Sanctum 2

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 399 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 261 out of 399
  2. Mixed: 63 out of 399
  3. Negative: 75 out of 399

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  1. Spawnah
    May 15, 2013
    3
    Every aspect of this game is a massive downgrade on the original Sanctum. While I like how many new towers and weapons there are, the new characters and some pretty comics, everything else just feels like playing a crappier version of Sanctum 1. I haven't played this game for long, but I immediacies knew that this game isn't very good and was so bad that I have no intention of playingEvery aspect of this game is a massive downgrade on the original Sanctum. While I like how many new towers and weapons there are, the new characters and some pretty comics, everything else just feels like playing a crappier version of Sanctum 1. I haven't played this game for long, but I immediacies knew that this game isn't very good and was so bad that I have no intention of playing further to see if it gets better..

    For starters, resources aren't given to each player at the start of a build phase, a box full of them are dropped near the core, meaning whoever gets there first gets all the resources and blocks the towers go on. You can't upgrade your guns, which I loved about the first one. You also have a limited amount of towers, which is a idea, since they can barely be upgraded and being able to aim down the sight feels pointless.

    It has a perk and leveling system, something I never felt the original needed, while it might be pretty cool with some nifty unlocks, I never felt like it was something I needed to have. A problem with this is when joining other peoples game, they could be a might higher level than you, or they could be lower than you. This sucks because you can't just hop into a game and everyone be equal and the results are determined by the players skill and strategy, rather what level they are and what things they have unlocked.

    Pretty much everything about this game that differs from the first I feel is a downgrade. Play Sanctum 1 instead.    … Expand
  2. JimCorbett
    May 15, 2013
    2
    Play Sanctum 1 instead. This game feels nothing like the original, just a FPS with towers added for kicks and giggles. There is a limit of 10 towers per map, limited number of blocks you can build for your maze (you'll pretty much never get a decent maze set up because of how limited these are), tower upgrades limited to level 3, no upgradable weapons, and timed build phase which takes outPlay Sanctum 1 instead. This game feels nothing like the original, just a FPS with towers added for kicks and giggles. There is a limit of 10 towers per map, limited number of blocks you can build for your maze (you'll pretty much never get a decent maze set up because of how limited these are), tower upgrades limited to level 3, no upgradable weapons, and timed build phase which takes out any possible planning. Basically, the devs have ripped apart the TD part of Sanctum 1 and built upon the FPS part. On the positive end, the player progression is a step in the right direction. You get new weapons, towers, and "perks" as you gain levels. There are also new enemy types and bosses. But that doesn't make up for the atrocities Coffee Stain Studios committed when the tore apart what made Sanctum 1 fun. Sanctum 2, at it's core, is a FPS horde mode with puny towers to a little bit of dps. Sanctum 1 fans should stay away from this title.… Expand
  3. Flowed
    May 15, 2013
    2
    Sanctum 2 is a disaster. As a fan of the first episode (which was a tower defense with certain FPS aspects) I'm extremely disappointed by this sequel. The game has limitations everywhere limited time in building phase (which is horrible limited number of tower (max 10 limited number of block that you can place each wave, no more weapons upgrade, the towers now only upgrade to the thirdSanctum 2 is a disaster. As a fan of the first episode (which was a tower defense with certain FPS aspects) I'm extremely disappointed by this sequel. The game has limitations everywhere limited time in building phase (which is horrible limited number of tower (max 10 limited number of block that you can place each wave, no more weapons upgrade, the towers now only upgrade to the third level... I don't understand why did they had such features I'm always frustrated when playing the game because I don't have the freedom I had in the first episode. Sanctum 2 is a basic and stupid FPS, not a tower defense at all. If you're looking for a good tower defense game, don't buy Sanctum 2, but play the first Sanctum which is way better its sequel.… Expand
  4. K-Money
    May 15, 2013
    1
    Sanctum 2 is an unbelievable disappointment of a game. The developers seemed to strip the original game of any sort of strategic tower defense gameplay and instead focused on changing the first-person shooting aspect to be more like a pale imitation of Call of Duty or Halo. Don't get me wrong, Call of Duty and Halo are decent games to play once in a while, but a large part of what made theSanctum 2 is an unbelievable disappointment of a game. The developers seemed to strip the original game of any sort of strategic tower defense gameplay and instead focused on changing the first-person shooting aspect to be more like a pale imitation of Call of Duty or Halo. Don't get me wrong, Call of Duty and Halo are decent games to play once in a while, but a large part of what made the original Sanctum great was the tower defense. Do not listen to the positive reviews of large gaming sites. As you can see with the massive amount of negative user reviews, fans of the original game are not satisfied with Sanctum 2. At very least, try it for yourself before you spend any money on it.… Expand
  5. mcdaring
    May 15, 2013
    2
    It's essentially Call of Duty: Sanctum Mod, with little resemblance at all to the first game. The gunplay is stiff and unsatisfying, maze and tower placement is clunky and stagnant, and you will spend your entire time just running from spawn point to spawn point to spawn point in claustrophobic maps. I'm not a graphics person, but the game aesthetically took a dive as well.

