Hands-on Preview: SacriFire Blends the Old With the New Almost Flawlessly

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Many JRPG fans experience a familiar cycle: they get completely absorbed in a game for many hours, connecting with the characters and story. However, after finishing such a long game, they often feel burnt out and need a break from the genre for a while. The frustrating part is, despite the burnout, they still enjoy and want to play JRPGs.

When I need to unwind, I love getting lost in indie games. They’re just…cozier, you know? Less stressful than big games, but they still have that special charm and classic feel of a JRPG. That’s how I found Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs – it’s a really fun and lighthearted tactical RPG made by Pixelated Milk, and it totally grabbed my attention!

After completing and fully unlocking all achievements in Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs – which I really enjoyed – I started following the developers, Pixelated Milk, online. So, I was thrilled to be among the first to learn about their new game, SacriFire, and had high hopes for it. I recently had the chance to play SacriFire at Gamescom Latam, and I’m happy to say it’s living up to my expectations.

A Tale of Two Cities

It’s honestly tough to focus on a JRPG’s story when you’re at a busy convention with lots of noise and distractions. Despite all that, I was still able to get a feel for the narrative, how the characters spoke, the writing, and especially the voice acting. Voice acting isn’t common in smaller, pixel-art JRPGs – it’s usually reserved for bigger games like Octopath Traveler. So, I was really pleased when I started playing SacriFire and heard the main character, Ezekiel, speaking clearly in English.

Our story starts in Antioch, where a young priest named Ezekiel Ridan is working with others to climb the ranks within the Church of Sheol. Their job is to protect the city from creatures above, but there’s clearly a lot more to the story than that. I’ve already noticed hints about what’s to come, both with the characters and the main conflict, although it’s too soon to say if it will all come together well. Overall, I enjoyed the beginning and the characters I’ve met so far.

An Exquisite Mix of Many Battle Systems

As a JRPG fan, it’s awesome to see them back in the spotlight! But it feels like developers are afraid to keep things simple these days. It’s not enough to just have classic turn-based combat anymore. Everyone’s adding something extra – quick-time events, action elements that flow into turns, or even real-time battles alongside the traditional stuff. SacriFire is a great example – it throws in a little bit of everything to feel fresh and modern, which I really appreciate!

I finally got to try out SacriFire at Gamescom Latam, and I’m happy to say it’s living up to my expectations!

When you meet an enemy, the game shifts to a battle screen. In the demo, I could only control the main character, Ezekiel, and I expect that will likely be the case even with a full party – you’ll probably only directly control the hero. Battles are turn-based: enemies only move after you do, giving you time to assess the situation and plan your next move. You build up Action Points (AP) by pressing a button, which are then used for attacks and special abilities. But be careful – building AP also gives your enemies a turn, so you need to balance charging up with staying safe.

This is where combat truly starts – carefully considering what to do next. Staying still has a surprising effect: enemies and their attacks both pause. If an enemy throws something at me, it will simply hang in the air if I don’t move. I can either step aside or dodge, but dodging uses up action points. However, focusing too much on avoiding attacks leaves me open to being surrounded and overwhelmed by other enemies taking their turns.

The key to success is finding the right rhythm between building up your special attack power (AP), using it to attack, and dodging enemy attacks. The combat system can seem complicated at first, but it feels amazing once you get the hang of it. For example, in one fight, three enemies rushed me. I quickly charged my AP and started using a mix of light and heavy attacks, which helped me build even more AP while dealing consistent damage. As the fight went on, ranged enemies began targeting me, so I focused on dodging their attacks and collecting the AP that dropped onto the battlefield, giving me more chances to strike back.

The game includes skills and items, though the preview didn’t show much of them. Combat requires thought; simply pressing the attack button will quickly lead to defeat, as every hit Ezekiel delivers is powerful. This creates a compelling challenge, and I was hoping to test it against a boss to see how complex and strategic the combat could become, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the opportunity.

My main concern is that the simpler battles took a while to complete. I fought the same enemies repeatedly, and even though each fight was a little different, it still took several minutes to finish them all. Since these are supposed to be common encounters, this slowed down the game’s flow. It seems Pixelated Milk is aware of this and is working to balance exploration with combat in each area. Interestingly, I was sometimes able to effectively win fights before the actual battle screen even started.

I really like JRPGs that respect my time when dealing with easy enemies, and that’s the core of what SacriFire does well. From the beginning, the game lets you instantly defeat weaker enemies with an energy blast as you explore, giving you most of the experience points. However, after quickly defeating five enemies this way, you have to enter a traditional battle to keep earning experience. While this system is neat, it feels like a temporary fix to a bigger issue: if players can skip most fights early on, what will motivate them to actually fight later? It’s a crucial question, and I’m curious to see how it plays out.

Gorgeous Visuals and Seamless Exploration

One of the first things you’ll notice about SacriFire is its bright and appealing 2.5D art style. The main character, Ezekiel, moves freely in a 3D space, while the beautifully designed city forms the backdrop. When exploring dungeons, the camera shifts to a 2D view, which is perfect for platforming challenges. These areas are designed with a lot of vertical space, encouraging exploration and rewarding players with hidden chests and secrets. Everything feels smooth and polished, a clear sign of the developer’s dedication to the game.

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Honestly, playing this game feels amazing. The graphics and sound work together so well, giving me serious nostalgia for classic JRPGs, but it doesn’t feel old. It’s got this really fresh, creative vibe you only get from the best indie developers. And the music? Forget about it! Motoi Sakuraba, the composer behind Tales of, Star Ocean, Golden Sun, and even Dark Souls, did the soundtrack, and it’s incredible. It really elevates the whole experience.

The combat system can seem complicated at first, and it is, but once you understand it, it’s incredibly satisfying.

SacriFire clearly takes inspiration from games like Vagrant Story and Xenogears, and it’s very noticeable, particularly in how battles play out. I was already enthusiastic about this game, and after getting a chance to play it, I’m even more excited and eager to find out when it will officially launch.

Currently, SacriFire is planned to launch in 2026, and the developers aim to announce the exact release date by the end of May. Originally, the game was intended for a PC-first release, followed by consoles. However, with a new publishing partner on board, they now expect to release it on all platforms at the same time.

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2026-05-05 22:11