Sacrifice (video game)

Sacrifice is a 3D Real Time Strategy game with strong RPG elements, developed by Shiny Entertainment, the creators of the Earthworm Jim franchise. Release Date: 11/5/2000

Sacrifice Sacrifice takes a fresh approach to the way that combat games are created. One part real-time strategy and one part role-playing game blended in a unique way : In the single-player campaign, you play as the wandering wizard Eldred, a plane-jumper who leapt to the current world when his own was destroyed. Accompanied by the owl-like Imp Zyzyx (his familiar), his recounting of his recent deeds is the background of the game.

The game is a slightly offcolor RTS: you are locked into a 3rd person view of yourself but you command a conjured army in a RTS style. Game mechanics revolve around two resources; souls and mana. Collect souls from the battlefield to conjure more creatures. Mana is obtained by going near a mana fountain or an enshrined fountain, called a manalith and mana regenerates. The manahoar creature channels mana from manaliths to themselves allowing you to regenerate your mana in the field.

SPOILER WARNING

In his now-destroyed homeworld of Jhera, Eldred was a man of substance (a lord or a king, he doesn't specify) and one of many who vied for power. He spent his life forging another man's empire, but when he died at far too young an age, power and dominion fell to Eldred alone. Despised by his subjects, foreign powers and internal conspirators sought to tear his kingdom apart. Having dabbled in alchemy and conjuration before, Eldred was forced to turn his hobby into a serious study, eventually turning to dark, dark forces. This resulted in his summoning of the Arch-Demon Marduk, who promised to destroy his rivals.

He did. But he didn't stop there. What Eldred didn't know was that Marduk was a being of infinite appetite, a monster who fed off the worlds he was summoned to. Jhera crumbling into nothingness beneath his feet, Eldred and Zyzyx fled into the Astral Void, eventually "washing up" in the world the game is set in.

This world is ruled by five gods and their wizard-champions. The gods are:

• Persephone - Self-righteous Goddess of Life

• Pyro - Technocratic God of Fire

• James - "good 'ol boy" God of Earth (You could say he's a really down to earth kind of guy).

• Stratos - Arrogant God of Air

• Charnel - Amusingly malevolent God of Death

Choosing to champion for one of these Gods the player takes on a mission. After each mission you get to choose another task, and thus choose to serve a different God for that mission. The player fights through a total of nine missions, each one rewarding you with new creatures and spells, with the tenth and last one taking place in the present and being the final show-down between Eldred and Marduk.

Minions: These are the various creatures available to each diety.

• Charnel

• • Scythe

• • Fallen

• • Locust

• • Necryl

• • Blight

• • Netherfiend

• • Deadeye

• • Abomination- using a modified version of the Mutant sprite, the Abomination is almost exactly like the Mutant, being one of Charnel's long-range units. Unlike the Mutant, the Abomination does not release healing energy when slain. While the Mutant is more accurate, the Abomination's projectiles (which consist of chunks of necrotic entrail and congealed masses of blood) leave a trail of corrosive droplets behind them as they arc through the air, which means they damage all enemies between the Abomination and its target. The gruesome nature of the Abomination's projectiles means that each shot leaves a streamer of blood and the ground and a splash of gore where it hits. Multiple Abominations attacking an area can leave the ground totally covered with gore.

• • Styx

• • Hellmouth

• Pyro

• • Cog- these primitve, steam-driven robots bludgeon their foes with metal hammers and explode in bursts of searing steam when slain.

• • Flame Minion

• • Spitfire

• • Tickferno

• • Firefist

• • Pyromaniac- these Pyro-worshipping Gnomes shoot fiery darts from their 'rocket launchers' that set their targets alight. Combined with the Pyrodactyl and its special ability to coat an enemy with oil, Pyromaniacs are quite deadly. The first Pyromaniac, the Hero Faestus, is available to Pyro followers at the first level and then rejoins them from the forth level onwards. The treacherous Faestus will also side with others to save his own skin, so he also becomes available to Charnel, James and Persephone followers.

• • Pyrodactyl

• • Bombard

• • Warmonger

• • Phoenix

• Stratos

• • Frostwolf

• • Sylph

• • Brainiac

• • Vortick

• • Squall

• • Storm Giant

• • Seraph

• • Flurry

• • Yeti

• • Silverback

• Persephone

• • Druid

• • Ranger

• • Shrike

• • Scarab

• • Troll

• • Gnome

• • Gremlin

• • Mutant- this malformed creature is infected with a horrific disease, which culminates in the growth of polyps filled with disease pathogens. In battle, Mutants pluck these polyps from their bodies and hurl them at the foe, possessing the longest range of all Persephone's creatures. Mutants also release a burst of healing energy that affects all nearby friendlies when slain.

