Just now, THQ Nordic has heralded the full remastering of Sacred 2. The first entry in the trilogy, which was brought to life in 2008, gained a lot of admiration and even drew comparisons with Diablo. This remaster will be available on 11th November and will support PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Indeed, you heard it right; we are going back to Ancaria, baby!
If you have missed it, Sacred 2 was a super action-packed RPG game when it came out. It could be compared with Diablo but it offered a huge world to explore along with up to six entirely different character classes. Players appreciated the game’s depth and the sheer volume of content. Now, the game is getting a new lease of life and the excitement is undeniably justified.
THQ Nordic’s tweet about the remake quickly caught the attention of gamers and soon after it was trending. One user could not have been clearer than exclaiming, “OH FUCK YEAH RELEASE IT NOW THOUGH BASTARDS” which was indeed a mood captured perfectly. Another fan, Mackenzie.R, called the game “one of my favorite ARPGs of my childhood,” and confessed to being “so fucking hype.” Something like this could be the nature of the remaster’s reactions.
Still, it is not only nostalgia that speaks; in fact, it is people’s real anticipation for the moment that they have been waiting for this all along. OMEGA commented on the news saying, “I can’t wait for this remake. I’ve been waiting for a long time to get this game remastered.” Also, Joshua Steinert claimed he still owns his original copy and is “definitely going to get it.” This is a story of love and fidelity when it comes to the game and its fans.
The remaster is a complex deal involving not just porting the game but also incorporating all “expansions, and updates” that the game went through. Among expansions, Ice and Blood is part of it, which makes it very crucial for full experience seekers who desire to know the whole story. Each DLC will no longer need to be tracked down, and so on would not be a problem anymore.
Collectors of physical editions will also have good news. Many people asked about physical versions, and although THQ Nordic has not shared all the details yet, they did say that the remaster would include everything that was there before. The account Does it play? was very curious to know if “all content on disc” would be accessible. Quite a good question indeed.
Shifting the topic to gamers’ questions leads to the uncovering of some interesting aspects. A large number of players immediately asked about online co-op and cross-play features. Clad said, “No online co-op, that’s insane,” which probably means that this feature is excluded? That would indeed be a significant downside. Wank_Hilliams and VirtualKodaChrome also asked about crossplay options.
Steam Deck compatibility was mentioned, with Micha asking if the game would run smoothly on Valve’s handheld console. Playing on the go would be ideal for this type of ARPGs, so that’s really a good question. The possibility of Switch ports also popped up a few times, with ~Lithium~ stating, “Switch is perfect for this one” and VirtualKodaChrome suggesting that a “Switch 2 port would be AMAZING”.
Quality concerns have been voiced. Dante00151 pleaded, “Please make it good, please please please make it gooooooood. I’m so hopeful.” That is the typical case with remasters; you’d want them to capture the original’s magic while correcting the flaws. Jeremy shared his fears about “No more screen tearing!” which is, indeed, a very evident issue that was omnipresent in the original game.
A part of the gamers is already dreaming about the future. Andrés P. was inquiring “Any chance to also remaster the first game?” while the Adidas 20zero was hinting at “Sacred 3, which I still play and could use a remaster…” Thus, the demands for more Sacred content are clearly there beyond just this game.
The topic of build complexity has also surfaced, with Intergalactic Geo asking whether the “respec” feature has been added due to “complexity” for newcomers. That’s actually a very valid point – Sacred 2 had really intricate character building systems that could completely ruin your build if you made a mistake. A respec option would definitely be very helpful.
What is really great to see is that a lot of players are still playing the original versions. TektheSatNav revealed that he was playing on “my OG version in back compat on Xbox or gold on pc!” That’s like people grinding in Ancaria even after 15 years. That is indeed an indication of how much people loved this game.
Having November 11 as the launch date gives us a certain timeline to look forward to. It’s not like one of those vague announcements that say “coming soon” – we are just telling precisely when this thing drops. Additionally, it is very nice to tie it with the holiday gaming season even if it is early.
So what is all this about? THQ Nordic is not only cashing in on some major nostalgia with this but also presenting an oldie to a new group. Sacred 2, to some extent, was a forerunner with different classes, massive world, and mount system. So modern tech and aesthetics to be combined with that could definitely be a killer.
The response has been immensely positive but there have also been a few real concerns. No online co-op would be a huge loss; cross-play would be a big deal; Steam Deck verification would be an indication of it being used for at least through the demon-slaying. The pulling of the curtains and revealing of the details leading to November will be the time we will find out what the situation is on these issues.
Currently, the game has certainly made a hype and it is not in the waiting area anymore. People are thrilled to visit Ancaria again, to discover the vast world for the second time, and probably to spend way too many hours refining their builds. The release of the game was overdue, but the wait is almost over now. The fans of Sacred are really looking forward to November.
And who can tell? If this remaster succeeds, we might see the return of the Sacred universe. The responses are quite clear in that the demand is there. For now, however, mark your calendars and get ready to dive into one of the most loved ARPGs of the 2000s. It will be a blast!
