Salt and Sanctuary

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 166 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 114 out of 166
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 166
  3. Negative: 24 out of 166

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  1. Defoxx
    Dec 1, 2020
    3
    Souls-like платформер, который по началу интересен, но к середине как то поднаскучил.
  2. nervengas
    Apr 20, 2017
    3
    S&S is pretty much advertised as '2D Dark Souls', but it falls short of it's 3D inspiration on many accounts. The graphics are mediocre mid to upper flash game tier. Forget about feeling something like immersion in this game. The general theme of the background music, if present at all, alternates between repetitive and repetitive & annoying.
    Weapon and armor balance is probably S&S's    S&S is pretty much advertised as '2D Dark Souls', but it falls short of it's 3D inspiration on many accounts. The graphics are mediocre mid to upper flash game tier. Forget about feeling something like immersion in this game. The general theme of the background music, if present at all, alternates between repetitive and repetitive & annoying.
    Weapon and armor balance is probably S&S's weakest part. Items are tiered from 1 to 5. High tier weapons are awkwardly placed and mostly useless filler - by the time you get to craft tier 3/4 stuff you can already access tier 5, making the former pointless. Lower tier weapons are simply not worth upgrading, unlike in dark souls. Lore consists of RPG boilerplate mediocrity sprinkled with the expected DS references - same for level design. It's not bad, but nothing really stands out as innovative or memorable either.
    Combat.... sigh. It quickly becomes cheap and unrewarding - there is only so much you can do in this regard in a 2D engine. Total opposite to the original. There are enemies that pounce you or have some other lockdown (in some cases instant kill) mechanic if you get close, enemies that have long range melee which you need to evade between attacks ( rinse and repeat) and various projectile attacks. The parrying system is a bit easier than in DS. High HP pools on the mob side combined with limited HP and few opportunities to attack on your side feel like something in between an attempt between a ramped up version of Dark Souls difficulty. Bosses basically require learning of patterns as well as their faster alternates which trigger once the 50% HP mark is reached, making for very drawn out fights. If that's your thing, or if you enjoy spending hours just getting through one boss pretty much every single time, this might be the one thing that will give you some enjoyment in this game. But if you think ornstein and smough or manus type fights felt least rewarding about DS, chances are you wont enjoy the boss fights in S&S because 'fast and aggressive' is the common theme here.
    Blending out the copious boss fights there's actually pretty little content in the game. Excusable because there are only two devs from what I've heard but it's another thing that makes the game feel a bit too much like something that evolved from a cheap flash game hobby project. Which makes you wonder why you had to pay to play it.    … Expand
  3. Mandulum
    Feb 28, 2017
    9
    Five Word Review: 2D Dark Souls, great game.
    Favorite Thing: It thoroughly scratched my Dark Souls itch. Lots of challenging bosses and level design that goes everywhere.
    Least Favorite Thing: There's an over-reliance on darkness. A lot of the time the majority of the screen is extremely dark or completely black. On a separate note, variety for mage spells and gear are extremely lacking.    Five Word Review: 2D Dark Souls, great game.
    Favorite Thing: It thoroughly scratched my Dark Souls itch. Lots of challenging bosses and level design that goes everywhere.
    Least Favorite Thing: There's an over-reliance on darkness. A lot of the time the majority of the screen is extremely dark or completely black. On a separate note, variety for mage spells and gear are extremely lacking.

    Playtime: ~ 28h (explored everything I could find)
    Enjoyment: 9/10
    Recommendation: If you enjoyed Dark Souls, definitely.    … Expand
  4. Sacred
    Jul 23, 2021
    8
    Единственный недостаток этой игры является отсутствие карты, с возможностью оставлять метки. Ведь просто нереально в метроидвании запомнить карту всего мира.(( Очень бы хотелось вернуться в неисследованные места после получения способностей, но я, как игрок, просто забываю о таких местах, и без подсказок просто невозможно их вспомнить.Единственный недостаток этой игры является отсутствие карты, с возможностью оставлять метки. Ведь просто нереально в метроидвании запомнить карту всего мира.(( Очень бы хотелось вернуться в неисследованные места после получения способностей, но я, как игрок, просто забываю о таких местах, и без подсказок просто невозможно их вспомнить.
  5. SilverOrlov
    Dec 25, 2019
    10
    This is the first game that literally "made me burn" ...Then a few more times ...and then I deleted the game ...to install it in a few days and learn how to use the shield, parry and roll. This game taught me to thoughtfully engage in character development, much more than before in other games with such mechanics.
    After I was able to master the mechanics of the game, I literally drowned    This is the first game that literally "made me burn" ...Then a few more times ...and then I deleted the game ...to install it in a few days and learn how to use the shield, parry and roll. This game taught me to thoughtfully engage in character development, much more than before in other games with such mechanics.
    After I was able to master the mechanics of the game, I literally drowned in its history (even though it hasn't a story in a full meaning, because it is served in small parts through NPC replicas and descriptions of objects).
    But the most important thing for me in this game was its incredibly strong atmosphere in conjunction with a specific design style and voices/music.
    For lovers of platformers and souls-like games, this is simply a must-have game.
    For those who are not afraid to try difficult fights, where even ordinary monsters can break your ridge - the main thing is to overpower the first boss and if there wasn’t "f*ck this game" - it will work for you just like it was with me.    … Expand
  6. I3R0K3N7FEET
    May 23, 2016
    10
    As many people have described this game as Dark Souls x Metroidvania, which is pretty much spot on for the most of it, that isn't the entire story. Anyone who may have played a SKA Studios game previously will recognise the brutal and beautiful artwork and play style.