    -No    It's essentially Call of Duty: Sanctum Mod, with little resemblance at all to the first game. The gunplay is stiff and unsatisfying, maze and tower placement is clunky and stagnant, and you will spend your entire time just running from spawn point to spawn point to spawn point in claustrophobic maps. I'm not a graphics person, but the game aesthetically took a dive as well.

    -No weapon upgrades (Perk system instead)
    -Ridiculously slow reload times (they prompt you to "Switch weapons!")
    -You have to run to the core to collect your resources in between rounds, which are limited.
    -Only one person in coop can place towers.

    It feels like a bad version of Halo with some perfunctory tower defenses. Buy Super Sanctum TD instead.    … Expand
  6. Chaosrift
    May 15, 2013
    1
    Very very poor sequel to sanctum 1 feels like a call of duty clone with a poor tower defense element attatched to it where towers feel as if they are firing BB pellets and walls that are completely useless seeing as your limited to 10 towers even on the larger multiflowing maps and multiplayer is poor due to no shared resources opening people to ninja resources
  7. Rawnl
    May 15, 2013
    3
    I'm more or less surprised by how all the popular critics unanimously think it is amazing compared to the first meanwhile most other people are giving it realistic reviews based on how it is an empty shell of it's former self. If you truly want the Sanctum experience buy the first one.
  8. whitefur22
    Jun 4, 2013
    3
    I feel this game could have been better. First I don't see the TD aspect anymore. My guns are MUCH better than my towers anyway, so i never used the towers at all. 4-Player Horde Shooters are not very difficult to find (COD: Zombies, TF2: MvM, ME3: Multiplayer, etc.) and this fails to compete with those. I know a lot of people might say OMG AAA GAMES BUT THIS IS INDIE!!!! but that's notI feel this game could have been better. First I don't see the TD aspect anymore. My guns are MUCH better than my towers anyway, so i never used the towers at all. 4-Player Horde Shooters are not very difficult to find (COD: Zombies, TF2: MvM, ME3: Multiplayer, etc.) and this fails to compete with those. I know a lot of people might say OMG AAA GAMES BUT THIS IS INDIE!!!! but that's not the point, the point is the game is bad compared to sanctum 1. I have never played Co-Op (Single Player seems impossible on easy) but i feel co-op player would miss out on certain weapons due to class restrictions (New to Sanctum). If your fine with Shooing with buddies, this game might be something to look at. If you want TD and a shooter though, look to sanctum 1 because this does not deliver that.

