Many developers have been inspired by Dark Souls. Salt and Sanctuary were so closely fashioned after the From Software series that you could think you’re engaging with the official, two-dimensional version of the popular series.
We have healing supplies that are replenished after each altar activation, which is akin to Souls bonfires. We have a stamina meter that depletes when we jump, roll, or attack. We notice the words “Defeated” when we defeat the boss. Combat does not tolerate errors. There is even a message system from other players that we find on the ground, and by defeating monsters, we acquire salt, which, like souls in Dark Souls, acts as a currency and an ingredient required to move to the next experience levels. The plot layer is influenced by the previously listed shows. There is essentially no narrative here, merely the outline of the plot. The hero must discover the princess he was supposed to guard, but his attempts are hampered by an unknown foe. After a shipwreck, the player is washed ashore in a forgotten region, and a grim journey starts.
Fans of From Software games will immediately become used to the gameplay style. We advance, battle monsters, and occasionally encounter NPCs and safe havens where we may rest or grow our hero. But there’s nothing to guide us, and we don’t even have a map. We must independently investigate all of the areas and locate shortcuts. We gradually discover that the entire universe is skillfully linked. We open the door leading to the first refuge we visited after five hours of gameplay. We have a nice sensation when we explore because we know that extensive exploration makes sense. We hunt for the best pathways, which are frequently secret, just like a genuine hiker. The sites, on the other hand, are not extremely evocative; we seldom pause to admire the vistas or interior architecture in the dungeon. The narrative is likewise not particularly exciting, and there are no compelling characters. All of this means that, despite its excellent gameplay, Salt and Sanctuary falls short of the master, the Souls series. Combat is, of course, vital here; we encounter opponents on a regular basis, and they are fairly various. The difficulty level is tremendous, and even the most simple adversary might endanger the hero’s life if we are not cautious. Every punch and block must be timed correctly. Missing gives the monster an opportunity to launch an effective counterattack, which is always terrible for humans.
We may utilize both standard and heavy attacks, as well as leaping assaults. The developers have also devised an intriguing concept of brief combos – we may hurl the adversary into the air with the sword and attack him before he crashes to the ground. A wonderful variation, however we normally use single shots because they are the safest. The available assaults are also determined by the weapon used. We select a class at the outset of the journey, which sets our starting equipment. The development system, on the other hand, permits any profession to specialize in any subject. So, if we pick a knight but don’t want to play with a slow character, we may accumulate experience points and spend them in dexterity and the ability to wield rapid daggers. However, sticking to the class route is the most efficient approach to avoid wasting time on retraining. The most vital aspect is that the combat is not monotonous. Even if we have to beat the same set of basic foes a hundred times on our approach to a faraway destination – although we rapidly learn to just avoid such risks since they are no longer worth our effort. The diversity of available weapons is another benefit that boosts the game’s popularity, but once we locate a good weapon and begin refining it, we don’t want to give it up. The graphic aesthetic is, of course, what sets Salt and Sanctuary apart from the Souls series. The two-dimensional aesthetics have a significant influence on the gameplay, and the production occasionally recalls arcade or platform games.
The 2D perspective might also be restricting at times. In theory, we can roll to evade the assault, however we occasionally get trapped on the boss’s leg for unknown reasons. We can’t outrun our opponents, but we can jump over them. Boss encounters may not be remembered for long, but they are expertly planned. The sights, look, and immediate surroundings of formidable adversaries are always matched by their special attacks. Often, the initial attempt fails, which teaches us the boss’s behavior and aids us in defeating him later. We lose the salt we have accumulated when we die. We then have one opportunity to recover it, and if we fail, the cash vanishes. It may be unpleasant at first for those inexperienced with the Dark Souls formula, but we rapidly become used to the notion that white powder is rather simple to collect, and when we have the opportunity, it is better to constantly “spend” our resources on earning new levels and skills.
Salt & Sanctuary is nearly entirely Dark Souls in 2D, and it surely fits this moniker more than the mobile and official Slashy Souls, which was launched a while ago. Play is accompanied with a continual combination of frustration, stubbornness, excitement, and fulfillment. The game will keep you entertained for many hours, and the flaws are minor enough not to detract from the game’s unique appeal.