If they try to block, they will find themselves now stuck between two enemies, with stamina quickly dwindling and death drawing near. Roll behind one enemy to dodge, and players can find themselves facing another enemy already starting their attack animation. When more enemies jump into the mix – which happens quite often – rolling can become a death sentence. ![]() In 1-on-1 fights, this can be a simple way to roll behind an attacking enemy and strike from their back. But in taking away the 3D plane of Dark Souls, the dodge leaves players with only the option to roll away or towards their opponents. Like Dark Souls, players are able to dodge attacks and jump to avoid damage. In fact, of all the mechanics lifted directly from Dark Souls, this is the one that felt the worst. Players also have a horizontal dodge roll at their disposal, but unfortunately, it often got me into more trouble than I care to admit. Slashes and strikes land with sickening aplomb, and killing blows on wounded enemies feel particularly devastating. Managing a stamina bar during battle, players engage in simple skirmishes of blocking and attacking. Ska Studios made their name on visceral 2D combat, and Salt and Sanctuary certainly doesn’t disappoint on that front. ![]() From playthrough to playthrough this style of leveling should offer plenty of expression for RPG fans who love to experiment, but once players invest enough experience down a single path, it can be hard to even things out in a way that ever feels worthwhile. For myself, I went with a heavy build, focusing on high defense and attack above all else. If they want something more balanced, the tree can spread out in all directions. If players are looking for a build relying solely on ranged projectiles and magic, that’s fair game. From the start of the game, players can invest skill points from leveling up into a wide array of stats that will shape the way they play. Salt and Sanctuary also has an incredibly deep skill tree. This simple mistake can turn some of the harder late-game areas into absolute nightmares as you trek long distances to find the merchant with the one item that can help you. Using all of your Offerings in the early game can leave you with few options for healers, merchants, and more useful NPCs in your sanctuaries. This ability makes returning to previous regions to find new areas and abilities incredibly easy - but only if players use those Offerings sparingly. While this sounds relatively easy, it’s a system with more depth than is initially apparent.Īs an example, using an offering to summon a Guide will allow players to quickly travel to any sanctuary they’ve visited with another Guide they’ve previously summoned there, functioning as a fast travel point of sorts. Offerings are limited in quantity, and only five can be used in any sanctuary. These Offerings bring in merchants, craftsmen, priests, and more, and are one of the few ways Salt and Sanctuary stands apart from its influences. It’s essentially a bonfire from Dark Souls but with the added twist of “Offerings.” While players are out exploring the world, they come across these small statues that can be placed in any of the sanctuaries they visit. Soon after, the game’s first sanctuary - a “safe room” of sorts where players can interact with various NPC’s and level up - is introduced. Upon starting a new game and choosing beginning stats and alignments, players engage in a brief tutorial that ends with them waking up, shipwrecked, on a mysterious island. Salt and Sanctuary wastes no time throwing players right into the action. Despite never innovating enough to set it apart from its obvious influences, Salt and Sanctuary is a worthwhile RPG on the Nintendo Switch. ![]() ![]() By no means is that a bad thing Ska Studios’ Salt and Sanctuary is a good game in its own right, blending the studio’s expertise in 2D character action with the Souls series’ tried-and-true formula. From Software’s legendary RPG series has inspired plenty of imitators over the years, though none quite so blatant in tone and style as Salt and Sanctuary. It’s difficult to talk about Salt and Sanctuary without continually comparing it to its clear inspiration: Dark Souls.
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