Info about Sanctuary: Shattered Sun Demo:

Official game description:
A word from the masters of the genre:
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"It could very well be deemed the spiritual successor to the games we created at Gas Powered Games"
_**\- Chris Taylor,** Legendary RTS creator of titles like Total Annihilation and Supreme Commander_
"Definitely captured the feel, that's awesome"
**_\- Bradley Rebh,_** _Lead Designer of Supreme Commander Forged Alliance_
About the Demo
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**_This is a pre-alpha demo with bugs in it! It does not run properly on Linux yet!_**
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This is a free demo of the next-gen RTS - Sanctuary: Shattered Sun! This demo contains a few single player scenarios to give you a taste of the game. The full release will have multiplayer, an epic single player campaign, a full suite of land, air and naval units. And much more!
Sanctuary will feature a campaign, multiplayer, base building, a flow-based economy, kingpiece commander units, as well as land, sea and air combat.
Every projectile is simulated. Nukes level bases and energy shield generators hold the line against long-range artillery strikes. Sanctuary has a core focus on strategic decision-making over fast-paced micromanagement. 
When conventional weapons aren't enough, deploy superweapons that literally break the map.
Watch as your enemies' bases plummet into the sun below when you destroy the structural supports of the Dyson Sphere itself, crumbling the ground from under them.
Seize control of Sanctuary's climate systems to reshape the battlefield. Watch as your enemies' fleets become trapped in ice while your armies advance across the frozen wastes.
Few players will muster the enormous resources needed to build a Titan, but even fewer will survive fighting one.
Destroy the enemy commander and you win, but be careful because if your own commander falls ... it's game over.
Scale matters: wage war across massive 40km x 40km battlefields with up to 10,000 units under your control.
Watch as physically simulated projectiles create unexpected moments of warfare - like missiles striking aircraft in mid-flight instead of their intended targets.
The year is 2758, and humanity's greatest achievement encircles the sun - Sanctuary, a Dyson Sphere housing over a trillion lives. But this marvel of engineering has become a battlefield, its gleaming cities reduced to rubble, its surfaces scarred by endless war. The dreams of paradise have given way to a brutal struggle for survival.
Choose your allegiance among three distinct factions: the pragmatic EDA, the futuristic Chosen, or the enigmatic Guard. Each brings unique strategies, technologies, and units to the fight for control of humanity's greatest creation.
Powered by cutting-edge DOTS technology, Sanctuary: Shattered Sun delivers smooth performance even in the largest battles.
Every explosion, every unit, and every tactical decision comes together in a seamless experience that pushes the boundaries of what's possible in strategy gaming. Watch thousands of units clash without your PC slowing to a crawl.

Release date: Jul 21, 2026

Categories: Real-time Strategy, Base Building, Resource Management, Large-Scale Combat, Terrain Deformation, Spiritual Successor, Single-player Story, Competitive Multiplayer

