It’s not easy to create an RTS game. Let me rephrase that, it’s not easy to create any game especially RTS games. So it’s always a delight when we get one for review here at the DIY HQ. Last week that game just so happened to be Sacraboar, a little known RTS game being developed in the heart of Germany by Makivision Games. I spent the weekend with Makivision’s unique take on the RTS genre and here are my thoughts.

Sacraboar is definitely an RTS game, no doubt about it. Those who do not enjoy the genre should look elsewhere, however, for those that do enjoy it there may be something here for you. You see, while Sacraboar may be an RTS, it’s not a traditional one. There is no base-building and no army hoarding. This game is almost entirely about actual tactics and strategy. Almost like chess, actually.

The entire game is focused around one strict dogma: capture the pig. That’s the entire game summed up in three words. While it may sound silly, stupid, or wierd it’s actually a simple concept wrapped around some very delicate gameplay. You play against one other team with a host of minions at your service that you send to attempt to capture their pig while, at the same time, they are trying to capture yours. What happens in the middle of the arena is between you and your opponent…

Gameplay

I mentioned up above that playing Sacraboar was a lot like playing chess. I stand by that statement. But is that necessarily a good thing? Well yes, and no. On the one hand the game is a lot more tactical than a traditional RTS like Starcraft (we all know what online matches of Starcraft boil down to) which is definitely a good thing. Unfortunately, like Chess, unless your super involved in the strategies and nuances of the game you’ll probably end up getting tired with it after a half hour or so. Although, like with Chess, I can definitely fancy myself a game every now and then.

The game itself is arranged much like a sports league. In fact, the computer players even have their own team names like  the Wasteland Nomads, Horrible Horde, and Incredible Chargers which is a nice touch.  The leagues are actually set up to be similar to footie (soccer) leagues from Europe or the MLS. This means that you’ll be accruing points and the like similar to that fashion. A definite plus if your a fan of soccer, I’d say.

In addition to the League play the game features a tournament styled cup match that allows you to play consecutively against computer opponents until you are eliminated, or you win the cup. As well as skirmishes. Standard fair I’d say.

My personal favorite part of the game, however, was the Challenges. This is a game mode that sets up specific challenges while you play a match. For example there’s a mode called Instability, where in, your units and towers will randomly disappear creating a nice sort of chaos to an otherwise fairly stable game.

There are only a total of seven units to fight/capture with in Sacraboar. They are pretty standard unit: long range, tank-like, flying, etc. In fact it can get a bit boring after a while of using the same units. There is, however, one unit that drastically mixes up the ebb and flow of the game; the builder. The builder is able to create towers that allow you to cast spells on your own minions as well as your opponents. And with four schools of magic to choose from there is bound to be a lot of strategic value hidden deep within. Of course you can also have your builder simply create a resource tower for you to create more units with… but what fun is that?

Sacraboar features a multiplayer mode, run by Impulse actually. It’s pretty standard affair, offering a host of games for you to oin in order to play against other players. In fact, there’s even a nice chat room to talk with other before joining a random game. Something I’ve always personally enjoyed since my days with Diablo 2. Unfortunately, there’s one glaring problem with this multiplayer. You can only ever just play random skirmishes with other players. The game has a rather robust League and Cup tournament mode, but those are only for when you’d rather play with the computer. Definitely a shame considering playing against a computer will eventually get boring.

Style

Sacraboar is, graphically, very pleasant to look at. In fact, it reminds me a lot of Warcraft 3, of which I still consider to be one of my favorite RTS for graphics. It’s not super realistic, but it’s also not meant to be. The different maps range from icy to lava-infused. The one thing I’d say is a problem is the character models for your minions don’t quite live up to the environments. When I first started playing I had a hard time seeing what exactly they were.

The audio in Sacraboar is very well done, especially the English voice-overs. This was definitely a surprise considering the game was made in Germany. Likewise, the music is nice and fits the game pretty well.

Story

Hope this isn’t a deal breaker, but there isn’t one. Sacraboar has no storyline or anything of the like. I can’t personally blame them as the way the game is set up — based off a sports league — there really isn’t anyway to include one.

Everything Else

Makivision decided to include one thing in the game that will really help you hone your skills and figure out a good strategy; the training room. In here you can pull out any unit and enemy unit to see which one will come out on top. Additionally, you can build all the different magic towers to test those out. It’s a nice touch for those who really want to work on their strategy.

Overall, if you enjoy RTS games you’ll probably enjoy Sacraboar. If you are really competitive and love games that are more tactical than a traditional RTS then you’ll probably love Sacraboar. Plus for $19.99 ($14.99 right now on Steam) there’s not a lot to lose on this game. So what are you waiting for?

Sacraboar is out on November 6th.

[The developer/publisher of Sacraboar gave DIYgamer.com a free copy for review purposes.]