Is Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege Worth It? My Full Review

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If you grew up during the NES era, you likely have a love-hate relationship with “Nintendo Hard” games. You remember the stiff jumps of Castlevania, the frantic pace of Ninja Gaiden, and the rewarding (if brutal) feeling of finally conquering a level after fifty tries.

Lillymo Games’ latest title, Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege, is a blood-soaked love letter to those exact feelings. After spending some time with it on Xbox, I can safely say it’s one of the most authentic—and challenging—retro throwbacks in recent years.

The Story: Holy War in the 17th Century

The game sets a grim stage. It’s 1698, and the peace of the Holy Roman Empire has been shattered. A corrupt priest named Father Pacer is on a crusade to steal sacred relics, leaving a trail of demonic gore in his wake. You play as Rudiger, a war veteran turned farmer who is forced to pick up the legendary Spear of Longinus to stop the madness.

It’s a simple “hero vs. evil” setup, but the atmosphere is thick. The game doesn’t shy away from its dark themes, blending religious iconography with surprisingly graphic 8-bit violence.

Gameplay: “No Whip, Just the Tip”

Unlike the whip-wielding Belmonts, Rudiger relies entirely on his spear. This isn’t just a poking tool; it’s a Swiss Army knife of destruction:

  • The Pogo: Taking a page out of DuckTales and Shovel Knight, you can bounce on enemies’ heads to cross gaps or deal damage.
  • The Projectile: You can throw your spear, but your “rosary beads” (ammo) are limited, forcing you to save your big shots for bosses.
  • The Platform: In a brilliant mechanical twist, you can embed your spear into walls to use it as a temporary step, opening up vertical exploration.

The movement is intentionally stiff, mirroring the 1980s classics. You have to commit to your jumps, and yes, the dreaded knockback is here. Getting hit by a bat mid-air and flying into a bottomless pit is a rite of passage in Saint Slayer.

Difficulty and Replayability

With 21 stages, the game is beefier than your average NES title. There are no checkpoints within levels—if you die, you’re back at the start of the stage. This might frustrate modern players, but for the hardcore crowd, it makes every successful run feel like a massive achievement.

The game also features:

  • A Moral Compass: You’ll encounter “innocent victims” throughout the levels. If you protect them, you maintain a “Halo” that grants you a second chance at life. If you accidentally (or intentionally) kill them, you lose that protection.
  • Local Co-op: You can bring a friend along for the slaughter, which makes the boss fights a bit more manageable and a lot more chaotic.
  • Animal Familiars: Hidden secrets allow you to find animal companions to assist you.

The Presentation: Chiptunes and Meaty Chunks

Visually, the game is stunning. It uses a restricted color palette to mimic the NES but adds modern, fluid animations and gore effects that would have made 1980s censors faint. Enemies don’t just disappear; they explode into “meaty chunks.”

The soundtrack is the real star, though. The 8-bit chiptunes are incredibly catchy—specifically the tracks for the later levels, which deliver that driving, high-energy motivation you need when you’re on your tenth attempt at a boss.

Final Verdict

Saint Slayer: Spear of Sacrilege is a masterclass in retro design. It’s not “retro-inspired”—it feels like a lost masterpiece from 1989 that was recently unearthed and polished for modern consoles. At $9.99, it’s an absolute steal for fans of action-platformers. Just be prepared to die. A lot.

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