Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege Reviews
If we had any real criticism, it’s that the jump can be a little stiff, sometimes locking you into a vertical leap if you’re not precise with your direction at the moment of ascent. It’s not a big deal – git gud, right? – but it does stick out a teensy bit during the last few levels, where you need to be spot-on.
Fun NES-inspired 2D action game set in late-17th-century Europe that pays homage to the Castlevania and The Legend of Zelda series
In more ways than one, it's not for the faint of heart, but those seeking a retro-style challenge in 8-bit packaging will very likely enjoy the ride. While not all of its design choices land flush, the overall journey makes for a fun afternoon. A co-op mode made me wonder whom I might subject to this punishing experience, but once through was enough for me to hit my cursing quota for the year.
There's so much packed into Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege and as you progress, you'll be impressed with how much variety there is to enjoy. ☠️
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege was a delightful experience, despite the frequent frustrations that I encountered. Once I accepted that the game was intentionally designed with this classic, old-school approach, I shifted my expectations and met the game where it's at. If you take the time to get familiar with the game's pacing and Rudiger's moveset, you'll find that Saint Slayer is far from impossible. By the time that I beat the game, I was really enjoying the satisfaction of overcoming a difficult stage or boss, and even found that I wasn't swearing nearly as much. Lillymo Games delivered a genuine classic with Saint Slayer, and I hope that they revisit this franchise in the future.
Every now and then I get the bug to play some retro games while playing something new and that’s where Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege fills the gap! Given the options of difficulty, found modifiers, codes, and currency that carries over, Saint Slayer does a good job of trying to cater to any gamer. At the asking price, I don’t see how you could have buyer’s remorse with this one.
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is a very clear statement of intent: a direct homage to classic action-platformers with a distinct retro feel and uncompromising difficulty. Its art style and sound design are very well done and greatly enhance the experience, although certain aspects of the controls and design can feel somewhat stiff or frustrating. It's a game that works particularly well if you approach it without expecting too many modern conveniences. For those looking for a well-executed classic challenge, it delivers quite well.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is a fantastic, gritty throwback that proves 8-bit style still has teeth. It’s a brutal, rewarding, air-punching experience that captures the NES era perfectly without being a total copycat. If you can handle the pixel-perfect jumps and the lack of checkpoints, it’s a must-play.
If you’re looking for retro feels steeped in familiar old-school frustrations, but with some new twists, this may be for you
It's safe to say that Castlevania has redefined the action sidescroller genre before it became a "metroidvania RPG" and for me personally it's always a breath of fresh air to go back to the roots. This game is a great example of a love-letter for a classic game, that manages to have it’s own ideas and identity.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege admirably fulfills its purpose: to be an honest and well-executed homage to the games that shaped a generation. The title doesn't try to disguise its influences, and we could even say that this is one of its merits. For veterans, it's a welcome return to a time when games demanded patience, attention, and respect. For newcomers, it's a valuable—and sometimes brutal—invitation to understand why this generation speaks of that era with such nostalgia.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege has incentive to replay in order to find treasures and unlocks (such as additional animal companions), the game itself is very brazen and straightforward from the drop. If you don’t jive with the excessive blood and gore with the combined difficulty levels, then it’s not going to get better at all. If you like what you see and enjoy the pseudo-historical setting juxtaposed with some allusions to time travel and possible sci-fi elements (no spoilers), then you’re going to have a good time and will want to revisit to learn as much as you can.
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege proves you don’t need a million-dollar budget to make a fun, challenging, and downright gorgeous game. Its 2D sprite presentation is clean, well animated, and reminds me of the early-nineties Super NES games. Despite its short playtime, it’s fun to replay, has multiple difficulty modes, and tons of achievements to keep you replaying for hours.
A brutal, authentic NES-style throwback, Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is an expertly crafted homage to a bygone era—but one that completely bounced off me. This is a great game… just not for me.
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is a fantastic homage to NES-style 2D platformers, bringing retro gameplay to today’s gamers. They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, right? Fans of Castlevania will immediately recognize enemies and their attack patterns, platforming, levels, and items.
Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is more than just a love letter to the NES games of yesteryear. It is a tight action platformer that stands on its own two feet. Between the gorgeous pixel art, the banging chiptune soundtrack, and a move set that truly rewards mastery. Saint Slayer is a gritty and rewarding experience that captures retro nostalgia while also creating a potential new lane for Lillymo. If you love old-school side-scrolling adventures, do not let this game pass you by.