Late last year the Co-Optimus crew dug deep into Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for the PC. It was an indepth Action/RPG from European developer Ascaron. Now several months later both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are getting their own versions of the game, nearly identical to the PC counterpart.
We talked with Mario Kroll, Director of Marketing and PR from cdv Software Entertainment USA, about the console ports and how the game's four player co-op mode will work in our living room.
Co-Optimus: How does Sacred 2 differentiate itself from a game like Diablo?
Mario Kroll: For starters, the Diablo series never made it to console. (editors note: it actually did) So, at its most basic level, this will be the first massive action-RPG with a very classical hack-and-slash feel for it that gamers can enjoy not only on the PC, but also on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. With that said, the game world in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is truly massive, some 22 square miles of explorable content, both above and below ground. It also features up to four-player drop-in/drop-out multi-player over Xbox Live or PlayStation Network. (The PC supports up to 16 players.)
Co-Optimus: What design changes were made for the console versions? Was it more or less challenging than a PC?
Mario: All three platforms share a common codebase. What that means is that the content, in terms of characters, plot, monsters, and the hundreds of quests, is identical. Each platform, however, benefits from graphics optimized for that version and an interface specifically designed and optimized for the platform. So, while on the PC, gamers can expect the typical mouse and keyboard controls and things like manually managing inventory grids, the console versions use a much more streamlined approach. Examples of this are the ability to pick up all dropped items and loot within a radius through a bumper pull, or completely freeing up the player to allocate weapons, armor, combat arts, and other items as they best see fit through a combination of triggers and controller buttons.
PC and console versions all each a challenge in their own right. While on the PC one struggles to ensure the game runs well on even older machines and there is less standardization in terms of hardware and software that the developer can count on being installed, the consoles are also limited in terms of total memory, processor speeds and graphics capabilities, so all of it has to be carefully balanced. The shared content, however, really was of benefit, as the developers could apply lessons learned from the PC version and really focus on console version in terms of polish and enhancement.
Co-Optimus: What co-op options do console players have? Will players be able to pair up on one console with other players on Xbox Live/PSN?
Mario: Yes. You will be able to play with up to four players total with up to two per console. Players can join the game by plugging in an additional controller or by joining online games via Xbox Live or PSN.
Co-Optimus: In the local co-op mode, can a player bring their single player character into the co-op game? If so, will the experience and items earned in co-op transfer back?
Mario: That’s actually one of the differences between Sacred 2: Fallen Angel and most other games that also offer a multiplayer experience. There is no differentiation in our game as to single player or multiplayer characters, each game is essentially a virtual single player experience to which others can be invited or that the player’s character can leave to join another’s experience. A character can simply play in one’s own campaign or jump into the campaign on others, all seamlessly. The experience, loot, and money the character earns stays with the character regardless of game mode or how it was earned and regardless of whether it was in a cooperative multiplayer game.
Co-Optimus: What advantages will players have when playing co-op vs playing solo?
Mario: Asides from the social aspects that make exploring and fighting monsters with an assortment of skills and with friends, there may often be situations where a monster or situation is too tough for a single player until that player has more experience. By inviting friends to help, sometimes that can be overcome, although monsters do tend to look at overall party composition and strength and dynamically level up or down to keep things challenging.
Co-Optimus: Do the enemies scale in difficulty and numbers when playing co-op?
Mario: Yes, they do.
Co-Optimus: The trailers for the game show large scale battles. What are the most amount of enemies players can fight at once?
Mario: I’m not sure that there is a real physical limit. Dozens of enemies can certainly be fought at one time with plenty of replenishments and reinforcements. But different enemies also employ different tactics. Some may realize your character or party is too powerful and only defend themselves if attacked. Others will wait for their own allies to arrive and once they think they have enough forces, will attack.
Co-Optimus: What's the coolest or most exciting thing you've seen happen in Co-Op?
Mario: I truly enjoy the balance of the different characters and how unique each is. While it’s fun to play as a single player and try different characters, it’s also nice to see a sampling of the different characters and how the interact and complement each other. Firing off some massive chained combat arts in coordination with your buddies is a ton of fun and unleashes some serious eye candy and devastation in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel.
Thanks Mario Kroll from cdv for your time, and thanks for Lila Yee from Relate PR for setting this up!