Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption

Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption has a few clever new ideas, but it doesn't quite feel like a complete package.

Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption is a bonafide boss rush buffet with an inventive twist, though its aesthetic presentation quickly grows dull.

Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption is a valiant attempt to cut away some action-RPG fat in order to get to the meat of its boss battles, but a lack of consistent quality makes this boss-rush concept a frustrating experience at times (and not for the reasons its developer likely intended). The combat lacks the heft of the series that inspired it, so while Sinner looks much like the Souls games, it never captures (or innovates upon) that familiar combat model. There are some great boss designs to take on here, but this is very much a curio for Souls fans who want something to do in-between playing the vastly superior Dark Souls: Remastered.

Pleasing and genuinely tense a large portion of its core gameplay may be — particularly when it comes to considering which abilities to sacrifice, and when more importantly to enact them — Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption falters from an otherwise lack of context and general purpose in a world that is suggestive on quick glance, but quickly reveals itself as little more than superficial decoration.

Sacrifice for Redemption offers some very interesting boss fights and introduces an innovative new concept through its "sacrifice" theme, causing you to grow weaker instead of stronger as you progress. While your character may end the game as a weaker version of himself, you'll come out as a stronger player. Only a few unfortunate technical issues hamper it becoming a true indie gem, but in the end, I have no regrets about spending time with this challenging title.

The difficulty can put a lot of people of but it can also attract people who really want to be challenged and although this might not be as difficult as the original souls games it is certainly up there.

Those who'd like to try a sadistically challenging boss battler, and one that actually gets even more so after the final encounter, will have an enjoyably painful time with this, despite its many, many flaws, and the strokes that it will possibly induce. Of course, Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption is not recommended to just anyone, and certainly not for those in search for a SoulsBourne fix, as this a totally different kind of deal - and that's what makes it so good.

A confusing clash of ideologies and design choices is what ruins this games potential, turning it into one of the more boring and aggravating Dark Souls clones out there.

While undeniably gorgeous, Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption has a certain appeal to a specific kind of gamer due to its combination of simplicity and brutality, but others will find it lacking for those exact same traits.

Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption is a hellish ordeal that proves that patience is a virtue, as the game will test your persistence throughout this quest for atonement. Fans of Dark Souls or the structure of the early Mega Man titles will find a lot to enjoy with this Nintendo eShop release; however, the challenge may prove to be too much for those looking for a more casual affair.