Piranha Bytes is a developer that has created some great, if somewhat janky, RPGs that feature unique gameplay systems, detailed worlds, and characters who are all pretty interesting in their own right. It does take a while to get over the buggy and somewhat unpolished nature of these games, but players who love solid Western RPGs will love what this developer brings to the table.
Their games have all been pretty interesting in their own right, even if some aspects of them can be so broken that they contribute to some unintended bits of hilarity. Regardless, players who decide to play through a Pirahna Bytes game should have a fair idea of which games stuck the landing...and which ones crashed spectacularly.
8 Risen 3: Titan Lords
It seems that Piranha Bytes is cursed when it comes to developing the third entry of any series. Such is the case with Risen 3, a game that is extremely shallow and uninteresting, which is the biggest sin that any game from a studio can commit.
After all, there's no denying that this developer is very spotty when it comes to technical polish in their video games. As a result, it becomes important to nail the atmosphere and characters in these games, and Risen 3 falls flat in both these departments.
7 Risen 2: Dark Waters
Many people feel like Risen 2 is one of the most disappointing sequels ever made by Piranha Bytes. The first game in this trilogy is far from perfect, but the game's atmosphere, jam-packed world, and engaging combat were simply unmatched.
When Risen 2 came out, it was so hopelessly broken that trying to play this title at launch was a massive exercise in futility. The bug fixes didn't really make things better, with guns ending the majority of confrontations in a blast while the world was smaller in scope and lacked the magic of exploration from the first game.
6 Elex 2
Elex 2 had the opportunity to build up on the promise of the first game but ended up dropping the ball somewhat and angering many hardcore fans. The biggest sin committed by this game is that combat was way easier, which had the side effect of trivializing enemies and turning this aspect of the game into a totally mindless endeavor.
While the quest design was improved in certain instances, Elex 2 also features many annoying fetch quests that feel like a poor excuse to pad out the runtime of the game. The game can still be fun when players interact with the many factions...even if this aspect of the title also falls off in the second half.
5 Gothic 3
Gothic 3 could've been something really special, but any chance of the game being a success was thrown completely out of the window when it launched in a downright broken state. Piranha Bytes games having bugs is nothing new, but Gothic 3 took this notion to an extreme level.
However, even after the fan patches, the game is fundamentally flawed in so many ways. The combat system is a travesty, and the game world lacks the many secrets and interesting combat encounters that had become a hallmark of these titles, leading to vast stretches of empty and uninteresting landscapes.
4 Elex
The first Elex game was a step in a bold new direction for Pirahna Games. After developing titles that were steeped in the fantasy genre and set in more primitive settings, the studio decided to go all out in a bid to craft a new sci-fi game that would bring more eyes towards the developer and their games.
Of course, Elex had its fair share of problems upon release, but the love and effort put into this title were plain for everyone to see. The game's combat was clearly inspired by the Soulsborne games, and this wasn't necessarily a bad thing either.
3 Risen
After the third Gothic game ended up being a massive disappointment, Piranha Bytes decided to go back and emulate the success of the first two games. This led to the creation of Risen, an interesting game with unique ideas that was right up the alley of Gothic fans.
The combat was pretty fun and the soundtrack elevated the title's atmosphere. However, the game is also a bit too long for its own good, and many players simply lost interest as the second half of the game dragged on for what felt like forever.
2 Gothic
The first Gothic game introduced players to a unique, lawless world that didn't hold their hand at all. Aside from the weakest enemies, trying to fight any creature was pretty much inviting a game over, leading to many new players struggling in the early hours.
It takes a while for Gothic to get going, with players slowly coming to grips with the combat system and improving the prisoner's abilities before they could take on the tougher foes in the world. It's a wonderful title that only has a few faults and put Pirahna Bytes on the map!
1 Gothic 2
Everything that Gothic did, Gothic 2 did better. The game is considered by many to be Pirahna Bytes' magnum opus, featuring an open world that is riddled with unique locations and rewarding secrets.
It helps that the game's beginning is more manageable, allowing players to learn the ropes easily instead of struggling every step of the way. The story is even more engaging, with the characters and factions being a blast to interact with.