LADYDRAGON.COM - Sacrifice

Developed by Shiny and published by Interplay, they bring us an outstanding real-time strategy game called Sacrifice.

In the main menu you will see that you have 3 tutorials a Campaign, a Scenario and a Multiplayer mode.

The main story is that you are a Wizard called Eldred where you have 5 Gods that you can help in return they each will give you specific spells and creatures.

Since they all are unique you can combine different type of spells and creatures together. In total you can cast over 50 spells and summon over 50 creatures.

It is better to start with the Tutorials since it is a complex game, you will learn faster that way. In your tutorial will be guided by your friend and familiar called Zyzyx. You will learn things like the controls, how to cast spells and how to command your creatures.

Then you can move to the Campaign where you will find five different Gods Charnel, James, Persephone, Stratos and Pyro each of them are unique and have their own agenda.

Their is no specific order to start you just pick one then you can choose to help others as well later on. As you progress you will earn spells and creatures but you need to keep an eye on the level of your Mana, Souls and Life.

The Mana is an Aqua gauge that allows you to cast spells as for the Souls they are display in a form of a blue soul with a number in it. The Souls are to summon different creatures, one for a small creature and two or three for the biggest one.

The Life gauge is red and shows you how much damage you have received if your gauge goes down to zero you will die and be transform into a spectral form where you can only command your troops until you can return to a Manalith, a mana fountain or your Altar and get at least 25% of Mana in order to be resurrected. This is an original and very cool feature.

On your screen you also have other information like a Mini-Map that will orient you, a Unit Selection Pane of 2 rows of 6 rings each where you can select your creatures plus an icon beside them that shows the selected creature ability if it has one.

And you have your Spell Tabs where you will find 3 kinds of Spells Tabs. The to create creature tab, the structure tab and the Combat and healing spell tab.

While you play if you are not sure of what was said or missed part of it, you can select the Speech History so you can read what was said. The same goes with the Mission Objectives if you are not clear or forgot what you have to do.

In the Scenario mode Shiny as included a powerful map editor called Scapex where you can create single and multiplayer levels. Everything can be created from scratch creatures, structures, flowers and snow so you can create many world making your gameplay infinite.

You can even submit your map to Interplay or download some from other Sacrifice's players.

In the Multiplayer mode you have 13 different sort of wizards that you can select and name it the way you want. You also can select which map you want to play and your game type. Each game type as their own gameplay and objective you have four; Skirmish, slaughter, Soul Harvest and Domination.

Some of you might find this game quite complex at first since you have to summon creature and order your troops as one or more unit that is why the Tutorial is where you should start.

You can only play with a third person view it would of been interesting to be able to see and play as a first person view since to graphics are so well done.

Well this is what will catch your eye first is the beauty of this game not only the worlds and the creatures are well design but they all are kind of alive always moving or animated kind of which gives you an alive atmosphere.

Plus the fact that they all talk and have their unique sound and that you can hear them quite well. All this is done on a fun tone even the book is done that way.

Since not only the gameplay is original but you can create your own levels, giving this game a great replay value a certainly a must play in the Multiplayer.

Sacrifice is an original real time strategy game that will please a lot of players for different reasons like for it's unique style, fun gameplay and of course it's stunning graphic design.

Companies

Developer
Shiny

Publisher
Interplay

Category
Real-Time Strategy

Notes

Originality: 100%
Gameplay: 98%
Interest: 98%
Graphic: 100%
Control: 95%
Sound: 97%

TOTAL: 98%

Requirements

Operation System
Windows 95-98

Processor
300 MHz Pentium

Memory
64 RAM

Hard Drive
650 MB

CD ROM
4x

Sound Card
Direct X 7 - Compatible

Video Card
8 mb 3D Accelerator

Input Device
Keyboard

Multiplayer
Internet, LAN, Local game

Rated by ESRB
"M" Mature

Julie Meyer

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