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 65; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game is an early pre-alpha demo with notable Linux/Proton compatibility issues, primarily resolution bugs and launch failures. However, some users report a recent fix and workarounds exist, so it is not completely broken but requires tinkering.
- Steam Deck: score 85; verdict: Broken on Linux/SteamOS; summary: The game exhibits severe compatibility problems on Linux/Proton, including launch failures, stuck low resolutions, and the need for external tools. While one user thanked a quick fix, the overall experience is broken for Steam Deck users.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance is generally positive on higher-VRAM Windows systems, with mixed results on lower-VRAM and Linux setups.
  - Sample size: 175 (23% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 45 reports): Users report consistently high frame rates (100+ FPS) and stable performance with no stutters.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (mixed, 41 reports): While some users report smooth performance, others experience crashes, overheating, and instability.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 41 reports): Most users report good performance, though a few mention optimization issues and occasional frame drops.
  - Windows 16GB+ VRAM (positive, 34 reports): High-end systems run the game well, with some users noting frame drops at very high unit counts but overall positive.
  - Linux / Proton 16GB+ VRAM (mixed, 8 reports): Limited evidence shows one positive and one negative report, indicating mixed performance on Linux.
  - Caveats: 175 of 754 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $35.00
  - Reasoning: The community sentiment is mixed but generally positive about the game's quality, yet one review explicitly states it is not worth full price based on the demo. This suggests the fair price should be below the typical full price for a strategy game (often $40-60). Given the positive feedback on gameplay, a reasonable range might be $20-35, balancing the perceived value with the hesitation to pay full price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews report play sessions lasting 2 to 3 hours, with specific mentions of a 2-hour multiplayer battle, a 2.5-hour total playtime, a 3-hour playtime, and a 2-hour mark before a crash. These consistent reports support a typical session length of approximately 2.5 hours. No evidence provides a clear time to complete the game or its story campaign, nor any endgame content, so those metrics remain null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is generally enjoyable from the start, with a well-received tutorial and exciting multiplayer, though some players experience early friction from tutorial pain or technical issues.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Tutorial feels painful; Broken tutorial steps; UI issues after cutscenes; Multiplayer crashes; Multiplayer locked behind paywall; Limited content in demo
  - Unlock drivers: Skipping tutorial; Sandbox mode; Campaign missions; Multiplayer access; Beta access via Kickstarter
  - Conditions: If you have SupCom experience, you can skip the tutorial; If you pledge to Kickstarter, you get multiplayer access; If you can get past the tutorial, the game is fun; If you play with friends, it is a blast; If you encounter bugs, it may ruin the experience
- Player Archetypes:
  - Spiritual Successor Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: To experience a true spiritual successor to Supreme Commander and Total Annihilation with the same large-scale strategic gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Macro-heavy base building, large armies, turtling, and strategic map control.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: old veteran; veteran
    - Reference games: Supreme Commander; Forged Alliance; Total Annihilation
  - Cautious Critic (no buy)
    - Motivation: To see innovation and polish in the RTS genre; they want the game to improve and be worth their time and money.
    - Playstyle: Evaluating and testing, focusing on UI, balance, and feature completeness rather than playing for fun.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: veteran strategy game player
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Kickstarter Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: To support the game's development and be part of the community, while enjoying multiplayer and content creation opportunities.
    - Playstyle: Multiplayer skirmishes, testing strategies, creating content, and engaging with the dev team.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: content creator; backer
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Strategy Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: To enjoy an accessible RTS experience without overwhelming complexity or constant micro-management.
    - Playstyle: Single-player, pausing to think, focusing on high-level strategy rather than rapid actions.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual RTS gamer
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Spiritual successor to Supreme Commander (weight 0.52): The game is widely recognized as a true spiritual successor to Supreme Commander and Total Annihilation, capturing the core gameplay, feel, and spirit of the originals. Many players note it plays exactly like Supreme Commander and scratches the itch left by the series.
- Demo is enjoyable and promising (weight 0.3): The demo is considered fun, solid, and extensive, giving a very positive impression and highlighting the game's great potential. It demonstrates the game well and has good replayability.
- Game shows great potential (weight 0.25): The game is seen as very promising with a strong foundation and many great ideas. Players believe it has the potential to become a fantastic game and one of the best RTS experiences.
- Graphics are gorgeous and beautiful (weight 0.2): The game's graphics are highly praised for being beautiful, stunning, and visually impressive. Players note the fancy new graphics, excellent visual effects, and well-done animations.
- Gameplay is fun and enjoyable (weight 0.14): The core gameplay is described as fun, pleasant, and easy to enjoy. Players are having a good time with the game and find the gameplay experience to be positive.
- Good for early development stage (weight 0.1): The game is considered very good and polished for a pre-alpha or alpha build. It runs surprisingly smoothly and works well despite being in early development.
- First campaign mission is great (weight 0.08): The first campaign mission is described as great fun, cool, and pretty darn cool. It gives all the right feelings and sets a positive tone for the game.
- Sound design and effects are excellent (weight 0.07): The sound effects are powerful, cool, and beautiful, and the overall sound design is loved by players. The audio adds weight and satisfaction to the gameplay.
- Unit pathing works well (weight 0.04): Unit motion and pathing work great without units getting stuck or piling up. Units pathfind successfully and smoothly, which is crucial for RTS gameplay.

Common complaints:
- Game is unpolished and unfinished (weight 0.38): Reviewers note that the game feels like an early alpha with numerous bugs, rough edges, and missing features. The overall lack of polish detracts from the experience.
- UI needs major overhaul (weight 0.37): Players consistently report that the UI is unintuitive, cluttered, and hard to read, with small icons and poor readability. Many suggest a full redesign to improve clarity and usability.
- Missing quality-of-life features (weight 0.17): Players highlight the absence of essential QoL features such as hotkeys, control groups, patrol commands, and other shortcuts. These omissions hinder gameplay and are expected in the genre.

