Sanctum

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,619 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Sanctum Game Cover
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An inventive tower defense/ first person shooter hybrid that pits elite soldier Skye against various forms of alien life on a small set of unique maps. Skye must build and upgrade defensive structures while jumping into the fray to help her creations take down the hostile invaders.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,619 reviews
gameplay112 positive mentions
stability8 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of tower defense and first-person shooter mechanics that keeps gameplay engaging.
  • Fun and challenging, especially in multiplayer mode with friends.
  • Visually appealing with a great soundtrack that enhances the gaming experience.
  • Can become repetitive and tedious after extended play due to limited maps and enemy variety.
  • Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially for solo players.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, like tower targeting and building in tactical view, are clunky and could be improved.
  • gameplay217 mentions

    The gameplay of this hybrid first-person shooter and tower defense game is generally praised for its seamless integration of both genres, offering a fun and engaging experience with a variety of mechanics and strategies. While many players appreciate the unique gameplay loop and the balance between planning and action phases, some note that it can become repetitive over time and lacks depth in certain areas, such as player mobility and map variety. Overall, the game is considered enjoyable and accessible, making it a solid choice for fans of both genres.

    • “This game mixes the combat of a first person shooter with a tower defense mechanic, and the tutorial does a good job explaining how it works.”
    • “The mechanics are tight, everything feels good, objectives are clear, and the gameplay is easy to get a handle on.”
    • “Its FPS integration with tower defense is amazing, and the fact that there is so much gameplay to start out is great!”
    • “In terms of gameplay, there seems to be a lot of focus on mazing, yet at times mazing opportunities seem quite arbitrarily locked down.”
    • “Somewhat limited player mobility and a lack of ads mechanic keep it from being an amazing FPS; while an inability to change tower targeting preferences and lack of overhead map editor mode prevent it from being my favorite tower defense.”
    • “Sanctum's UI is clunky, tower building is awkward, information on towers is obfuscated here, gameplay feels very un-fluid and not very much fun; it's just all-around an inferior experience to its sequel.”
  • graphics168 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they may feel dated, they still possess a nostalgic charm and solid aesthetic appeal. Some highlight the impressive art style and immersive environments, while others criticize the graphics as blocky or unfinished. Overall, the visuals are generally considered good for an indie title, with a blend of beautiful designs and smooth performance, though they may not meet the expectations of players seeking cutting-edge graphics.

    • “The graphics are impressive, and the developers spot-on exploited their advantage by designing an original world that is both beautiful and immersive.”
    • “The graphics are outstanding.”
    • “It is just simply amazing, the graphics are awesome, sound/music epic, gameplay is the best & the attention to detail is simply beautiful.”
    • “Sadly it is graphically outdated and nearly no one to play in coop.”
    • “The graphics look very unfinished, as if the textures were only placeholders.”
    • “The graphics are kinda blocky and bad.”
  • music154 mentions

    The music in Sanctum is widely praised for its fantastic and immersive soundtrack, which complements the game's vibrant sci-fi aesthetics and enhances the overall atmosphere. While many players find the music engaging and unique, some note that it can become repetitive over extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable for both tower defense and first-person shooter fans.

    • “The soundtrack is fantastic.”
    • “Sanctum is an excellent blend of co-op FPS and tower defense, with very good music and excellent visuals, using a predominantly white color palette that sets it apart from most games.”
    • “The level designs are breathtaking, the music gives you chills, and it makes for a very enjoyable game experience.”
    • “There isn't a strong sense of style or music.”
    • “The music is relatively pleasing and unintrusive but also likely to get old after several hours.”
    • “Clueless at first, fun to play, soloing it sucks big time, and I get bored easily; I fell asleep while playing it, too much repetition, mobs, and boring music. My score: 2/10.”
  • story88 mentions

    The game's story is largely absent, with many reviewers noting a lack of characters or a cohesive plot, reducing the narrative to a few creative easter eggs that hint at a broader context. While some players appreciate the action and strategy elements, they express disappointment over the minimal storytelling, suggesting that the game could benefit from a more developed narrative to enhance the experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game is enjoyable for its gameplay, but it falls short in delivering a compelling story.

    • “Anyway, there are plenty of easter eggs hidden around the place; sure, you may think that the game is just about placing towers and shooting aliens, but hidden in the easter eggs is a very rich story, as is brought forward in Sanctum 2.”
    • “There is a unique world here but no real story.”
    • “Some hidden easter eggs allude to the idea of a wider story, but you'll find no characters or plot here.”
    • “I, like many other reviewers here, wish that Sanctum actually had a storyline, rather than just have aliens attack...because they can.”
    • “The only major flaw is the lack of any kind of story to tie the levels together.”
  • replayability48 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability due to diverse maps, strategic tower choices, and varying difficulty levels, which encourage players to experiment with different strategies. Many users appreciate the challenge and the potential for unique gameplay experiences, although some express a desire for modding options to enhance replay value further. While most reviews highlight the game's replayability, a few note limitations, particularly regarding weapon upgrades and the need for additional content updates.

