Is nothing sacred?
Sacred 3 is a hack-n-slash RPG, but unlike its predecessor lacks an open world and loot, while cutting up the game into individual missions that can be played solo or co-operatively locally or online. It’s a risk making such a change to the series’ formula, but can the core gameplay make it pay off?
Not quite. The hack-n-slash mechanics are dated, it’s not broken by any means…it just feels archaic in design. I also breezed through the game in around 10 hours, which isn’t exactly long when it comes to an RPG. You will have to replay it several times with different characters for the trophies, but other than that there’s little reason to come back to it once you’re done.
It doesn’t help matters that the story is bland and boasts cheesy dialogue throughout with corny one-liners that made me cringe throughout. It also doesn’t help that the game lacks any visual charm; it looks dated when compared with other similar games. It’s not an awful game, don’t get me wrong…it’s just missing the edge to make it stand out from the crowd; instead it just comes across as mediocre.
The characters themselves are a group of walking clichés as well, with little personality and charm while dropping awful dialogue. I just couldn’t connect to them, which is important to me when it comes to an RPG…if you can’t engage with the characters or story then it becomes a lost cause for me, regardless of the gameplay, which is average anyway. I’m not saying that this is the worst story I’ve come across because I’ve witnessed far worse, but it just wasn’t up to the standard I’d expect.
The Verdict
Sacred 3 plays like a good hack-n-slash game, but getting rid of the open world and loot was a mistake. Replacing the game with missions was a step back, while the story and characters are a total misfire. Fans of the past games will be disappointed with the third installment of the series, but underneath it all it’s not terrible to play, it’s just a letdown.
