The 2D soulslike platformerSalt and Sanctuarymade waves upon release for itsinteresting twist on the genreand its absolutely gorgeous visuals. The title is criminally underrated, but a truly brilliant experience. It takes a lot of inspiration from From Software’s challenging formula for gameplay, brilliantly transitioned to a new perspective.
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It’s a very replayable title, but even the best games can get a little tiring after a while. For gamers who enjoy this uniquely difficult dark fantasy, though, there’s a ton of similar games out there to try. Here are a couple choices.
10Eldest Souls
Eldest Soulsis abrutally difficult top-down slasher. It features eye-catching pixel-art aesthetics, on top of what essentially boils down to boss rush progression. Players only get moments of pause between fights with the game’s multitude of challenging foes.
It’s worth picking up as aSalt and Sanctuaryfan for its similar narrative tone and gameplay. However, bear in mind that it features a lot less adventuring and many more lengthy fights.
9Blasphemous
Blasphemousis unique for its offputting visuals and heavily Catholic-inspired mythology and aesthetic. It’s a 2D slasher platformer just likeSalt and Sanctuary;however, whileSalt and Sanctuaryhas few truly disturbing moments,Blasphemousputs the horror front and center.
Similar toEldest Souls,Blasphemousfeatures pixel-art visuals. But whereEldest Soulsis eye-catching and gorgeous,Blasphemousis gory, brutal, and imposing.
8Ori and the Blind Forest (And Its Sequel)
Ori and the Blind Forestand its sequelOri and the Will of the Wispshave become legendary indie titles in their own right. Gorgeous aesthetics aside, thegame has some of the best controlsof modern 2D platformers, as well as a story that asks more questions than it answers.
It’s a visual upgrade fromSalt and Sanctuary,but it’s not nearly as difficult, all things considered. It has its hard moments, but it’s one to pick up for players enjoy the controls and gameplay ofSalt and Sanctuaryrather than the difficulty.
7Hollow Knight
Soulslike fans considerHollow Knightas a pinnacle of the genre. While many games inspired by theDark Soulsseries have a hard time coming up with a completely original world,Hollow Knightdoesn’t fall into this trap. Its world is instantly engaging and wholly unique.
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It’s not an easy game, despite its Flash-like graphical style. Rather, it requires just as much precision and consideration asSalt and Sanctuarydoes. Some have described it as being closer to the original Metroidvania genre rather than a soulslike, but regardless, it’s a classic every gamer should try.
6Furi
Boss fights inSalt and Sanctuarytend to be the most anxiety-inducing and skill-dependent events in a playthrough. It’s not like the rest of the game is easy, but bosses are on a wholly other level. What if there was a game that was, quite literally, nothing but boss fights?
EnterFuri, a game where the player’s goal is to escape through a series of lengthy boss fights. The game’s dodge mechanics (as well as other abilities gained through progression) will feel familiar toSalt and Sanctuaryfans.
Dead Cellsis more of a roguelike than a soulslike; however, it does take some inspiration and gameplay elements from the genre. Itputs its focus on replayabilityand getting as far as one can, rather than progression through a world.
Its control scheme is very similar toSalt and Sanctuary, and its world is similarly foreboding – despite being much more vibrant. While an adventure throughSalt and Sanctuarywill eventually end,Dead Cellsis designed to be played over and over again.
4Dust: An Elysian Tail
Another 2D platformer,Dust: An Elysian Tailwas praised for its incredibly complex combat systems and surprisingly engaging storyline. The character designs have been derided a bit, but there’s an amazing game underneath – plus, it was all developed by one person.
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WhileSalt and Sanctuaryhas little in the way of combos or rapid combat,Dust: An Elysian Tailhas it in spades. The 2D gameplay will feel familiar, and while it’s a bit more forgiving thanSalt and Sanctuary, it’s just as satisfying.
3Any Classic Metroid or Castlevania Game
Before the term soulslike became popular, another term was used to describe games of a similar ilk: Metroidvania. TheMetroidandCastlevaniaseries areknown for world designthat ties together the entire game with shortcuts and backtracking — a major inspiration behind world design in the firstDark Soulsgame.
Though the classicMetroidandCastlevaniagames are relatively dated, the games surprisingly hold up.Castlevania: Symphony of the Nightstill looks gorgeous to this day, and no-one can deny the sense of mystery and adventure featured inSuper Metroid.
2The Dark Souls Trilogy
The term soulslike, of course, comes fromthe infamousDark Soulsseries. The term has become something of a buzzword in the industry, but nevertheless, each of the games in theDark Soulstrilogy should be a must-play for any serious gamer.
The tone, narrative structure, gameplay mechanics, and even world design are a near-perfect match forSalt and Sanctuaryfans. It’s a 3D game, though, and might take some time to get used to each game’s unique control schemes and differences.
1Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls, & Sekiro
When gamers think of From Software, they immediately thinkDark Souls. The renowned trilogy is far from their only work, though. BeforeDark SoulswasDemon’s Souls, recently remastered for the PlayStation 5, as well as a spiritual successor inBloodborneand familiar gameplay inSekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Dark SoulsandDemon’s Soulstake place in a dark high fantasy setting; meanwhileBloodborneis more inspired by Lovecraftian horror andSekirois based in Samurai-era Japan. Though they’re all different experiences, all of these From Software games are great forSalt and Sanctuaryfans.
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