck, they see the Inquisitor, calling out to a Titan in the seas. The giant Titan rises through the waves, shrieking at the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor tries to battle the creature, but he realizes that the battle is lost and teleports off of the boat. Seconds later the Titan smashes the boat into little bits, sending Sara and the unnamed protagonist into the depths. The player character wakes up on the shores of Faranga in the midst of the storm, surrounded by dead bodies. Both he and Sara are unharmed.
The player must then choose a faction with which to align; Don Esteban (a group of bandits which had previously controlled the island, until the Inquisition exiled them from town), the Inquisition (a group of mages who have come to the island in order to explore the mysteries of the rising ruins), or the Warriors of the Order (the essential footsoldiers of the Inquisition who maintain peace and order). Soon after, the player becomes involved with the plans of the High Inquisitor Mendezo, who has discovered a temple leading into the heart of the volcano. He plans to gain access to it, but requires the assistance of the main character in finding the five Crystal Disks, which function as keys for the temple.
Once the player has gathered the five Disks, which had been scattered across the island, the Inquisition enters the Volcano Keep. There, it is discovered that a legendary Titan, along with the Titan Lord Ursegor (a human who had sought to control the power of the titans), have been imprisoned. It is revealed that Faranga has been protected by the storms because of the Titan's presence, while the mainland has been ravaged by the other Titans, which were set free when the Gods were exiled by humanity. Inquisitor Mendoza seeks to gain control of the Fire Titan inside the volcano, in order to defeat the other Titans. In removing the Titan from its prison, Faranga would become vulnerable to the mystical storms and would effectively be sacrificed for the sake of humanity.
After releasing Ursegor from the curse which tethered his spirit to the Volcano Keep, the player sets out to find the Titan Lord's armor pieces, so that he can gain access to the Fire Titan and defeat Mendoza. The armor pieces were sealed in the ruins with the Undead Priests; the player explores the risen ruins, retrieves the armor, and enters the Volcano Keep behind Mendoza. Mendoza falls in battle, and the player defeats the Fire Titan.
The ending suggests that Faranga has been spared from destruction, but that four more Titans continue to ravage the mainland. After the credits roll, dialogue between the main character and Patty, the daughter of an infamous pirate, suggests that the two will travel to the mainlain to fight the Titans in a sequel.
Negative: less satisfying war, have bug, less interesting blonde
Rank: 76/100
