Salt and Sanctuary Reviews
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 action RPG that will definitely satisfy hardcore gamers. It's very similar to the Souls series and combined with favorable price tag, it's a must have video game.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
This combat-intensive adventure manages to be more than the sum of its Dark Souls-influenced parts.
This game went a lot quicker than I would have expected and did feel easier than the Souls and Bloodborne games. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. For people who are maybe less interested or more wary of the Souls series, this game might be an option to try out. For those who love those series already this game is a fun time spent that could be less grueling than running through the Souls game for another New Game+.
Instead of surviving Salt and Sanctuary's horrors by obsessively dissecting them, liberation comes as a result of being able to execute ever more deft acrobatics with a few simple twitches. In this way, the game helps us learn to shed the burden of realism by flattening it, reducing its physical and emotional details into obstacles that can be overcome with the flick of a button.
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.
In conclusion, does Salt and Sanctuary borrow a lot from the From Software games? Yes it does but it doesn't try to hide that fact and Ska Studios has put their own stamp on these kind of games in my opinion. Salt and Sanctuary nails the atmosphere and the combat and I highly recommend it if you enjoy 2D RPG's or if you are a fan of any of the From Software games. The game doesn't hold your hand and will deliver that same brutally hard experience that you loved about those other games. I can already say that Salt and Sanctuary is going to be in the running for my personal pick for game of the year in 2016.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but Salt and Sanctuary is truly inspired.
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.
Mashing together the challenge of Dark Souls with the platforming and combat styling of Castlevania makes for a challenging but highly rewarding formula
An ode to the Souls series as well as an excellent Metroidvania game in its own right.
Salt and Sanctuary is about as far from original as you could possibly imagine. It apes the Souls series almost beat-for-beat, from its core design down to very minor things like the health and stamina bars in the HUD.
There's a lot in Salt and Sanctuary to love, and I would argue that applies to non-Souls fans also. While it's certainly challenging, the 2D nature makes that challenge quite a lot different from Dark Souls. It can be extremely difficult at times, but fans of platformers may find something here they didn't in the Souls games.
Not only is Salt and Sanctuary a fantastic distillation of the Dark Souls formula to 2D, it is also one of the best Metroidvania games I've ever played. Either one of those would make the game an easy recommendation but both turns it into a must play.
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.
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 lovingly adapts the Souls games into 2D
Salt and Sanctuary is a derivative Dark Souls clone - but it's a shockingly good one.
Ska Studios' Salt and Sanctuary is obvious about trying to emulate Dark Souls, but offers enough deep gameplay and beautiful aesthetic to stand tall on its own.
Salt and Sanctuary is a delightful, long-lasting and addictive mix between a soulslike and a metroidvania. A very appreciated starter, for all those who are waiting for the main course (Dark Souls III).
Review in Italian | Read full review