Salt and Sacrifice

Salt and Sacrifice isn’t just a great game, but a great sequel. It’s the result of building upon the things that worked so well in the first game, tweaking the things that might not have worked so well, and cleverly taking the occasional mechanical risk here and there in order to ensure that Salt and Sacrifice truly felt like its own game instead of just “Salt and Sanctuary 2.” It’s fun, frantic, and frustrating in all the right ways, and I’m incredibly happy with what Ska Studios has given us. Salt and Sanctuary was able to build such a large community around it and stick around for such a long time because of how high-quality it was at the time of its release. I’m sure that Salt and Sacrifice will manage to surpass those heights.

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 cannot be understated how compelling this game feels. It takes all the best things from its inspirations and blends them together in a way that works. It’s a game with the combat of a Soulslike, the gameplay loop of a Monster Hunter, and the exploration of a Metroidvania, all set against a beautiful backdrop - conflicting flavours that come together to form a delicious experience. It’s greater than the sum of its parts, and it’s a game I won’t be putting down for a very long time.

Salt and Sacrifice may not be the best Metroidvania ever made, but as a 2D distillation of the Soulslike formula, this is pure gaming alchemy.

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.

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.

The graphics stick to the boundaries set by its predecessor and only improve and smooth out. Although everything takes place in a dark fantasy world drowning in fog, the depiction of the world in watercolors makes the game almost beautiful. [Issue#319]

Salt and Sacrifice is a great combination of some of the best elements from games like Dark Souls and or Monster Hunter and definitely entertains, even though the core gameplay mechanisms and the combat system could get extremely hard and annoying at some points during the game.

Salt and Sacrifice is a worthy sequel to one of the best soulslike games of the previous generation. Instead of resting on its laurels and delivering more of the same, it offers a different experience while retaining the essence of the original and at the end of the day, it succeeds.

Salt and Sacrifice doesn’t explain itself by words, which can make it hard to get to grips with, but when you let that go and just discover by play, the game gently drags you in and refuses to let go.

Despite its design shortcomings (like the absence of a mapping system or the consumable-based criteria for online multiplayer), Salt & Sacrifice comes along as a great sequel. The “soulslike” character progression and combat blends in with the “metroidvania” level design, and the added Monster Hunter nuance presented in the Mage hunting keeps the game going, feeling both familiar and fresh at the same time.

I’m not fond of collecting berries for my healing flask and I feel it can get unfair when mages team up on me. However, getting stronger and coming back with enough might that not even multiple mages could stop me made Salt and Sacrifice’s 2D Soulsborne exploration and mage fights an intoxicating quest to wield the very power I was hunting.

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.

Salt and Sacrifice is a labor of love, one that will scratch any Souls veteran's itch for more mysterious worlds to explore, even if it doesn't succeed at everything.

Being sequel to a critically acclaimed title is always a hardcore task. Salt and Sacrifice didn’t exceed the expectations, nor did it fail. It captures the essence of soulslike genre with hand drawn graphics exceptionally well but suffers due to a whole bunch of required backtracking and some questionable developer decisions.

Salt and Sacrifice has a lot going for it, but some bad design choices hold it back. I'd recommend watching some gameplay footage - especially of its bosses - before buying.