This game is solid, so long as it isn't closely examined.
Sacred 2 will be instantly familiar to anyone who's played Baldur's Gate, Diablo, or Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. This generation seems to be severely lacking in top-down Action RPG's, only having Too Human as its best example, which, um... well, probably shouldn't be the poster-child for the genre. Traverse the vast world of Ancaria as one of six characters classes, level up, kill, and of course, collect mass amounts of fat loot. As a top-down quester, Sacred 2 is a fantastic (and addicting) experience. As a game, Sacred unfortunately suffers from too many bugs and questionable design choices to recommend to anyone not already a massive fan of Diablo-congeneric games.
It seems as though you can't walk ten feet without encountering someone in need of a hero to solve their problems. In fact, it's almost too much to manage. It's great that Sacred is bursting with side-quests, however, they easily overshadow the main quest-line, which isn't a huge problem because it's forgettable anyway. The problem with the quest system is that the nonessential activities typically reward better than the main story-arc. It's a shame the main plot has zero personality, or any memorable characters or moments. The game merely has zero presentation, and no cut-scenes. Ultimately, the game lacks a soul. At no point does Sacred try to immerse you, but directs you to kill hundreds of mobs for loot collection.
For Sacred's case, it's good that it hits a home-run on the essentials of the Action RPG checklist. I don't think anyone played through Diablo for a strong narrative, nor do I believe people still log into WoW to experience moral dilemmas. This may be testimate to why there's a lack of demand for this genre, and people focus more on games like Mass Effect, and Fallout, which both have more personality, narrative, and a soul. Perhaps it's time for the top-down adventure to evolve?
Of course, bringing in some friends is the way you'll get the most out of Sacred. Up to four players can quest together online. Unfortunately, however, only two people on one console. In fact, playing this game in local multiplayer feels like your getting fucked by a headache. Players cannot trade with each other, the framerate drops dramatically, and to top it all off both players have camera control, which can get very frustrating. Online multiplayer does have a few issues with drop-outs and lag, but nothing that'll get in the way.
It's nearly impossible to recommend Sacred 2 without going through some huge arbitrary checklist. Do you like isometric RPG's? Have you ever found yourself playing Diablo until some unreasonable hour? Did you dislike Too Human, and still don't know what the hell Arkadian Warriors is? Are you bothered by the repetitive nature of these types of games? It's complicated like that. Sacred 2 is will provide a positive experience only to those who have the ability to play online. Ultimately, Sacred 2 is alright. If you enjoy gathering loot, crawling through dungeons, then you'll most likely find Sacred 2 appealing, so long as you don't look at the game too closely and see its obvious flaws.
