Salt and Sanctuary

 Xbox One
Salt and Sanctuary Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 18 Ratings

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  • Summary: A doomed sailor is shipwrecked on an uncharted island. In fog-shrouded valleys, where grinning, mossy corpses cling to rusted arms, shambling figures begin to stir. Beneath crumbling, salt-worn structures, labyrinthine passageways lead to unspeakable evil, long forgotten by man.

    Salt and    A doomed sailor is shipwrecked on an uncharted island. In fog-shrouded valleys, where grinning, mossy corpses cling to rusted arms, shambling figures begin to stir. Beneath crumbling, salt-worn structures, labyrinthine passageways lead to unspeakable evil, long forgotten by man.

    Salt and Sanctuary seamlessly combines fast, brutal, and complex 2D combat with richly developed RPG mechanics. Discover, craft, and upgrade over 600 weapons, armor pieces, spells, and items as you explore a cursed realm of forgotten cities, blood-soaked dungeons, desecrated monuments, and the fallen lords they once celebrated.

    From Ska Studios, the award-winning indie studio behind a long list of stylistic, visceral, and brutally executed action titles that includes The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, and Charlie Murder, comes Salt and Sanctuary, the studios most ambitious title to date.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Xbox Tavern
    Feb 11, 2019
    90
    It would be all too easy to compare this to the Souls series, but in truth, Salt and Sanctuary deserves a spotlight entirely of its own. It’s a dark and twisted journey that constantly relays a remarkable amount of depth, variety, innovation, and detail. Its greatest achievement, however, is not that of its outstanding structure, but its ability to frequently entice its players, despite how often it screws them over. This, is a punishing must have.
  2. 4P.de
    Feb 6, 2019
    88
    Even if the One version didn’t get any enhancements or improvements: This is not only a loving homage to, but still the best direct interpretation of the Souls games as a 2D platformer.
  3. GamingTrend
    Feb 14, 2019
    85
    Salt and Sanctuary isn’t the most original game in the world, but Ska Studio’s take on a 2D Souls game has enough going for it to stand on its own two legs. It’s held back somewhat by occasionally cheap difficulty spikes, but that shouldn't deter you from picking the game up if you’re looking for a game that will kick your ass.
  4. XGN
    Feb 22, 2019
    85
    Salt and Sanctuary is a compelling game because of the enormous world and the many challenges it offers. The game kills you with every mistake you make and you want to keep coming back for more. This is a must buy.
  5. TheXboxHub
    Feb 5, 2019
    80
    Salt and Sanctuary on Xbox One isn’t for everyone; its high difficulty can easily put off many players. Failing on the same spot, again and again, might become disheartening. But learning the patterns and approaching each scenario with patience reinvigorates your stride. Those who manage to overcome these obstacles will likely discover a rewarding 2D souls-like experience with an immense amount of various customization options, including weapons, armour, accessories, and Creeds to accommodate your preferred play style.
  6. XboxAddict
    Mar 13, 2019
    80
    I completely appreciate and understand what Salt and Sanctuary is accomplishing and trying to be. While some will be turned off by its difficulty, the elation that comes when you finally become better skilled and progress is unlike any other. Salt and Sanctuary isn’t simply a 2D Souls-like, as it has its own creative merits and is its own experience, something that needs to be applauded.
  7. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Apr 9, 2019
    60
    Salt and Sanctuary offers a notably different experience from the Souls games anyway, simply because it’s presented side-on, but here in 2019, it faces some seriously tough competition in that space. Compared to Dead Cells, its combat feels positively sluggish, and its map can’t hold a gloomy candle to the exploratory delights of Hollow Knight.
    All this publication's reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. assdead7
    Apr 15, 2019
    10
    El juego comienza con un estilo parecido a los Darksouls, pero poco a poco se desmarca y se va convirtiendo en un hermoso Metroidvania conEl juego comienza con un estilo parecido a los Darksouls, pero poco a poco se desmarca y se va convirtiendo en un hermoso Metroidvania con detalle a lo CSoTN, tiene algunos jefes optativos y muchos items y el hecho de que sea un cooperativo a la antigua con dos jugadores compartiendo pantalla le da un valor agregado sin igual en esta generación comparado a otros similares, por que su propuesta resalta en su suma a la de todos los demás le doy esta calificación.… Expand
  2. flaviofearn
    Apr 3, 2019
    10
    Great game if you like challenging and do not bother to die a thousand times. Made for retro gamers and for SoulsBourne Fans.
  4. Xbox_Alive
    Feb 7, 2019
    8
    Whenever I got into combat I was satisfied greatly because there’s lots of weapons to try out and each different weapon packed a punch. TheWhenever I got into combat I was satisfied greatly because there’s lots of weapons to try out and each different weapon packed a punch. The presentation side of the game ticked a lot of boxes for me and without a doubt both the visuals and sound design made the gameplay very immersive. There is a great deal of variety present in the enemies you have to face in the game and the boss battles were some of the best I’ve ever experienced. While the story doesn’t have a ton of depth present in it I found the story that was available to be a very interesting affair. Exploration in the game always felt rewarding because there’s always something new to find and it gives you lots of options to develop your character. I found the game to lack a bit of a challenge every now and then which did harm the immersion levels a little. Sometimes you have to grind quite a lot which can make things become somewhat tedious and. There have been many games that have tried to recreate the Dark Souls formula and a lot of them games have ultimately failed in capturing the success of that formula. Every now and then though a game does recreate the Dark Souls formula perfectly and Salt and Sanctuary is definitely one of those games. From the moment I started the game I was immersed because the presentation side of the game creates a wonderful atmosphere and the story that follows whilst lacking in depth a little at times is on the whole very interesting. Obviously this isn’t the most important aspect in a game of this ilk because that is reserved for the combat and thankfully I found the combat to be awesome. Every weapon you use when in combat feels very satisfying and there are a decent variety of enemies you can use these weapons on with the boss battles especially standing out for all the right reasons. Despite the combat being very good I still would’ve liked to have been challenged a little more though because I didn’t really get into much trouble along the way. Thankfully though this was the only major problem for me because everything else flows very well and for that reason Salt and Sanctuary gets a very big recommendation from me because I’m sure fans of the Dark Souls series will thoroughly enjoy what this game brings to the table. Thumbs up!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Best Xbox One Game of 2019