Sacred Legends gamescom Preview

Sacred Legends is the continuation of a legacy, according to Deep Silver FishLabs. The first game based on the Sacred franchise to enter the mobile space, this action-RPG title is the child of a partnership between FishLabs and Chimera Entertainment. Sitting down with the developers at gamescom, I was shown a game which had been created using the framework of a PC game and then customised for mobile users.

The game allows the player to create a hero from three distinct classes - warrior, archer and seraphim - the latter being unique to the Sacred Legend universe. From there the player can take on missions throughout the land in which the game is set - which FishLabs tells me will be more than familiar to players of previous games in the franchise. These missions are an intriguing mix of side-scrolling beat ‘em up and tactical RPG. You have to keep walking to the right, taking down any enemies that get in your way.

Each character has a range of unique spells, abilities and equipment that can be used to fight off the encroaching hordes. Where one player character may struggle, reckoned FishLabs, three will prevail. This is where the companion system in Sacred Legends appears, whereby you can choose two heroes from your friends who play the game to accompany you on the adventure to gain loot, spoils and glory. There is also a PvP element, where a player can challenge their friends to battle. The system is balanced out, though, so that highly-leveled players can't just whoop their low-level friends to grind loot and points.

Anticipating my question about people without any friends, FishLabs added that the game will also allow you to choose from some random players near your level - something it hopes will spur their players on to forging new friendships.

Graphically the game is bright, colourful and full of action when two sets of enemies engage. Abilities and attacks are fully animated and look great on the small screen of a mobile. It’s another title which the developers have chosen to push in terms of graphical fidelity and it shows.

Sacred Legends is set to be released later in August 2016, and will arrive free to play with in-app purchasing available. There won’t be any pay-to-win here, though, as FishLabs told me that players will be able to complete the game’s storyline without having to buy special gear or a weapons. It certainly seems to be a title to look out for if you’re a mobile gamer, though whether it will truly rock the boat of the industry is yet to be seen.