GameStar’s Risen 2 preview video.

Risen 2’s magic system detalied!

GameBanshee points out that the above video features a glimpse of the game’s protagonist making use of a magical wand of some sort, and so links to a forum post offering some information about how Risen 2 will handle magic.

Voodoo will, evidently, be the main magical school in the game, and there will be no mage class to speak of.

Voodoo magic in the game is governed by the attribute “Black Magic” and consists of these elements:

Dolls
You can make real Voodoo dolls of your enemies. You will need something of them (like hair) and some other ingredients (herbs, animal teeth, etc.) which you can either collect yourself or buy from the local Voodoo dealer. The dolls are made at an altar and allow you to control the people they represent. This is used at certain, pre-defined points in the game as an alternative solution for problems. There are also curse-dolls which weaken someone. But like all Voodoo magic, it does not deal direct damage. Dolls disappear after they have been used.

Sceptres
Sceptres work similar to wands in D&D games like NWN. They have a specific function that can make your life easier. They can be used multiple times but like the dirty tricks, they have a cooldown period. Sceptres also do not directly damage an opponent but provide support for certain situations (causing fear, help with stealing, freezing time etc.).

Ghost summoning
This is a bit of a mystery at the moment. Apparently, this was mentioned in “GameStar TV” (a video stream for subscribers/payers of the German magazine GameStar). They discovered this in the character screen as a skill. But it was not available to them and they did not know what it would do. I am not even entirely certain it is really a part of Voodoo but it seems plausible, of course.

It’s an interesting way of handling things, I suppose, and more consistent with the pirate/Caribbean vibe that Piranha Bytes are going for with the game. The lack of a formal offensive magic-using character is an interesting choice for a them to make in an RPG, but it probably works better with the game’s lore.

Hooked Gamers interviews Piranha Bytes’ Bjorn Pankratz.

Mr. Pankratz is evidently the project director for Risen 2, and the interview confirms that the magic system in the game is very different from that of Risen (among other things):

Hooked Gamers: One of the major drawbacks of Risen was its awkward combat system (not a strength of the Gothic games either). The automated target selection felt like it was in the way more often than not, often causing you to attack different enemies than intended. How does combat work in Dark Waters, has this been improved?

Bjorn Pankratz: The combat system has been totally reworked for Risen 2. As we have added muskets and pistols and completely changed the magic system, combat will be very different. For example, muskets are two-handed ranged weapons, and pistols can be used left-handed while wielding a cutlass in your right hand.

Also, a nod to classic RPG fans. Or is it a nod? Perhaps it’s a cautionary note:

Hooked Gamers: An oft-heard comment on Risen was that it was a very old fashioned RPG, which was not necessarily a complaint. Still, we’re sure many fans are eager to learn what advancements Dark Waters will bring. What would you say is the biggest innovation you have made?

Bjorn Pankratz: There are a lot of new elements in Risen 2, but as our fans are used to a rather classic fantasy setting, the biggest innovation is probably the fact that this is a pirate RPG. In this connection, firearms and voodoo are another change, as are the many cutscenes we added to support our storyline.

Really, though, the pirate thing should have been obvious by now.

Risen 2’s ERSB rating is in!

I’ll leave it as an exercise to the readers to guess what that rating might be, based on the following:

As players explore tropical environments, they use pistols and swords to engage in melee-style combat with pirates and wild creatures (e.g., monkeys, sea monsters). Battles are highlighted by sword-clanging sounds, slow-motion effects, cries of pain, and brief splashes of blood. Players also have the ability to attack pedestrians, leaving them unconscious. During the course of the game, alcoholic beverages (e.g., rum, grog, bloody marys) can be purchased and consumed to improve players’ health; one sequence allows players to engage in a drinking contest with another character, resulting in blurred screen effects and slurred speech (e.g., “Wass good drinkin’. Now iss time for some shootin’.”). The words “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “c*ck” can be heard in the dialogue.

Also: the first bit of DLC has been announced.

The Treasure Isle add-on will evidently be released for free to anyone who pre-orders the game, and can be acquired by everyone else for $10. As you might expect given the name, it involves a side quest to recover a hidden trove of treasure, and which will feature the reappearance of a particular plot item from Risen.