Finally a good game for the Vita!

With Soul Sacrifice is Sony even managed to create a very interesting game universe. The comparison to Monster Hunter is widely loud, but with Monster Hunter game has to do relatively little, unless you count every game in which you mainly denies boss fights in an arena as Monster Hunter clone. Unlike Monster Hunter, which is all about gameplay and by the way is one of one of my favorite franchises, much emphasis is placed on the dramatically staged action and the background story of the game world in Soul Sacrifice.

The gameplay is simple, but catchy and original. The focus of the game is the boss fights that with offerings - be disputed - the spells. There are many spells of various kinds, both offensive and defensive in nature, including summoning powerful (stationary) Golems, melee weapons, healing, status changes, etc. All spells have boots that can be refreshed only in three ways: After and before a pact (ie a quest), the sacrificial offering of environmental elements (bodies, trees ...) or the sacrifice of Monster and colleagues. The player has at monsters and colleagues generally have the option between victims and revenues; Although this decision is basically a moral, but in the end a much greater impact on the players values. Anyone who believes that to be a second Jesus, will soon discover that it causes almost no damage, because the revenues improved recovery effects (ie healing spells), and increases the defense, the damage done is but reinforced with offerings. Sacrificed or redeemed will be until a new level is reached; Overall, one can achieve 100 levels spread on each LE and SE. Who redeems much and little sacrifices, has many LE, but little SE and vice versa. It also affects his right arm, whose affinity depends on the relationship between salvation and sacrifice. These are: Divine IV, III, II, I, Neutral, Dark I, II, III, IV Affinities affect basically just the seal that can be placed on the right arm.. These have different passive effects such as the reinforcement of some Zauberkategorieren, raising a status value, etc. Otherwise, this dual system acts only on the so-called archfiends out, so the bosses. After each battle, the original form of the Bosses redeemed or be sacrificed; redeemed souls join as NPCs in multiplayer part of the game.

With the multiplayer mode, the interesting aspect of sacrifice has been extended: Fallen human companions can either redeemed (ie resurrected) or sacrificed in order to unleash a verherrende form of magic. The sacrificed player is dead for the rest of the Covenant and can be used as spirit strengthen its group and / or weaken the monster. This game aspect is with players in Ad Hoc mode, of course very entertaining because you will notice the reactions of direct and unadulterated. The so unleashed magic is actually relatively strong, sacrificing appearance is thus quite a legitimate tactic. However, the Sacrificed player has no chance to participate in the revenue / victims of the defeated boss, so missed a lot LEs / SEs, for each player after the pact an additional charm for the performed sacrifice (the so-called martyrs bonus).

The plot is shown tragic and very atmospheric. Rein of the aesthetically acting Soul Sacrifice like a horror game. The world is very bleak, what one notices especially in the back stories of monsters and archfiends, the background music fits perfectly. At the main story you sit ten hours more if one takes the side quests and the pacts. After completing the hardest pacts are unlocked so you do do well. On the periphery of a Monster Hunter game is nevertheless not ran, but you definitely do not feel to have invested his money wrong.

One can only hope that Sony has set with Soul Sacrifice a sign and from now on the Vita receives the attention it deserves. It is a pity that such a great handheld takes almost no response.