Salt and Sacrifice Reviews
Salt and Sacrifice to Salt and Sanctuary is like Dark Souls 2 to Dark Souls 1. It diverges a lot from the original, with some ideas that work well and some that don't. All in all, it's still an excellent 2-D Souls-like Metroidvania that brilliantly infuses Monster Hunter elements with challenging combat. Despite some poor design choices and questionable difficulty spikes, it's still astonishing to think this game was created by a team of just two people.
Salt and Sacrifice is enjoyable in short bursts. It retains certain core concepts from the original, including a fairly controversial one: the lack of a map. This is further compounded by repetitive Mage Hunts that become tedious after a while.
Despite some flaws here and there, much like its predecessor Salt and Sacrifice is a solid soulslike that will keep fans of the genre diving into it, one "obliterated" after the next. Everyone else should be wary of its often unforgiving enemies, though.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Occasional minor frustrations with the controls aside, it’s hard to find fault with Salt and Sacrifice’s challenging combat and level design. The original was one of the best 2D Soulslikes, and this follow-up has a more appealing style and plays even better, with more varied mechanics and deeper choices. While recent FromSoftware games have encouraged more assertive approaches to enemy encounters, Salt and Sacrifice has an old-school vibe that demands patience, determination, a willingness to grind and the ability to find satisfaction in doing so. Fans of the original won’t be disappointed, and more recent Souls converts will find a new addiction as well.
It's really incredible to think that only two people made Salt and Sacrifice. The new project of the small team does not propose the level of balance of the most impressive productions but still manages to go close. Net of a series of uncertainties, Salt and Sacrifice is a gem that will make the joy of all soulslike lovers eager to delight in an adventure capable of putting them to the test but decidedly smaller in size than a giant like Elden Ring.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Salt & Sacrifice has the potential to be a great game, but it badly needs balancing fixes to allow it to live up to its potential, especially in regard to its battle system. A few tweaks to the stamina meter, the dodge roll & blocking mechanics, and the enemy attack patterns would do wonders for the game, as would a way to skip the chasing sequences and jump straight to the Mage bosses. As it stands, Salt & Sacrifice is a game full of frustrating moments that bog down the rest of the experience.
Salt and Sacrifice is a Souls-like that would've made a killing a decade ago. Failing to learn from its contemporaries, it struggles to feel enjoyable in today's saturated market.
As it stands, Salt and Sacrifice continues to nail down all of the moving parts and elements that go into creating an impressive Souls-like game. For most players –especially those just discovering the genre for the first time– this is an easy recommendation. But for the rest of us, it’s not quite enough anymore.
Soulslike fanatics will enjoy the fix, while others may better spend their time elsewhere.
Salt and Sacrifice is like Salt and Sanctuary, just less ugly – at the same time, it's definitely more than just '2-D Dark Souls.' Indeed, this game blends the Souls, Hollow Knight and Monster Hunter in nearly perfect proportions.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Salt and Sacrifice is bloody, brutal, and beyond enjoyable!
Salt and Sanctuary checks all the boxes for what a 2D Soulslike should have but doesn't do much beyond that, delivering a worthy, albeit conventional addition to the sub-genre.
While the opening can be off-putting, Salt and Sacrifice is a huge game that picks up almost instantly once you're past the beginning, with multiple large areas that will each take a good amount of hours to explore and track down all the Mages that roam there.
Salt and Sacrifice is a bad combination of Souls like, Metroidvania and Monster Hunter, making it feel chaotic.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Salt and Sacrifice doesn't innovate as much as it could have done, but is an interesting entry in the 2D soulslike niche.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Salt and Sacrifice is a passion project that seamlessly merges aspects of much larger games and delivers a focused and unique experience. Humbly priced, its addictive gameplay and multiplayer aspects will leave you feeling like you got a great bargain and asking for more.
Salt and Sacrifice makes a number of changes to its general design and structure that are absolutely not worth the cost, and while the game is still enjoyable, it ultimately feels like a step backwards from the charming 2016 original.
In making the title Salt and Sacrifice, the creators have tried to take some risks and model the titles of Monster Hunter, which unfortunately doesn't help the overall gaming experience as it should and sometimes even causes problems.
Review in Persian | Read full review