Apr 13, 2016  Salt and Sanctuary is a wonderful experience despite its grim presentation. Where ‘Salt’ represents the intensity of battle, ‘Sanctuary’ stands for the various safe havens that offer respite. Salt and Sanctuary is a 2D side-scrolling action adventure game inspired heavily by the Dark Souls games. Add in a bit of classic Castlevania /Metroid (Metroidvania, as it happens to be know from time to time) and you have the well-executed title currently under the microscope.

Editors Note: Salt and Sanctuary originally released in 2016 for PS4, Vita, and PC. With the release of the Switch version, we decided to dive back into the sanctuary and update our review for Nintendo's hybrid console.Forget about mages and warriors—in an RPG with a name like Salt and Sanctuary, I figured it was only appropriate to save the world as a chef. It's one of the eight starting classes, after all, and thus, clad in apron and armed with a three-foot iron pot and a handful of potatoes, I left the sanctuary of my galley to slay the pirates stealing our princess from our ship and murdering my crewmen. Larry never brained Curly with such vigor. Gordon Ramsay never unleashed such spite.

At last I made it to the deck, where I faced off with what looked like Cthulhu himself. I tossed a potato at him. He killed me in two hits. At last, I awoke on a far shore. Sound a little like Dark Souls? It's no accident.

Salt and Sanctuary pulls liberally from From Software's series for this 2D adventure. In less capable hands, it might have devolved into parody, but instead Salt and Sanctuary establishes itself as a lovingly crafted reimagining that usually succeeds in capturing the spirit of From Software's adventures in a format that initially seems incompatible with it. It's not without its own identity, even if that, too, rides on the shoulders of other giants.

It establishes much of it with a rough-brushed art style, which greatly resembles that used by developer Ska Studios' own Dishwasher series. Inspired by comic strips and angry marginal doodles in high school notebooks, the aesthetic allows for spectacles of blood splatters and gore that might otherwise be disturbing if paired with a style more inclined toward realism. The color palette may be wider than what we find in The Dishwasher, but it’s nevertheless dull and earthy, thus punctuating the idea of the menace of its world even if the circly heads and strangely drawn beards do not. Beyond that, Salt and Sanctuary brilliantly recalls the earliest Castlevanias, right down to the zigzaggy side-on stairs and the bats who swoop down and try to knock my Chef Belmont down into the abyss. If I were to choose an old-school sidescroller to base this kind of experiment on, I could think of no better source.The Apprentice or The Master?But otherwise this is very much Dark Souls in 2D form.

It's what Terraria is to Minecraft and with similar success. Name almost any feature common to Hidetaka Miyazaki's punishing games, and it almost certainly asserts itself here in some form or another.

There are, for instance, the souls themselves, which drop from enemies and serve as currency for leveling and weapon and armor upgrades. The difference? They're called salt here, and in a nod to Bloodborne, you have to kill the enemy who killed you to get them back if you lose them. Here, too, is the minimalist story, imparted only by sparse NPCs who seem more interested in being cryptic than being helpful. Death, particularly on bosses, comes swift and easily.

The main—and huge—spot where the comparisons falls short is in the absence of PVP combat, although you can leave bottles for other players with messages composed from a limited set of words. (A little hilariously, 'Praise the Salt!'

Is a common one.) It does, however, feature a workable couch co-op option that can make boss battles much breezier. Name almost any feature common to Hidetaka Miyazaki's punishing games, and it almost certainly asserts itself here in some form or another.Remarkably, this kinship extends to the combat as well. Though the action has shifted to profile view, the core abilities remain the same, although mapped a little differently by default when played with a gamepad. Light attacks and strong attacks, blocks and rolls, charged attacks and shifts to hold a one-handed weapon in two hands—all share time in the spotlight here. The brawling itself is never quite as demanding as it is in the games that inspired it, but neither does it ever devolve into mindless hacking and slashing.I initially saw it all come together in the first boss fight, where a hulking chump called the Sodden Knight waits atop a rickety tower. When he charged, I'd roll past him. When he slammed lightning on the ground, I'd jump over it.