    So far I am 20 hours in, enjoying the exploration and challenges while still experimenting with the ability tree. You    As many people have described this game as Dark Souls x Metroidvania, which is pretty much spot on for the most of it, that isn't the entire story. Anyone who may have played a SKA Studios game previously will recognise the brutal and beautiful artwork and play style.

    So far I am 20 hours in, enjoying the exploration and challenges while still experimenting with the ability tree. You will hear people complain about level design and how unfair it is... but isn't that the point? I think people cry too hard when a game becomes too hard or unfair. I loved the difficulty of the Dishwasher games and those, hand-in-hand could arguably rival the skill timing and patience of any 3D action platformer such as the likes of DMC and NG. Mixing up that level of difficulty with the souls formula is next to genius and as someone that LOVES 2D action platformers, Salt and Sanctuary allows you to explore a more gritty and visceral world in much more depth compared to those before it. The fact that SKA Studios have laboured intensely over this game show's their commitment to creating deep, enjoyable and unique games. After this experience, I can't WAIT to see what they will bring to the 3rd instalment of the Dishwasher Series. If you like 2D platformers (Ori and the Blind Forest, Dust: an elysian tale, or of course Metroidvania) and want to experience something brutal, unforgiving that has sharp and responsive controls gritty and depressing cyberpunk/grungy artwork, churning original soundtracks (despite being criticised for being stretched thin here, you have to realise the music is made in house too!!) that has been mixed with the 'souls formula' with RPG elements.

    This game will blow you and your expectations away, glitches and all.

    If you are a fan of COD, hand holding, or generally sub PG13 rated content and have little skill with gaming generally, don't bother, you will end up being one of those people that rates this game negatively while having little tears of regret streaming from your eyes.    … Expand
  7. Metie
    Aug 8, 2016
    7
    I'm a dark souls fan and this game offers a very similar experience at the beginning but then i had to realize that the game's world is simply too small. There are too few weapons and practically the playthrough is lineal. At least much more lineal than in any souls game.

    At the same time the game was created from much fewer resources and has many good idea, and some tough bosses (but    I'm a dark souls fan and this game offers a very similar experience at the beginning but then i had to realize that the game's world is simply too small. There are too few weapons and practically the playthrough is lineal. At least much more lineal than in any souls game.

    At the same time the game was created from much fewer resources and has many good idea, and some tough bosses (but of course the game is a lot easier than any souls game, I liked it), so I can recommend it for everyone. It took me 12 hours, but only because -SPOILER- I played with mage and the last boss has max resistance to every elemental damage. I think it's not fair...-SPOILER-

    I recommend playing it with knight, because mage is kinda monotone (mages don't need to block and accomplish air attacks). Maybe it is more difficult at some bosses, but much more enjoyable as well. Because the game's short, replay value is low (despite the many classes which seem nice but are the usual (choosing chef is suicide))    … Expand
  8. jsizzle
    Dec 12, 2016
    8
    Salt & Sanctuary is very different than any 2D platformer I have played previously - holding unique and familiar traits as well as rewarding and just down right frustrating elements. This indie title throws combat challenges as well as platforming puzzles at you from all angles. It's constantly changing - the player must be ready at all times, even for things you may not see. Jumping,Salt & Sanctuary is very different than any 2D platformer I have played previously - holding unique and familiar traits as well as rewarding and just down right frustrating elements. This indie title throws combat challenges as well as platforming puzzles at you from all angles. It's constantly changing - the player must be ready at all times, even for things you may not see. Jumping, rolling, blocking and parrying with some hidden surprises; these gameplay elements are fundamental but I could understand how some players may have a hard time catching on as there are many things to be aware of when you are traversing the areas. An example being equip load, it will affect your rolling speed and certain weapons scale way better with certain skill attributes - you really must shape your build carefully if you want to have fun early game and become more powerful for the sometimes ridiculous middle to late stages of this title. This is significantly rewarding for someone like me. Paying attention to every little detail is great when games make it worth while and this is definitely no exception.

    The story of S&S is where it would be at its worst but that isn't to say bad. I just don't think the character writing and item descriptions always deliver intriguing lore and depth one would hope. It seems as if the characters and lore are trying too hard to establish a connection to SoulsBorne rather than really being inspired to be completely on its own with subtle homages to the series. It doesn't really take from the game but it is something to note. I also need to point out that after you finish the final boss and select the ending you are locked into NG+. Narrative tropes and a forceful NG+ hardly bring this game down when the island is so wonderfully crafted, filled with awesome loot and well hidden secrets. The best parts are when you are trying to figure out how to reach out of reach areas and items, not necessarily lore diving. I managed to have a relatively smooth experience without getting stuck too much, that took me around 30 hours. A mass of content is to be found for a game that is $19.99 retail and constantly goes on sale. If you are a fan of dungeon crawling RPGs, do yourself the favour of trying Salt & Sanctuary.    … Expand
  9. SigilFey
    May 31, 2016
    10
    A Dark Souls game for the wider market! Which would make it a "Lite Souls", if you would. Don't mistake anything: the game is HARD. (However, whereas Dark Souls will kick you in the face to knock you down, then call five of its friends over to pummel you with baseball bats, Salt and Sanctuary will simply punch you in the stomach then smile to make it all better.)

