Way back in the year 2000,
Blizzard Entertainment added a title to its stellar lineup of games called
Diablo 2. The game was – arguably – the definitive dungeon-crawling experience
that really defined the genre.
History lesson over … Fast
forward to 2008. CDV (and Ascaron) has released a new title called Sacred 2:
Fallen Angel. What does the latter have to do with the game mentioned in the
opening of this? Well, it’s easy, actually – Sacred 2 plays off many of the same
mechanics that made D2 a hit. While Sacred 2 doesn’t really offer much that is
new, and even makes a few stumbles on occasion, it does come across as a title
that has a bit of imagination spurring the fun along this fantasy path.
The story is at the heart of
the gameplay and tracks a kingdom on the verge of war – the same kingdom that is
recovering from the devastation of a former war. It all began with a substance
called T-Energy. A powerful substance, it was guarded by the Seraphim, until
they passed the responsibility on to High Elves. It was the use of the T-Energy
that caused the war that ravaged the face of the world, and began to corrupt
creatures within it. The world is on the verge of what could well be the final
conflict. That’s where you come into the picture.
There are two campaigns,
each tracking a different course that will affect the fate of the world. The
characters are not customizable (well, you do collect new gear and can upgrade
the look of your character that way), and will either take gamers down the path
of Light or Shadows. The available archetypes are a seraphim, high elf, dryad,
temple guardian, shadow warrior or inquisitor. Each class has strengths and
weaknesses, are separated into categories such as ranged attackers, melee, or
spellcasters, and are either male or female (no choice to select the gender of
the class). The class you select will also determine the mount you will get. For
example, the high elf class – which can follow three paths of magic – gets the
wind serpent as a mount. The inquisitor, on the other hand, gets a shroud
spider.
While there is an overall
storyline, there are also quite a number of side quests that players can embark
on in this massive world. The load times are kept to a minimum, and that is a
very good thing. Perhaps the nicest aspect of this work is that there is some
variety as well as some nice hidden surprises along the way, while you are out
questing.
Still the gameplay follows a
familiar formula. Find an enemy, attack, loot, upgrade gear and then repeat. But
for those who crave a bit more, Sacred 2 also features a decent multiplayer
setup, which includes PvE and PvP online gameplay. Players can tackle the
campaign together, or take on one another, depending on their mindset.
When it comes to the control
elements, the game uses a couple of schemes that are also familiar. You click an
enemy to attack, and you can select how you attack from your hot bar.
The sound is somewhat hit
and miss. Some of the characterizations seem a little bland while the
environmental sounds are solid.
When it comes to the
graphics, the camera sits in an isometric position and this gives you a very
limited field of vision. You can zoom down and closer to the action but you
really can’t see too far in front of you. This presents a bit of a problem when
you are trying to find certain quest elements (either locations or NPCs) in the
world. Speaking of NPCs – sometimes, in the course of a quest, you will get some
followers. They really don’t do much, can get hung up pathing and trying to
follow you, and won’t go away until you complete the quest of which they are a
part.
Still, when it comes to the
visuals, Ascaron has sent out a game that certainly has its share of eye candy.
While the graphics may not tax your machine, per se, there does seem to be a few
bugs in the program that can cause the occasional crash. Plus, check your system
specs. An older machine running an older ATI card played at a sluggish pace,
while the more powerful rig, with an nVidia 8800 GTX card, seemed to do much
better – especially when it came to synching voice-overs with mouths in cut
scenes.
Sacred 2 does
have that “been there” feel to it. But the game has some quirkiness that steps
outside the boundaries of trying to be immersive and instead focuses on having
some fun. The game does not seem to take itself too seriously, and has enough
elements to keep adventure fans happy. Unfortunately, those same players will
have to deal with a few bugs that are present and can cause crashes.
|
Review Scoring Details for Sacred 2: Fallen Angel |
Gameplay: 6.5
There are a few bugs
that can lag a machine and even cause crashes. That’s the downside. On the
upside, the gameplay is familiar and there are few load times in an otherwise
huge world. You should not be fumbling to learn the game’s controls.
Graphics: 7.8
The camera is a
problem, but other than that, the world features solid textures and lighting,
with good special effects and some nice character designs.
Sound: 7.0
Some of the
character voices are not very good, but the musical score and the environmental
sounds do a very good job.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Concept: 7.0
Give the dev team
props for not taking themselves seriously. Most of the rest of this, though, has
a very familiar feel. That is not to say it is not done well, because it is a
solid game.
Multiplayer: 7.8
Some very solid
elements here; you can team up with others to do the campaign, or even test your
mettle in a PvP setting.
Overall: 7.5
If Ascaron patches
in fixes for the bugs, to shore up the game, this will be quite entertaining and
should provide a lot of fun. The graphical elements are, for the most part, well
done, and the game has a very good vibe to it – it does not take itself too
seriously, while at the same time telling a decent story.
