A better than average RPG that will keep you interested for a while, but it just lacks the heart...

User Rating: 7.8 | Sacred PC
In "Sacred" you assume the role of one out of five pre-created characters and journey through a world that you will ultimately have to save. They would like you to think that each of the five characters has his/her own path but the only difference between their stories is the first quest. After that their path is the same. Depending on your preference, you can choose from a Gladiator, a Seraphim, a Dark Elf, a Wood Elf or a Battle Mage. Although they each have their own unique way of fighting, it basically comes down to the same thing: killing the horde of enemies that come in unlimited supply.

Thus, the gameplay gets boring after a while, even though your gain new and more powerful abilities. Seeing as the map is huge and you will be required to walk a lot, the enemies become annoying very soon, and the battles tedious so naturally you will resume to take the fastest way to your goals, which isnt neceserally the best way.

An interesting innovation is the use of combos to link your attacks/spells together and create a more devastating move. While this is useful for the melee characters, I saw no reason to link the magic of the battle mage together.

Character development is satisfying, you are given a numer of points to spend each time you level up, and at certain levels you are permitted to choose another ability, like Riding, Dual Wielding, Constitution etc.

As I previously said, the map and the world in "Sacred" is huge, which is a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing is that you are able to explore a vast ammount of land. Do not be surprised if you uncover a location bearing riches, a lost Dragon or many caves leading to secret locations. In all the time I have spend playing this game, I did not uncover everything or explore every inch of the map. The bad thing is that your quests will always be miles away from where you are, requiring you to deal with countless opponents before you arrive at your destination.

The main quest of the game can be finished rather quickly, but there are numerous side-quests that can be aquired by talking to NPCs. They are diverse enough requiring you to either look for some missing relative, find and escort a merchant, kill bands of thiefs, rescue damsels, find missing swords/shields etc. Although the quests are optional, they provide a good ammount of experience and are a nice distraction from the main quest. Towards the end, most of them will have a time limit (usually 1 day) and you must complete it before the time runs out. Some of the quests I have seen do not work, but it is a small ammount and can be overlooked.

The game's graphics is one of its strong points. The world looks vivid enough, with plenty of animals to populate it. The animations are also very good, especially if you are playing with a battle mage.

"Sacred" has a beautiful soundtrack that doesn't always stand out. It is more obvious in key-moments and certain battles. Although it's not always there, when it is it manages to create some atmosphere. The voice acting isnt always satisfying and the voice of certain characters does not quite fit them.

What this game seriously lacks is heart. You do not feel as though you are the main character in a story of epic proportions. The characters mostly seem blank and yours will seem the dullest, with no personality at all. If you are looking for an RPG with lots to do and lots to kill, I recommend you try it. But if you want something more than just killing enemies, this may not be the best game for you. It is still a better-than-average RPG, but it just doesnt quite manage to keep you interested.