    ~An    … Expand
  9. Transient
    May 18, 2013
    0
    A hugely disappointing FPS/Tower Defense game which decided to remove the Tower Defense focus of the first game and focus instead on the FPS mode, which was definitely the weaker area. The mechanics and engine don't make for a fun FPS experience, so restricting and abandoning the TD component seems... unusual. In the end, it can't do FPS to match other FPSes, and the TD part comes offA hugely disappointing FPS/Tower Defense game which decided to remove the Tower Defense focus of the first game and focus instead on the FPS mode, which was definitely the weaker area. The mechanics and engine don't make for a fun FPS experience, so restricting and abandoning the TD component seems... unusual. In the end, it can't do FPS to match other FPSes, and the TD part comes off like a gimmick. Really disappointing if you enjoyed the original or if you enjoy TD games at all. Imagine Orcs Must Die in first-person with sluggish, unresponsive weapons and mobility, fewer traps, and no humour. It's not just a let-down, it's a stinker in its own right.… Expand
  10. oldbrokenlink
    May 24, 2013
    0
    I'm giving it a 0 because the developers changed the game from a primarily a tower defense game with elements of a first person shooter to a first person shooter with elements of a tower defense game and frankly it's not what I was expecting when I pre-ordered it, worse the developers basically don't care. They all but told one customer that posted about this to go play Sanctum 1 insteadI'm giving it a 0 because the developers changed the game from a primarily a tower defense game with elements of a first person shooter to a first person shooter with elements of a tower defense game and frankly it's not what I was expecting when I pre-ordered it, worse the developers basically don't care. They all but told one customer that posted about this to go play Sanctum 1 instead and then they did some quick patches which really doesn't fix the issue to try to defuse the issue. So if you are looking for a td/fps this is not the game for you because the td elements have been greatly reduced and if your looking for fps/td then this also may not be the game for you because the fps elements are very basic. There is not even a health bar and you cannot do things like upgrade or mod your weapons. Sadly the game doesn't know what it wants to be and tries to be all things, but ends up not being all that good. Finally, its a bit of a unbalanced mess on some maps they give you an excess of blocks to place, more than you can ever use, but not enough turrets, which makes no sense and on some maps they don't give you enough blocks to use, not even 25% of what you need, and because the map is so large the fix number of turrets just cant cover the map, so it becomes a nightmare. If you want a great td/shooter try Sanctum 1 or even games like Dungeon Defenders and Orcs Must Die 2, but not this game.… Expand
  11. MathewRD
    May 15, 2013
    0
    What good is a game that was a sequel to a Tower Defense game with FPS features, that's a FPS with Tower Defense features? Hell, this game will restrict your ability to create only to certain areas, and it's a pretty sad tower defense when you're only allowed 10 towers at any given time, even in co-op. This game went from Tower Defense to Call of Duty pretty quickly. Everything wasWhat good is a game that was a sequel to a Tower Defense game with FPS features, that's a FPS with Tower Defense features? Hell, this game will restrict your ability to create only to certain areas, and it's a pretty sad tower defense when you're only allowed 10 towers at any given time, even in co-op. This game went from Tower Defense to Call of Duty pretty quickly. Everything was downgraded. You can no longer hold 4 guns, but 2. You can only build 10 towers. The game even supplies you with pre-existing towers.

    If this game were its own game, it'd probably be fine. But trying to be a successor to such an amazing game is an insult.    … Expand
  12. FerretWitASpork
    May 15, 2013
    0
    Hey all. So last weekend was a free weekend for Sanctum 1 because of the release today. I decided to give it a shot, downloaded it.. and absolutely loved it! I've logged about 12 hours in the game since Saturday. I was sold! I pre ordered Sanctum 2.. and even bought Sanctum 1 to support the devs (and to satisfy my new addiction for 1 more day until Sanctum 2).

    Now I'm greeted by this...    Hey all. So last weekend was a free weekend for Sanctum 1 because of the release today. I decided to give it a shot, downloaded it.. and absolutely loved it! I've logged about 12 hours in the game since Saturday. I was sold! I pre ordered Sanctum 2.. and even bought Sanctum 1 to support the devs (and to satisfy my new addiction for 1 more day until Sanctum 2).

    Now I'm greeted by this... Nothing like Sanctum 1.. the game I fell in love with just a few days ago... the amazing game that was used as false advertising to lure me into paying for Sanctum 2.

    Like I said I've only got 12 hours logged so I'm sure there are other fans that can go into better detail.. and I haven't even logged an hour into Sanctum 2 yet because I was so disappointed.. so maybe I missed some things but here's my thoughts on it:

    * Having to run back to the core to get resources every round is absolutely unnecessary and unfun.

    * Having to RACE the other players in multiplayer to get resources is unfun and creates a terrible social atmosphere.

    * Having a separate pool for nodes and turrets discourages mazing and kills the strategy portion of the game

    * Having a round-start timer makes me feel pressured, and lessens strategy involved.

    * The turret limit is WAYY too low and just kills the tower defence part of this game. Some players like to focus on upgrading a few towers, some players prefer to spam low-medium level towers.. You're limiting play styles and that's never good.

    I'm sure there's more but as I said I haven't played much.. too discouraged.. This game is a failure in game design... but brilliant in it's marketing of getting me hooked on the first game and then giving us this sequel.

