Salt and Sacrifice

Salt and Sacrifice is a soulslike action platform game, and at the same time a sequel to the warmly welcomed Salt and Sanctuary. The game is the result of cooperation between independent teams Ska Studios and Devoured Studios.

Plot

Salt and Sacrifice takes us to a dark fantasy world, specifically - to the kingdom of Alterstone. During the game we play as a criminal who was given a choice - he could agree to the death penalty or decide to serve as the Marked Inquisitor, a wandering hunter without fear, hunting the wicked mages that terrorize the land. The protagonist chooses the second option, thus condemning himself to eternal wandering, as if suspended between life and death.

Mechanics

Salt and Sacrifice is a side-scroller. Before starting the game we create a character, deciding on his appearance and the crime he committed, as well as choosing his profession. The authors give us eight classes - Highblade, Paladin, Assassin, Cleric, Dualist, Fighter, Ranger, Sage - which are diversified in terms of combat skills, fighting style and preferred weapons.

Then there's nothing else for us to do but start wandering around Alterstone. Wandering through gloomy villages, temples, tombs and dark swamps, we have to collect clues about the next mages and follow their tracks, in order to face them. Along the way we face numerous opponents (the bestiary contains more than a hundred monsters, among which you'll find monsters inspired by Scandinavian folklore) and although even serial opponents can spoil a lot of blood, the real challenges are only confrontations with mages acting as bosses.

During dynamic battles we have to show dexterity and reflexes to make quick moves and launch rapid counterattacks. Besides, perceptiveness comes in handy, thanks to which we can discover weak points of enemies and potential gaps in their defense. We eliminate enemies using a wide arsenal including swords and bows. Apart from that we have a rope with a hook, which is useful both during the fights and outside of them.

As we progress we develop our character and get more powerful weapons and better armor. Eliminating more mages, we provide ourselves with access to resources that allow us to create runes giving us new skills. All this makes our combat potential grow with time, so we can face greater challenges. During breaks from the murderous crossing we can rest in Pardoner's Vale - a location filled with friendly Inquisitors, which acts as a hub.

Game modes

Salt and Sacrifice allows you to play solo or in cooperative mode. You can play with another person on a shared screen or over the Internet. Besides, the game offers the possibility to summon other players for help; in the same way, we can also get into someone else's game.

Technical aspects

2D graphics of Salt and Sacrifice is kept in a dark, cartoon style known from the original.