2016’s surprise indie hitSalt and Sanctuaryhad many fans hoping for more of itsDark Soulsinspired world. A sequel game,Salt and Sacrifice, was announced 5 years after the original game’s release and now the long wait is almost over.
Salt and Sanctuaryreleased in 2016 byindie gamedeveloper Ska Studios cemented itself as a first-rate example of the quickly developing Souls-like sub-genre of games. Its main draw being that it could capture all the atmosphere and gloomy world building of theSoulsseries, plus mimic its famous combat system, only using 2 dimensions.
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Now the sequel,Salt and Sacrifice, has a release date, revealed in a new trailer for the game. Releasing almost 6 years to the day after the original,Salt and Sacrificecomes to PC, PS4, and PS5 on March 10, promising more brutal boss fights and Metroidvania style exploration. The trailer also emphasizes a player summoning system close in style to theDark Soulsseries, where players join different factions with different motives and can choose to either invade or offer cooperation in the worlds of other online players. The game promises a “fuller” co-op mode compared to the original, advancing the story for both players simultaneously rather than just the host player.
Since theDark Soulsseries exploded in popularity in 2011, its influence has been seen everywhere in the gaming industry. The Souls-like genre mostly relates to game that try to emulate the difficult but satisfying combat system of the Souls-series, including triple-A releases likeNiohandStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. WhenSalt and Sanctuarywas released, its undeniable influence from theSoulsseries on the game’s tone and atmosphere, as well asthe cryptic way it explains its mechanics, placed it as a leading example of a sub-genre of 2D Souls-likes.
Many indie games would follow in the same vein asSalt and Sanctuary.2017 saw the release ofHollow Knight, a game that focused on capturing atmosphere and tone. 2018’sDead Cellswould go in the other direction focusing on the combat system. The demand for 2D Souls-likes has grown into its own market and is, luckily, a far more accessible option for indie developers without huge resources or staff.Salt and Sanctuary’s success is even more impressive when one considers that both the original and the upcomingSalt and Sacrificewere developed by teams of only two people.
Salt and Sacrificereleases March 10 on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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