Sacred 2

[Ancalagon]

So... I bought this a week or two ago, played a bit, and got bored.

I wanted to ask, does it get better? I'm a few hours into the game now, about level 7 or 8, and it just doesnt grab me. Compared to Diablo, there arent enough enemies to fight, the pacing is too slow, and the enemies are just humans and animals, not demons and undead. Consequently, the atmosphere doesnt feel right.

Is it worth the time investment? I want something to tide me over until Diablo 3 arrives, I might even go back and finish that damn mod of of mine for Diablo 2 (with necessary play testing by yours truly).

[Narradisall]

I have yet to actually play this (was tempted to pick up a 360 copy) but having heard from friends that have played it lots it starts very slow, it does pick up to more fun levels but even someone like me whom will drag myself kicking and screaming through the worst games find it hard to get to the part where it becomes fun.

[Ancalagon]

I have yet to actually play this (was tempted to pick up a 360 copy) but having heard from friends that have played it lots it starts very slow, it does pick up to more fun levels but even someone like me whom will drag myself kicking and screaming through the worst games find it hard to get to the part where it becomes fun.

I think thats the difference between when Blizzard makes Diablo and other people make Diablo.

When Blizzard makes Diablo, it starts of great and gets awesome. When other companies make Diablo, it starts off mediocre and gets good. This is the same - sorry I dont agree with having to wade through crap to get to the good stuff. I might bother, but then again I might not.

[Narradisall]

Comparing it to Diablo won't get you far though. Its not, and if you bought it thinking it would be, you wasted your money.

Sure Blizzard have a way of throwing you into awesome and riding the awesome right to the end.

S2 starts off slow and a bit dull then gets better and better, then ends. It probably doesn't reach Diablo levels. If your expecting that, your be disappointed, and even if your not your going to have to swallow the boring shittyness that is the start to get to the good bits.

Whether your willing to do that, up to you.

[Ancalagon]

Well, I didnt expect it to be Diablo exactly, but I thought a game released 10 years after the original should at least match it in terms of addictive gameplay. Right now, it doesnt seem very addictive.

To be honest, Dungeon Siege grabbed me more than this game does. Its mostly the pacing and combat I think - it just doesnt excite me.

I dunno, I might get further in it at some point, right now I have a few more games to play, lots of books to read, and to be honest I should really be writing my own book.

[SilentScreams]

I had the same experience with Sacred 2. I've played about 3-4 hours and I'm bored of it.
It may pick up later, but I'm afraid I probably won't play it enough to see how good it can get.

And I've stopped buying games in the hope that they will be the next Diablo. That way lies disappointment.
The only game that has a chance of beating Diablo 2, is Diablo 3. It's safe to say that D3 is the biggest game release in my life to date.

[Telefrog]

I thank God each weekend that Steam hasn't had this game on sale yet. The only thing keeping my weak will from buying this, despite the negative to mediocre reviews, is the high price.

[Ancalagon]

I thank God each weekend that Steam hasn't had this game on sale yet. The only thing keeping my weak will from buying this, despite the negative to mediocre reviews, is the high price.

I got it for fairly cheap from amazon. I think it was £10 to £15. I think, at the moment, I would value it at about £5. If I play more of it and get into it, that might go up to £10. But it still doesnt compare to the gameplay of Diablo II (sorry, but it doesnt), and thats a shame.

[Shandor]

I ended up getting it through steam shortly after it came out. I've probably put about 22 hours into it, playing it on and off. I want to like it, but I'm pretty bored with it. For as long as I've put into it, I'm only part way into chapter 2. I'm the kind of person who wants to open up the map. And in this game, that can be very time consuming. I've spent a good amount of my time just riding around on my horse, clearing the fog of war (while killing random things here and there). I also realized, about 10 hours in, that I wished I had made a different character. Go figure. :) I tried starting a new game, but quickly gave up since I hate re-playing content. So, I'll probably still play a bit, but I'm not sure how much farther I'll get in the game. Maybe I'll stop trying to explore the map and just head straight for quest destinations. :)

[MagGnome]

I thought about picking this game up back when it came out, but I haven't heard from a single person who thinks it is all that great. "Starts off boring, but gets better" isn't exactly high praise.