    Who will LOVE this?    A Dark Souls game for the wider market! Which would make it a "Lite Souls", if you would. Don't mistake anything: the game is HARD. (However, whereas Dark Souls will kick you in the face to knock you down, then call five of its friends over to pummel you with baseball bats, Salt and Sanctuary will simply punch you in the stomach then smile to make it all better.)

    Who will LOVE this?

    + Anyone that loves Dark Souls.
    + Anyone that even mildly enjoyed Dark Souls.
    + People looking for a brawler-RPG with tons of style and a superb visual design.

    Who will HATE this?

    - Those easily frustrated by games that sucker-punch you.
    - People who quickly grow tired of "grinding" for better gear or abilities.
    - Anyone who simply wants to mash the attack button to get by.

    Salt and Sanctuary offers a ton of challenge using mechanics that are still more forgiving than DS, offering a more regular sense of reward and power as the player improves his/her character. You will still die an awful lot until you learn the nuances of the combat system and beef up a bit, but it never feels teeth-cracking-with-frustration impossible.

    Customize and upgrade your gear, revel in all of the beautifully animated carnage, and die a few dozen more times. The game offers a wide variety of weapons with unique move sets, along with bows, crossbows, throwing weapons, even firearms...which is very cool. There may not be the absolutely insane number of weapons and goodies as DS proper, but there is an absolutely insane number of weapons and goodies here.

    One of the best games I've played all year. It accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, and it does it with style!    … Expand
  10. Romeros
    Jul 24, 2016
    9
    What a great and challenging game. Not a huge fan of Dark Souls but this game blow my mind. Great gameplay, ability tree, hard but rewarding. I played 15+ h already and game still feels fresh. Recommended 9/10
  11. Coldest13
    May 25, 2016
    3
    Una auténtica lástima.

    Desearía que me gustara este juego, pero no va a ser posible. Salt and Sanctuary solo se ha dedicado a matarme injustamente y a robarme mis merecidas almas; pero el mayor pecado de SaS es, sin duda, el olvidar que SaS es otro juego, no un remake de Dark Souls en 2D. Había jugado en el pasado un remake de DS para Spectrum, un pequeño juego hecho en coña    Una auténtica lástima.

    Desearía que me gustara este juego, pero no va a ser posible. Salt and Sanctuary solo se ha dedicado a matarme injustamente y a robarme mis merecidas almas; pero el mayor pecado de SaS es, sin duda, el olvidar que SaS es otro juego, no un remake de Dark Souls en 2D.

    Había jugado en el pasado un remake de DS para Spectrum, un pequeño juego hecho en coña parodiando el original. Ese remake para Spectrum, aún siendo una parodia hecha por un fan, aportó elementos en su jugabilidad que no se habían visto en el DS original, no muchos, pero algo nuevo metió.

    Esto no lo ha hecho SaS, se ha olvidado de su propia identidad, y se ha limitado a calcarlo todo de DS, solo dejando sin copiar los elementos imposibles en un entorno 2D. Además, ha fallado al entender porqué DS funciona, lo que tampoco le ayudó a copiarlo bien.

    Es una auténtica lástima, insisto, llevo siguiendo este juego durante años y lo he jugado ahora solo para llevarme un batacazo y una decepción, con todo lo que prometía.

    Tal vez, no sé, los developers ahora hagan un DLC arreglando el juego básico y añadiendo más contenido, copiando lo que ocurrió con DS 2, pero algo me dice que no va a ser así, y que este juego llamado SaS que parece un prototipo, seguirá siendo un prototipo toda la eternidad.

    Insisto, una verdadera lástima.    … Expand
  12. skohl
    Aug 19, 2018
    7
    A game being "Like Dark Souls" is a meme, but this is the only game that really deserves that label. If you've played DS1, yeah - it's that. That also makes it a 'metroidvania' because of the single gigantic map of interconnected levels. Except there's no map in this game, which is a brutal design decision. That said, I beat the game in 20 hours without guides, so it's not forbiddinglyA game being "Like Dark Souls" is a meme, but this is the only game that really deserves that label. If you've played DS1, yeah - it's that. That also makes it a 'metroidvania' because of the single gigantic map of interconnected levels. Except there's no map in this game, which is a brutal design decision. That said, I beat the game in 20 hours without guides, so it's not forbiddingly difficult by any stretch.

    This game has a lot of stuff that will feel unfair. Getting grabbed or knocked down is awful. Every enemy that flies is very annoying. The environments are sometimes so colourless that they are black and white, which is hard on the eyes. Also, notably, the ledge grab mechanic is clunky, which makes what should be easy platforming puzzles into deadly traps. The difficulty of the bosses varies wildly. For me, many went down on the first attempt, however, there are a few notorious bosses whose difficulty spike are among the most extreme I've experienced with a game.

