Salt and Sanctuary Reviews
The folks at Ska Studios have crafted something stellar here, though. Despite how much the Souls series has inspired this title, it still stands on its own two feet without feeling derivative.
If you're looking for a really short review, here it is: Salt & Sanctuary is Dark Souls in 2D.
Salt and Sanctuary is a great game- built on a solid combat engine and a world that begs to be explored. If it weren't for the numerous bugs and the pedestrian difficulty, it could have been something truly exceptional.
This is a brutal hybrid of Metroidvania and action RPG that will beat players down and have them coming back for more. Though it doesn't stray far from its inspiration, Salt and Sanctuary is a finely-crafted tribute to From Software's work and is absolutely dripping with the signature cartoon aesthetic and punk rock style fans of Ska Studios have come to know and love.
Do not underestimate Salt and Sanctuary: it'll chew you up and spit you back out, drawing from From Software's modern action RPG blueprints and translating the hard-as-nails gameplay to two dimensions. It demands your attention, never holds your hand, and rewards your patience and skill. Some players will find the lack of information too obtuse and difficulty too harsh, and a few cheap enemies and well-hidden traps will certainly frustrate. For those willing to go the distance, however, this is an intricate and fulfilling game just waiting to be conquered. As far as Souls wannabes go, this is one that's certainly worth its salt.
An excellent soul-like with slight design flaws that fits on the switch like the salt to the pepper shaker.
Review in German | Read full review
This little platformer wears its influences loudly and proudly. Salt and Sanctuary is a tribute act of the finest kind, distilling the essential Dark Souls experience in 2D.
Ska Studios have done a fabulous job with Salt and Sanctuary, as the transition to 2D has created a more accessible game while also retaining all of the depth.
Salt and Sanctuary is a good 2D conversion of the Souls formula, but its experimental nature invites more than a few flaws. If you don't mind difficult-to-see graphics and sometimes cheap combat, then you'll happily come back for more.
Salt and Sanctuary is an amazing game that is well paced and has layers of gameplay that slowly unfold the more you play. This game is recommended even if you are shy of the difficulty of the Souls series and is throughly rewarding.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but Salt and Sanctuary is truly inspired.
Despite being a 2D rip-off of Dark Souls, Salt and Sanctuary is an excellent game that brings From's famous gameplay to a side-scrolling plane.
An intimate, exciting and discovery-fueled experience, rich in content and secrets, will have players exploring and lorecrafting for months to come. The pricepoint sweetens the deal for any souls, rpg or castlevania fan looking for a new and satisfying experience.
As derivative as it may sound, Salt and Sanctuary is an enjoyable romp on the Nintendo Switch thanks to its entertaining combat. It's good enough to warrant checking it out despite some concerns. With Dark Souls for the Nintendo Switch missing in action, Salt and Sanctuary is an enjoyable way to get your Souls fix.
Salt and Sanctuary is an excellent love-letter to the Dark Souls franchise while still managing to provide a distinctly unique experience. As far as game design goes, this is a splendidly polished example of the Soulsborne mechanics appropriated correctly, and I eagerly anticipate playing all the way through NG+7 and beyond, just not on the Switch. Unfortunately, the dark screen and glaring performance issues in this port detract from the overall experience, docking points. On steam, however, I'd likely give this an 8 or a 9.
With over 20 hours spent in game and the prospect of taking on New Game+ in the future, I think Salt and Sanctuary is one of the greater indie titles available on the PS4. An amazing achievement for a development team of just 2 people.
Salt and Sanctuary is not without its flaws, and it could probably stand to lean a little less on its influences, but it's still a very fascinating and fun time.
I enjoyed my time with Salt and Sanctuary, and if you enjoy challenging 2D games or just games with fantastic horror art design, you probably will too.
Salt And Sanctuary is a great, 2D Side-scrolling RPG with Dark Souls-level difficulty. Here are my first impressions upon getting the game.
Salt and Sanctuary is dark. It's just how it is. And being honest, it's all the better for it. On the Switch's small screen though, the darkness of most of the environments coupled with the zoomed out camera makes it hard to see certain enemies and their attacks.