Salt and Sanctuary

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 405 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 317 out of 405
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 405
  3. Negative: 49 out of 405

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  1. ReSultZ
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    Wow I haven't enjoyed a 2D game like this in a loooong time and its gorgeous 2 boot.
    I want more of this type and thankfully Deaths Gambit is also coming... Good times :)
  2. connorgriffith
    Mar 23, 2016
    10
    Although people will compare this to dark souls it still maintains its own identity with dark souls and metroidvania components. Even capturing the same feeling of playing dark souks for the first time and encountering new bosses
    Highly recommend getting if you're a fan of either style of game and just 2-d platformers in general.
  3. Teegleberry
    Mar 17, 2016
    10
    I cannot express how much this game has sucked me in since I started playing. Ska Studios are self proclaimed Souls fans, they said from the off that this was their homage to From Software's fantastic series and they have absolutely nailed it.

    S&S plays beautifully, the combat is brutal and satisfying and the addictive risk/reward system makes the game hard to put down. There's so much    I cannot express how much this game has sucked me in since I started playing. Ska Studios are self proclaimed Souls fans, they said from the off that this was their homage to From Software's fantastic series and they have absolutely nailed it.

    S&S plays beautifully, the combat is brutal and satisfying and the addictive risk/reward system makes the game hard to put down. There's so much depth to the character build system in this game, different classes and a huge skill tree. I'm already looking forward to doing a new playthrough with a Hunter or Paladin to try out and master the different play styles.

    I have to say in closing that it's hard to imagine if From themselves attempted to make a 2D version of a Souls game that it'd be much better than this. I really like a lot of great indie games but this one is probably my favourite of them all.... Highly Recommend    … Expand
  4. RedColobus
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    Even though I've heard about this game about a year ago and knew it was something special in the making, it totally exceeded my expectations!

    Combines the best bits of Dark Souls with a very open exploreable 2D world filled with secrets. Good enemy variation, satisfying combat, responsive controls, epic boss battles, outstanding atmosphere, lots and lots of weapons and armour,    Even though I've heard about this game about a year ago and knew it was something special in the making, it totally exceeded my expectations!

    Combines the best bits of Dark Souls with a very open exploreable 2D world filled with secrets.

    Good enemy variation, satisfying combat, responsive controls, epic boss battles, outstanding atmosphere, lots and lots of weapons and armour, massive skill tree, upgradeable gear, interesting items, fun NPC's, co-op, unique mechanics, atmospheric soundtrack, character creation, classes and oh yes, regular deaths.

    My only problem with the game is that I can't seem to switch it off... 10/10    … Expand
  5. chibistevo
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    Just get it.

    Ignore the middle of the road reviews complaining about 'game identity' and other such nonsense. Anyone who says this game is a Souls rip off clearly has their eyes closed and brain lobotomised.

    S+S has its own identity; which is being thest Metroidvania since Aria of Sorrow.

    Notice how that sentence does not mention anything about Dark Souls.
  6. GloriousWeb
    Mar 21, 2016
    10
    I've just finished the game and i already want more! In some ways i like it better than Dark Souls: 2d fight is fluent and satisfying, the world is huge and interconnected and you could lose yourself in it, Boss battles are balanced and visually appealing. Lost 24 hours on my first play-through and i want more! Please please please make some DLCs for that game!
  7. Eibon
    Mar 22, 2016
    10
    The game is awesome. Sure there are some minor bugs here and there, but there are really not much games ships without them. Most serious one i encountered is the inability to get the Moss Key if you play in coop and reach boss in guest game sooner than in yours, but still it's far from fatal, layout of game world allows you to easily bypass that door.

    Be careful though, do not try to    The game is awesome. Sure there are some minor bugs here and there, but there are really not much games ships without them. Most serious one i encountered is the inability to get the Moss Key if you play in coop and reach boss in guest game sooner than in yours, but still it's far from fatal, layout of game world allows you to easily bypass that door.