    So I would rate this game very slightly on the masochistic side. However, it's still a must-play for Souls veterans because of how commendable a recreation it is of Dark Souls on a 2D plane.    … Expand
  13. HSuke
    Jul 19, 2020
    9
    I highly recommend this game for Dark Souls fans. It's basic a 2D version of Dark Souls with a bit of Metroidvania mixed in.

    I did find it a bit simpler than the Dark Souls series in that I was able to beat most bosses after only a couple of tries, but it was still an enjoyable game. Dare I say that I actually found it a tiny bit easier than Hollow Knight, which still means it's a very    I highly recommend this game for Dark Souls fans. It's basic a 2D version of Dark Souls with a bit of Metroidvania mixed in.

    I did find it a bit simpler than the Dark Souls series in that I was able to beat most bosses after only a couple of tries, but it was still an enjoyable game. Dare I say that I actually found it a tiny bit easier than Hollow Knight, which still means it's a very difficult action-platformer.

    It does have a few minor quality of life issues that irked me:
    - Can't rearrange items
    - Can't easily compare 2 equipment
    - Higher class weapons aren't always better
    - Heavy weapon classes are a lot easier than other builds to the point where weapons are a bit unbalanced.
    - Not enough pretty locations. Everything just feels gray. It's trying to be Dark Souls a little too hard.    … Expand
  14. kasparius
    Jul 14, 2017
    10
    I absolutely loved this game. Metroidvanias are my favorite kind of games, and I also love the Souls series and Bloodborne, so this game seemed right up my alley. I was a bit worried that it would just be a souls rip-off with light Metroidvania elements, but it's not at all. It's just as satisfying as a Souls game, probably not as hard, but still a decent challenge, which is rare inI absolutely loved this game. Metroidvanias are my favorite kind of games, and I also love the Souls series and Bloodborne, so this game seemed right up my alley. I was a bit worried that it would just be a souls rip-off with light Metroidvania elements, but it's not at all. It's just as satisfying as a Souls game, probably not as hard, but still a decent challenge, which is rare in Metroidvania games these days. But the real surprise is that it is also a great Metroidvania game. It follows all the rules: One big unified map, areas locked behind new abilities and locked doors, backtracking, shortcuts, all of that with the combat and leveling system find in the souls game translated beautifully to a 2D platform game.

    The combat has that Souls heft, and weapons really do work differently. Just like Souls, you can create your heavy armored mage, or light armored heavy hammer fighter, etc... New Game + is part of the deal as well. The main game is quite long too, especially generous considering this is a game made by a small indie studio and retails for 17.99. A bargain if you asked me, because it offers really great value for that price. I know I will be revisiting this game often and it's now part of a select group of games that are for me part of the pinnacle of the Metroidvania genre: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, Guacamelee!, Metroid Fusion, Order of Ecclesia, and Dawn/Aria of Sorrow.    … Expand
  15. SuperkenGaming
    Mar 31, 2017
    9
    Salt and Sanctuary
    2D Dark Souls
    Salt and Sanctuary is quite literally a 2d version of dark souls... you start out customizing your character and choosing your class... And you’re set off into a world of hurt... And it’s brilliant… There are weapons and other loot around the world that you can do combos with and certain items will slow your character down… You’re slicing through    Salt and Sanctuary
    2D Dark Souls
    Salt and Sanctuary is quite literally a 2d version of dark souls... you start out customizing your character and choosing your class...
    And you’re set off into a world of hurt...
    And it’s brilliant…
    There are weapons and other loot around the world that you can do combos with and certain items will slow your character down…
    You’re slicing through enemies to pick up salt instead of souls...
    Managing your stamina much like nioh…
    And taking that salt back to a sanctuary to level up your character and unlock slots in your skill tree…
    And of course each level needs more salt..
    So you have to carefully balance exploration and banking in your collected salt...
    The game does a decent job of not making you ever feel overwhelmed
    That doesn’t mean this game is easy though
    it will test your patience...
    but you always feel like you could’ve made it past where you died if you try just one more time…
    going back, recollecting your salt..
    Grinding if you choose... and making your way towards a boss…
    These boss battles are brutal, nearly 20 in total…
    And again like the combat// can feel frustrating at times…
    but you eventually learn them…
    You can roll, block, used ranged weapons...
    there’s such a great variety of weapons and items here to fit every type of players game style…
    But this game is hard…
    you probably won’t beat it..
    But if you do manage it will take you around 15 hours to do so
    This is one of my favorite 2d games I’ve ever played…
    If you’re a glutton for punishment, and love that sense of discovery, searching for better loot as giant blobs of goo fall on your head or a wolf gnaws at your neck
    don’t miss out on one of the most satisfyingly challenging 2d games on the market
    I give Salt and Sanctuary
    a 9/10    … Expand
  16. Vzhik
    Jun 12, 2017
    6
    Хоть и не любитель 2Д и платформеров, но эта зашла. Интересная, глубокая соулс боёвка вытянула. Интересно искать всякие секреты, коих очень много. Прикольные враги. Даже из Демонс Соулс есть враг! Очень много всяких прикольных фишек которых нет в Соулсах, очень увлекает.
    Но из-за 2Д, визуала очень мало. Очень хотелось нормально меч рассмотреть или щит, например. Не хватало озвучки    Хоть и не любитель 2Д и платформеров, но эта зашла. Интересная, глубокая соулс боёвка вытянула. Интересно искать всякие секреты, коих очень много. Прикольные враги. Даже из Демонс Соулс есть враг! Очень много всяких прикольных фишек которых нет в Соулсах, очень увлекает.
    Но из-за 2Д, визуала очень мало. Очень хотелось нормально меч рассмотреть или щит, например. Не хватало озвучки персонажей. И карта это нечто: куча срезов, неявные проходы, очень сложно для запоминания.
    Но в целом годная игра, стоит пробовать.    … Expand
  17. Viderberg
    Sep 5, 2017
    10
    Dark Souls in 2d but with faster combat. The music is a bit lack-lusting, but it's not bad. Love this game, really fun with a friend by your side. The mixture of Dark Souls and Metroidvania is just perfect.
  18. Lukatanemoller
    Jun 26, 2016
    9
    So instead of being a mindless idiot like almost all the people in these reviews I'm going to tell you how I am going to give this game a score

