Touch the Future Now at Staples
GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 05/15/2009
- Released on: 05/11/2009
- Originally published on GameSpot: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (Xbox 360) Review
Hack-and-slash role-playing games have long been better fits on the PC than they have been on consoles. There have been exceptions to that rule of course, and now Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is making another appeal for genre fans to kick the mouse to the curb. The Ascaron Entertainment game makes its debut on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 just over six months after it first arrived for the PC, but this doesn't seem like a port. This is actually a slight refinement of the earlier game, and the improved interface and the often overlooked couch-comfort factor make it easier to enjoy the epic length of the adventure. There are still too many problems with the monotonous quest design and the unwieldy size of the game world for this to be a top-shelf action RPG, but it's a little closer to that status than its PC cousin.
6209515NoneCheck out this action-packed intro movie.
With that said, developer Ascaron Entertainment isn't reinventing the wheel here. Sacred 2 is a Diablo double in every possible way. As is typical in action-first RPGs, there isn't much of a plot. You take on the role of the usual muscle-bound warrior or kooky mage in the medieval fantasy land of Ancaria, playing as a hero in the light campaign or as a villain in the campaign of shadows. No matter which side you choose, though, the gameplay is all about slaughtering thousands of monsters, looting their corpses, and leveling up. Trouble is being caused by the high elves and T-energy, a glowing magic fluid that serves as Ancaria's oil and is pumped all over the land in pipelines. But beyond that, you're marooned between vague plot quests and odd jobs.
Without a worthwhile narrative, you're left too much on your own, juggling a diverse array of quests. A lot of time is spent hoofing it around the huge map, because quests are spread far and wide and the teleportation system is lacking in gates. All of this exploration can be very intriguing, however, as it immerses you in what seems to be a living and breathing fantasy world. Getting hit with a rat-a-tat-tat succession of assignments keeps you rolling, too. Since just about every guy on the corner needs an errand run, you get offered jobs every time you turn around. Granted, a lot of quests involve stereotypical chores like rescuing some hapless wanderer, finding magical herbs, and killing set numbers of monsters. But even then, the sheer number of them hook you into a "one more quest" vibe that is almost hypnotizing.
Game mechanics are typical for the genre. There are six pre-rolled characters to choose from when you're starting your adventure, including standards like the high elf mage and the seraphim battlemage, as well as the decidedly weird temple guardian warrior, which is a robot version of the ancient Egyptian god Anubis, who clanks around Ancaria with a melee weapon and a laser blaster. Basic character stats and skills are handled in the same way as in any other RPG. So you gain experience, level up, dole out points to attributes like strength and charisma, and pick from a skill tree that branches out to deal with everything from proficiencies with specific weapons to foot speed to ability regeneration times. Each character class also comes with special abilities, and you can choose a god at the start of the game that bestows an added attribute. The latter powers function a lot like souped-up smart bombs. They come with big-time pyrotechnics and effects that can instantly end battles against even the largest hordes of enemies. The Will-O-Wisp, for example, can incinerate dozens of foes at the same time that it heals your friends.
Sacred 2's lush outdoor scenery comes at the price of too many "can't get there from here" dead ends.
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (Xbox 360):
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