Risen 2: Dark Waters has been sitting in my collection for several months, but I simply haven’t had the time to actually play it. Open-world games tend to be quite lengthy, so I usually save them for summer breaks or other periods when I have plenty of free time.
I hate playing a game for a few evenings, then having to take a long break because of other games or real-life commitments. More often than not, I end up never returning to it because I’ve forgotten the story, the controls, and everything else that was going on.
The first Risen was a very good game, although it certainly had its flaws. It suffered from some severe bugs and sluggish frame rates, but despite those issues, it managed to win over many players. As a result, gamers have been eagerly anticipating this sequel. The pirate theme, combined with the established gameplay mechanics, has enormous potential to make Risen 2: Dark Waters an outstanding game.
Risen 2: Dark Waters has been sitting in my collection for several months, but I simply haven’t had the time to actually play it. Open-world games tend to be quite lengthy, so I usually save them for summer breaks or other periods when I have plenty of free time.
I hate playing a game for a few evenings, then having to take a long break because of other games or real-life commitments. More often than not, I end up never returning to it because I’ve forgotten the story, the controls, and everything else that was going on.
The first Risen was a very good game, although it certainly had its flaws. It suffered from some severe bugs and sluggish frame rates, but despite those issues, it managed to win over many players. As a result, gamers have been eagerly anticipating this sequel. The pirate theme, combined with the established gameplay mechanics, has enormous potential to make Risen 2: Dark Waters an outstanding game.
There are two special editions of the game, but the only one I was able to find was the version pictured here. It comes without the “barrel of rum,” but everything else is included in my package, along with the beautiful oversized collector’s box, which is not included with the barrel edition.
Risen 2 must have one of the best collector’s editions released in quite some time. The amount of goodies included is simply amazing, and the box design practically screams, “BUY ME!”
This is the back of the collector’s box, showing everything that’s included in the package. Fortunately, the picture doesn’t exaggerate what’s inside, as the contents are every bit as impressive as advertised.
The artwork shown on both the front and back is actually a paper sleeve wrapped around the main cardboard box. I’m almost certain that this sleeve will become quite rare over the years, as it’s very susceptible to wear and tear. In fact, I’ve already seen brand-new copies in stores where the sleeve was already showing signs of damage. For collectors, finding a copy with the sleeve in pristine condition could become increasingly difficult as time goes on.
This is the actual cardboard box, and they must have spent a fortune producing these things. The build quality is outstanding, and the design looks and feels incredibly premium. It’s one of those collector’s editions that immediately stands out on a shelf and gives the impression that a lot of care and attention went into its presentation.
Honestly, I wish every collector’s edition was made to this standard. The packaging alone feels like a collector’s item in its own right. That said, as impressive as the box is, it’s only the beginning. Scroll down to see some even more impressive goodies included in the package!
See this thing? It’s the folder, or envelope, that holds the art cards. Nothing special, you might think. Well, think again.
This thing is made entirely of sturdy cardboard, and it’s even embossed, which gives it a premium look and feel. It’s a small detail, but it’s exactly the kind of extra effort that makes this collector’s edition stand out from the crowd.
Most publishers would have been happy to throw the art cards into a simple paper sleeve and call it a day, but the people behind Risen 2 clearly wanted something a little more special. It’s surprisingly impressive, especially for something that could have easily been overlooked.
Yup, there’s even more of them below.
Looking back, I probably should have rescanned these or taken better photos of them, and the same goes for the rest of the collector’s edition packaging. I might redo the images in the future if there’s enough interest from readers.
Anyway, these are the art cards that come inside the embossed envelope shown above. The cards themselves are embossed as well, and they look absolutely fantastic. The attention to detail is genuinely impressive, and they feel far more premium than the typical bonus items included with most collector’s editions.
EDIT: I’ve updated the photos, and they look much better now. While nothing can truly compare to seeing these items in person, I think the new images do them justice and should be more than adequate for most readers. If you disagree, feel free to let me know! 🙂
It wouldn’t really be a collector’s edition without a poster… or would it?
Either way, Risen 2 comes with a massive A1-sized poster, and once again the quality is absolutely outstanding. The paper stock feels premium, and the artwork looks fantastic. By this point, I’m almost running out of ways to praise the contents of this collector’s edition.
Just like everything else included in the package, the poster is exceptionally well made. From the quality of the materials to the design itself, it’s genuinely gobsmacking, to say the least.
And the trend continues… The map is printed on the reverse side of the poster shown above.
Honestly, this is the only real disappointment in an otherwise fantastic collector’s edition. Why not include two separate posters instead? That way, collectors could display the artwork and the map at the same time without having to choose between them.
It may seem like a small complaint, but considering the incredible attention to detail shown everywhere else in the package, this feels like a strange corner to cut.
AAAAAAAARF!
The package also includes a set of stickers, the game’s soundtrack, and a Making Of Risen 2 DVD (seriously, why not a Blu-ray?!), along with a bandana and a necklace.
As I’ve come to expect from the rest of this collector’s edition, the quality is once again top-notch. None of the items feel like cheap filler thrown into the box just to pad out the contents. Everything feels well made and thoughtfully designed, making the whole package even more impressive.
At this point, it’s becoming clear that the people behind this collector’s edition put a great deal of effort into making it feel special for fans and collectors alike.
Finally, we have the actual game case itself. Unfortunately, it’s pretty standard fare and continues a trend that has become all too common with collector’s editions.
Rather than creating a unique game case for the premium package, the developers simply included the regular retail edition inside the collector’s edition box. It’s a bit disappointing, especially considering the incredible effort that went into the rest of the package.
Don’t get me wrong, the collector’s edition as a whole is fantastic, but this feels like a somewhat lazy solution. A special cover, steelbook, or even some exclusive packaging would have been a much nicer touch and would have better matched the premium feel of everything else included.
Here’s a closer look at the really cool necklace included in the package. Like most of the other extras, it’s surprisingly well made and feels like a worthwhile addition rather than a cheap throwaway item.
As for the game itself, I still haven’t had the chance to play it. It’s sitting in my collection waiting for its turn, but time has been in short supply lately. On the bright side, this is probably one of those games that benefits from a little patience. By the time I finally get around to playing it, it will likely have received a whole host of updates, patches, and bug fixes, making for a much smoother experience.
Pirate-themed games are far too rare these days, and that’s a real shame. It’s a setting with so much potential, yet developers don’t seem to explore it nearly enough. Honestly, I’d welcome just about anything with a pirate theme at this point. Give us an RPG, a strategy game, or even a first-person shooter set in a pirate world. I don’t care what genre it is, we simply need more pirate games, and we need them now!
1 thought on “The Pirates Have Risen , Again! – RISEN 2: Dark Waters”
Another post fixed.
– Over 2 years now since i moved the blog and lost all those posts/pictures etc. Who would have thought it would take this long to do everything 🙁
Another post fixed.
– Over 2 years now since i moved the blog and lost all those posts/pictures etc. Who would have thought it would take this long to do everything 🙁