Gameplay impressions
What do we like?The gameworld is one of the biggest we’ve seen on console, boasting 22 square miles of lush forests, icy mountains and arid deserts, plus hundreds of NPCs, towns and villages. There’s a diverse range of locations to explore, which ensures that long bouts of trekking across land is, at the very least, visually stimulating. The vast bestiary, which ranges from from thieves and bandits to buccaneers and pirate captains, alongside plenty of creepy crawlies, also ensures that there’s always something new to fight around the corner. You’ll be fighting a lot throughout Sacred 2, so the diverse bestiary keeps the action feeling fresh. Furthermore, developer Ascaron has implemented a clever mechanic in which enemy A.I adapts to your current skill level. Therefore, combat is a nice balance of accessibility and challenge.
It’s the EXP system which is the major hook though. There’s nothing remarkable about it, but the 200 level cap and the speed that you level up ensures that you don't have to grind too much to get up the levels. Like most RPGs, seeing your character develop is extremely rewarding and there’s some great skills and powers to enjoy in Sacred 2 as you progress.
The four player online mode is also a real highlight. You can jump seamlessly into a server and then group up together to trade, or go hunting together to move up the levels.
There's nothing particularly remarkable or innovative about the gameplay in Sacred 2, but it generally ticks all of the familiar RPG hack 'n slash boxes. - and that's what fans of the genre should enjoy.
Click for larger imageWhat don't we like?
The plot doesn’t drive the story along at all. With so much content to get through it would have been nice if it all had a bit of meaning. Generally though you’ll head off on escort and fetch quests, or slay hundreds of beasts without ever thinking about why you’re doing it. Sacred 2 is definitely for the hardcore audience, the manual doesn’t cover all bases, so those unfamiliar with the genre will struggle initially to get to grips with the inventory and wealth of combat skills.
The repetitive mission structure and relentless combat will probably be enough to drive those people who are unfamiliar with the genre away. It can be a real put-off at times knowing that you have to cross miles of land to reach your required destination and will probably have to spend a large proportion of that time killing everything that crosses your path. The combat targeting system doesn't instil you with confidence either. It isn’t always as accurate as we’d have liked. Problems with enemy A.I path-finding also crops up on occasions, which is just one of the many technical issues, glitches and slowdown problems that prevent Sacred 2 from being an entirely smooth experience.
Final Thoughts
Sacred 2 does what it says on the tin, nothing more or nothing less. It provides an addictive RPG experience without ever pushing the boundaries, yet it's gameplay can be extremely compelling. Who knows why we like to spend hours upon hours slaying beasts, get excited when we reach a new level, or roam miles of countryside aimlessly in the search for the best loot? Whatever the answer, it's a formula that has worked for years and it works well enough here.
Final Verdict: 7/10