Is the first one any good?

I suppose I should just play Titan Quest instead, since I bought that one a few weeks back and haven't installed it yet.

[Shandor]

I loved Titan Quest. I think it's definately worth playing. I agree with some comments in another thread that it gets boring if you play it a second time (since the maps aren't random), but I really enjoyed it my first time through. Can't say much about Sacred 1 as I never really played it.

[Nura]

I enjoyed the first Sacred, but there's something about the camera angle in the second one i just cant stand :/ Titan quest would be my goto game for my D-clone fix.

[SilentScreams]

I enjoyed the first Sacred, but there's something about the camera angle in the second one i just cant stand :/ Titan quest would be my goto game for my D-clone fix.

That's pretty much exactly what I was going to say. TQ is the best hack & slash out there at the moment (excluding Diablo, of course).

I know what you mean about the Sacred 2 camera. I gave up with it in the end. The whole game felt kind of half-done to me. Like they got in everything that they wanted and then just skipped the polishing process.

[Ancalagon]

I tried Titan Quest, I think its better than Sacred 2 but still not..... quite as good as Diablo.

Sacred 2 suffers from pacing and camera issues I think. It starts off too slow, theres too little action, you wander around for ages before seeing another enemy. It kills the game.

[Ten19]

You wander around for ages before seeing another enemy. It kills the game.
Hunh? I have the exact opposite issue in Sacred 2. No matter where I go I'm besieged by NPCs, even though I'm higher level and basically one-shot them with a look in their direction.

[Xydarc]

Diablo 2 will probably never be touched, mostly in part due to nostalgia. I can still play, but only for a little while, before the repitition sets in. Titan Quest, Dungeon Siege, and other Diablo-clones are good games; but when your expectations and nostalgia get in the way, they'll never measure up to D2.

Hell, D3 probably won't measure up to D2 for some gamers. Which is too bad.

[Ancalagon]

Hunh? I have the exact opposite issue in Sacred 2. No matter where I go I'm besieged by NPCs, even though I'm higher level and basically one-shot them with a look in their direction.

Well, I overexaggerated a bit, but yeah, thats who I found it in the beginning of the game. Just a bit slow.

Also.... call me strange, but I enjoy fighting monsters, ie demons and undead. Thats part of the reason I didnt like WoW, and part of the reason I dont like Sacred 2 - because most of the monsters you fight, initially anyway, are some kind of rabid animal or bandits.

[Xydarc]

So, is Sacred 2 a worthy Diablo-clone, or not?

[Ancalagon]

So, is Sacred 2 a worthy Diablo-clone, or not?

My vote would be nay, but take my words with a healthy dose of salt since I didnt play it all that much. It didnt "bite" me, who knows if my enjoyment would have increased had I played it for longer.

Its not that its a terrible game or anything - I'll bet theres mountains of replayability there - I just didnt find it addictive and engrossing.

[SilentScreams]

Diablo 2 will probably never be touched, mostly in part due to nostalgia. I can still play, but only for a little while, before the repitition sets in. Titan Quest, Dungeon Siege, and other Diablo-clones are good games; but when your expectations and nostalgia get in the way, they'll never measure up to D2.

Hell, D3 probably won't measure up to D2 for some gamers. Which is too bad.

Very true, although I've been playing Diablo 2 for the last 2 months and it's still not boring me. I can't imagine playing it for years like I did originally though.

Every time I try a clone and it doesn't measure up, I keep telling myself that it's going to take Diablo 3 to finally dethrone Diablo 2.
I just hope it doesn't disappoint.

[Xydarc]

My vote would be nay, but take my words with a healthy dose of salt since I didnt play it all that much. It didnt "bite" me, who knows if my enjoyment would have increased had I played it for longer.

Its not that its a terrible game or anything - I'll bet theres mountains of replayability there - I just didnt find it addictive and engrossing.
Thanks for this. I'll see if I can snag a demo, just to get my own impressions. However, without some kind of "hook," it looks like I'll be waiting for Diablo 3 for my PC action-RPG fix.