The story begins in the Fortress of Crystal at the port of Caldera, the last fortress of the Inquisition (a military/religious group last seen in Risen) and of the Old Empire. The mountains surrounding Caldera are aflame, as ancient gods called Titans assail the land to the north. Two Titan Lords, Ursegor and Ismael, have fallen to fighting each other, which has relieved the pressure on Caldera, although parts of the city are on fire and have been abandoned. One of the two Titan Lords will soon fall, and the winner will then try to find a way to crush Caldera. Only the power of the mysterious crystal cave under the Fortress gives the small, depleted garrison some hope to keep the victorious Titan Lord at bay. Attacks from a sea monster called the Kraken, under the command of the Titan goddess Mara, prevent Inquisition equipment, soldiers and supplies from reaching the last remaining haven of Caldera. The monster also prevents the Inquisition from fleeing from the Titans and the Old World, over the ocean to the New World. To add to the garrison's troubles, pirates who try to rob the storehouses threaten what little supplies Caldera has left. One stormy night, Commandante Carlos (head of the Harbour Town garrison in the first Risen) spies a pirate ship on a course into Caldera harbor. Before it can reach safety, it is sunk by the Kraken. Carlos asks the hero to help any survivors. Among the survivors who are washed up on the beach is a key character from Risen, the pirate Patty. Patty is always searching for her father, the famous pirate Gregorius Emanuel Steelbeard, and his treasure. Rumor says Steelbeard has found a way to sail the seas safely, using what may be a possible weapon that could kill the Kraken. Commandante Carlos decides that the Hero should infiltrate Steelbeard's pirates and try to learn their secrets.
Throughout the game's progression, players can improve five key attributes, each with a focus on different styles of gameplay. The "Blades" attribute determines proficiency and use of swords, daggers, throwing weapons, and other slashing/thrusting weaponry while "Firearms" revolves on pistols, rifles and other gunpowder-based weaponry. "Toughness" determines the level of which damage that can be taken from different attacks, while "Cunning" focuses on stealth, including sneaking, thievery, and persuading other characters. The "Voodoo" attribute revolves around the use of black magic and other lethal and non-lethal rituals that can be utilized throughout the play. Each point covers many multiple sub-classes for each, known as "Talents", which are skills that represent different perks and abilities. Because of the variety, players can choose to focus on other attributes and talents depending on their approaches to gameplay, such as stealth, magic, dirty tricks, or conventional combat.
Source: The Publisher Website.