    I will start this game off with a 5 like all of them and the game will gain extra points throughout this review. Anyways, this game was a wonderful experience, a simple story, good controls and of course, the awesome ska studios art style.    So instead of being a mindless idiot like almost all the people in these reviews I'm going to tell you how I am going to give this game a score

    I will start this game off with a 5 like all of them and the game will gain extra points throughout this review.

    Anyways, this game was a wonderful experience, a simple story, good controls and of course,
    the awesome ska studios art style. The game might not be original in the mechanics, but holy **** the original art style blows me away. The dark-ish theme they have for it makes it extra scary. The bosses that you fight can be actually frightening, the gore sounds can feel satisfying as you hack and slash through those enemies.

    This game rightfully got my 9 out of 10 of it's brilliant creativity and shows that flash/photoshop games can still be fukkin awesome!

    Two more words:
    B U Y I T !    … Expand
  19. kelvinsanchez15
    Dec 3, 2019
    9
    Un simple resumen es que es la combinación de Dark Souls + Metroidvania y la verdad es que funciona bastante bien, es un juego muy completo en todos los aspectos, el único punto que no fue de mi agrado fueron los splash art utilizados para representar los personajes y el apartado gráfico en general.
  20. Wweald
    Jun 25, 2019
    7
    Pretty fun, really cool art style. I like the world that the game is in a lot, the plot line is pretty cool.
  21. omerulas25
    Aug 12, 2020
    3
    bored, no funny, not interesting and very colourless. why am i playing this game? for only boss fight or something?
  22. Kaizek1
    Jan 4, 2022
    0
    Да какого хрена у противников не прерываются атаки и каст спеллов, а мувсеты у боссов начинаются практически одинаково? И кто-то всерьёз ставит этому шлаку что-то больше ноля не видя, что даже основная механика сломана к чертям!Да какого хрена у противников не прерываются атаки и каст спеллов, а мувсеты у боссов начинаются практически одинаково? И кто-то всерьёз ставит этому шлаку что-то больше ноля не видя, что даже основная механика сломана к чертям!
  23. Deniman
    Aug 28, 2021
    9
    Сначала игра не понравилась совсем, убивали через каждые пару минут...разобраться было сложно ...какое оружие и броню выбрать...во что вкачивать левел апы...что за религия...что за "соль"...куда идти...карты нет...но потом более менее разобравшись затянуло...Даже пройдя игру так и не разобрался во всём :) После посмотрел прохождения на Youtube, понял чуть больше...про религии, про бафы наСначала игра не понравилась совсем, убивали через каждые пару минут...разобраться было сложно ...какое оружие и броню выбрать...во что вкачивать левел апы...что за религия...что за "соль"...куда идти...карты нет...но потом более менее разобравшись затянуло...Даже пройдя игру так и не разобрался во всём :) После посмотрел прохождения на Youtube, понял чуть больше...про религии, про бафы на оружие...оказалось что не убил 2 босса...просто потому что запутался где я был, а где я ещё не был :) Игра не без минусов, но достойная :)… Expand
  24. davoz28
    Nov 5, 2020
    10
    This is the best soulslike/metroidvania game and it isn't even close. The map is maybe a *bit* too scattered, but still 10/10. Maybe most underrated game on steam. The atmosphere, controls, combat, and overall sense of dread but excitement of what's around the corner will keep you playing till the end.
  25. OberiousLocke
    Mar 16, 2022
    0
    Update: As it seems that the developers have made the regrettable choice to commit to EGS exclusivity (even if it only ends up being temporary) I can't stand by my previous score of 10/10 and have updated it accordingly. Original review as follows:

    With 200+ hours in S&S and 600+ across all 3 Dark Souls games, this is about as close to it as you can get without actually playing Dark    Update: As it seems that the developers have made the regrettable choice to commit to EGS exclusivity (even if it only ends up being temporary) I can't stand by my previous score of 10/10 and have updated it accordingly. Original review as follows:

    With 200+ hours in S&S and 600+ across all 3 Dark Souls games, this is about as close to it as you can get without actually playing Dark Souls. Beautiful art, music is meh with a few exceptions, and fun gameplay.    … Expand
  26. GameCritic121
    Mar 19, 2017
    10
    As many people have described this game as Dark Souls x Metroidvania, which is pretty much spot on for the most of it, that isn't the entire story. Anyone who may have played a SKA Studios game previously will recognise the brutal and beautiful artwork and play style.

