Salt and Sanctuary

🎮 Steam ⏳ 25 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Soulslike Meets Metroidvania #

This game is a challenging 2D action RPG that blends the punishing combat and stamina-based mechanics of Soulslikes with the exploration and interconnected world design of a Metroidvania. Despite being developed by just two people, it offers impressive depth, with a large skill tree, multiple character classes, hundreds of weapons and armor pieces, and a wide variety of enemies and bosses. The hand-drawn art style and moody, grim atmosphere give the game a distinct personality, while the Sanctuary system provides safe havens and upgrade points that mirror the bonfire concept from Soulslike titles.

Methodical Combat Exploration #

The combat is precise and weighty, requiring players to manage stamina, dodge effectively, and learn enemy attack patterns, making mistakes costly but fair. Exploration is rewarding, with hidden areas, shortcuts, and platforming sections that encourage revisiting older zones once new abilities are unlocked. However, the lack of an in-game map can make navigation difficult, and some later bosses feel easier once strong gear is obtained. Particularly I played using a DEX build with the focus in Katanas, DPS and such, so nothing new to me since I play all Soulslike titles this way and this one was a very good one when it comes to this playstyle.

A Genre-Defining Indie #

Overall, Salt and Sanctuary succeeds in translating the essence of a 3D Soulslike into a tight, atmospheric 2D experience. It may wear its influences openly, but its execution and attention to detail make it stand out as one of the most memorable indie games, particularly if you enjoy challenging combat and methodical exploration. This was one of the first Soulslike Metroidvanias that I’ve ever played and I immediately feel in love with the genre, so if you like those than this one is a very good option. Though I highly encourage againts playing the sequel, I’ll talk more about this in my review regarding that one.