    Be careful though, do not try to drop shimmering pearl for your coop-friend since it will magically turn into a bag of salt on pickup. :)

    Buy it! Give it a shot! In these times of mindless shooters and crippled "RPGs" all over the place this game is a little shining gem.    … Expand
  8. pongkrit03
    Oct 30, 2017
    10
    I hardly give any game a 10 but this one deserves it since it is best indie's game I've ever played in my life. Salt and Sanctuary makes everything right from beginning to the end. Surely, it has huge inspiration from Dark Soul's series but I don't see it as a problem since the game was made so well. I have completed the game 2 times now with the different characters. I like level's designI hardly give any game a 10 but this one deserves it since it is best indie's game I've ever played in my life. Salt and Sanctuary makes everything right from beginning to the end. Surely, it has huge inspiration from Dark Soul's series but I don't see it as a problem since the game was made so well. I have completed the game 2 times now with the different characters. I like level's design a lot, They are very cleverly designed and have many freedom to go. Game mechanic is perfect. Music is also great as well. I have nothing major to criticize although I think the difficulty is a bit too easy towards the end game if you build your character right.

    In brief, If you like challenging game, if you like dark souls, this game is a must buy. 20 dollars is very good price for what you will get. I also have heard that this game was developed by only 2 persons, I kudos them for that. It is truly masterpiece for indies game, and I hope there will more indies like this in the future.    … Expand
  9. 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
  10. duxdaro
    Mar 19, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls 2D. That's all you need to know about this game. If you love "Souls" series, you will love this one too. It's hard to believe that it was made by only two people... MASTERPIECE!!!
  11. tomthebomb420
    Mar 23, 2016
    10
    The graphics are satisfying and while the character model art style isn’t my favorite the environments are absolutely stunning. The controls are tight and their mechanics expand on traditional 2d platforming in many ways.
    This is one of my favorite games of all time. 10/10
  12. v_iHuGi
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    Once again Souls formula proving worth the effort, amazing how such a little studio could make such a great game, im not much into Indie Gaming but this one is absolutely essential if you are a fan of Souls series or good games in general.
  13. Vaxkang
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    I love this game. I am a huge fans of the dark Souls series as well. It borrows a lot from the Souls games and transfers it over to the 2D in a masterful way. This is a very solid game. I never thought I would buy a 2D scroller game but I did and I love it. Pure awesome gameplay mechanics and atmosphere. Buy it, great price at $17.99 and you will not be disappointed. So much gameI love this game. I am a huge fans of the dark Souls series as well. It borrows a lot from the Souls games and transfers it over to the 2D in a masterful way. This is a very solid game. I never thought I would buy a 2D scroller game but I did and I love it. Pure awesome gameplay mechanics and atmosphere. Buy it, great price at $17.99 and you will not be disappointed. So much game for little cost and many hours of replay-ability too.… Expand
  14. szszsz
    Mar 17, 2016
    10
    ive been waiting for this game for a year already, bought it in preorder immediately when it showed
    so i was aboard the hype train a while ago

    and still this game has exceeded my expectations

    this is the best tribute to dks i could imagine
  15. RipTail
    Mar 22, 2016
    10
    I love love this game! Dark Souls in 2D never looked or feel so better until now. And all of this, has been born from only 2 talented persons with real passion for video games, not a multi billion industry with all kind of **** studios and CEOs who are only interested in making money and selling crap to the consumers! Thanks SKA Studios for this game!
  16. froodi
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    Simply amazing 10 out of 10! When you love Dark Souls, you will love this game. I got hooked from the first minute. It's like an appetizer for DS 3 and it's totally worth the money. I just beat the second boss and i am really curios what they have still in store for me. The controls suck cuz it's so different from Dk an i really don't understand their decision. I hope they gonna patch inSimply amazing 10 out of 10! When you love Dark Souls, you will love this game. I got hooked from the first minute. It's like an appetizer for DS 3 and it's totally worth the money. I just beat the second boss and i am really curios what they have still in store for me. The controls suck cuz it's so different from Dk an i really don't understand their decision. I hope they gonna patch in some alternative control settings. Thanks for reading!… Expand
  17. Caverex
    Mar 21, 2016
    10
    Just loving the game! Ive already spended more then 40 hours in this, congratz to all the developers for making a MetroidVania on Dark Souls style, its awesome!
  18. DomFass
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    This game is just amazing! the controls are spot on the game play is very dark souls and the environments are so rich!!! If you love anything dark souls / demon souls, get this game and support the cause cause they put in ridiculous detail!!! over 200 different nods to customize your character how you like and if you hoard your level up items there is very little risk to losing all yourThis game is just amazing! the controls are spot on the game play is very dark souls and the environments are so rich!!! If you love anything dark souls / demon souls, get this game and support the cause cause they put in ridiculous detail!!! over 200 different nods to customize your character how you like and if you hoard your level up items there is very little risk to losing all your souls... i mean salt lol. Enemies are crafty, weapons are expansive, and the magic system is complex. I can not recommend this game enough!… Expand
  19. MisterMansfield
    Mar 18, 2016
    10
    As far as a single player 2D dark souls style game this is perfection. It does include local coop as well. However, I feel that the lack of online features is what hurts this game. Even with a lack of online features I do feel that this game is masterful in its execution overall.
  20. ChromaticTusk
    Mar 23, 2016
    10
    Game is amazing. It's a sleeper game of the year candidate. Literally the best game I've played in a while. It retains the pros of the Souls series, while eliminating a lot of the complaints. And having it in 2D form works beautifully, though I'm a person who doesn't normally favor games not in 3D.

