Games You Should Not Play: Sacred

Diablo 2 was released in 2000, and its expansion, Lord of Destruction, in 2001. Sacred was released 2004, four years after D2. That's a long time to look and learn how a great action rpg is done. What did you do during that time, Ascaron? 'Cause Sacred surely ain't a good game.

Sacred's interface seems decent at first glance. Then, after gaining more ability slots, you realize 6 to 0 are rather clumsy hotkeys for changing the ability you are using with your right mouse button as your thumb is on space (healing potion) and pinky on tab (mini map).

The obvious thing at this point is to find the option to change hotkeys. Good luck - there's no such thing. Also, 1 to 5 are for changing the weapons you are wielding. I really need five different weapon configs?

What the hell.

For some reason, hacking and slashing mobs isn't as satisfying as it should be either. I'm not totally sure why, it just doesn't feel like it does in many other games. Sacred's ranged mobs, especially those damn goblins, are extremely frustrating to chase down as well.

The game features a loot-all hotkey, which can - surprisingly enough - be customized. Too bad looting everything means the character will go to each item and pick them up almost one by one with an animation. No chance it would be like in the Dungeon Sieges where the loot is quickly thrown into your inventory

Next on the list of reasons why you shouldn't play Sacred is the ability system. Abilities are increased by finding an ability rune (random loot) and using it. The ability in question increases in power, and so does its cooldown. Rather dramatically I might add. Five runes and you're already desperately equipping every item that reduces those cooldowns. You can also add up to four abilities to a combo rune that becomes a new ability (with a huge cooldown). You can craft four of these combo runes in total, and put them into the action bar (which is still a pain to use with the clumsy hotkeys).

Lastly, Sacred's enourmously vast world scales its monsters to correspond to your level, and respawns them quickly, so the way you came is filled with enemies on your way back too. Yay. After you realize everything is the same no matter your level, you stop doing all those side quests, which aren't exactly very varying. They can be failed too. The joy.

My journey in Sacred ended at some fiery main quest dragon who one-shot my character every time it got a hit through...

Don't play this game.