    So far I am 20 hours in, enjoying the exploration and challenges while still experimenting with the ability tree. You    As many people have described this game as Dark Souls x Metroidvania, which is pretty much spot on for the most of it, that isn't the entire story. Anyone who may have played a SKA Studios game previously will recognise the brutal and beautiful artwork and play style.

    So far I am 20 hours in, enjoying the exploration and challenges while still experimenting with the ability tree. You will hear people complain about level design and how unfair it is... but isn't that the point? I think people cry too hard when a game becomes too hard or unfair. I loved the difficulty of the Dishwasher games and those, hand-in-hand could arguably rival the skill timing and patience of any 3D action platformer such as the likes of DMC and NG. Mixing up that level of difficulty with the souls formula is next to genius and as someone that LOVES 2D action platformers, Salt and Sanctuary allows you to explore a more gritty and visceral world in much more depth compared to those before it. The fact that SKA Studios have laboured intensely over this game show's their commitment to creating deep, enjoyable and unique games. After this experience, I can't WAIT to see what they will bring to the 3rd instalment of the Dishwasher Series. If you like 2D platformers (Ori and the Blind Forest, Dust: an elysian tale, or of course Metroidvania) and want to experience something brutal, unforgiving that has sharp and responsive controls gritty and depressing cyberpunk/grungy artwork, churning original soundtracks (despite being criticised for being stretched thin here, you have to realise the music is made in house too!!) that has been mixed with the 'souls formula' with RPG elements.

    This game will blow you and your expectations away, glitches and all.

    If you are a fan of COD, hand holding, or generally sub PG13 rated content and have little skill with gaming generally, don't bother, you will end up being one of those people that rates this game negatively while having little tears of regret streaming from your eyes.    … Expand
  27. tobivv
    Jan 24, 2020
    8
    Emulates the dark souls experience in a 2d setting successfully when it comes to combat, but lacks in mechanical and world depth. Gets easy fast
  28. sulaco426
    Jun 24, 2021
    8
    I wish for a Darksouls Coop game since salt. those games are just way more fun with a friend
  29. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    8
    The great unknown. Along with hollow knight, the best indie metroidvania. Guaranteed purchase for fans of the genre.
  30. NoIdeaName
    May 4, 2020
    7
    Overall a nice game, nothing special, also there are some annoying mechanics on it like some boring platform levels and an automatic save when you finish the game, making you start all over if you want to explore more.
  31. Eukor
    Jul 19, 2020
    8
    un souls-like metroidvania con estética gótica que si bien no es perfecto es muy prometedor
  32. S3XU4LH34L1NG
    Jan 16, 2022
    10
    As many other have described this is a mix of DS / Castlevania. Overall I loved it and considering the team behind this i have to give it a 10 / 10. I dont know if theres a lot of replayability because at the end of the day its pretty linear. My mage playtrhough was very fun and challenging altough the end of the game got way easier.
    + graphics, music, atmospehre, builds, mechanics / -    As many other have described this is a mix of DS / Castlevania. Overall I loved it and considering the team behind this i have to give it a 10 / 10. I dont know if theres a lot of replayability because at the end of the day its pretty linear. My mage playtrhough was very fun and challenging altough the end of the game got way easier.
    + graphics, music, atmospehre, builds, mechanics / - replayability, navigation    … Expand
  33. apokalipto
    Aug 28, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  34. Vaxzan
    Jul 30, 2021
    5
    Wasn’t too fond of it

    Gameplay The game is essentially a 2d version of Dark Souls featuring metroidvania elements. At the start you can pick from a few classes to decide how you want to play the game. There is a wide variety of combat options in the game of which I tried 2. I started off as a knight but really struggled after about 3 hours so I restarted and switched to a mage where    Wasn’t too fond of it