    I hope the developers fix what's needed to make this the amazing sequel that it could be but right now I'll be requesting a refund on the basis that the free weekend was false advertising.    … Expand
  13. Ironkidz
    May 15, 2013
    2
    AFTER ALL THAT WAITING.. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS "WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY"! This game holds nothing true to the original sanctum.... they took all that was good and destroyed it. It feels terrible to control and is sloppy in execution. Looks pretty, but the size of the towers, behavior of the enemies, and performance of the weapons, is just terrible. DO NOT BUY IF YOU LIKE SANCTUM 1!!
  14. Shrugnick
    May 16, 2013
    4
    The game feels like "Sanctum-lite". Yes, the graphics are better and it is nice to have a selection of "classes" to choose from between the characters. I also like how you can see over the walls and you don't get trapped in the maze you make but can easily vault over the blocks or shoot over them. I also like the idea of the perks (even if a lot of them are useless). But other than that IThe game feels like "Sanctum-lite". Yes, the graphics are better and it is nice to have a selection of "classes" to choose from between the characters. I also like how you can see over the walls and you don't get trapped in the maze you make but can easily vault over the blocks or shoot over them. I also like the idea of the perks (even if a lot of them are useless). But other than that I do not see much that was better than the first game and many things are actually worse.

    For one, you are limited to 10 towers in all the levels I have played, which is a far cry from the first in which you were limited only by your design.

    You can't ever swap your primary weapon. Like the look of your toon and like their ability? Too bad, you are stuck with their primary weapon. But you can change the secondary as you unlock them, which is nice. Oh, and no weapon upgrades of any sort either. That was removed as well.

    Only 1 person can pick up the tower blocks or money. Let me tell you how much of a bad idea this is for playing PUG on multiplayer. Hell, it is a pain sometimes when you are with your friends. I can't fathom the reason for this change as if you aren't the person who picks up the resources you just sit there and get bored while they plot it out without you. I can't stress enough of how much this is a terrible idea because it takes 75% of the team out of the building phase to do nothing more than twiddle thumbs.

    The levels are EASY and there are far fewer mobs than in any of the previous game's levels. There are some waves that are challenging, but then you get two or three waves of 2 soakers (which as the name implies are nothing more than bullet sponges) or a handful of mobs. *yawn*

    You are also limited in the number of blocks you can put down, starting with maybe 4-10 in the first wave and then a handful every wave after. The maps also seem smaller, but that could just be me.

    I see where they were going with this and I get that they wanted to make this more of a shooter, but that is not what made the first Sanctum so special and fun. The FPS gameplay is not fun enough to have the majority of the mechanics lean on it, and taking away the very thing that made it a tower defense game. Now it is more like a second-rate FPS with some turrets you can place. Really disappointing and all it did was make me want to buy and play the first one again.    … Expand
  15. RPNerd
    Jun 17, 2013
    4
    Sanctum 2 is by no means an improvement from the first. It feels like smart, balanced, challenging Sanctum devolved into something stupid and often annoying. Not a single mechanic in Sanctum was actually improved in Sanctum 2, and most of those mechanics are arguably, no ARE worse than the original's. The only exception is the implementation of a new CoD-like crosshair with the ability toSanctum 2 is by no means an improvement from the first. It feels like smart, balanced, challenging Sanctum devolved into something stupid and often annoying. Not a single mechanic in Sanctum was actually improved in Sanctum 2, and most of those mechanics are arguably, no ARE worse than the original's. The only exception is the implementation of a new CoD-like crosshair with the ability to aim-down-sight, which some people may or may not like.… Expand
  16. Kaona
    Aug 4, 2013
    3
    While the game has vastly improved its graphics over its predecessor, the gameplay seems to have suffered greatly on it. While I do not expect being exactly the same game, the lack of upgrades to weapons and extremely limited resource pool used for building/upgrades hinders customization greatly.
  17. Jeshua
    Jul 7, 2013
    1
    Really, really over-hyped. Everything that the 1st Sanctum did right, the developers did wrong on it's sequel. Beautiful graphics and style, but you get that from the prequel; The gameplay now is just another washed down, uninspired FPS fare.
  18. Malcolmtel
    May 15, 2013
    2
    Sanctum 2 does not play ANYTHING like the original Sanctum does.

    Infuriating aspects of Sanctum 2 include, but are not limited to: Non-upgradeable weapons You create towers unless you have tower bases in stock, as opposed to being able to create them out of resources You have to go to the core to obtain your resources and tower bases (which are separate) What the hell were the    Sanctum 2 does not play ANYTHING like the original Sanctum does.

