Salt and Sanctuary, from Ska Studios, is a bit bloody good, serving up an enormously pleasurable, Darkish Souls-inspired slice of 2D action-adventure. It is also now eight years previous – however that hasn’t stopped it from getting a shock replace this week, including a tricky new Randomiser mode.
Salt and Sanctuary, which initially launched for PlayStation 4 and PC again in 2016, is a reasonably express try to translate From Software program’s now oft-replicated darkish fantasy RPG components, full with thought of fight and corpse runs, into two dimensions. It begins on the shores of an unlimited and broodily enigmatic kingdom, which gamers – within the function of the Saltborn – should discover and overcome, tackling enemies and imposing bosses alongside the best way.
It is great things, and never precisely a stroll within the park, but it surely simply acquired an entire lot more durable because of its new Randomiser mode. As detailed over on Steam, Salt and Sanctuary gamers trying to give themselves an actual problem can now choose from three randomiser choices: Merchandise Randomiser, Monster Randomiser, and Scaling Monster Randomiser.
The primary randomises all non-essential objects world wide, whereas Monster Randomiser mixes up enemies and managers with out giving them stat adjustments. As for the Scaling Monster Randomiser, it additionally switches up enemy and boss positions, however this time does give them adjusted stats. At present, the Salt and Sanctuary subreddit (which stays surprisingly energetic for a ten-year-old sport) is having a grand previous time documenting Randomiser mode’s cruelty.
Salt and Sanctuary’s newest replace – which is out now for PC gamers on Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer – additionally consists of miscellaneous bug fixes, a Turkish localisation, plus assist for 4K/UHD, with new increased decision choices now out there.
Salt and Sanctuary acquired a sequel, Salt and Sacrifice, in 2022, however some adjustments to the components – discrete zones linked by a hub changing the primary sport’s interconnected map, for example, and new Monster Hunter model boss encounters – did not appear to resonate fairly a lot with followers of the unique. Nonetheless, the primary sport stays a deal with (“shockingly good” is what Eurogamer mentioned about it), so an excuse to return because of its newest replace is a welcome one.
