Sacred 3

Sacred 3 for PC, PS3 and X360 is the third installment of the popular action-RPG series by a defunct German studio Ascaron Entertainment. The publisher, Deep Silver, decided, the game was developed by Keen Games, known from. e.g. co-creating several installments of the Anno series or the console editions of the Secret Files franchise.

Plot

The story of the game, serving only as a background for the gameplay, is a continuation of the events from the arcade minigame Sacred Citadel. The Seraph, guarding the legendary Heart of Ancaria, have protected the peace in the country for centuries. Unfortunately, they have been forgotten together with their deeds. Meanwhile, Lord Zane, the ruler of the Adhen Empire, allied himself with demons and wants to obtain the legendary artifact, which can open the gates of the underworld. To stop Zane, four mighty heroes join forces: Marak the warrior, Vajra the archer, Claire the paladin, and Alithea the lancer.

Mechanics

Mechanics-wise, Sacred 3 differs greatly from its predecessors. Instead of a classic action-RPG with hack-and-slash elements that could be competing with Diablo, the production is a typical console slasher game, in which RPG elements were reduced to a bare minimum. Gone is a vast, open world, full of main and side quests, which was the mainstay of the previous installments. Sacred 3, instead, features a linear gameplay, in which you travel through locations and complete a series of fixed missions, mostly consisting of eliminating hordes of attacking demons. Moments in which you can choose where to go or whether to do an optional quest, usually involving fighting several waves of enemies in a special arena, are few.

Another major change is the drastic simplification of such genre-typical elements as the equipment screen and leveling-up system. During the game, the characters don't obtain any items, using their default, automatically upgraded weapons and armor, which you unlock as you play. When it comes to leveling-up, the system features a relatively small range of light and heavy combat techniques, two passive and active special skills, and the ability to summon the so-called Weapon Spirits, which allow you to use certain bonuses. However, you can access those only between missions, and they can be unlocked with the gold you earn. The gold can also be spent on extra health or energy potions.

Game mode

Unlike the previous installments, Sacred 3 was developed mostly with the co-op multiplayer mode for up to four players in mind. However, you can also play on your own, although this makes you unable to use a special ability – it can only be used in the co-op mode.

Technical aspects

While mechanics-wise Sacred 3 for PC, PS3 and X360 is completely different from its predecessors, the game's visual style is similar to that of the rest of the series. The production features an isometric view, as well as vibrant colors and spectacular special effects, which appear when you use certain weapons or skills.

Last updated on 30 January 2024