    The leveling system is like Path of Exile/Final Fantasy X, where you have a grid. You    Game is amazing. It's a sleeper game of the year candidate. Literally the best game I've played in a while. It retains the pros of the Souls series, while eliminating a lot of the complaints. And having it in 2D form works beautifully, though I'm a person who doesn't normally favor games not in 3D.

    The leveling system is like Path of Exile/Final Fantasy X, where you have a grid. You invest Salt, which is a currency that drops from defeated enemies (similar to souls in the Souls games). This makes character planning a dream. So many viable builds. It's a lengthy experience (20 hours or so for your first playthrough) and the amount of weapons/armors is staggering. (About 600 in total) It hits the loot/fashion spot alot of gamers are after. Seriously stunned at the amount of quality the game shows.

    Developers have talked about adding an invasion system (similar to the pvp system Dark Souls uses) so if you're into the competitive scene, be patient. It also has local co op if you're into that. WELL worth the asking price.    … Expand
  21. Pladdicus
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    I think I have to go ahead and say this as required by law:

    It's Dark Souls 2D. This isn't really an accurate statement but it's an identity that is impossible to ignore, if you like Dark Souls, if the idea of meshing that in a two dimensional play area appeals to you then you will love this game. It takes the feel of wonder, exploration and constant danger that mark a good souls    I think I have to go ahead and say this as required by law:

    It's Dark Souls 2D.

    This isn't really an accurate statement but it's an identity that is impossible to ignore, if you like Dark Souls, if the idea of meshing that in a two dimensional play area appeals to you then you will love this game. It takes the feel of wonder, exploration and constant danger that mark a good souls experience and distilled it to two dimensional joy.

    This isn't to say that it is a clone, far from it. It's best to say that Salt and Sanctuary is a love letter to fans of its many inspirations.

    The combat plays incredible smoothly, your attacks feel visceral and have a weight to them. There's secrets to explore, unique and, obviously, challenging bosses to face, an in depth skill tree that will allow you to explore dozens of unique possibilities for your character and all around a game that oozes the love and hard work that went into it.

    It has an incredible visual style that I adore, there's incredibly moody lightning, excellent backdrops, the whole package has an undeniable amount of charm to it. The sound design fits nicely, with choice use of soundtrack to punctuate the more tense or somber moments of the game.

    It might have been the premise of "Dark Souls 2D" that got me through the door but it was Salt and Sanctuary's quality and charm that got me to stay up to 6 AM playing it for just one more safe zone.    … Expand
  22. prinex
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    This is simply said a Dark Souls-esque game in 2D. It has a complete skill tree, leveling up, quests, weapon upgrades and so on.

    But the best part is the gameplay, the controls are tight and fair (first 2D where I dont end up swinging my weapon in the wrong direction), the game punishes you for button-mashing and in classical Dark Souls fashion you need to learn attack pattern to    This is simply said a Dark Souls-esque game in 2D. It has a complete skill tree, leveling up, quests, weapon upgrades and so on.

    But the best part is the gameplay, the controls are tight and fair (first 2D where I dont end up swinging my weapon in the wrong direction), the game punishes you for button-mashing and in classical Dark Souls fashion you need to learn attack pattern to succeed.

