SanctuaryRPG

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,648 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • graphics
SanctuaryRPG Game Cover
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SanctuaryRPG: Black Edition is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game with an interesting plot, stunning game mechanics, and compelling visuals. It offers retro ASCII graphics, procedurally generated artwork, and a sleek combat system. The game is very grinding, yet humorously entertaining with over 160 class and race combinations, making it highly replayable.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,648 reviews
music267 positive mentions
grinding104 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and engaging combat system that requires strategic thinking and attention to detail.
  • The ASCII art and soundtrack are well-executed, creating a nostalgic and immersive experience.
  • The humor and quirky writing style add charm and entertainment value to the gameplay.
  • The game can become repetitive and grindy, especially with permadeath mechanics leading to frequent restarts.
  • Some players find the humor juvenile and not consistently funny, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • The lack of a robust story and character development can make the game feel shallow after extended play.
  • music400 mentions

    The music in SanctuaryRPG has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its engaging chiptune soundtrack that complements the game's retro aesthetic and enhances the overall experience. Reviewers noted the variety and quality of the tracks, describing them as catchy, nostalgic, and fitting for the gameplay, often leading to memorable moments long after playing. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable and worth purchasing, even for the music alone.

    • “The music fits the game perfectly and goes really well with the art and flow of the game.”
    • “The music is amazing, and tunes continually end up stuck in my head (though in a good way).”
    • “Great art, tons of stuff to do, writing that balances humor and the more serious moments very well, a super deep combat and class system, and one of my favorite soundtracks of all time.”
    • “The music, while very good, felt repetitive due to the grind (noticeably so in Act IV).”
    • “Unless you want some real 'music', this one will not amuse you that much.”
    • “The in-game home screen's music is a bit jarring.”
  • story352 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its quirky humor and engaging world-building, while others criticize it as thin, repetitive, and lacking depth. Many reviews highlight the comedic elements and randomized backstories as enjoyable, but note that the main plot often feels like an afterthought, with limited character development and a lack of significant narrative progression. Overall, while the story has its entertaining moments, it may not satisfy those seeking a more serious or intricate narrative experience.

    • “The story, and the whole game really, is full of quirky, paradoxical humor that I found pretty funny.”
    • “The story is actually well thought out, and the ASCII art is amazing.”
    • “The sheer number of story quests, side missions, and loot, combined with a vast variety of character possibilities, there is a lot of complexity hidden beneath the simple design.”
    • “There is *barely* a story there, and most of it doesn't make sense.”
    • “The plot certainly creates intrigue and curiosity in multiple ways but fails to provide anything on any of those avenues.”
    • “With the story being lightly drizzled on between major bosses and locations, all of which you have to grind for or risk another restart, there is just simply not enough meat on the bone to keep rotating through characters to complete the story.”
  • graphics344 mentions

    The graphics of the game are primarily ASCII art, which many players find charming and nostalgic, evoking memories of classic text-based RPGs. While some reviewers note that the graphics may not appeal to everyone, they appreciate the creativity and detail that can be conveyed through this minimalist style. Overall, the graphics are seen as a successful throwback that complements the game's humor and gameplay, proving that engaging design can outweigh the need for high-end visuals.

    • “The ascii graphics are perfect, everything feels so responsive, and there's an immense amount of depth in the game.”
    • “Engaging gameplay, beautiful ascii graphics, and a stellar soundtrack.”
    • “The graphics are excellent, the ascii art is just fantastic.”
    • “The graphics were a turnoff, but everything else was fun.”
    • “It's my opinion that this is innately annoying to look at for hours at a time, but SanctuaryRPG have made several smart design decisions that make it tolerable, even to the harshest detractors of text-based graphics.”
    • “Despite the game having artwork for the locations, characters, items, etc., the combat is purely text-based.”
  • humor328 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as quirky and often centered around absurd themes, particularly an obsession with potatoes, which some players find hilarious while others consider juvenile or repetitive. Many reviews highlight the balance between light-hearted humor and more serious moments, with witty writing and random comedic events contributing to an enjoyable experience. However, opinions vary widely, with some players loving the offbeat humor and others feeling it detracts from the overall gameplay.

    • “This game is hilarious and a wonderful way to spend your afternoon, unless you can't handle complex carbohydrates, then come get this hot potato of an RPG in your diet today.”
    • “The humor in this game is outstanding, and quite refreshing to an otherwise serious plotline / series of events.”
    • “Hugely enjoyable game, taking the best from the roguelike genre, adding eye-bleeding ASCII art, mixing it with actually funny writing (something that's in short supply in games), and as a bonus - a nice crisp leveling rate for your character.”
    • “The writing has its moments, but a lot of the time it's painfully unfunny wacky randumb Katy the Penguin of Doom xd-tier stuff (the game has a very odd fixation on potatoes).”
    • “There's a wildly unfunny running joke about potatoes.”
    • “Juvenile, unfunny humor.”
  • gameplay305 mentions

    The gameplay of SanctuaryRPG: Black Edition is characterized by its deep mechanics and retro charm, combining elements from roguelikes and traditional RPGs. While the game offers a complex and engaging combat system, it can become grindy and repetitive, with some players finding the learning curve steep and the mechanics punishing. Overall, it provides a nostalgic experience with a humorous narrative, appealing to both newcomers and veterans of the genre, despite some criticisms regarding its interface and pacing.