    Infuriating aspects of Sanctum 2 include, but are not limited to:
    Non-upgradeable weapons
    You create towers unless you have tower bases in stock, as opposed to being able to create them out of resources
    You have to go to the core to obtain your resources and tower bases (which are separate)

    What the hell were the developers thinking? This could have been a lot better if the game had resembled the original Sanctum in the first place. In fact, why even come out with a new Sanctum title? The original was pretty much perfect, then THIS came along.    … Expand
  19. Perdurab0
    May 15, 2013
    1
    Not a good or interesting or innovative TD or FPS game. It's like they took the best elements of the original game, hid them somewhere, and made this unappealing mess with the leftovers. I'm starting to suspect Molyneux was involved, him or some other clown.
  20. Pat
    May 16, 2013
    2
    If you enjoyed the first game, you will hate this one. Everything is limited. They seemingly tried to make coop as boring as possible as only one person gets to build. Huge maps that you will only ever fill up about 1/5th of. Just an all around boring experience with no strategy involved. Another shoot everything in the face game. Snoozeville
  21. gibsonje
    May 15, 2013
    0
    Everything is a downgrade from Sanctum 1. This game basically takes the towers/building out of the equation. Multiplayer is impossible with shared resources. The UI is not intuitive in the least bit. Definitely designed for consoles then sloppily ported to PC.
  22. thevoiceofgod
    May 16, 2013
    2
    ok, sanctum 1 was awesome, this game is not like sanctum 1. this is 85%FPS and 15%TD.

    you have limited resources and they only drop for one person per round, you tower sections are lacking a little as well. you have a hidden timer for building in between rounds, you have a hidden upgrade cost for towers and you can only build 10 towers. basically, this game is a bad FPS. what you end    ok, sanctum 1 was awesome, this game is not like sanctum 1. this is 85%FPS and 15%TD.

    you have limited resources and they only drop for one person per round, you tower sections are lacking a little as well. you have a hidden timer for building in between rounds, you have a hidden upgrade cost for towers and you can only build 10 towers.

    basically, this game is a bad FPS. what you end up doing, is building a tunnel and blasting your gun into it. the only tower that helps is the slow tower.

    i dearly hope they patch this, or create a Tower Defense mode, because right now, it is just a waste of my time and money.

    R.I.P. Sanctum series.

    -Neil    … Expand
  23. Behemoth1993
    May 16, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is going to be a fair review and i am going to give it straight. As a plyer of the first sanctum (to me the greatest tower deffense game ever besides vectoid td), I hate this game. As a game of its own however it is ok.
    The reasons why i hate it are the same reasons why i think its ok for a new gamer to the series or to td games. These reasons can be summed up to LIMITATIONS. The first game had very few limitations and a very simple stlye of play and this game has the opposite. Now you die first off which makes trying to stop a horde hard as (tourettes guy quote), the limit on towers is facking otrocious, enemies now hit you and you take damage and chase after you which is retarded, you can't upgrade your guns, you now have to pick up the recources instead of getting them, your limited to how many of the bases you can place a wave, your credits are severly lowered, the maps are small and the control feels so stiff and akward, and overall its not pleasant to shooty your guns with such a kick back, enemies are even stronger and there weakpoints are severly hard to hit, and the game to me is just a total up compared to the predecessor.

    Some of the things are coll like the new bases which alo you to do dignal designs which would be awesome if sanctum 2 was like sanctum 1. The guns look nicer, again would be better if sanctum 2 was like the first game, the graphics are nice as hell wich again if 2 was like 1 would be better, and the idea of pers was a great additon which would have worked wonderfully if the game was more like the first sanctum, but sadly it is not.

    For sanctum players i would say get this when it goes on salke dont waste the 15 because if your like me youll just be oissed of because your expectations wont be met, for new players i would say if you got dispensable money and want a mediocre sequal to an amazing game then waste it, but i think far cry 3 blood dragon is a way better deal and HOLY HELL IS IT AWESOME. Overall it sucks but isnt un playable but santum one lpayers just buy the dlc and say no to this till its on sale for a dollar which wont be long with the way this is going.

    Also i add this as a big you to pc devs who decide to go to console to make a profit instead of catering to those who built you up. Cofdfestain it isnt cool what you did You destroyed your baby and made a horrible sequal and tailored it to consoles so that you can make a buck and look what happens the game blows. Your as bad as slender the arrival, or the new sim city. Ok im sorry your game isnt that bad but still thats where your headed.    … Expand
  24. Piles
    Jul 23, 2013
    0
    I played through all of Sanctum. I loved it. I dreamed of a follow-on game to take me further. I only play single player I simply don't care for co-op modes in games. (Yes, I'm over 12 years old, and I have a real life.)