• • Ent- Persephone's Ultimate Creature, the Ent is a slow-moving but tough and powerful Melee Unit, with the ability to generate a Lifeshield around all nearby friendlies via its Protector special ability. There is an Ent Hero named Toldor, who becomes available to Persephone followers in the later missions of the game.

• • Dragon- the Titan of Persephone's forces, the Dragon is a Flying Unit with the special ability Breath of Life, which effectively mimics the Charnel spell Animate Dead. The Dragon Hero Sirroco is availible to James followers from the second mission.

• James

• • Trogg

• • Earthfling

• • Gargoyle

• • Basilisk

• • Taurock

• • Flummox

• • Ikarus- these powerful flyers are similar to Pyro's Pyrodactyl and Charnel's Blight, as their special ability Stickbomb allows them to coat an enemy with sticky glue and thus "gum them up". An Ikarus Hero named Gammel is availible to James followers from the first mission.

• • Boulderdash

• • Jabberocky

• • Rhinok

Spells of Each God:

Charnel:

Charnel's spells are stereotypical "black magic", relating to death, demons, decay and pain. A wizard of Charnel is a Necromancer, and Charnel's lore is called Necromancy. While not outright devastating, Charnel's magic can still be lethal if used with an amount of subtlety and tactics.

• Insect Swarm- this basic spell conjures a ravening swarm of flesh-eating insects and sets them upon a target, healing the caster by the amount of damage inflicted.

• Protective Swarm- identical to Insect Swarm, but the insects swarm around the caster instead, shielding him from damage.

• Slime- drenches the target in thick, gooey sludge that slows them down and makes them more susceptible to damage and less capable of inflicting it.

• Animate Dead- the most useful of all Charnel's spells, this spell targets the blue soul of a slain minion and brings it back to life. Whatsmore, it recovers at the same speed as a non-cast spell and only costs 300 mana, enabling it to be used repeatedly and with devastating effect.

• Demon Rift- this 5th level spell is one of three that cannot be cast whilst moving (the others are Plague and Death), it summons "demons" (in the form of pink energy bolts) that leap from the portal and strike an enemy, inflicting damage. One demon is summoned for each nearby enemy, and the demons inflict sufficient power to instantly slay a 1st level minion.

• Wailing Wall- creates an ethereal barrier of screaming faces that saps health and mana from anything that gets too near it.

• Plague- creates a black stormcloud which proceeds to rain diseased blood over the affected area. All creatures within or entering the area of effect are diseased, losing health steadily (and faster if they continue to be hit by the bloody rain) and suffering increased susceptibility to damage and decreased ability to inflict damage. Plague can be a fairly effective Guardian-killer, but lacks Rain of Fire's strength.

• Intestinal Vaporization- causes a target to swell up and burst, resulting in a gib.

• Death- summons a giant spirit-creature with scythe-blades for hands that attacks all nearby creatures. One strike with its blades instantly slays any creature. It does not attack wizards however.

Pyro:

As would be expected, Pyro's magic is all about fire and flames. Known as Sorcery, Pyro's Sorcerers have the greatest amount of offensive power in the game.

• Fireball

• Fireform

• Rings of Fire

• Dragonfire

• Explosion

• Firewall

• Rain of Fire

• Blind Rage

• Volcano

Stratos:

• Lightning

• Air Shield

• Freeze

• Chain Lightning

• Soul Wind

• Frozen Ground

• Fence

• Cloudkill

• Tornado

James:

• Rock

• Skin of Stone

• Soul Mole

• Erupt

• Halo of Earth

• Wall of Spikes

• Bombardment

• Bovine Intervention

• Bore

Persephone:

consisting almost entirely of healing spells, the Mysticism of Persephone is used to bolster your forces, so a Mystic needs souls more than any other wizard.

• Wrath

• Ethereal Form

• Grasping Vines

• Rainbow

• Rain of Frogs

• Healing Aura- causes the targeted creature to radiate an aura that heals all nearby friendlies.

• Vinewall

• Meanstalks

• Charm- permanently converts the target creature into one of your minions.