Become Ezechiel, sin collector in service of Them at The Top, as he ventures through what is left of our world during the End Times. It’s the Apocalypse and his job is to eradicate sin for the glory of God. But can a mere human really endure such fate?

Sancticide Review

The gaming world continually evolves, bringing forth new titles that offer unique experiences. One such game creating buzz among gamers is Sancticide, a third-person action RPG with roguelike and soulslike elements.

Developed by Red Square Games and Sylen Studio, Sancticide immerses you in a world filled with sin and destruction, where you take on the role of Ezechiel, a Sin Collector tasked with cleansing the world of sin during the Apocalypse.

Packaged in a dark atmosphere with a strong narrative, Sancticide aims to provide a worthwhile challenge for fans of dark fantasy-themed games. In this article, I’ll share my personal experiences with the game, including first impressions, the user interface, as well as the quality of graphics and audio it offers.

System Requirements

Before delving deeper, let’s look at the specifications required to run Sancticide smoothly:

Minimum Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
• RAM: 8 GB
• GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580
• Storage: 30 GB available space

Recommended Requirements:

• OS: Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i7-9700K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
• RAM: 16 GB
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060 / AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
• Storage: 30 GB available space

I played Sancticide on a PC with medium settings, featuring an Intel i7-10750H processor, 16 GB RAM, and a GTX 1650TI graphics card. With these specifications, I hope to achieve an optimal gaming experience.

Sancticide Review – First Impression

Entering the World of Sancticide The first time I stepped into the world of Sancticide, I was greeted by an atmosphere that was extremely dark and grim. The game wastes no time in introducing a post-apocalyptic ambiance with a world full of ruins and terrifying creatures. The created atmosphere truly reflects a world that has lost all hope.

The game also offers difficulty options: Easy, Medium, and Hard, allowing players to choose according to their gameplay preferences. In my opinion, the Medium level is already quite challenging!

The introductory gameplay provides a brief tutorial on basic controls, attacks, and defense mechanisms like parrying and dodging. While the mechanics feel familiar to fans of soulslike games, I found the combat rhythm slightly faster than Dark Souls, though not as rapid as Sekiro. This makes battles more dynamic and tests both your patience and strategy.

One thing that immediately caught my attention was the game’s difficulty level. Enemies in the starting areas were already aggressive and had diverse attack patterns, forcing me to truly understand the combat mechanisms right from the start.

Reckless attacks won’t get you far; instead, I had to carefully observe enemy attack patterns and find openings to counter-attack.

The world of Sancticide feels very alive, despite being engulfed in destruction. I could see incredible environmental details, such as collapsed buildings, flames still burning among the ruins, and thick fog that heightens the grim impression.

Every corner of this world seems to have its own story, offering depth and piquing my curiosity to explore further.

The stamina system in this game also deserves attention. Every action, from attacking and dodging to running, drains stamina. This means I had to strategize carefully in battles and avoid random attacks.

If stamina is depleted, I became vulnerable to enemy attacks, often leading to death. Furthermore, the weapon and skill system in this game is quite complex. I could switch between various weapons, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Some weapons have faster attacks but deal less damage, while heavy weapons deliver high destructive power but at a slower speed. This offers flexibility in playstyle, depending on each player’s preferences.

In the end, my first impression of Sancticide is that it’s not a game for those looking for a casual experience. Its high difficulty, grim world, and challenging combat mechanics make it more suitable for those who enjoy challenges and have extra patience.

However, it’s precisely this that makes the game compelling. I feel challenged to keep trying, learning enemy patterns, and finding the best ways to survive in this brutal world.

Sancticide Review – The Uniqueness of Its Progression System

One aspect that makes Sancticide stand out is its complex progression system. Unlike other soulslike games, where players can gather EXP to directly improve stats, this game adopts a more strategic approach.

Players must search for and collect soul fragments scattered across various areas to unlock new skills. Every decision in character development can affect the course of the game, so players need to think carefully before upgrading specific attributes.

Additionally, the gear enhancement system is quite unique. Instead of relying solely on weapons found throughout the game, players can strengthen and customize their weapons using various runes discovered along the journey. This provides an opportunity for players to create a combat style that truly aligns with their preferences.

Sancticide Review – Game Interface

The interface in Sancticide is quite intuitive. The main menu and HUD (Heads-Up Display) are designed to be simple, without too many distractions. I appreciate how the game’s UI clearly presents information about the health bar, stamina, and other resources without cluttering the screen with unnecessary elements.

One interesting feature is the customization system for HUD layout. You can adjust the position and size of the indicators according to your personal preferences, a feature rarely found in similar games.

However, there are some aspects that I believe still need improvement. For example, navigation within the inventory menu feels less responsive, especially when trying to switch weapons or check character stats. While it’s not a major issue, it can slightly disrupt the gameplay experience in the long run.

Sancticide Review – Graphics and Audio

One of the most captivating aspects of Sancticide is its visuals. Using Unreal Engine 5, the game showcases incredible lighting effects and highly detailed environments.

Every corner of this ruined world seems to hold its own story, from graffiti-covered building debris to dark corridors hiding threats.

Characters and enemies are designed with remarkable attention to detail. Every piece of armor worn by the main character looks incredibly realistic, while the enemy designs carry a grotesque and terrifying aesthetic. The visual effects during battles are also very satisfying, especially when successfully executing parries or finishing moves.

From an audio perspective, Sancticide delivers background sounds that effectively build the atmosphere of a quiet and eerie world. The minimalist soundtrack successfully creates tension, especially during boss fights. Weapon sound effects and character footsteps also sound realistic, adding a deeper sense of immersion to the gameplay experience.

Conclusion of the Sancticide Review

After spending several hours in the world of Sancticide, I can confidently say that this game has great potential to become a notable title in the soulslike genre. With its challenging gameplay, intriguing world, and solid combat mechanics, the game delivers an immersive experience for action RPG enthusiasts.

See you in the next game review article—I hope this review helps you enjoy your Sancticide adventure.