    If you are looking for a follow-up to the original RUN AWAY NOW! RUN! RUN FAST AND VERY FAR AWAY! Don't read the critics reviews. They will never give a    I played through all of Sanctum. I loved it. I dreamed of a follow-on game to take me further. I only play single player I simply don't care for co-op modes in games. (Yes, I'm over 12 years old, and I have a real life.)

    If you are looking for a follow-up to the original RUN AWAY NOW! RUN! RUN FAST AND VERY FAR AWAY!

    Don't read the critics reviews. They will never give a negative review unless everyone else is also. They are a pack of social hangers on just like the jocks and cheer leaders in school. They will laugh at all of the same jokes and snub anyone that threatens their chances of getting into the "inner circle". THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED.

    Trust the actual players. The reviews are in. Solidly mixed with an equal number of "HATE IT" versus "LOVE IT" scores. Do you see that in the Critic scores? NO!

    Okay, back to my review. If you *LOVED* the original you will *HATE* this bastardized sequel. Trust me.    … Expand
  25. zBedlam
    May 15, 2013
    0
    If you are expecting a TD game with FPS elements do not buy, the TD section of this game is a step down from Sanctum 1 in every way. There are two reasons I'm giving this a 0.

    1) False advertising, I was lead to believe this would be a TD game of some sort and is "building upon the success of the original game" which is blatantly false. 10 tower max and resource supply drops in a TD    If you are expecting a TD game with FPS elements do not buy, the TD section of this game is a step down from Sanctum 1 in every way. There are two reasons I'm giving this a 0.

    1) False advertising, I was lead to believe this would be a TD game of some sort and is "building upon the success of the original game" which is blatantly false. 10 tower max and resource supply drops in a TD game really?

    2) After playing tutorial for 5 minutes I started feeling sick and had a migraine for about 4 hours, I'm not the kind of guy that gets motion sick normally either so this game does something really odd.    … Expand
  26. crimsonuk
    May 15, 2013
    1
    Not much to say about this game bad design they had the ideas but decide to get rid of all the good aspects of the first game and spunk out a fps game that the towers are nearly to the point of do nothing

    they say it makes the game harder ive tried it u can win just by using a shotgun and walls the game requires nothing but a hardon for fps games. i like both fps games and tower    Not much to say about this game bad design they had the ideas but decide to get rid of all the good aspects of the first game and spunk out a fps game that the towers are nearly to the point of do nothing

    they say it makes the game harder ive tried it u can win just by using a shotgun and walls the game requires nothing but a hardon for fps games.

    i like both fps games and tower defence game but there was no real TD in this game

    not worth the money i would pay a dollar for it ive i could pay what its worth    … Expand
  27. Kraks
    May 16, 2013
    0
    Beyond the name, this game has almost nothing to do with the first Sanctum. Whereas the first game had a limitless time to plan out defenses and limitless combination, this one has a timed (short) building phase, a limit of 10 towers, and the resources, well that's the real kicker.

    In the first game, resources were awarded to everyone automatically at the end of a round, beginning of a    Beyond the name, this game has almost nothing to do with the first Sanctum. Whereas the first game had a limitless time to plan out defenses and limitless combination, this one has a timed (short) building phase, a limit of 10 towers, and the resources, well that's the real kicker.

    In the first game, resources were awarded to everyone automatically at the end of a round, beginning of a build phase. So, you just worked your butt off killing of this invasion, now you can immediately take the time to start planning out for the next wave. That was Sanctum 1. In part 2, you now have to return to the "Core" (which isn't exactly close all the time, oh yeah, and there is no more teleportation to make it fast), then collect the resources. Does everyone get to in co-op mode? Nope, just 1 person. So you get 1 gopher and several people that do nothing but play an FPS. There is no tower defense portion of the game to them at all.

    They sacrificed an amazing game so they could port this one to consoles, it seems. Gone are almost all of the elements that made the first so unique: teleportation, limitless planning/building phases, resources for all, and a great balance of just about 50/50 TD/FPS. Now, it is 10/90, with a very heavy emphasis on FPS. Even worse, now you can no longer upgrade your weapons, they "reload" at a much more annoying rate, and they are all pretty much new weapons from the ground up.

