When does Sanctum get good?

Give it 3 hours. In the first 2 hours 1 in 3 reviews are negative (30%); after 7h it's 1 in 25 (4%). Fully opens up by hour 7.

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Sanctum

Apr 15, 2011 Steam: Very Positive

Give it 3 hours

Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3

Fully opens up by 7h rated like by long-time players

Started playing 46% of owners

Steam reviews 89% positive of 3,364

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours 1 in 3 reviews are negative (30%); after 7h it's 1 in 25 (4%).
Fully opens up by hour 7.
The game has no story achievements, so drop-off points can't be measured.
Only 46% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 3,372 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 294 reviews: 11.3h for positive, 4h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (45.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

This game has no story achievements, so we can't tell where players quit.

All achievements (100)

story milestone ending side

It's Cool, I've got this Survive a wave without spending any Resources in previous Build Phase. 100%
Bombing Raid Hit an enemy with 5 different Mortars. 93%
599 US Dollars Fully upgrade three towers. 76%
Shift's Over Survive all the waves on Mine. 70%
If you Replace the Working Parts... Upgrade Towers 250 times. 64%
You shall not PASS! Build 50 Block Towers during one Build Phase. 49%
Giant Enemy Crab Get 5000 weak spot hits. 48%
Et Tu Brute Shoot a teammate into an enemy. 46%
...You get a Different Machine Upgrade Towers 500 times. 44%
BOOM! HEADSHOT! Kill 4 enemies by hitting their weakspot with one Sniper Rifle clip. 41%
Stacked Upgrade all 3 weapons to level 6. 40%
Bridge Troll Survive all the waves on Bridge. 39%
Fully Covered Build one of each Tower on Arc. 36%
I Never Miss Hit 15 enemy weak spots in a row with the Sniper Rifle. 32%
(See?) I've got this Kill an entire wave without aid of towers on Normal or higher difficulty. 31%
Martyr Kill an enemy with a grenade while being knocked back. 29%
Reanimator Teleport 200 times. 28%
Chill, Man... Upgrade three Slow Fields to max level. 28%
We Will Build Heroes Upgrade Towers 1000 times. 26%
MVP Deal the most damage during a wave in a 4 player match. 22%
Safe at Last Survive all the waves on Arc. 22%
Automagic Kill an entire wave in singleplayer without using your weapons. 19%
I Said STOP! Freeze an enemy in a max level slow field. 19%
Flawless Finish a level on Normal or higher difficulty with 100% Core Life remaining. 18%
Festivus for the rest of us Collect 10 presents. 16%
Good Day, Mr. Walker Kill 2000 Walkers. 15%
Old School Complete a level without teleporting. 15%
Do you know where you are? Survive all the waves on Glade. 14%
Simple Task Survive all the waves on Complex. 12%
Too Fast Kill 1000 Chargers. 11%
Collateral Damage Kill 15 Runners with one Assault Grenade. 10%
Meet the President Meet the President on Arc. 9.8%
The Bigger they are... Kill 250 Big Walkers. 9.6%
The Plot Thickens This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 8.9%
Voyage au centre de la Terre This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 8.9%
All is Dust Gib 1337 enemies. 8.5%
Lockdown! Kill 250 Blockers. 8.3%
Lunch box Find the sandwiches on Bridge. 8.3%
Time to Expand Kill 100 Soakers. 8.1%
Geddan Survive all the waves on Facility. 7.8%
A Future Friend This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 7.6%
Close Call Finish a level with less than 5% Core Life remaining. 7.4%
Buck and Ball Fully charge and fire the Shotgun 25 times. 6.8%
Seven Sisters Find the Babushka Doll on Mine. 6.8%
Beach Party! Get the party started on Glade. 6.8%
