Sacred 2: Fallen Angel

It's easy to use "loot-lovers will adore collecting new gear while dungeon running in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel" as a cop-out answer to a simple question: should I play it? While the aforementioned statement is entirely true, making it more than worthwhile for numerous players, there are so many technical issues in this ported PC role-playing game that even die-hard dungeon crawlers will want to cautiously consider Fallen Angel's console version.

Wanderer and the Colossus

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel has plenty to offer — so much so that you'll find yourself constantly competing against a quest log as long as a six-year-old kid's Christmas list. As usual, everyone has a problem that only a big, brave warrior can solve. How you go about solving your bounty hunting, book-finding, cave-crawling capers depends on which class you choose, as well as how you align yourself with the forces of naughty and nice. The standard rough and tough barbarian and long-eared elf ladies fit nicely within Fallen Angel's standard fantasy setting, but cybernetic angels and Egyptian robo-deities fill a void that I didn't know was missing.

There's a great variety of character classes, but neither good nor evil really factors into the limited story. At the very least they're great for multiple outings with unique skill-sets. If extensive adventure and goblin genocide sound up your alley, you'll adore mixing up melee and magic with different characters. However, thanks to the practically nonexistent story, you'll spend tons of time aimlessly wandering the ludicrously large world of Ancaria, all the while sticking your sword into the gut of any jerk that happens to pass by.

Wait, Whallop, Repeat

Sacred 2's biggest issue is that, in spite of its gorgeous world, complete with beautiful architecture and vibrant colours, there is an alarming array of technical problems. Sacred slows considerably when a group decides they want you dead, and the walk leading up to each objective is filled with distracting screen tearing and an embarrassing amount of objects popping in and out of existence. You'll definitely want to install Sacred 2: Fallen Angel to your hard drive, if only to avoid the maddening limitations of loading new areas every time you enter them.

Because experience points come fast, upgrading your attributes further categorises your character as a unique resident of the realm. The constant stream of spendable points keeps you hooked to level up just one more time before packing it in, and the reward just keeps piling on. With three online comrades, carving up Ancaria is even better. But that's four folks who've now got to patiently wait for a tree to pop into place before they can continue their cooperative battle cry.

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is a mindless blend of walking, jamming on the attack button, and repetitive objectives — but it still ends up being a lot of fun, provided your patience can tolerate the crippling halt after a technical meltdown. It's not a deal breaker, but it'll certainly tip the scales in the wrong direction for anyone using Sacred as a genre stepping stone.