Gameplay feedback:
- Unit tiers and variety (weight 0.12): Players appreciate the tiered unit system (T1-T4) and the variety of units and factions available. This adds strategic depth and replayability.
- Classic RTS gameplay (weight 0.11): The game is recognized as a real-time strategy title with classic RTS elements like base building, unit production, and resource management. This appeals to fans of the genre.
- Survival mode available (weight 0.1): A survival mode with waves of enemies is present, providing a solo challenge. Some mention multiple survival modes, adding variety.
- Terrain alteration and destruction (weight 0.08): The ability to alter terrain and destroy the map is a standout feature, with players mentioning destructible environments and nukes that change the landscape. This adds a dynamic element to battles.
- Large-scale battles with many units (weight 0.06): Players highlight the game's ability to support hundreds or thousands of units on the battlefield, emphasizing the epic scale of combat. This is a key positive feature.
- Multiplayer and AI opponents (weight 0.06): Players can engage in multiplayer battles against AI bots or other players, offering both cooperative and competitive options. This extends the game's longevity.

Performance notes:
- Performance generally praised (weight 0.38): Many reviewers report smooth performance, high frame rates, and good optimization across various systems, including older hardware and 4K resolutions. The game is often described as running without lag or stutter, with stable FPS in most scenarios.
- Optimization issues reported (weight 0.31): A significant number of reviewers mention the need for optimization, citing performance problems such as FPS drops, hitches, and high hardware utilization. These issues are often noted in specific scenarios like large unit counts or multiplayer.
- Resolution locked at 320x200 (weight 0.15): Multiple reviewers report that the game launches or gets stuck at a very low resolution of 320x200, with no option to change it in the settings. This issue is often fixed only by switching to windowed mode and manually stretching the window, and it can reset when starting missions or opening settings.
- Crashes and instability (weight 0.12): Several reviewers experienced crashes, including during the demo, after the tutorial, or within 10-30 minutes of gameplay. Some crashes were severe enough to cause the whole PC to shut down or the GPU to overheat.
- Performance issues with many units (weight 0.1): Several reviewers note that performance degrades significantly when there are many units on the field, with FPS dropping to unplayable levels in some cases. This is a common concern for an RTS game, and reviewers hope for better optimization in large-scale battles.
- Linux-specific issues (weight 0.1): Linux users report various problems, including low resolution at launch, graphics settings not working, and performance issues. Some issues were fixed by updates, but others persist, such as resolution being stuck or zoom out breaking.
- Multiplayer performance problems (weight 0.06): Reviewers specifically mention that multiplayer performance is poor, with issues like network disconnects and lag. The game needs performance improvements in multiplayer modes to provide a smooth experience.
- High hardware requirements (weight 0.04): Some reviewers report that the game demands high hardware resources, with a 1080ti reaching 100% utilization even on minimum settings and CPU temperatures spiking to record highs. This suggests the game is not well optimized for lower-end systems.
- Loading times are long (weight 0.03): A few reviewers mention that loading times are quite long, taking about two minutes, which can be frustrating. This is a minor but notable issue for players.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for Supreme Commander fans (weight 0.17): Multiple reviewers explicitly recommend this game to fans of Supreme Commander, Total Annihilation, and Forged Alliance, noting it captures the large-scale RTS feel. The game is seen as a worthy successor for those missing the grand RTS experience.
- Highly recommended overall (weight 0.07): A few reviewers give the game a strong overall recommendation, saying they can't recommend it enough or give it 100% approval. This reflects high satisfaction with the current state of the game.
- Will buy on release (weight 0.06): Some reviewers state they definitely plan to buy the game when it releases, indicating strong positive impressions from the demo. This shows confidence in the game's potential.

Other player notes:
- Frequently compared to Supreme Commander (weight 0.77): The game is overwhelmingly compared to the Supreme Commander series, with many calling it a spiritual successor or heir. Reviewers often reference Total Annihilation and Forged Alliance as well, indicating strong genre expectations.
- Early development stage (weight 0.24): The game is frequently described as being in pre-alpha or alpha state, with reviewers noting it is a demo or early build. This indicates the game is not yet feature-complete and will change over time.
- Kickstarter funding and support (weight 0.22): Many reviewers mention backing the game on Kickstarter, and the campaign is seen as successful. This funding model is a key part of the game's development and community engagement.
- Lags behind Supreme Commander (weight 0.09): Some reviewers feel the game currently falls short of Supreme Commander, citing better graphics or more content in the older title. This indicates the game has potential but is not yet on par with its inspiration.
- Early Access and release status (weight 0.08): The game is not yet released and is expected to enter Early Access on Steam. Reviewers note it is awaiting release, with a demo currently available.
- Compared to other RTS games (weight 0.07): The game is compared to other modern RTS titles like Planetary Annihilation and Beyond All Reason, as well as classic ones. This situates it within the broader RTS revival movement.
- Content locked behind stretch goals (weight 0.06): Air and naval units are gated behind Kickstarter stretch goals, which some reviewers see as a limitation. This affects the completeness of the game's roster in its current state.