    • “A fun, humorous, charming, rogue-like RPG that has plenty of personality to keep you playing and even more variety in gameplay for the game's scope to keep you coming back for subsequent playthroughs.”
    • “The gameplay is what really sets this game apart; it's daftly simple, but if you aren't paying attention, you'll miss a lot of subtle elements that will make the game play in your favor, so it takes a while to master.”
    • “The mechanics are so simple and easy to pick up - I think that's why this game is so enjoyable.”
    • “At the end of the day, though, SanctuaryRPG: Black Edition offers gameplay that boils down to pressing keys sequentially and occasionally pressing the same button twice when the enemy begins charging at you.”
    • “Cool at first, but immediately becomes very grindy, with very little change to gameplay.”
    • “This game is the worst; don't be tricked by its art. Its gameplay is a screen of endless text and pressing buttons. It's not fun or engaging, and I tried to have fun, but it's a farming simulator. The story is good, but the game is terrible.”
  • grinding104 mentions

    The grinding in the game is widely criticized for being excessive and monotonous, often consuming around 80% of gameplay time and leading to repetitive experiences. While some players find the grinding somewhat enjoyable due to humor and quick mechanics, many feel it detracts from the overall fun, especially with the added challenge of permadeath. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a major hurdle that can make the game tedious and less engaging over time.

    • “Moving on from there was somewhat more enjoyable, but the grinding at each stage to make sure I didn't get difficulty spiked again added to the monotony.”
    • “About 80% of the game time is just spent grinding levels/equipment in one way or another (there are quite a few ways to do so).”
    • “Basically, you spend hours upon hours bashing your face against the keyboard to craft better gear and farming enemies that offer no challenge in order to maximize your odds of beating the few actually relevant battles.”
  • replayability62 mentions

    Replayability in this game is highly variable; while some players find it offers immense replay value due to diverse classes, races, and randomization, others note that the combat can become repetitive and lacks depth after initial playthroughs. Many reviews highlight the enjoyment of different playstyles and the challenge of classic mode, which encourages multiple runs, but some also mention that the core experience remains largely the same across sessions. Overall, the game is praised for its replayability, especially considering its price point, though expectations should be tempered regarding the uniqueness of each playthrough.

    • “Ridiculously high randomization rates and multiple classes and races to play around with give this game an insane amount of replayability.”
    • “Tons of replay value (which is good, because you'll need it if you play in classic mode, but there is also a non-commitment mode if that's not for you) and the classes feel genuinely different and distinct to play.”
    • “Great replayability, accommodating a variety of playstyles and character builds.”
    • “There's basically minimal replayability once you understand the combat since it's so simple and all the same.”
    • “Tldr - the game is good for the price and even better on sale, just don't expect to get much replayability out of it.”
    • “- Low replayability, despite high diversity of races and items, it is hard to find different options to play through the game or develop your character.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the effective combination of ASCII graphics, detailed writing, humor, and music that creates an immersive experience. Despite the sub-par visuals, the overall ambiance is enjoyable and contributes to the game's charm, making it a recommended choice for fans of dungeon crawlers and text-based adventures.

    • “The ASCII, the attention to detail, the humor, the atmosphere, and oh god the music - it's a great, cheap immersive game and I'd highly recommend it to any fan of dungeon crawlers/text-based adventures alike.”
    • “The graphics of this game, while being sub-par by today's standards, work perfectly with the music and give the game a kind of atmosphere that is not meant to be taken seriously, but is still fun to play.”
    • “As this kind of technology cannot possibly win you over on a visual level, the writing could have been the means to create some kind of atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics of this game, while sub-par by today's standards, work perfectly with the music and give the game a kind of atmosphere that is not meant to be taken seriously, but is still fun to play.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the character development is considered well thought out, there is a desire for a greater focus on story and character depth, suggesting that the current emphasis on humor detracts from this aspect.

    • “Early into it, but I can tell the character development is well thought out.”
    • “A little less humor and more story and character development would help a great deal.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report significant stability issues, with frequent glitches preventing the game from launching properly despite appearing in the taskbar. This recurring problem hampers the overall gaming experience.

    • “It just glitches, shows it's running on my task bar but won't be brought up when clicking on it.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly addressed in the provided text, which focuses more on the artistic style rather than financial elements. Therefore, no specific insights on monetization can be derived from this review.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
5-17hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs

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