Back in 2016 indie developer Ska Studios released a game called Salt & Sanctuary for PS4. An unassuming, 2D side-scrolling platformer that took inspiration from the Souls series, it was easy to miss. But not for long.<br /><br />To date, this is, in my opinion, the best 2D Souls-like available on any platform (with the possible exception of Hollow Knight...maybe). Just take a look at what some of the critics said at the time.<br /><br />RPGamer 4.5/5<br />"a remarkable fusion of several distinct styles" and "more than just a passable clone"<br /><br />Polygon 9/10<br />Salt and Sanctuary accomplished the "impossible" feat of "borrowing the mechanics of another game franchise without getting lost in derivation". The game is a "loving" adaptation that rivals even its source material.<br /><br />IGN 8.6/10<br />""You could call Salt and Sanctuary a 2D mashup of Dark Souls and Castlevania, and you'd be right. But such a simple pronouncement would be a disservice to the tremendous amount of thought that's gone into Salt and Sanctuary, whether it's in the graphic style that evokes horror through the style of comic strips or in the intricate web of dungeons and castles that serves as its map."<br /><br />So this is the sequel, and you bet your boots it's as good as the first.<br /><br />Timestamps<br /><br />0:00 Intro<br />0:10 Talking Tree<br />4:53 Archridge District<br />11:40 Kundry Kahn<br />21:28 Pardoner’s Vale<br /><br />🤔 NEW HERE? 🤔<br /><br />Hi! My name’s Cained_n_Able and I’ve been writing for Any Button Gaming, a small independent gaming magazine for almost two years. Long-term gaming enthusiast, and Dark Souls fan-boy I love games that go the distance to stand out from the crowd. Once a COD weeb, now a full-time From Software aficionado, if it’s got bonfires (or bells of awakening) it’s getting played. <br /><br />🎥 TWITCH STREAMING 🎥<br /><br />ABG Streams every Monday and Wednesday night, from 7pm GMT (that’s UK time to the uninitiated). <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/anybuttongaming" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.twitch.tv/anybuttongaming</a><br /><br />🎮 HEARD OF ABG? 🎮<br /><br />If not, why not! Just kidding we’re tiny. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t amazing. Breaking games news posted every day, with tonnes of opinions to get your juices boiling and a video or two for good measure. <a href="https://www.ab-gaming.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.ab-gaming.com/</a><br /><br />🎮 ABOUT THE GAME 🎮<br /><br />As a Marked Inquisitor, you’ll journey through the western frontier: pursuing, hunting, and obliterating the Mages that roam the realm. Craft unique weapons and armor from the otherworldly flesh and bones of the Mages you destroy.<br /><br />Beyond sanctuary, a realm of elemental pandemonium awaits.<br /><br />A once-peaceful kingdom is plunged into chaos by encroaching tides of Mages: merciless embodiments of elemental chaos. The Marked Inquisitors, a doomed force of the condemned, once again mobilizes to stand against the existential threat of Magic. A buried secret threatens to bring an ancient empire to utter ruin.<br /><br />In a land plagued by powerful and twisted Mages, the condemned Marked Inquisitors take up the hunt.<br />As a Marked Inquisitor, you’ll journey through the western frontier: pursuing, hunting, and obliterating the Mages that roam the realm.<br />You may be bound to the Inquisition, but your choices are yours.<br /><br />Wield the Power of Your Foes<br />Craft unique weapons and armor from the otherworldly flesh and bones of the Mages you destroy. Master dozens of powerful weapons and runic arts: “safe” manipulations of the corrupt Magic your foes wield.<br /><br />A Dense and Detailed World<br />Explore a large and labyrinthine world filled with scavengers, secrets, traps, and powerful guardians.<br /><br />Online Multiplayer<br />Team up with a fellow Inquisitor for full online co-op and drop-in quickplay online co-op, or engage in fast and chaotic PvP through various factions.<br /><br />#saltandsacrifice #LetsPlay #ABG #AnyButtonGaming #skastudios<br />...<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kr8hSGBzZ0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kr8hSGBzZ0</a>