While Sacred 3 does bear some resemblance to its predecessors, it also deviates in a number of ways. The most notable of which is the absence of loot, and the open-world exploration found in 2008?s Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. Of course some change is to be expected, with a new developer at the helm, and a new publisher as well. But few of these changes are for the better, leaving a bit too much on the cutting room floor for my tastes.
The story continues on from the events of the Sacred Citadel spin-off from last year, jumping nearly 100 years ahead, and a whopping 3,000 years past Sacred 2. You?re still in the world of Ancaria, and you?ll see some familiar references throughout, but prior knowledge of past story events isn?t necessary here. Also, the story isn?t the biggest selling point for Sacred 3. It emphasizes humor over lore more often than not, with lots of one-liners and groan inducing bits of dialogue from various characters in-between story missions. On occasion the humor works, but most dialogue gets repeated so often that any charm found early on will wear thin quickly.
Co-op is also emphasized with Sacred 3, featuring online 4-player co-op and 2 player local. I didn?t test local, but I did pal around with a few random people online. In my experience it was easy enough to find other players, or allow random folks to jump into my game. Like other ARPG?s, adding additional players will toughen up enemies, compensating for the added assistance. The Weapon Spirits, gained as you advance through the story, also benefit from additional players, allowing you to synergize with other players and the Weapon Spirits they have equipped. For single-player use, the reality is that a small number of Weapon Spirits will actually feel useful, but with more players in tow you?ll likely see the need to experiment more.
But unfortunately, the positives don?t outweigh the negatives here. Going in to Sacred 3, I was already aware of the changes made to the series with this entry. The absence of loot didn?t kill my interest in it, as I never felt like Sacred had a complete handle on good, compelling loot to begin with. The open world being reduced to a stage map was a bit more troubling, more so once I discovered how limited and confined the actual stages were. Just about every stage is a singular path, with occasional split paths that branch off for a few seconds before exiting out to the same spot. You?ll also find a few treasure chests tucked away, but with loot removed this only leads to more gold and health/energy orbs. It?s hardly a compelling reason to track your way to a dead-end and haul yourself back in the direction you came.
My final complaint stems from the way the limited gear is handled. Each character has just a few weapons that will unlock the further in you play. The weapons each possess varying degrees of proficiency in critical hits, overall damage, range, and a couple additional stats. The weapons, along with your singular piece of armor, will level up overtime, which isn?t something explained well within the game. What triggers this level up? Is there some sort of catalyst? It never seemed to matter which weapon I had equipped, as non-equipped weapons would still level. And they seemed to do so in the order in which they were unlocked originally.
Unfortunately I found my time with Sacred 3 was predominantly disappointing. There are certainly aspects of the game I enjoyed, the co-op was handled well enough, and the combat was vastly improved compared to other titles in the series and genre. But I think stripping the game of meaningful stats, open-world exploration, side quests, and loot, really removed the parts of Sacred that fans identified with. Instead, you?re left with a competent hack-and-slash with a sub-par RPG experience tacked on the end. Overall, Sacred 3 isn?t the sequel that fans of the series were hoping to see, and hopefully Keen Games will pick up on the feedback offered across various outlets and forums if there are plans for another Sacred down the road.
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