Design Risk Score
Estimated11/100
2 mechanics flagged
Why this score
- FOMO Events+6
Time-limited content with cosmetic-only stakes.
Why this counts
Przybylski et al. (2013) formalized the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) construct. Games exploit this by attaching scarcity signals to social currency items, creating anxiety that is only relievable through immediate purchase.
- Przybylski et al., Computers in Human Behavior — FoMO construct (2013)
- Scarcity principle (Cialdini) applied to limited-time store offers
- Paid DLC+5
6 paid add-ons beyond the base game.
Points reflect severity, not just presence — cosmetic-only purchases score far lower than pay-for-power. Total: 11/100. This game was scored from its Steam store listing, so its mechanics are an estimate. How scoring works →
Joy Index
90/100
Excellent
Community score: 90/100
Joy is the share of players who recommend it on Steam, published as-is.
Verdict
Mindful
Enjoy mindfully
Some mild monetization exists, but the core game offers genuine value. Stay aware of spending triggers.
- Set a monthly cosmetics budget
- Ignore FOMO event pressure
- Focus on what you genuinely enjoy
Where to buy
Price & availability
Best price now
$11.89−21%
at Fanatical→
Lowest ever
$1.49
at Steam · 4/11/2014
Real recorded prices & subscription data via IsThereAnyDeal.
Want a reading tuned to what youcare about? Connect your Steam library — your “For you” score stays entirely in your browser.
Score your library →More like this
Similar games, with how each one scores.
Sanctum 2: your questions, answered
Estimated from store data- Is Sanctum 2 pay to win?
- No. Sanctum 2's real-money purchases don't sell gameplay power — Sifter found no pay-to-win mechanics.
- Does Sanctum 2 have loot boxes or gacha?
- No. Sifter found no loot boxes or gacha in Sanctum 2 — no paid randomised rewards.
- Does Sanctum 2 have microtransactions?
- No. Sanctum 2 is a buy-once game — Sifter found no microtransactions, battle pass, or in-game store.
- How aggressively is Sanctum 2 monetised?
- Sifter grades Sanctum 2 B — 11/100 on the Design Risk scale, where a higher number means more aggressive monetisation. 2 mechanics were flagged. The grade is computed from a public checklist, not opinion.
- Does Sanctum 2 respect your time?
- Sanctum 2 scores 80/100 on Sifter's Time Respect scale. It uses limited-time (FOMO) events, which pull you back on the game's schedule rather than yours.
Mods
Upload a mod →Detected Design Patterns
Content is available only during a limited window, then rotates out.
Players report
Community-reported mechanics from players who own Sanctum 2. Shown separately — this never changes Sanctum 2’s Design Risk grade.
Own this game? Connect your Steam library to report a mechanic Sifter missed.
Time Respect
Estimated- Limited-Time Events-20
Time-limited content pressures you to play now instead of when you actually want to.
Ownership
This game is yours to keep
- Plays offline — no server dependency, so it can't be switched off remotely.
- Sold through Steam; a Steam account is required to install it. Steam doesn't publish whether this title is otherwise DRM-free, so we can't confirm it runs standalone.
Whether you keep what you paid for is its own question, separate from the score. How Sifter measures games →
Embed this score
Drop this in a forum post, wiki, or README — the badge always reflects the current score.