    Do yourself a favor and play the first Sanctum. It truly was a unique experience that should be enjoyed by all. I grabbed it after Steam had it for free for the weekend. It impressed me so much that I hurriedly preordered Sanctum 2. I wish I hadn't done that.    … Expand
  28. NC37
    May 16, 2013
    2
    It'll have you for the first hour or so, the gameplay isn't bad. I can understand why some people like it. But then you realize what is missing. This is not a TD game, it is a FPS with 10 towers. It is a far cry from the glory it was in the original Sanctum. Not only is the TD aspect messed up badly, the game is like a bad port of a console title with the server list gone from the originalIt'll have you for the first hour or so, the gameplay isn't bad. I can understand why some people like it. But then you realize what is missing. This is not a TD game, it is a FPS with 10 towers. It is a far cry from the glory it was in the original Sanctum. Not only is the TD aspect messed up badly, the game is like a bad port of a console title with the server list gone from the original and now all the multiplayer done via a simplified matchmaking list. It is clear the devs no longer care about the fans that put them where they are today. Do yourself a favor...tell them no by not buying this tripe. This game has no longevity compared to the original. Once you beat it, you'll never want to play it again.

    I feel bad for the console players who will be facing this horror. Coffee Stain...the good days are over, it is time they got bought up by EA and appropriately mothballed forever.    … Expand
  29. blizzard5314
    May 22, 2013
    0
    Had this gone by a name other than Sanctum, I could just complain about the clunky controls, obnoxious gameplay mechanics, and its unnecessary attempt to adhere to pop shooters and move on, but this is Sanctum 2. It's terrible. If you want a tower defense/fps hybrid, go for the first one. If you want a mouthful of giraffe spunk (I don't), then here it is.
  30. Dovahbear
    May 21, 2013
    0
    I can only describe this game with single word. TERRIBLE!
    This game is just pure downgrade of original Sanctum. I was totally happy when I didn't pre-ordered this of It looks like Halo mixed with Call of Duty and poor TD. And the most enjoyable thing was looking at the intro of the game.
    Reviewers I see you didn't played original game so you are reviewing it as you are eating for first    I can only describe this game with single word. TERRIBLE!
    This game is just pure downgrade of original Sanctum. I was totally happy when I didn't pre-ordered this of It looks like Halo mixed with Call of Duty and poor TD. And the most enjoyable thing was looking at the intro of the game.
    Reviewers I see you didn't played original game so you are reviewing it as you are eating for first meat but it's terrible and you never tasted better meat.    … Expand
  31. Fubar72
    May 16, 2013
    4
    "If you are looking for a good tower defence game with FPS elements or a good sequel to the original Sanctum then save your money you won't find it here.

    The devs saw fit to create a very poor FPS game with watered down tower defence elements. Amongst the problems you have a limit of 10 towers max per map, resources that aren't shared amongst players and open to ninjas on mp games,    "If you are looking for a good tower defence game with FPS elements or a good sequel to the original Sanctum then save your money you won't find it here.

    The devs saw fit to create a very poor FPS game with watered down tower defence elements. Amongst the problems you have a limit of 10 towers max per map, resources that aren't shared amongst players and open to ninjas on mp games, towers that do pitiful damage, short matches with small waves and timers on some of the build phases (no pause now).

    The reviewer from IGN who wrote that this improves on sanctum 1 in every way needs to be fired because it could not be further from the truth.

    The only reason I gave this a 3 is because of the few steps they do take in the right direction such as new characters, perks and graphics. The rest of the game is a major downgrade from its predecessor."

    That's EXACTLY it.    … Expand
  32. therewillbelols
    May 16, 2013
    0
    I am a big fan of tower defense games. I have played every possible tower defense games in Warcraft 3, Starcraft I+II, flash, and some TD phone games. This game has very little content when it comes to tower defense.

    Sanctum 1 was great. You could specialize in mazeing and tower defenses, in weaponry and build support towers to maximize your damage output, or a combination of the two.    I am a big fan of tower defense games. I have played every possible tower defense games in Warcraft 3, Starcraft I+II, flash, and some TD phone games. This game has very little content when it comes to tower defense.

    Sanctum 1 was great. You could specialize in mazeing and tower defenses, in weaponry and build support towers to maximize your damage output, or a combination of the two. Upgradable weapons, towers, support stuff. The maps were big enough for the player to build a huge variety of mazes.

    Sanctum 2 is ultra horrible. You don't really have a lot of options when it comes to mazeing because the building arenas are very very small. I cannot stress how small the maps are. In fact, they are so small, they have to limit the number of rounds to 6-7 because by then, you could basically fill in the entire building area. The only mazes you can build are linear ones; left to right or up to down, and by no means are they considered complex. Weapons are no longer upgradable. Buildings can only reach level 3. There are no more slowing fields or amplifying fields. The number of buildable towers has dropped to like 3.

