Guardians of the Sanctree

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Guardians of the Sanctree is a single player and multiplayer survival simulation game. It was developed by Sanctree and was released on October 3, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"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.

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

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 hope for future improvements and expansions.
The visuals are cute and the gameplay is addictive, with a variety of weapons and strategies that keep the experience fresh.

The game is plagued by bugs and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer, which can significantly detract from the experience.
Many players feel the game lacks replay value and content after the initial playthrough, with limited activities available post-completion.
The tutorial and some gameplay mechanics can be clunky and confusing, making it difficult for new players to fully grasp the game.

gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
74%
10%
The gameplay is a blend of crafting, resource management, and strategic defense, reminiscent of titles like Terraria but with a unique twist that combines elements of tower defense and colony simulation. 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.
- “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.”
- “I very much enjoy the fact that this game takes from a few different genres and makes a unique gameplay loop for itself.”
- “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.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
85%
15%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its pleasant and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, complementing the diverse gameplay and colorful graphics, making it a fitting backdrop for cooperative and survival elements. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere.
- “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.”
- “Whilst I've only dipped my toe into what the game has to offer, I'm definitely liking the look of things so far. I really like the character designs and the soundtrack is nice and chill, and the base building mechanics seem pretty interesting to work with!”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique cartoon style and colorful visuals, contributing to an engaging overall aesthetic. Many users appreciate the well-crafted design elements, comparing them favorably to other titles like Terraria. Overall, the graphics enhance the gameplay experience, complementing the game's mechanics and soundtrack.
- “A good game with unique mechanics and nice cartoon graphics.”
- “Nice soundtrack, colorful graphics, not a bad tower defense implementation.”
- “The graphics are in my heart.”
- “Decent graphics and mechanics.”
- “The game is a bit like Terraria, but the graphics are better.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story revolves around birds defending themselves from insects, but it lacks closure, leaving players disappointed as they anticipate a celebratory conclusion after defeating their nemesis. Overall, the narrative feels underdeveloped and unsatisfying.
- “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.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Overall, users express a lack of replayability in the game, indicating that they do not find significant value in replaying it at this time.
- “In general, I currently don't see much replay value right now.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game incorporates humor into its premise, providing a lighthearted touch to an otherwise intense survival strategy experience. While the comedic elements add charm, players should be prepared for the serious demands of resource management and strategic planning as they face escalating challenges.
- “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.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent bugs, constant stuttering, lag, slow input response, and issues like vanishing items and invisible enemies. These performance problems significantly detract from the overall experience, leaving many users frustrated.
- “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 functioning and the game not explaining why.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent and prolonged freezes lasting from a few seconds to a minute, largely influenced by connection quality and system performance. Many players find the game to be buggy and slow, leading to frustration and, in some cases, requests for refunds due to a poor initial experience.
- “All of these will cause complete game freezes for anywhere between a few seconds or even a full minute depending on connection quality, PCs, and the area being loaded.”
- “This game is super buggy and slow.”
- “If it was well built it probably would be, but the tutorial was so clunky and buggy I gave up in 11 minutes and requested a refund.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its relaxing qualities, contributing to an addictive experience that encourages prolonged play.
- “The game is very addictive; the nice atmosphere helps to relax and allows for long play sessions.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While the reviewer has only begun exploring the game, they express a positive impression of the character designs, indicating that the visual aspect of character development is appealing. However, there is no specific mention of character growth or narrative depth in the provided text.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with each character as their stories unfold.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, each with their own unique arcs that keep me invested in their journeys.”
- “The depth of character customization and growth really enhances the overall experience, making every decision feel impactful.”

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83h Median play time

65h Average play time

30-100h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Guardians of the Sanctree is a survival simulation game.

Guardians of the Sanctree is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 65 hours playing Guardians of the Sanctree.

Guardians of the Sanctree was released on October 3, 2024.

Guardians of the Sanctree was developed by Sanctree.

Guardians of the Sanctree has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Guardians of the Sanctree is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Craft The World, Len's Island, The Riftbreaker, Eden Rising, Volcanoids and others.

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