The fight demonstrates Salt and Sanctuary's commitment to Mega Man-style memorization, but it also highlights the volatility of its approach. Just when I thought I'd learned his rhythm, he shook it up by attacking more swiftly and ferociously. He eventually fell to my iron pot of doom, but not before I'd had to adjust to Salt and Sanctuary's little idiosyncrasies, such as how attacks make my salty chef pause for a second in midair.

I never really got used to it.That's a common theme. Whenever Salt and Sanctuary elects to let go of Miyazaki's hand, it runs the danger of losing its way. When the time finally came for me to put aside my pot and apron and become the greatsword-swinging warrior I suppose I was born to be, for instance, the transition wasn't quite as fluid as it might have been in Dark Souls on account of a sprawling skill tree in the style of Path of Exile and Final Fantasy 10. Its interconnected paths offer a great deal of choice as to whether I want to specialize in weapons like spears or axes, sure, but it's not quite the same thing as freedom.

Even its massive, Castlevania-style labyrinth filled with castles, swamps, and inky black dungeons can get a little out of hand, as I eventually found myself struggling to find my way after unlocking multiple shortcuts and combing ever further into the depths.A Soul of its OwnSalt and Sanctuary's stabs at originality do hit the mark in the titular sanctuaries, even if they, too, are essentially riffs on Dark Souls' bonfires. These are the places where you'll refill your flasks and regain health (and reset enemies, naturally), but they're also instanced hideouts where you can drop off totems that conjure NPCs like blacksmiths and the mercenary that serves as as the avatar for your couch co-op buddy. It's a smart system that captures Souls' emphasis on risk and reward, as you'll need to think about where to place these guys so you're not continually running to an inconvenient spot to find the artisan who can craft the sword you want. Whenever Salt and Sanctuary elects to let go of Miyazaki's hand, it runs the danger of losing its way.These specific sanctuaries are controlled by 'creeds' with specific bonuses and craftable goodies, which—c'mon, you can probably guess at this point—stand in for the covenants of that other series.

You can only be a member of one, though, so 'defiling' one of your existing sanctuaries with another one's idol renders all of its adherents enemies. All of this isn't explained as well as it could be in-game, though, so it's worth it (but not essential) to partake in that grand Souls tradition of checking wikis for more information if you're embarking on a serious playthrough.Salt and Sanctuary clings so laughably much to the Dark Souls template that I joked to myself that this review probably would have been better off as a two-columned comparison checklist. But in truth, this ranks among my favorite games I've played in the last few months. Salt and Sanctuary's mimicry is born out of love, and it pulls it off with a flair that could come only from a team who drinks and breathes Dark Souls in their after hours. All in all, it's worth its salt.

Switch Port UpdateReleasing back in 2016, Salt and Sanctuary helped set the standard for the “Souls-like” sub-genre of games that derive their core mechanics from From Software’s Souls series.The same holds true for the Switch version. While it is a straight port with no new features added, it makes the jump to Switch without any sacrifices; running at a smooth 60 FPS, with only slight and infrequent dips in certain spots.

Salt and Sanctuary on Switch provides the same brutal, yet satisfying challenge that helped make it one of the best indie games released in 2016.One relatively minor complaint about the Switch port is the fact that the game is naturally very dark, with many enemies that blend in with the backgrounds. Twin pregnancy complications second trimester. While playing in handheld mode with less than ideal lighting, enemies can often end up being harder to see than they were initially designed to be.It’s a small price to pay though for the ability to play on the go, and Salt and Sanctuary on the Switch remains every bit as good as it is on other platforms.- Mitchell Saltzman Pros. Huge, sprawling map. Excellent Souls homage. Grim, attractive art style.

