Sacrifice - PC Games

The story is where this game really shines. You portray an alien wizard who escapes his ruined dimension to a new even weirder one ruled by five gods of the different elements: earth, fire, air and so on. They bicker and fight and you get to choose whom to serve before each mission. You can play them against each other and each mission you complete gives you some of their unique powers and monsters. Since the campaign is dependant upon whom you serve when, you will end up with vastly different power combinations each time you play.

The game plays like Activision's Battlezone remake from a while back. It's played like an action game, in that you can see from behind the shoulder of your wizard character yet it has Command & Conquer-style real-time strategy components. You have to harvest souls from fallen enemies and troops, summon and control your own army of fascinating monsters and control the magical resources known as Mana Fountains. The game is daunting and the action may be too frantic for some, but all its components are detailed in an impressive tutorial and tips scattered throughout the game.

Add instant action play, a host of maps, the fact that the game includes the complete game editor (ensuring fan created levels will flood the Internet soon) and the stable multiplayer component, and you will find unlimited value in the game. Sacrifice is more than just a new quirky PC game, it's a bona fide classic. --Bob Andrews