Choose Risen
Choose Risen if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 83.8% positive across 2,271 reviews.
Risen vs Risen 2: Dark Waters
Risen and Risen 2: Dark Waters both land in RPG on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are RPG games on Steam. Risen (2009) is 3 years older than Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012). Risen scores higher on Steam reviews (83.8% positive) than Risen 2: Dark Waters (75.5% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Risen 2: Dark Waters
Choose Risen 2: Dark Waters if it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,015 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Risen and Risen 2: Dark Waters sit in RPG on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Risen |  Risen 2: Dark Waters | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2012 |
| Genres | RPG | RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 83.8% positive (2,271 reviews) | 75.5% positive (1,015 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Piranha Bytes, THQ Nordic | Piranha Bytes |
Side by side
- Both are RPG games on Steam.
- Risen (2009) is 3 years older than Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012).
- Risen scores higher on Steam reviews (83.8% positive) than Risen 2: Dark Waters (75.5% positive).
- Risen 2: Dark Waters is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Risen (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Risen vs Risen 2: Dark Waters — FAQ
- Which is better, Risen or Risen 2: Dark Waters?
- On Steam reviews Risen scores higher (83.8% positive) than Risen 2: Dark Waters (75.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Risen is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Risen or Risen 2: Dark Waters first?
- If you want chronology, Risen (2009) came out before Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Risen and Risen 2: Dark Waters similar?
- They overlap on RPG on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.