Fun combatCons. Poor explanation of some mechanicsThe VerdictYou 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.

Salt and Sanctuary is a 2D, indie platformer produced by the two person Ska Studios. It is brutal, complex, and provides a wonderfully crafted, dark and whimsical atmosphere. Despite being from a small indie studio, Salt and Sanctuary is definitely worth checking out if you want a unique experience. Let me break down why for you.The atmosphere and art style of Salt and Sanctuary is one of its most unique features.

Grand castles and dark caverns are some of the multitude of places the player will explore presenting a plethora of atmospheres to take in. Every new area entered presents an art style emphasizing the characteristics of the area. Some of the areas are depicted as oppressive and claustrophobic, while others are depicted as light and airy, resonating with the mood and enemies of the area.

Regardless of the area, the art style retains a very whimsical and surreal nature throughout, enough so that the Salt and Sanctuary often appears equal parts nightmare and dream. Visually, Salt and Sanctuary is well crafted and a grim feast for the eyes.Tying in with the atmosphere and art style, the level and enemy design is as varied as the environments. All of the enemies are well-designed and help enhance the atmosphere of Salt and Sanctuary by taking advantage of an areas strengths. For example, in vertically inclined areas, enemies will pursue the player relentlessly using massive jumps to rapidly close the distance. Salt and Sanctuary places a large emphasis on the area boss battles. Ska Studios has done an excellent job making each boss feel unique and suited to the whimsical world. Most boss fights are memorable and will have the player stressing to find ways to overcome the boss.

The world itself is a semi-open world as progression from area to area is not necessarily streamlined and several optional areas and alternate path exist. Players will have to complete certain objectives in order to progress through key points in the game.Salt and Sanctuary’s complexity and difficulty present one of its greatest attractions and repulsion simultaneously.

The game contains a well-put together crafting and upgrading system in which players can fully kit out their character to their preferred play style. Furthermore, a large webbing talent tree is present for players to invest into to increase their combat prowess and define their character.

A system of factions, called creeds, is also laid before the player upon completion of the introductory sequence. As a player kills enemies and invests in their creed, they gain more buffs and weapon/spell options. Salt and Sanctuary is brutal and unforgiving; enemies will not hesitate to attempt to hit the player while they are healing, many areas contain environmental hazards that can easily cripple the player if they are not careful, and bosses can kill with a few hits. While a veteran player will find the complexity and difficulty not out of the ordinary for a game of the genre, a newer player will most likely be overwhelmed by sheer amount of depth and difficulty present in Salt and Sanctuary.Story wise, Salt and Sanctuary tells a very abstract and whimsically dark story, much like the predominate atmosphere. Most of the non-essential story is by no means presented and many details must be acquired from item descriptions and snippets of conversation provided by the NPCs.

If you end up playing the game and don’t want to take to read through the numerous item descriptions and put them all together, a Reddit user has compiled a for other fans. Currently, said lore analysis is going on 87 pages long to give you a scope as to the depth lore.For those of you who have a friend nearby to game with, Salt and Sanctuary has local co-op play. While the setup of co-op requires some time to fully implement, the game is well suited for co-op play. I can personally attest to playing the entire game through co-op mode and enjoying and screaming every minute of it. Nothing quite compares to working tag team to take down a particularly fierce boss.In summary, Salt and Sanctuary is a unique and rewarding experience to pick up and play, even more so if you have a co-op partner lying around nearby.

The areas and game itself, despite being form a small indie studio, are a labor of love that will always keep the player craving the next boss fight just around the corner. The only potential drawback is its complexity and difficulty, so keep that in mind if you do decide to pick up the game on PS4, PC, Vita, or Nintendo Switch. The latest news on Salt and Sanctuary and Ska Studies can be found.Happy Gaming!For the latest in gaming and entertainment, be sure to like on and follow us on. You can also support us via, which allows us to create better content for our audience.