    Gameplay

    The game is essentially a 2d version of Dark Souls featuring metroidvania elements. At the start you can pick from a few classes to decide how you want to play the game. There is a wide variety of combat options in the game of which I tried 2. I started off as a knight but really struggled after about 3 hours so I restarted and switched to a mage where things went much smoother, I was a bit baffled and how big of a difference it was, had their only been the knight class with it’s shield and sword I likely wouldn’t have finished it. There is a pretty good range of enemies that have interesting abilities however some of these can be a big pain to deal with. In an early area in the game there are these poison slime things that can stunlock you and also poison you, they appear very faintly and are quite numerous, as the knight these were a complete pain to kill however as a mage with fire they died in one hit. Another area features these teleporting skeletons which will usually teleport right after you cast a spell, this makes killing them frustrating rather than difficult. Some of the enemies and even some of the bosses have essentially combo’s where you will get knocked down and as you are getting back up during the slow animation you will get knocked down again and likely killed, this can lead to one mistake being much more punishing than intended. As the knight you use heavy armor which means dodging is essentially impossible, and the shield is very weak and uses up a lot of stamina, this made some of the bosses really difficult as the roll was very clunky and felt bad to use and using a shield wasn’t really viable. The flying enemies in this game as well as some of the regular ones frequently fly through walls making them incredibly hard to hit. For the most part the bosses were well done, all of them pretty much had a phase 2 through which involved them getting faster attacks or an additional one after their sets, this got really stale after a while. The final boss of the game has a bug that as a mage with no shield basically ended my life during it, he has this grab move and then throws you but if you are against a wall you will get thrown into the wall and be stuck in their and unable to dodge, sometimes you can cast spells but not often., this has apparently been known for awhile and is still not fixed. There is some basic platformer in the game which for the most part was ok, however in some areas towards the end of the game the platforming becomes a game of trial and error as jumps are often into where you can’t see or require you to use an ability you get that doesn’t always work the way you want, there is one jump in the second to last area that is so difficult I died to that more times than I did to any boss. The game features brands which serve as the abilities in the game however it doesn’t really tell you what these brands do or even how to use them in some cases, this made me incredibly lost in some places and especially towards the end of the game, I probably spent a good few hours just trying to find out where to go and how to use the new brands I got. This problem is especially prevalent as there is no map in the game, this makes navigating it incredibly difficult especially since it is a metroidvania where you unlock new abilities to traverse new areas, this works in a 3d game where the player has a much better sense of location and can physically see areas but in a 2d game it doesn’t really work, a map would be helpful in alleviating much of the confusion with getting around especially late in the game. You have Salt which is used for upgrades and such, it also has a skill tree which is where you spend level ups, there is a lot of diversity in this skill tree and you can build whatever you want on your character, this made for a unique playstyle possible.

    Story

    The story follows the main character on a ship to deliver a princess when it is attacked by something, you have to find the princess on the island you crash on. The story is fairly standard and like in Dark Souls games it is hidden behind NPC’s and other such items, this does seem to be a staple of most metroidvanias though so it didn’t really bother me it just wasn’t anything exceptional.

    Graphics

    The graphics are alright, many standard looking sprites and backgrounds but it did have some interesting things. In some areas though the background matched the color of the enemies making them difficult to see, I noticed this especially in the first area of the game.

    Soundtrack

    The soundtrack is ok, it plays pretty much the same song throughout the entire game except boss fights, boss fights feature the same music for each one except for the final boss.

    Conclusion

    Salt and Sanctuary is plagued by clunky controls, some poorly designed areas and bosses and some bugs that make the experience overall not very worth it. I would skip this one.    … Expand
  35. pricedaxe2054
    Jul 2, 2021
    10
    I really enjoyed this game, i could say is one of the best "souls like" ever made
  36. Aenorr
    May 20, 2022
    9
    Oh well, this one was LIT! I received Salt and Sanctuary as a free epic store game at christmas, and I couldnt stop playing it during the whole holidays.

    As a Dark Souls and metroidvania fan, I couldnt be more surprised, how this synergy of genre works in this game. The art style is just perfect, gameplay and combat is just as punishing as in souls games. The exploration element, skill    Oh well, this one was LIT! I received Salt and Sanctuary as a free epic store game at christmas, and I couldnt stop playing it during the whole holidays.

    As a Dark Souls and metroidvania fan, I couldnt be more surprised, how this synergy of genre works in this game. The art style is just perfect, gameplay and combat is just as punishing as in souls games. The exploration element, skill gaining and backtracking - things that are defining metroivania works here more then well.

    As for the combat itself, maybe it could be more "complex", but the difficulty is ramping up with few bosses. Overall it keeps the metroidvania's combat style and feel.

    If you like metroidvanias and/or dark souls, this is a game for you as even if you will get bullied over and over, you won't be able to stop playing until you finish it.    … Expand
  37. AbrahFP
    Sep 25, 2022
    10
    RECOMENDADÍSIMO
    Me he pasado 95 juegos en mi vida(sí, llevo la cuenta con una lista, soy un friki), y he jugado a muchísimos más.
    Quiero dar ese dato para demostrar que soy un gamer empedernido y darle el valor que este juego se merece al decir que lo situaría en el top 5 de los juegos que más he disfrutado en mi vida. Y escribo esto 6 años después de haberlo jugado, (no es la calentada    RECOMENDADÍSIMO
    Me he pasado 95 juegos en mi vida(sí, llevo la cuenta con una lista, soy un friki), y he jugado a muchísimos más.
    Quiero dar ese dato para demostrar que soy un gamer empedernido y darle el valor que este juego se merece al decir que lo situaría en el top 5 de los juegos que más he disfrutado en mi vida. Y escribo esto 6 años después de haberlo jugado, (no es la calentada de según te terminas un juego, lo digo con la mente fría).
    La música de los combates contra jefes, que sigo recordando aún a día de hoy, la atmósfera oscura, un diseño artístico fabuloso, los mil escondites y secretos que hay por el mundo, los combates tan difíciles y desafiantes que tiene, las infinitas posibilidades de personalización y enfoque del personaje para el combate...y pensar que esta obra maestra fue creada tan solo por 2 personas...
    Lo último que quiero decir es que tiene una "secuela" que se llama "salt and sacrifice" y que pongo secuela entre comillas porque no sigue la trama del primero y porque es una absoluta BASURA, que no le llega ni a los pies a esta primera entrega original y no exagero al decir que lo empeora absolutamente todo. En mi vida he visto una decadencia tan bestia de una segunda parte de un juego(a la altura del bajón de Dragon Age II). Pero lo dicho, SALT AND SANCTUARY ES DIOS.    … Expand
  38. maluigario
    Dec 28, 2022
    6
    This game is what happens when Dark Souls and Maple Story have a baby and it's got the art style of Adventure Quest. Salt & Sanctuary was made by a very small studio; it's a labor of love, and it's well done, for what it is. It's a niche pick, but very fun (like a 7-8) if you're in that niche. If you're not, this is going to be like a 3-4 for you.

