SacriFire

SacriFire is a pixel-art jRPG inspired by the game from the 90s, where the gameplay is presented from a third-person perspective (TPP). It was developed and published by Pixelated Milk, an independent Polish studio known for such productions as Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs or Warsaw. While working on their next project, developers had a specific goal in mind: they wanted to take the best from the games they grew up on ( such as Vagrant Story or Xenogears) and turn them into a new RPG that would be both modern and nostalgic.

Plot

SacriFire tells the story of Ezekiel Ridan, a young warrior in training to join the elite Church of Sheol sect. His desire is to protect the underground city of Antioch from the demons that roam the surface. What he doesn't realize is that he is about to be drawn into a much more serious conflict - a battle that has been raging for thousands of years between entities beyond his comprehension. Ezekiel will travel into completely uncharted territory and discover secrets that will cause him to question everything he has ever believed.

Mechanics

During the game player travels through two worlds - the vast city of Antioch and the idyllic ghostly paradise of Erebus. There you meet new characters, fight with enemies or solve various puzzles.

An important element of the gameplay is an extensive combat system combining turn-based and real-time elements. Encounter with each of the enemies requires the player to develop a different strategy. It is important to choose skills, items and weapon type in such a way as to take advantage of the enemy's vulnerability to specific types of damage.

For most of the game, the main character uses DIVOS gloves, which can transform into different types of "astra" (weapons forged from spirit energy). Thanks to them Ezekiel can face the demons of Heresy. As you progress through the game, new astra abilities are unlocked, allowing you to transform your DIVOS gauntlets into weapons such as a sword, spear, or crossbow.

The game also allows you to create unique and impressive combo attacks. The player can develop both shorter sequences of strikes, as well as longer and more complicated ones. Aiming at the enemy's weak points and combining attacks in series allows to inflict more damage to him. However, there is a certain amount of risk involved. Sometimes in order to hit a vulnerable part of the enemy's body, you must first expose yourself to his counterattacks. If the player manages to hit the weak point of his enemy enough times, he will permanently injure him, lowering his stats for the rest of the fight.

Exploring various locations the protagonist can often count on the company and support of side characters. Heroes traveling with him not only search the terrain and fight at his side, but also in specific moments offer him advice and share interesting facts about the world and the given mission. The player will not miss various humorous chats, for which the previous game by the creators - Regalia - was known.

As you progress through the game, virtues are unlocked, which can be chosen freely during the battle. Each new virtue increases the capabilities of a particular weapon. It's up to the player to choose which type of weapon he will use in battle and which he will develop best.

Each virtue also has its own skill tree. As the player progresses, they gain Spirit Points, which can be invested in upgrading specific skills, passive attributes or unlocking specific character abilities.

Technical aspects

The game features colorful visuals, created through a combination of 3D graphics and pixel art. A similar combination allowed the developers to keep the game in a retro style, as well as to introduce innovative digital effects to the gameplay. Hand-drawn and animated characters move through 3D worlds, combining both fantasy and science fiction elements.

The audio setting is also noteworthy. G4F Records and legendary composer Motoi Sakuraba composed the soundtrack. The professional team of Sound Cadence Studios provided the voices of the characters.