Shiny got well known with its “deviate” platform hero Earthworm Jim, came with the technical high-principled, full of bugs containing but especially too late released Messiah and it is getting now even with the insane/crazy Sacrifice. Real-time Strategy will never be the same.
Five Gods
In most Strategy Games you have to build bases, make units, control resources and flatten the enemy’s camps. That is can be nice is proved by games like Red Alert and the more tactical orientated Ground Control. However, a game as Sacrifice breathes new life into this genre. In Sacrifice, you play as a wizard in a magical valley. Not a standard RPG wizard in a long habit and a staff, but a kind of terrestrial – arisen from organic material wizard. You can create your own wizard, but whatever you choose, you look bizarre. Next, you can choose which God you want to serve. Dependently on what God you choose, several creatures get assigned to you which you can use fight. You fight against other people who are also lead by a wizard that is serving a God. If you have opponents killed by your creatures, you can replace their souls by your special units. Those souls will be sacrificed to your God at your altar. The more souls you sacrifice, the more spells, mana, creatures and energy you get. The five Gods are very different and have all their purpose. The five Gods are Pyro, God of Fire; Stratos, God of Air; James, God of Earth; Charnel, God of Death; and the severe/hard mother character Persephone; Goddess of Life.
Controls
The control happens with mouse and keyboard and is very well done. The intuitive controlling camera shows you huge extensive world of Sacrifice beautifully. Hills, valleys, mountains, and cliffs decorate the environments. You can use the right mousebutton to scroll over the screen so that several functions appear on screen. By clicking on them you can control troops, set formations and give orders. You also got a range of impressive spells. Dependently on what God you have chosen, you get several types of creatures [these are all extremely weird and full of fantasy designed) and magic appointed. If you choose for the God of Air, then you will be able to summon a huge Tornado and if you have chosen for Pyro then you can work with magic as huge fireballs and Vulcanos.
Beautiful and completely Crazy
This game reminds me most of a kind of hallucinogenic version of Populous. You would almost think that the developers were stoned, drunk, and heavily poisoned with medicines when they created the world and creatures of Sacrifice. Sacrifice is using the improved technique that was available in Messiah. Therefore, that means that you will get mouth-watering beautiful graphics on your screen. Think of dozens or even hundreds of 3D Creatures at the same time on your screen while threatening skies are rotating and lighting and rain is pouring out the battlefield. The creatures are wonderful and completely crazy at the same time. With cheerfully crazy voices and a very imaginable appearance. All beasts have something organic as the wizard. The Fire Creatures sometimes look as if they were burning coals and the Earth Creatures build up from stones and clay. The magic spells are summoned also with many spectacles. All in all an intense, colourful lights- and special effects show that no gamer want to miss.
Conclusion
It is a quite difficult game but also very humorous and very ambient game. The graphics are amazing beautiful and the spells plus creatures the most bizarre ones that I have seen for quite a while.
Rating
Gameplay: 9.0 [out of 10]
Originality: 9.0 [out of 10]
Graphics: 9.5 [out of 10]
Sound: 9.0 [out of 10]
From
Game Planet. Click
here for this Dutch Review.
This has been translated by me from Dutch to English. I apologiz[s]e for any translation errors.
[This message has been edited by Idolater (edited 03-10-2001).]
General Gaming 
Inspirated by Vittavat180983: A Dutch Sacrifice Review... 
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