"Sacred 3" (Sacred 3): an overview in Russian

There are such continuations of game franchises in which developers depart from old and habitual ideas and developments, completely change the game concept and genre. As a result, they get a very good project, but not the one the fans expected. One example of the mass of such continuations is Sacred 3. The review of the game will help the reader understand all its pros and cons, and also to understand whether the creators succeeded in realizing their idea and fulfilling their promises.

A completely different game

Sacred 3 - the third part of the game series Sacred in the genre of RPG-slasher. It was developed by the guys from the studio Keen Games, and released the company Deep Silver in late summer of 2014. For developers, the first major project was "Sacred 3". The review of the game for this reason will be with little indulgence - after all, as they say, the first pancake is lumpy. Having fallen into the hands of a new company, the Sacred series has changed beyond recognition. Changed even the very genre of Sacred 3. The review of the game in Russian considers game mechanics, the plot, the technical part and the overall impression of it.

No trace of RPGs

If the second part was a self-sufficient RPG, then the third part is a real slasher, without any reservations. Having shoveled all the components of the previous game, the developers did not give a chance to take a place under the sun project called Sacred 3. The overview can be devoted to enumeration of the remaining elements, since almost everything was changed.

From the game, absolutely all the components of the RPG were lost: pumping, characteristics that affect the power of the character, the world open to exploration, the talent system. In Sacred 3 there were only battles. The distribution also included equipment, a magazine of quests and other joys of RPG fans. The entire drop is removed from the game following the inventory.

Game process

The frank thriller was replaced by the now popular sessional missions. The corridor levels are passed quickly and without the slightest hint of ramifications. All progress is maintained through the checkpoint system, so the passage of "Scared 3" resembles a running marathon from point A to point B. At the end of each level of the heroes there is a boss whose complexity consists only in a large number of HP and a strong attack. Endless fights are diluted with primitive tasks: pull the lever, turn the wheel and so on. Because of this, the project's casualness is immediately visible - it is aimed at an audience with consoles and cooperative mode. In addition to the main races in the locations, the game has two additional types of tasks. The first - the usual arena, in which the player fights off the waves of enemies. The second task resembles a fight with several strong opponents and their commanders. Such tasks are not explained in any way and are located separately from the locations. They serve only to get levels and gold - others justify the boring arenas that repeat the main game, does not work.

The only echo of the role-playing game is gaining experience for murder. It's not entirely clear why the developers left this element. Weapons and armor appear in characters as they pass. You can change it between missions. With each level, the character improves his unique abilities. A kind of currency in the game became crystals, with which you can use, perhaps, the most interesting chip in the whole game - your own demon. The creature is freed from captivity with the help of crystals and helps in friendly characters.

The simplest slasher

Game Sacred 3 with a quiet conscience can be called an arcade. Slasher and so much easier genre RPG, but the developers have simplified it. The entire combat system boils down to a few mouse clicks. All in the classic style of arcade grindilok - a simple and powerful blow, a block and dodging, rolling and two active skills to choose a player. Not densely for the former RPG "Sakred 3". Overview of the camera pleases - the player sees a large area around him, thanks to this you can enjoy a good and bright graphics. But this moment, perhaps, the only positive in all game mechanics.

Sacred 3: An overview of the plot

The game draws a shaky narrative to the bottom. Depth and thoughtfulness of the plot does not shine, but this is not required from the genre of hack-and-slash. The story begins a thousand years after the events of the second part. The place of action is Ankara. Her lands have been plunged into a terrible war for many years, and there is no end to it. The classic main villain - Zane Eshen - plans to find a magical artifact "the heart of Ankara", which can affect the course of the war and the fate of the world as a whole.

The plot is banal and primitive. But the story becomes even more primitive when the main characters of the game become known - four brave warriors with an important mission. They must prevent the villain from taking possession of the artifact at any cost. The developer apparently paid less attention to the development of the plot for the least amount of time and effort. But it is quite possible that this is their cunning move - to change the genre. It's silly to demand an interesting story with unexpected twists and elaborate heroes from the slasher, is not it?

The last stone in the garden of writers are numerous inconsistencies with the original parts. But this problem will only worry the ardent fans of the series, who will have to explore every dialogue and corner of the world with a magnifying glass. Only it is unlikely that real fans of the previous two parts will stay in Sacred 3 for a long time. The review of all oddities and weak points of the plot can take more than one page.