    The only minor gripe is the controls, the keys cannot be reassigned, so R1 (attack button in DS) becomes the square button. For a game that so heavily borrows from DS, they could at least have offered a "classic" controller layout.

    10/10 for me.    … Expand
  23. shmooster
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    To start off, I am so impressed with the game that I made an account just to write this. I'm a fan of both the souls series and platformers in general, so I'll admit that I'm a little biased, but this game deserves to be checked out by anyone who enjoys platformers and games that make you earn your victories.
    It takes so many wonderful aspects of the platformer genre and melds them into a    To start off, I am so impressed with the game that I made an account just to write this. I'm a fan of both the souls series and platformers in general, so I'll admit that I'm a little biased, but this game deserves to be checked out by anyone who enjoys platformers and games that make you earn your victories.
    It takes so many wonderful aspects of the platformer genre and melds them into a beautiful and difficult rpg world that you will fall in love with - one death at a time. Besides doing an excellent job with the atmosphere, memorable NPC's, music and level design, the game also boasts a top-tier combat system that is easy to learn and challenging to master, as well as an impressive array of weapons, magic, and items. Ska studios has really knocked it out of the park on this one.    … Expand
  24. surfacepatterns
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    Many of the reviewers are identifying this game as a 2-D 'Dark Souls'. I can't fault them, as the developers themselves embrace the influence of the Souls games. The problem is that calling this game a 2-D 'Dark Souls' only addresses a portion of what the game has to offer. While this game liberally steals many aspects of the Souls formula, the gameplay feels much more likeMany of the reviewers are identifying this game as a 2-D 'Dark Souls'. I can't fault them, as the developers themselves embrace the influence of the Souls games. The problem is that calling this game a 2-D 'Dark Souls' only addresses a portion of what the game has to offer. While this game liberally steals many aspects of the Souls formula, the gameplay feels much more like 'Castlevania: Symphony of the Night' than any Souls game, and the exploration feels more like 'Metroid' and 'Super Metroid'. Throw in the Ska Studios signature design style, and you've got one hell of a game.… Expand
  25. Henristriker
    Mar 17, 2016
    10
    10 out of 10. If you want a 2D Dark Souls it’s hard to imagine From Software doing much better than this, even if it has too few original ideas of its own, Excellent combat and level design, with a wide range of weapons, upgrades, and obscure story hints that From Software would be proud of.
  26. HunterEatHunter
    Mar 18, 2016
    10
    This game is highly underrated, and not enough people know about it.

    What a lot of people also don't know is that this wonderful game was developer by a studio of only 2 people, a husband/wife duo. The game has all hand-drawn visuals, which I think are very charming. The game plays a lot like Demon/Dark Souls & Bloodborne, and that's not a bad thing at all. I wouldn't go as far as to    This game is highly underrated, and not enough people know about it.

    What a lot of people also don't know is that this wonderful game was developer by a studio of only 2 people, a husband/wife duo. The game has all hand-drawn visuals, which I think are very charming. The game plays a lot like Demon/Dark Souls & Bloodborne, and that's not a bad thing at all. I wouldn't go as far as to call it a ripoff though. It has that familiar feel, but the game's own elements shine through as well. The enemy variance is fantastic. The amount of "zones" is great with 20+ areas to explore. I can't hype this game up enough.

    TL;DR for $18, buy it!    … Expand
  27. splinted
    Mar 18, 2016
    10
    Quenches the souls/borne in my veins.

    To put it simply, this game is great. Talent tree, countless leveling up, transmutable gear, tough boss fights, and beautiful art design. Soul/Borne, if you enjoyed Dark Souls or blood borne, this game is for you! I'll be streaming this game all week, come take a look. https://www.twitch.tv/splintedvibes
  28. samiamiamsam
    Mar 26, 2016
    10
    A great little 2-d rpg that plays tribute to the Souls games. Tough as nail at times, but ultimately a very rewarding experience. Enjoyed every minute of it.
  29. jrzone
    Jun 17, 2016
    10
    I'm not the very best at articulating my thoughts so I do apologise if you are bothered by this.
    TLDR: YES,YES, YES!!!!! you should buy this game. Good level design, good character customization. If you love platformers you will love this. And there is a lot of platforming in the game. This is why you should go in not expecting a souls like game. This is a 2D game not a 3D game. So think    I'm not the very best at articulating my thoughts so I do apologise if you are bothered by this.
    TLDR: YES,YES, YES!!!!! you should buy this game. Good level design, good character customization. If you love platformers you will love this. And there is a lot of platforming in the game. This is why you should go in not expecting a souls like game. This is a 2D game not a 3D game. So think more Castlevania with stamina than dark souls. The biggest connection the game has to souls games is the die system and that's it really. The game is a good price and it's better than a lot AAA games. You certainly can't go wrong buying this game.

