It has been 5 years since Sacred 2 was released, back in 2009. I will be honest and say that Sacred 3 is the first Sacred title I have actually played, but from what I saw and read, Sacred 3 looked to be the kind of game I would really enjoy. Entering into the Sacred world for the first time, I was excited, yet worried I wouldn’t ‘get it’. Let’s find out in my full review below. Enjoy!
Game: Sacred 3
Developer: Keen Games
Publisher: Deep Silver
Reviewed on:
STORY
If you are reading this, and like me, haven’t ventured into the Sacred universe as of yet, then I am happy to report that if you haven’t played any of the preview titles in the series, you won’t feel lost or confused in Sacred 3. Sacred 3 casts you off into the world of Ancaria, where the Ashen Empire have their sights set on stealing the item that holds it all together, the Heart of Ancaria. You choose as one of the ‘heroes’ to set on your adventure with, and set on bringing down the empire, making sure that the Heart of Ancaria, once again, belong in the hands of good. It is a very easy story to get to grips with really, without really adding much depth as it goes along.
GRAPHICS
Unfortunately, Sacred 3 didn’t really impress me at all, graphically. Yes the cut scenes are nice, but that’s what you would come to expect from a game made in 2014. Whilst levels are varied enough, it never really made me go ‘oh, this is visually nice’, at all. The most detail in the game has gone into the main characters, and whilst that is expected, I would of like to see more detail and variation go into the enemies and bosses of the game. I would expect a Sacred 4 will be made, and hopefully, will get a bigger visual jump, if they decide to bring it on to the new generation of consoles.
SOUND
Sacred 3 sound wise, is probably where the game shines the most. Although the voice acting in the game is average at beat, the humor that accompanies it had me laughing for a while after, and that is well done to Keen Games for coming up with a script so full of genuine humor. Too many times I have played a game where it has tried to be funny, with disastrous results. However, Sacred 3 is funny even when it tries not to be, and for that, it made my adventure in Ancaria more enjoyable.
GAMEPLAY
Sacred 3 offers basically, top-down action, with certain RPG elements. It’s a rather simple approach, rarely showing anything more than a little ambition, which is a shame. As your character, each level is about slashing through hordes of enemies before you come onto the main boss. As you go through the game, your player levels up, and players can also mid-level go to the store and purchase items such as potions to use.
You will find yourself leveling up at a rather solid pace, often leveling up after each, or mid-way through a mission. Missions are not very long, or hard, even on the most difficult, champion setting. As I said, it is a simple approach, to the way the main mechanics work in Sacred 3. You have your normal attacks, used by simply button-bashing, and you also have the use of Combat Arts, which you learn more as you level up through the game. That’s purely Sacred 3 in a nutshell really, and It is a shame, as I feel that if a bit more ambition was to be shown, Sacred 3 could of been a whole lot better, gameplay wise.
LONGEVITY
Whilst Sacred 3 offers fast packed, hack-n-slash, fun style gameplay, the term ‘fun’, rapidly becomes stale. Maybe that is because I play games a lot, but I would think casual gamers will also find Sacred 3 quite stale after a short time of play. The good thing however, is that you do not have to go through the game alone, as there is the option to drop-in on others, or have others join you in a mission. This is up to 4 players, but even with your friends along side you, Sacred 3 cannot offer much replay value at all. That’s not to mention the very short story, which I completed in just over 4 hour.
VERDICT
Whether your a newcomer to the series, or a veteran, Sacred 3 fails to offer much. Although it can offer some fantastic humor in the story, the bland gameplay on offer means that any positives will quickly be forgotten about. I will keep an interest in future Sacred games, as I do feel that there is huge potential to turn the series around, and bring out a game that not only entertains, but adds a lot of replay value along the way. Unfortunately, Sacred 3 will be forgotten about very quickly, and the game failed to steal my heart, much like the Heart of Ancaria.