But how are things with the feed and visual component of the story? Will tomatoes fly to the game designers of this game?

Savings are visible in the presentation of the story to the player. All videos and cut scenes are replaced with pictures and animated comics. In comparison with the advertising campaign, which promised spectacular videos and a fascinating plot, the result brings misery and despair. Each linear mission starts with an optional stream of slides with offscreen narration. It looks cheap and reminds famous fakes of Polish developers.

Scantiness in choosing Sacred 3: a review of the characters

In the game, only five classes with their unique abilities and skills. For the long-range battle is the character of Vajra. This class is an archer and one of the main Damage dealers in the game. The melee in the game is much more varied. There are already 4 characters: Marak, Clare, Alithea, Keaton. In the slasher, which is Sacred 3, a review of the characters - a lesson at least strange. After all, they do not have a huge number of characteristics and subtleties of the game. So just give a brief description of each character.

Marak is a classic gladiator using a two-handed sword, which does a lot of damage. Also, thanks to a large stock of life and armor, Marak can tank strong opponents and bosses.

Claire is a paladin who is both a melee and a mage. It is positioned as an auxiliary character due to the balance of damage and the number of spells, including healing and buffs.

Alithea is a spearman. Perhaps this is the most original class in the whole game. Alithea excellently defends the defense of enemies and causes a lot of damage, while not approaching the distance of close combat. Spearman is a very useful character in the gameplay.

Keaton - the most ordinary assassin, a feature of which - this is increased damage from the back. Like any thief or assassin, Keaton prefers to move secretly and do not disturb his enemies with a clear presence.

Each of the characters can not be distinguished for originality or novelty for the genre. All this has already been in other games. These characters are primitized because of the limitations of the genre, the overall simplification of the Sacred 3 gameplay. The class overview is simply inappropriate in this game, as there are no classes as such, with its abilities and game features for them.

Despite a lot of shortcomings and a lot of complaints, there are also positive moments in the game. The article smoothly passes to the advantages of Sacred 3 - a review of the technical part.

Graphics and optimization

It seems that the developers have concentrated all means on programmers and optimizers. After all the failed moments, the visual component becomes a balm for the soul. If you compile a list of the most colorful games of recent years, it must necessarily be Sacred 3. The review of the technical part should start with the system requirements. Because of the "chamber" concept, the game will start at maximum settings even on a medium-power computer. For Sacred 3, there will be enough cars with a budget quad-core processor, 4 GB of RAM and 1 GB of video memory. Thanks to this game can be run on a laptop and pass the time away from home.

The picture in the game is very bright and full. Each location is drawn to the smallest detail. Animation of heroes and enemies at the proper level. It becomes offensive that such a wonderful implementation of the graphics engine and game design capabilities is ruined by the rest of "Sacred 3", the review of which turns out to be less iridescent and positive.

Cooperative Brain

The main problem is that "Sacred 3" is a one-off game. With a long enough passage of the story line for the second time to return to the game world does not want. Perhaps, the situation would be saved by the open world and additional tasks with "acivists". But the player is only offered to go through the same game, only for the other characters. Since they differ from each other with just two special skills, the gameplay is almost the same.

Cooperative mode a little saves the situation: playing with friends is always more interesting than alone. And, unfortunately, this is not the merit of the game, but the very phenomenon of joint gameplay.

And what happens if you change the name?

The main problem of the project is that this is Sacred 3. The review in Russian considered the game as a continuation of a very successful RPG. If it had a different name, no one would make claims and demands for it. Apart from the Sacred 3 series, this is a perfectly successful slasher with a wonderful graphics, a vigorous and non-straining combat system, a cooperative mode and simple control that is suitable for both the computer and consoles.

The result

A successful game in the slasher genre. Unsuccessful continuation of Sacred 3. The review shows in stages the approach to this game. First, any gamer familiar with the series will be disappointed in the new part. After that, it will gradually understand each new game solution and understand the reason why this part is not Sacred 3. The review of the game in Russian quite fully reveals its essence: Keen Games should leave the franchise alone and create on the basis of the third part its project, Which will take its niche and find its audience.