Guardians of the Sanctree
- August 29, 2024
- Sanctree
- 83h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Guardians of the Sanctree" is a 2D, hand-drawn co-op game where players, as avian military commanders, restore Sanctree cities, defend against insectoid attacks, and explore subterranean wonders. Gameplay involves diverse roles, from production line designers to elite warriors, and resources are gathered for crafting tools, weapons, settlements, and strongholds. Survival is key as players hunt for food, battle creatures, and test strategies to shape Sanctree's fate.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of tower defense, resource management, and exploration, making it engaging and fun, especially in co-op mode.
- The developers are responsive and actively working on updates, which gives players confidence in the game's future improvements.
- The visuals are charming and the gameplay is addictive, with a variety of mechanics that keep players entertained for many hours.
- The game is plagued by bugs and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer, which can significantly detract from the experience.
- There is a lack of replayability and content after completing the main objectives, leading to a feeling of emptiness once the game is beaten.
- The tutorial and some gameplay mechanics can be confusing, making it difficult for new players to fully grasp the game's systems.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of crafting, resource management, and strategic defense, reminiscent of titles like Terraria but with a unique twist that combines action-strategy and colony simulation elements. Players can expect a whimsical experience with diverse mechanics and a lighthearted aesthetic, though some have noted issues with tool redundancy and transport mechanics. Overall, the game offers a substantial amount of content, with many players enjoying its engaging gameplay loop and cooperative modes.
“This game is pretty simple and can rake up 100 hours of gameplay easily.”
“Imagine blasting away at swarms of creepy crawlies with a 'carrot rocket launcher' or mowing them down with a 'pomegranate machine gun.' It’s a veggie-powered armory that adds a lighthearted, whimsical touch to the otherwise intense gameplay.”
“The gameplay involves crafting, resource management, and strategic defenses, offering both single-player and online co-op modes.”
“The trailer on the store page doesn't resemble the gameplay very well at all anymore.”
“I would say after 30 hours of gameplay, you've done almost 99% of the game.”
“Multiple tools that basically do the same thing but you need them all to get anything done, (one of which broke during a patch and no longer works), having to recollect your party every login, bad transporting mechanics, etc.”
- music6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised for being pleasant and fitting, enhancing the overall experience across various gameplay styles, from relaxing platformers to cooperative survival games. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, complementing the colorful graphics and engaging mechanics. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
“Relaxing platformer with pleasant music.”
“The gameplay is diverse and the soundtrack is top.”
“An interesting cooperative 2D game with nice music in which you play as cute animals, build a base, explore, and defend towers.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their unique and colorful cartoon style, contributing to an engaging visual experience. Users appreciate the well-crafted visuals that complement the game's mechanics, often comparing them favorably to similar titles like Terraria. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point of the game, enhancing its appeal.
“Very well thought out crafting system, skill tree, and drawn graphics give a kind of interesting visual style.”
“A good game with unique mechanics and nice cartoon graphics.”
“Decent graphics and mechanics.”
“Nice soundtrack, colorful graphics, not a bad tower defense implementation.”
“The game is a bit like Terraria, but the graphics are better.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story revolves around birds defending themselves from insects, but it lacks closure, leaving players disappointed as there is no celebratory resolution after defeating their nemesis. Overall, the narrative feels simplistic and underdeveloped.
“The plot revolves around birds defending themselves from insects, creating a unique and engaging narrative.”
“The story is simple yet captivating, focusing on the struggle for survival in a vibrant ecosystem.”
“The narrative effectively highlights the themes of resilience and teamwork among the characters.”
“No story closure before you see it either, which is really unfortunate because you're expecting the birds to celebrate a little after beating their nemesis.”
“The plot is based on the fact that the birds are defending themselves from insects.”
“That's the whole story.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users feel that the game lacks significant replay value at this time, indicating limited incentives to play it multiple times.
“In general, I currently don't see much replay value right now.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively blends humor with strategic gameplay, using a lighthearted premise to contrast the serious challenges of resource management and survival against insect threats. Players can expect a mix of comedic elements alongside the need for skillful tactics.
“What starts as a simple defense operation quickly turns into a full-blown war for survival, with a dash of humor and a lot of strategic depth.”
“It may have a humorous premise, but don’t be fooled—the game demands skillful resource management and strategic planning to fend off the increasingly dangerous insect threats.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent bugs, stuttering, lag, and unresponsive controls. Issues such as disappearing items and invisible enemies further detract from the experience, leaving many frustrated with the overall performance.
“I wish I could review it positively, but the further I get, the more bugs and poor optimization I discover.”
“Constant stuttering, lag, slow inputs, vanishing items, and invisible enemies. Machines barely function, and the game doesn't explain why.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for being relaxing and immersive, contributing to its addictive quality and encouraging prolonged gameplay.
“The game is very addictive; the nice atmosphere helps to relax and allows for long play sessions.”
“The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel engaging and alive.”
“The atmospheric sound design and visuals create a captivating world that keeps you coming back for more.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, with frequent game freezes lasting from a few seconds to a full minute, largely influenced by connection quality, hardware performance, and loading areas.
“All of these will cause complete game freezes for anywhere between a few seconds to a full minute, depending on connection quality, PC specifications, and the area being loaded.”
