Hi! James and Michelle here! We’re Ska Studios, the Seattle-based two person game studio responsible for The Dishwasher series, Charlie Murder and I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1. We’re super proud to introduce you to our newest project: Salt and Sanctuary. It’s a stylistic, brutal action RPG platformer that’s teeming with visceral, satisfying combat, deep, diverse character builds, and some of the most incredible bosses we’ve ever made.
Salt and Sanctuary casts you as a sailor shipwrecked on a strange, purgatorial island, insulated somehow against a backdrop of centuries-old worldwide perpetual war. What hope remains is isolated in Sanctuaries: protected dwellings where travelers band together under common creeds to take shelter from the hostile world outside.
If you’re familiar with some of our earlier games like The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile and Charlie Murder, you should know what to expect: solidly executed, intricate and brutal combat, lovingly hand-drawn and animated 2D art (of the non-pixel variety), a killer in-house soundtrack, and a massive roster of set-defining, dynamic and unique bosses. Salt is inspired as much by our history as a studio as it is by old classics like Castlevania DS, and new classics like the Souls series.
Like in The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile, the emphasis in Salt and Sanctuary is stylistic sidescrolling combat: weapons have movesets, air attacks have hang time, and rolling is king. There’s a huge amount of depth to the combat in Salt, however. Weapons can be one-handed and paired with shields or offhand crossbows for versatility, or wielded two-handed for added power — and every configuration has its own unique moveset. There are staffs for magic, bows for ranged combat, and belt-slotted consumables like throwing daggers and weapon-buffing Pitchfire. Of course, loadout weight affects your movement, rolling speed and stamina regen, so a good balance of defense and agility is key. Basically, it combines two things we love: fast, precise 2D combat and super strategic RPG depth. Also, there are curb stomps.
Finally, we’re super excited to announce that Salt and Sanctuary marks Ska Studios’ PlayStation debut! Developing with Sony is a new and exciting thing for us, but as 7 year indie veterans in search of some next-gen direction, we were absolutely blown away by their support, enthusiasm, and devotion to giving us a home on their new platforms. We’re proud to announce that Salt and Sanctuary will be launching exclusively on PS4 and PS Vita next year.
We’ll be speaking more in depth on the various systems and themes of Salt and Sanctuary in the coming months, but we hope you enjoyed this teaser. See you on PlayStation!
Looks neat. I might pick this up for Vita.
You have my attention.
This sounds awesome! I love a good Action RPG, and throw in platforming and I am sold. I can’t wait to see more from you guys. Keep it up!
I want this on my Vita… Plus, make it happen!
Wow, this looks and sounds sweet. Digging the aesthetic (almost noir-ish) and I’m intrigued by having movesets determined by weapon loadouts in a 2D combat game!
Thanks so much for bringing this to Vita because this is the type of game I love playing on it!
Wow it’s awesome to see you two making an exclusive game on Playstation now! I loved your dishwasher game on the 360. Can’t wait to play it.
This game looks fantastic.
My question is, will it be PlayStation TV (Vita TV) compatible?
My Vita is ready for this!
Another “Clearly Not That Other Game You’re Thinking About” game.
Keeping my enthusiasm on hold until an actual demo is launched.
Love Ska Studios games. Glad you’re making a PS4/Vita title as I don’t have the other console you could have put this on.
Wow! Very impressive.. SnS is now on my radar.
Very awesome to see Ska as part of the Sony family for a change. Can’t wait to try out the game!
Looks rad! Congratulations on using Castlevania and Souls as influence.
Playstation Vita: the totally rad handheld console which has a huge library of totally rad games made by totally rad people for totally rad customers.
Salt and Sanctuary looks/sounds like it’s going to be totally rad (see the trend?).
I want this now! Game looks great and gives a Castlevania nostalgia overload. Can’t wait.
This looks awesome! Hope it turns out as good as described!
Wow didn’t see this coming at all. I loved The Dishwasher on the 360. Very happy that you’re on PlayStation this time around. Day 1 purchase for me!
You guys had me at “Ska Studios” and “action/RPG”! The trailer looks amazing. My Vita will make a great home for S&S. The Playstation family is happy to welcome you guys. I look forward to this game!
Mr. Silva, you are a badass. Loved The Dishwasher.
Looks great, guys! I really enjoyed Charlie Murder, so I will definitely be picking this up.
Dig the dank fantasy atmosphere, definitely grabbing this!
This game looks so damn good my Vita just shed a tear of joy. Can’t wait…
Dark souls 2d?or better say dark salts:)
hm…well, you have my attention
Oh man, I’m stoked! Your games on ‘the other console’ last gen always made me envious — almost to the point of buying the other console just for them. I loooove a fast paced 2D action game — Shank and Guacamelee were a couple of my favorite indie games last gen, can’t wait for this!
looking forward to it. looks good, thanks for supporting the vita.
btw, the name of your zombie game is an eyesore.
Look really interesting. Im really glad this is coming to Vita. I cant use PS4 Remote Play while im at work but still want to play PS4 games. Thanks cross save I ( in a way) can.
I clicked the trailer like “meh… another indie” but then “woaaah it looks awesome!!” Haha goog job guys, keep it up! I want this game on my vita now :D
Loved Dishwasher! Now this, thanks guys.
2D dark souls. Yay
I love Castlevania, so this is right up my alley!
YES to moar Vita games and this looks like a 2D Bloodborne? :P
Thanks for all the praise!
We’re super excited to be making our debut with Sony!
I’m happy to answer any questions, though we’re gonna be scrambling around with PAX stuff all weekend. Also, if you’re at PAX, swing by and say hi to us in the Indie Megabooth!
Game looks sick!! I’m salivating waiting for this to come to Vita.
I watched the trailer before reading the article and thought “This looks like an interesting cross between SoTN and the Souls games”. Then I read the article to see you made practically the same reference. Definitely excited for what you’re trying to achieve here. Game looks awesome. Can’t wait for more info on this.
Nice James and Michelle. Looks beautiful and awesome. I can’t believe you have it so far already just freshly after finishing Charlie Murder and other projects. I can’t wait to try it out. Also, thanks James for writing that XNA 2.0 book all those years ago. It’s helped me to get started and get working on games.
This looks soooo like my type of game, day one for sure!
looks incredible! hard to believe only a 2 person team. Looks like a stylish castelvania + dark souls + diablo = day 1 buy
That actually looks really cool.
I gotta admit I haven’t heard of any of your games, but after this trailer, I’m now on Google doing a search. I’m pumped for this.
Will we see the Dishwasher series, Charlie Murder and I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1 on PS platforms?
I will be getting it on the Vita.
I wasn’t a fan of Charlie Murder, played it for a few hours and never went back, but this looks good.
sign me up!
Interesting!
Looks awesome! You all will have my consumer support on this one. Day 1 Purchase!
Looks great!
I want dishwasher on ps4/ps vita please :) I love your’s games this looks incredible !!!
You had me at RPG platformed. Now don’t screw it up! :)
This game looks awesome O_O