    • “Nicely modulated advancement, and higher difficulties are truly challenging, and provide excellent replayability.”
    • “The number of maps, difficulty levels and achievements provides for many hours of replayability.”
    • “It's super memorable, it's tons of fun, very challenging, and provides great replay value.”
    • “Would have been brilliant if users could mod their own maps to give this even more replayability.”
    • “You're also unable to upgrade weapons and go back to play levels that were too hard in the first place, so for me there was 0 replayability.”
    • “I love it, but the replay value is limited.”
  • humor30 mentions

    The game is praised for its humor, featuring funny twists, easter eggs, and amusing interactions, especially when playing with friends. Players enjoy the quirky design of towers and enemies, as well as the hilarious text-to-voice function, which adds to the overall comedic experience. Despite some bugs, the humor remains a standout aspect, making it a fun and entertaining tower defense game.

    • “You'll be laughing a lot.”
    • “On a lighter note, the text-to-voice function in-game is absolutely hilarious!”
    • “There are easter eggs, even some humor in the yogscave level.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users noting its smooth graphics and a soundtrack that perfectly complements the serene, sci-fi aesthetic. Comparisons to popular titles like Destiny, World of Warcraft: Legion, and Monster Hunter: World highlight its engaging ambiance, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the combination of visuals and music creates an immersive experience that resonates with players.

    • “I must say that the soundtrack is spot on to the atmosphere.”
    • “To be honest, the thing I love most about this game is the aesthetics and music; it creates a kind of serene, sci-fi atmosphere that I just love.”
    • “To be honest though, the thing I love most about this game is the aesthetics and music; it creates a kind of serene, sci-fi atmosphere that I just love.”
    • “The atmosphere and graphics are fine, and the game runs smoothly.”
    • “That puts it around the atmosphere of popular games like Destiny (6.1), World of Warcraft: Legion (7.3), and Monster Hunter: World (7.8).”
  • stability12 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its stability and polished mechanics, with most players reporting a bug-free experience. However, some users noted occasional issues when joining games mid-wave, suggesting a workaround to avoid these bugs. Despite initial concerns during earlier versions, the current state of the game is considered stable and enjoyable.

    • “The graphics are easy on the eyes and the mechanics feel very sturdy, not buggy at all; this was a very clean, polished game.”
    • “The graphics and sound quality are good for an indie release, and the game is also very stable and bug-free.”
    • “There is a buggy achievement.”
    • “It can be buggy when you try to join a game where the wave is still commencing, but if you wait until the enemy wave ends and then click 'accept' after selecting your weapons, you can often get into the game without a problem.”
    • “Don't listen to the nay-sayers who dump on this game due to the first couple of revisions being buggy.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly due to the long levels that require replaying if mistakes are made. This leads to a frustrating experience where experimentation feels constrained, as players must master each level perfectly rather than exploring multiple strategies. Overall, the grinding is seen as time-consuming and often confusing, especially in larger maps.

    • “The levels are too damn long... it becomes tiresome and tedious to win a level, and if you mess up, you more or less have to go through all that again.”
    • “I have spent several hours playing this with my friends; it gets quite tedious and a bit tough on the later levels.”
    • “Experimentation becomes tedious as you're forced to replay multiple levels if you mess up on one, and it seems like you have to perfectly figure out each level rather than having multiple solutions if you want to survive.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the smooth performance and enjoyable graphics, others criticize it for being poorly optimized and performance-intensive. The integration of player and tower DPS is noted as a fun aspect, but the optimization issues remain a significant concern for many users.

    • “The atmosphere and graphics are fine and the game runs smoothly.”
    • “And, the optimization of tower DPS must include player DPS, which is a lot of fun.”
    • “Bad optimization...”
    • “Unoptimized.”
    • “Surprisingly performance intensive, this indie game is a very clever combination of an FPS and a tower defense game.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game appears to be overshadowed by its gameplay mechanics, with players noting a lack of advertisements and limited mobility that detracts from the overall experience. While the game offers unique features, it seems to be marketed more as a novelty rather than highlighting its depth and challenge, which may affect its appeal and monetization potential.

  • emotional2 mentions

    Players frequently mention experiencing strong emotional reactions, with many noting that the game has the power to evoke tears, highlighting its impactful storytelling and character development.

    • “I couldn't help but shed a tear or two during the most emotional moments of the game.”
    • “The story was so moving that I found myself in tears, completely immersed in the characters' struggles.”
    • “This game truly tugged at my heartstrings; I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions that left me in tears.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

Buy Sanctum

Play time

60hMedian play time
45hAverage play time
5-70hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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