Turbo Aim Kill 300 Gliders. 6.8%
The Monument This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 6.5%
Mach 5 Kill 4000 Runners. 6.3%
Pollen Allergy Kill 2000 Spore Pods. 6.3%
Spray and Pray Reach wave 10 only having built Blocks and Gatlings. 6.1%
Scatter Brain Reach wave 10 only having built Blocks and Scatter Lasers. 5.4%
Shoot 'em in the head! Kill 250 Bobble Heads. 5.4%
All Pro Kill 2000 enemies with the Sniper Rifle. 5.2%
OVER 9000! Reach wave 10 only having built Blocks and Lightnings. 5.2%
Legion Reach wave 10 in Survival on Hard difficulty. 5.0%
Good at Math Survive all the waves on Aftermath. 4.8%
Caves Jameron Survive all the waves in Cavern. 4.6%
Landslide Survive all the waves on Aftershock. 4.6%
Joffo Defender Survive all the waves in Yogscave. 4.4%
Skeet Shooter Kill 500 enemies with the Shotgun. 4.4%
Bang for your Buck Kill an entire wave only using the Assault Grenade on Normal or higher difficulty. 4.1%
Flyswatter Kill 1500 Dodgers. 4.1%
Picking Up The Pieces Join and finish a 2-player game with a partner who was deserted by their former partner. 4.1%
Rymndhaest Kill 1000 Hoverers. 4.1%
Terminated Kill 3000 enemies with the Assault Gun. 4.1%
Without Number Reach wave 15 in Survival on Hard difficulty. 4.1%
I Love Strawberries Guide Box Boy to the Giant Strawberry. 3.9%
Prepare for Trouble! Survive all the waves on Slums. 3.9%
Airborne Assault Kill 1000 enemies while you're in mid air. 3.7%
Big Game Hunter Shoot 9 Strawberry Fishes. 3.7%
Keep quiet This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 3.7%
I Feel Claustrophobic Survive all the waves on Mine on Insane difficulty. 3.7%
Hope Rides Alone Reach wave 10 in singleplayer Survival on Hard difficulty. 3.5%
Poacher Shoot 15 Strawberry Fishes. 3.5%
Predator Shoot 12 Strawberry Fishes. 3.5%
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto Find the Robot buddy on Aftermath. 3.5%
Sweet This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 3.5%
Big Guys Require Big Guns Kill 1500 Tanks. 3.3%
Desk Monkey Survive all the waves on Corporation. 3.3%
What just happened? Survive all the waves on Invasion. 3.3%
Perfectionist Finish a level on Insane difficulty with 100% Core Life remaining. 3.3%
This isn't the Golden Gate!? Survive all the waves on Bridge on Insane difficulty. 3.3%
A Walk in the pARC Survive all the waves on Arc on Insane difficulty. 3.1%
A Better Future Survive all the waves on Chasm. 3.1%
Copyright Troll Reach wave 15 in singleplayer Survival on Hard difficulty. 3.1%
You're in the jungle, baby! Survive all the waves on Glade on Insane difficulty. 3.1%
Running in Circles Survive all the waves on Complex on Insane difficulty. 3.1%
Maelstrom Survive all the waves on Whirlpool. 3.1%
...And Make It Double! Survive all the waves on Slums on Insane difficulty. 2.8%
Isra-Felled Survive all the waves in Yogscave on Insane difficulty. 2.8%
Chilla Grillen! This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 2.8%
Epicenter Survive all the waves on Aftershock on Insane difficulty. 2.8%
I AM INVINCIBLE! Survive all the waves on Facility on Insane difficulty. 2.8%
Teacher's Pet Survive all the waves on Aftermath on Insane difficulty. 2.8%
Troglobite Survive all the waves in Cavern on Insane difficulty. 2.8%
Glory and Riches Await Survive all the waves on Chasm on Insane difficulty. 2.6%
CEO Survive all the waves on Corporation on Insane difficulty. 2.6%
Confusion-Immune Survive all the waves on Invasion on Insane difficulty. 2.6%
Strawberry Fields Forever This is a secret achievement, can you unlock it? 2.6%
Like a Hawk Survive all the waves on Whirlpool on Insane difficulty. 2.4%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-19.