Choose Risen 2: Dark Waters
Choose Risen 2: Dark Waters if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,015 Steam reviews back the pick.
Risen 2: Dark Waters vs Gothic 1
Risen 2: Dark Waters and Gothic 1 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. Gothic 1 (2001) is 11 years older than Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012). Gothic 1 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% 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 Gothic 1
Choose Gothic 1 if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.9% positive across 2,742 reviews.
Both Risen 2: Dark Waters and Gothic 1 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 2: Dark Waters |  Gothic 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2001 |
| Genres | RPG | Action, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 75.5% positive (1,015 reviews) | 84.9% positive (2,742 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Piranha Bytes | Piranha Bytes |
Side by side
- Both are RPG games on Steam.
- Gothic 1 (2001) is 11 years older than Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012).
- Gothic 1 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than Risen 2: Dark Waters (75.5% positive).
- Risen 2: Dark Waters is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Gothic 1 (9.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Risen 2: Dark Waters is Deck Playable, Gothic 1 is Deck Unsupported.
Risen 2: Dark Waters vs Gothic 1 — FAQ
- Which is better, Risen 2: Dark Waters or Gothic 1?
- On Steam reviews Gothic 1 scores higher (84.9% positive) than Risen 2: Dark Waters (75.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Gothic 1 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 2: Dark Waters or Gothic 1 first?
- If you want chronology, Gothic 1 (2001) 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 2: Dark Waters and Gothic 1 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.