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.22): Players are highly excited because the game is seen as the long-awaited true spiritual successor to Supreme Commander and Total Annihilation, finally delivering the large-scale RTS experience they have missed. The demo's impressive visuals, massive battles, and faithful recreation of the classic formula have generated strong anticipation for the full release and future development.
- Frustration (weight 0.12): Frustration stems from a poorly designed and unintuitive UI, a lack of essential RTS features like control groups and keybinds, and numerous technical bugs including crashes and pathfinding issues. Players are also upset about missing content like air and naval units being locked behind Kickstarter paywalls, and the inability to save progress, forcing lengthy checkpoint restarts.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment arises from the game's raw and unfinished state after a long development period, with many missing features, poor unit animations, and a lack of innovation. Players are let down by the restrictive demo that locks away content, the unpolished interface, and the feeling that it is a poor copy of Supreme Commander rather than a worthy successor.
- Anticipation (weight 0.08): Anticipation is driven by the game's high potential and its faithful recreation of the Supreme Commander formula, which has players eagerly waiting for the full release. The community is looking forward to future updates, new content, and the game's evolution through its development cycle.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Satisfaction comes from the game's excellent performance, smooth optimization, and responsive controls, which run well even on older hardware. Players are pleased that the game captures the essence of Supreme Commander with satisfying explosions, massive battles, and a solid foundation that meets their long-held expectations.
- Hope (weight 0.06): Hope is fueled by the game's clear potential to become a true successor to Supreme Commander, with a solid foundation that could be polished into a great RTS. Players are optimistic that continued development, Kickstarter support, and the developers' dedication will lead to a finished product that lives up to the legacy of the genre.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Enjoyment is derived from the demo's fun and engaging gameplay, which includes epic battles, a satisfying survival mode, and a well-received campaign mission. Players are having a great time with the game's massive scale and strategic depth, finding it a worthy successor to Supreme Commander.
- Approval (weight 0.04): Approval is given for the game's faithful recreation of the Supreme Commander experience, with modernized graphics and improved unit control. Players appreciate the solid foundation, good balancing, and the game's ability to capture the soul of the original while running well in its pre-alpha state.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is expressed for the developers' hard work and the game's impressive quality, which is seen as a true work of art in unit and building design. Players are impressed that a small team has accomplished such a faithful and beautiful spiritual successor to a beloved RTS series.
- Confidence (weight 0.02): Confidence is based on the strong core gameplay foundation and the developers' clear roadmap, which suggests the game will improve and reach its potential. Players believe the demo shows great promise and that the team's capability, proven by a playable demo, will lead to a successful final product.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love for the game stems from its faithful recreation of the Supreme Commander feel, with loved sound design, unit design, and faction design. Players appreciate the introduction of new features like T5 units and weather changes, which enhance the classic formula they adore.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is triggered by the game's strong resemblance to classic RTS titles like Supreme Commander, bringing back fond memories of childhood and past gaming experiences. Players feel emotionally connected to the game as it reawakens their love for the large-scale strategy genre.
- Concern (weight 0.02): Concern is raised over performance issues with many units on screen, potential optimization problems with the Unity engine, and the risk of a poor final product due to the game's raw state. Players also worry about balance issues, faction uniqueness, and the possibility that the game may not achieve commercial success.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is high because the game is seen as the next big RTS, capturing what made Supreme Commander fun while running great. Players are eager to play immediately, impressed by the clear influences from SupCom and Forged Alliance Forever, and believe the dev team has created something special.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy comes from the game being a dream come true for fans, offering a reissue of the best RTS experience that is even better than Supreme Commander. Players are having a blast sending hundreds of units into battle and playing multiplayer with friends, reliving the true feeling of RTS.
- Optimism (weight 0.01): Optimism is driven by the game's potential to become a real successor to Supreme Commander, with core combat already in a positive state. Players are cautiously optimistic about the game's future, believing that with more development, it can achieve greatness.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise is expressed at the demo's smooth performance even with many units on screen, and the unexpected amount of features available. Players were positively surprised by the quality of the demo, the great voice acting, and the epic scale of the first mission.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness is derived from the game's direction and its faithful recreation of the Forged Alliance experience, which has justified players' anticipation. The satisfying explosions and weight of shots contribute to the overall positive feeling about the game's progress.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the game's visual direction and the stated plans for its development, which promise an engaging experience. Players are curious about the terrain transformation concept and are interested in seeing how the game evolves by release.
- Liking (weight 0.01): Liking is based on the positive impression from the demo, which has led players to support the game despite its pre-alpha state. The game's type of RTS gameplay is well-received, and players like what they have seen so far.}