    Let me start by saying the graphics were    This game is what happens when Dark Souls and Maple Story have a baby and it's got the art style of Adventure Quest. Salt & Sanctuary was made by a very small studio; it's a labor of love, and it's well done, for what it is. It's a niche pick, but very fun (like a 7-8) if you're in that niche. If you're not, this is going to be like a 3-4 for you.

    Let me start by saying the graphics were the hardest part of S&S to get over. As I stated, this was not some high-budget, AAA title. As such, I wouldn't expect mind-blowing graphics. But flash-based 2D RPG is not exactly my favorite graphics style. Considering this was touted as "the best 2D Souls-like game out there", it was jarring to get into it and see Adventure Quest-esque graphics with a gritty filter on top. That being said, they do a lot with the graphics they have. The bosses are unique, some being large enough to not even fit on your monitor. Each in-game location has a theme and are all immediately distinguishable from one another with enemies that mesh with their environments.

    As for gameplay, Dark Souls meets Maple Story is as apt a discription as I can think of. You've got all your SoulsBourne staples: dodge rolls, parries, single-vs-two-handed combat, "bonfires", magic and prayers, weapon upgrades, using boss items to make special weapons, "souls" in the form of salt, a plethora of medieval weaponry, and even your choice of going with shields or going full hunter mode with a pistol in your off-hand. But then they added jumping. And not just basic jumping: full-blown Maple Story jump-quests, except instead of jumping while dodging patterned moving obstacles, your jumping through the trees and taking on enemies that are leaping around and firing with bows and arrows. If you misjudge your jump even once, "YOU DIED". This particular incident in my memory was the low point of the game for me. Jumping is an integral part of this game, and very often you'll find yourself dead from not perfectly timing your jumps or feeling like you need to trust that there is something below you only for there NOT to be something there...it gets frustrating.

    That all being said, once I got past the treetops section, game play went much more smoothly. You begin to understand the floe of combat. It is a Souls-like, after all. S&S just runs at a different tempo. Most bosses can be overcome with only a few tries, and I beat around 1/3 on the very first try.

    All in all, the game is interesting, well put-together, mostly-fun, and will certainly press the Souls button many players out there have these days.    … Expand
  39. ManHoof
    Jul 29, 2023
    6
    It's a good game. Various bosses and locations. Even small secrets, which is a definite plus. Also, the peculiar graphics, some people think it's a disadvantage (like cardboard figures), but for me it's a plus.
    Among the disadvantages, there are bugs in the combat system, not many of them, but it's unpleasant. The overall color palette is too dark or foggy, and it's hard to see what's    It's a good game. Various bosses and locations. Even small secrets, which is a definite plus. Also, the peculiar graphics, some people think it's a disadvantage (like cardboard figures), but for me it's a plus.
    Among the disadvantages, there are bugs in the combat system, not many of them, but it's unpleasant. The overall color palette is too dark or foggy, and it's hard to see what's going on throughout the game.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Ragequit.gr
    May 27, 2016
    85
    Salt and Sanctuary is a wonderful and honest tribute to Souls series. With great mechanics, a well designed dark world and dozens of hours of fun is a great game for every Dark Souls player.
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  2. 3DJuegos
    May 26, 2016
    85
    Salt and Sanctuary doesn’t want to innovate and doesn’t deny its inspirations. But once you accept this fact, you’ll find a more than solid game, full of challenges and death. It’s basically like a Dark Souls in 2D.
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  3. PC Games
    May 25, 2016
    86
    Almost every mechanic from Dark Souls is – in some form or another - implemented into Salt & Sanctuary. But in this specific case that is far from being something negative. I might even be a little addicted to the game’s concept: uncovering secrets, defeating humongous bosses and diving deep into the lore of the game. All of that manages to entertain me for dozens of hours. The only complaints I have with the game are the subpar German voice acting, the somewhat confusing skill-tree and – at least for my taste – boss-fights, which lack a certain challenge. However Salt & Sanctuary will undoubtedly bring a lot of joy to every fan of the Dark Souls-franchise, while people, who aren’t really into those, won’t be won over by this game either.
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