    The one thing that's different is that the monsters will now chase the players; However, you can abuse this and just kite the monsters around offensive towers. In fact, it's best not to maze at all. I focused on building a trap with a high dps killzone instead of a maze and trying to shoot them.

    Don't waste your money on this game. The developers are just trying to make money off the fans of Sanctum I.    … Expand
  33. Aeruja
    Apr 11, 2014
    0
    Having bought this game on a 85% off sale on steam in January, and now another 90% off sale today, is a clear sign of how bad this sequel really is. I have not played this game once I had read the reviews, that's how bad it was. And now I think I'll only play it if I'm really bored out of my mind. What was brandished as a TD/FPS hybrid game, is now really just a FPS game with a few drones.Having bought this game on a 85% off sale on steam in January, and now another 90% off sale today, is a clear sign of how bad this sequel really is. I have not played this game once I had read the reviews, that's how bad it was. And now I think I'll only play it if I'm really bored out of my mind. What was brandished as a TD/FPS hybrid game, is now really just a FPS game with a few drones. There is no passive strategy, just mindless shooting at hordes. If you wanted something like that, you might as well play left 4 dead 2. A TD game *must* incorporate passive strategy at its core or else it's not. I was not entirely pleased with Sanctum 1 to begin with seeing how much they valued the FPS aspect, Sanctum 2 just confirms my displeasure.

    I orginally stayed away from titles like Orcs Must Die because I really do prefer cleaner and sleeker graphics, but if there's nothing else out there that resembles a decent TD or TD/FPS, they may as well take my business, too.    … Expand
  34. Ferrante
    Nov 25, 2013
    3
    There are too many TD games out there. Why would I care about this one? because it says Sanctum in its title. And Sanctum was great. But this game is a different game. It could be named Tower X or anything else. It is not made for Sanctum I fans, it has good things, like story, 4 characters, progress, and so, but the gameplay is awful.
    In the other hand, if you have never played Sanctum    There are too many TD games out there. Why would I care about this one? because it says Sanctum in its title. And Sanctum was great. But this game is a different game. It could be named Tower X or anything else. It is not made for Sanctum I fans, it has good things, like story, 4 characters, progress, and so, but the gameplay is awful.
    In the other hand, if you have never played Sanctum I, this is just another TD approaching and not a good one. This game is not worth it for itself and It is not worth it for a Sanctum sequel.    … Expand
  35. Destructo
    Jan 24, 2014
    2
    A polished sanctum which has lost a lot of it's original charm.

    Character choices, cartoons and the fun graphics have clearly had a lot of work which are nice touches.

    However after playing for several hours my friends and I decided we would put this one on the shelf and dust down the original.

    On the plus side the original Sanctum is now cheaper than ever.
  36. d3rp
    Dec 24, 2013
    1
    I have played this game for a bit, and I must say that the feeling is just awful. The character controller is bad, the weapons feeling is bad, the tower defense aspect is bad, the sounds are bad, well, just everything is bad.

    Maybe it's because I am also playing Orc Must Die 2 at the same time, which is a very dynamic and polished game, but this just look like a dull game made by    I have played this game for a bit, and I must say that the feeling is just awful. The character controller is bad, the weapons feeling is bad, the tower defense aspect is bad, the sounds are bad, well, just everything is bad.

    Maybe it's because I am also playing Orc Must Die 2 at the same time, which is a very dynamic and polished game, but this just look like a dull game made by students with 0 budget.    … Expand
  37. aecsuter
    Sep 5, 2022
    2
    A tower defense game to be played co-op, because it's practically unbearable to finish alone. Extremely boring and bland. I don't even recommend it for free.

Awards & Rankings

90
#90 Best PC Game of 2013
75
#75 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Level7.nu
    Sep 10, 2013
    70
    The second entry in the Sanctum series continues exploring the odd mix of tower defense and first person shooter. The mechanics in the sequel are solid if a bit too simple to invite a deeper engagement. Still as a co-op game it excels in places that few games do.
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  2. DarkStation
    Jul 18, 2013
    80
    Sanctum 2 is a good game, especially if you have friends to play it with, but if there is a Sanctum 3 in the future then I hope the developers take a more critical, iterative approach to their craft.
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  3. Gaming Nexus
    Jul 17, 2013
    80
    While the first game was an enjoyable proof of concept, Sanctum 2 is that idea realized. A great experience all around, it brings the best of both the shooter and tower defense worlds together. Try to bring along a couple of friends for the adventure though, as they will make it exponentially more enjoyable.
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