    This game is amazing and a really fun. I hope it does really well that we can have a sequel. I found it to have a rather interesting story. I love the art style if you are fan of indie art in games, anime or web art you will love this style. And when you are playing the game you can feel the time and love that the devs put into the game. It's very rare you will get that type of connection with a game. So many AAA games were thrown lots of money at and tossed out the door. So this game is refreshing. I know a lot of people would like a map for this game and It would have been nice, but I did find that the salt and sanctuary wiki one worked really well it's just a rough sketch of what it would be like but I found that to be enough. You can find it if you google as well "salt and sanctuary map". Once you get use to areas you will find your way around fairly easily. Another good point about this game is level design is amazing everywhere is connected I've only known a few games to be like this, so for an indie game to get it right. Well done Ska Studios! I look forward to see more games from this company even if it's not a sequel to this game.

    If you like old school Castlevania, Metroid, Dust: An Elysian Tail and other similar 2d games. You will love this game. As others have said it also gets inspiration from souls series games. It has same system in which when you die you have one chance to get the XP back, fail and it's gone forever. I really love this system and would love to see it in more games. How I see this game mechanic is similar to other game mechanics like levelling your char, save and continue, checkpoint, autosave, stamina, special attacks, etc. Well souls games were the first I believe to create that die system. We don't bash other games for copying other game mechanics like having save and continue, checkpoints, levelling and stamina in them. These are really standard things in the gaming world these days. And that's what I would like to see from this game mechanic. However I don't think anyone should bash a game just because it copied a very clever game mechanic. If someone comes up with a really amazing idea in the game industry that will help make games better then people should use it for their game. This is how innovation usually works if someone/company does something really well then other companies/people usually copy it. It The reason I bring this up is because I see a lot of people that are bashing salt and sanctuary calling it a souls clone this is not true. The game could stand on it's own with out the souls stuff. It just makes the game better. It is has some unique gameplay mechanics of it's own with the brands. Attaching the charms to the weapon something I really like. Want extra range on a weapon, or attack power just equip a charm.

    The only really downside to the game is the lack of music which is a shame I love game music. However music is usually extremely expensive even just to buy a licence of a already created track can be really costly. The game does have some music 3 or 4 background tracks that get repeated. On the plus side I rarely found it bothered me the repeating music. If the game had more funding it could have gotten some more music clearly the devs had to prioritise with the budget they had. Either way they did amazing job I'm not going to score points off for something that is out of their control. They did amazing job with the resources they had at hand and I'm glad they spent less on the music. They certainly made up for it in the good gameplay.    … Expand
  30. KookieMonsterOO
    Mar 8, 2017
    10
    One of the best games I've every played! It truly feels like Dark Souls in 2D. It's fun; it's difficult; and the graphics are amazing! Try it! You won't be disappointed!
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Awards & Rankings

30
#30 Best PS4 Game of 2016
42
#42 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
50
#50 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. IGN
    Aug 1, 2018
    86
    You could call Salt and Sanctuary a 2D mashup of Dark Souls and Castlevania, and you'd be right. But such a simple pronouncement would be a disservice to the tremendous amount of thought that's gone into Salt and Sanctuary, whether it's in the graphic style that evokes horror through the style of comic strips or in the intricate web of dungeons and castles serves as it map.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Jun 29, 2016
    60
    A tribute to Dark Souls done with a deep understanding of the original game, but ugly and derivative as hell. [06/2016, p.61]
  3. Edge Magazine
    Jun 7, 2016
    60
    Salt & Sanctuary can be brilliant, but it's held back by undersized visual design, both in UI and open play, making playing it from distance a pain. [June 2016, p.122]
See all critic reviews »