When it comes to first-person shooters, fans of the genre are essentially spoiled for choice at all times. There are new extraction shooters like Marathon and battle royale experiences like Battlefield RedSec dropping regularly, while Overwatch is just one of several high-quality hero shooters. A premium Call of Duty game can be counted on to release each and every year, titles like Fallout 76 encourage exploration and fun interactions with other players, and every so often, a stellar singleplayer FPS like Wolfenstein or Doom makes an appearance. It’s that final example that serves as an inspiration for many shooters lately, including Sacrificio on Steam, but it’s not the only property this game resembles.
As Bloodborne fans continue to wait for a remaster or remake of the beloved PS4 exclusive — a wait that just got harder thanks to the shutdown of Bluepoint games — they’re forced to seek out other games with a similar vibe. For some, FromSoftware’s other soulslikes such as the renowned open-world game Elden Ring have done the trick, but for others who fell in love with Bloodborne because of its gothic world and the concepts explored within it, finding an alternative hasn’t been all that easy. However, those willing to try out a different genre and for those who aren’t bothered by PS2-era visuals, then Steam’s Sacrificio might just scratch the Bloodborne itch (at least for a little bit).
Sacrificio Features at a Glance
- WIELD a variety of guns, from Winchester repeaters to shotguns to Mauser c96 pistols.
- FIGHT a variety of creatures, including vampires, as well as bandits.
- UNCOVER the horrifying truth about the powerful vampire preying on the game’s town.
- SOLVE environmental puzzles and use your surroundings to approach combat in clever ways… or just kick and shoot your way through the game.
- ROCK OUT to a heavy metal soundtrack as you fight to save the day.
A nerve-wrecking struggle against industrialized human sacrifice, and a army of flesh husks in the deepest reaches of human understanding.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
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Inside Sacrificio’s Promising Blend of Doom and Bloodborne
Reading the description for this upcoming indie project from Pulp Games should instantly make the Bloodborne vibes clear, as journeying to “a cursed land, haunted by terrible creatures of the night” is essentially the exact same task of Bloodborne’s Hunters. And while the unnamed gunslinger players control will be using an arsenal of real-world weaponry from the 19th and 20th century as opposed to trick weapons, it seems like they will be just as talented at fighting whatever gothic creatures they come across throughout the game. In addition to the vampire overlord that will seemingly serve as the final boss fight, Sacrificio features mini-bosses like a flesh golem, undead husks, and reanimated bodies covered in torture devices. Per the key features section, human bandits may also be encountered on the gunslinger’s journey.
As for why the gunslinger is in the town that serves as Sacrificio’s setting, his mission is to rescue a priest that requested help with a vampire. To the unnamed protagonist’s horror, they discover that the entire human population of the town is treated as livestock, with the vampire commanding his followers to gather up villagers so that their blood can be feasted on. The player’s goal, then, is simple: fight through hordes of disturbing creatures to kill the vampire that’s wreaking havoc, bringing an end to all the death innocent people are dealing with. And while the premise is equal parts Bloodborne and something straight out of the Castlevania franchise, the environments deepen that connection significantly, as they’re made up of stone dungeons, cathedrals, manors with fancy carpets and doorways, and a whole lot of blood.
Yet while the setting, enemies, and story feel very Bloodborne-coded, the rest of the game will be a blast for old-school Doom fans. An FPS through and through, players control a fast and agile character who wields many, many guns. While the full arsenal remains under wraps, multiple shotguns (eat your heart out, Super Shotgun enjoyers), Winchester Repeaters, and the Mauser C96 pistol are all confirmed for the game. Beyond that, players can use environmental hazards to their advantage and kick their foes to death, as this will likely be the melee attack used by the Sacrificio gunslinger. And, of course, there’s heavy metal music. As shown in the trailer on the game’s Steam page, this music feels like a hidden CoD Zombies song, perfect for fans of hardcore tracks backing over-the-top action. Though players can expect to solve the occasional puzzle here and there, running and gunning will likely be the majority of the gameplay, which is exactly what boomer shooter enjoyers will be looking for.
Sacrificio Suits the Boomer Shooter Label With Its Visuals
For any gamers who need cutting-edge graphics and find themselves searching up performance videos every chance they get, Sacrificio may not be for you. After all, it looks like an early PS2 game visually, from its character models and environments to its weapons and animations. Even its gore system feels dated, with headshots blowing enemy heads into a few clearly visible chunks that fall slower than they should. However, just as the graphics could be off-putting for some modern players, the art style could just as easily appeal to others by making Sacrificio feel like a proper blast from the past. For those who miss the days of the PlayStation 2, this game looking like it does could be a boon, not a negative.
A Steam demo for Sacrificio is currently available, allowing any players on the fence to give this boomer shooter a try before purchasing it.
Ultimately, Sacrificio feels like a deliberate homage to classic Doom while still differentiating itself by using gothic enemies and locales instead of demons and a hellish setting. So long as the game offers depth in its weapon and enemy lineups, and ensures moment-to-moment gameplay is satisfying, there could be plenty of players interested in speeding their way through its levels. With Sacrificio’s launch right around the corner, too, it won’t take long to see how players feel about this promising (and delightfully old-school) Steam shooter.
