Games like Salt and Sanctuary
If Salt and Sanctuary is your kind of game, the closest matches are Death's Gambit: Afterlife, ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights and Salt and Sacrifice — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its deliberate but cryptic lore, atmospheric and bleak. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.
Get personalized picks →Salt and Sanctuary is a 2016 action RPG developed by Ska Studios that translates the punishing combat philosophy of 2D combat into a sprawling interconnected world. Players navigate a cursed realm of forgotten cities and blood-soaked dungeons through metroidvania-style exploration, unlocking shortcuts and mastering platforming sequences alongside demanding boss-pattern-learning encounters. Build-variety and salt-management systems provide meaningful progression depth, while the world's deliberate-but-cryptic-lore rewards attentive exploration. Reviewers highlight that boss fights are brutal and memorable, and that weighty combat feels satisfying within an atmosphere players describe as bleak and immersive. The game holds an 88% positive rating from over 7,100 Steam reviews and runs verified on Steam Deck.
About Salt and Sanctuary: Explore a haunting, punishing island in this stylized 2D action RPG. Salt and Sanctuary combines fast and brutal 2D combat with richly developed RPG mechanics in a cursed realm of forgotten cities, blood-soaked dungeons, and desecrated monuments.
Players who liked Salt and Sanctuary also play
Steam players who put hours into Salt and Sanctuary also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Top pick for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife is a challenging 2D action platformer with deep RPG elements. As an agent of Death bound to his service, unravel the mystery of Siradon and discover the true price of immortality.
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
WHY THIS
Shares metroidvania exploration and an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Second-strongest match for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
ENDER LILIES is a dark fantasy 2D action RPG about unraveling the mysteries of a destroyed kingdom. On this sorrowful journey, encounter horrific enemies against whom a moment of inattention could be fatal. Overcome these hardships and seek the truth with the help of fallen knights.
Salt and Sacrifice
WHY THIS
Third-strongest match for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Join your fellow Marked Inquisitors in this online coop successor to award-winning 2016 Soulslike Salt and Sanctuary.
DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin
WHY THIS
Shares build variety and a bleak mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Ranked #4 for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin brings the franchise’s renowned obscurity & gripping gameplay to a new level. Join the dark journey and experience overwhelming enemy encounters, diabolical hazards, and unrelenting challenge.
Blasphemous
WHY THIS
Shares a dark mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Ranked #5 for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Blasphemous is a brutal action-platformer with skilled hack’n slash combat set in the nightmare world of Cvstodia. Explore, upgrade your abilities, and perform savage executions on the hordes of enemies that stand between you and your quest to break eternal damnation.
GRIME
WHY THIS
Ranked #6 for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Destroy... Absorb... Grow... GRIME is a fast and unforgiving Action-Adventure RPG in which you crush your foes with living weapons that mutate form and function, and then consume their remains with a black hole to strengthen your vessel as you break apart a world of anatomical horror and intrigue.
Blade of Darkness
WHY THIS
Shares a bleak mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Ranked #7 for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Blade of Darkness is a hardcore fantasy action-adventure with unique combat mechanics and role-playing elements that pioneered the “soulsborne” genre. Pick one of four characters to hack and slash through a gory quest to save the world from the forces of Chaos.
Vigil: The Longest Night
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Ranked #8 for Salt and Sanctuary fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Embark on a journey through the longest night with Leila, a valiant member of the Vigilant Order. Delve into the hidden truths shrouded in eternal darkness, unravel the mystery surrounding Leila's enigmatic sister, and confront the eldritch horrors lurking in a world that has lost the light of day.
Reviewers mention these as similar to Salt and Sanctuary
Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.
Salt and Sacrifice
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Join your fellow Marked Inquisitors in this online coop successor to award-winning 2016 Soulslike Salt and Sanctuary.
Hollow Knight
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs, all in a classic, hand-drawn 2D style.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife is a challenging 2D action platformer with deep RPG elements. As an agent of Death bound to his service, unravel the mystery of Siradon and discover the true price of immortality.
Nioh: Complete Edition
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Ready to die? Experience the newest brutal action game from Team NINJA and Koei Tecmo Games. In the age of samurai, a lone traveler lands on the shores of Japan. He must fight his way through the vicious warriors and supernatural Yokai that infest the land in order to find that which he seeks.
The Surge
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Welcome to CREO, the megacorporation saving the world! A catastrophic event has knocked you out during the first day on the job… you wake up equipped with a heavy-grade exoskeleton, in a destroyed section of the complex.
Dead Cells
WHY THIS
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Dead Cells is a roguelite, metroidvania inspired, action-platformer. You'll explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle... assuming you’re able to fight your way past its keepers in 2D souls-lite combat. No checkpoints. Kill, die, learn, repeat.
Dark Devotion
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Explore the secrets of a mysterious fallen temple and put your Templar faith to the test in Dark Devotion, where no sacrifice is too great in praise of your God.
Blasphemous
WHY THIS
Shares a dark mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Reviewers of Salt and Sanctuary cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Blasphemous is a brutal action-platformer with skilled hack’n slash combat set in the nightmare world of Cvstodia. Explore, upgrade your abilities, and perform savage executions on the hordes of enemies that stand between you and your quest to break eternal damnation.
Cheaper alternatives
Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below Salt and Sanctuary at current Steam store prices.
Garry's Mod
WHY THIS
Priced ~72% under Salt and Sanctuary on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play.
Lethal Company
WHY THIS
Priced ~44% under Salt and Sanctuary on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
A co-op horror about scavenging at abandoned moons to sell scrap to the Company.
Left 4 Dead 2
WHY THIS
Priced ~44% under Salt and Sanctuary on Steam right now. Shares Action with Salt and Sanctuary.
Set in the zombie apocalypse, Left 4 Dead 2 is a co-operative action horror FPS takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns.
People Playground
WHY THIS
Priced ~44% under Salt and Sanctuary on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Shoot, stab, burn, poison, tear, vaporise, or crush ragdolls in a large open space.
Fallout: New Vegas
WHY THIS
Priced ~44% under Salt and Sanctuary on Steam right now. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas. Enjoy your stay!
Free alternatives
Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
Life is Strange - Episode 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action with Salt and Sanctuary.
Episode 1 now FREE! Life is Strange is an award-winning and critically acclaimed episodic adventure game that allows the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future.
Ultimate Custom Night
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Welcome to the ultimate FNAF mashup, featuring 50 selectable characters and custom difficulties!
Bongo Cat
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Bongo cat needs your help. Bongo cat needz more hatz!!! Every time you press a key, Bongo cat will punch your taskbar. Type, click, play, work to collect more points. Which hats will you find?
ENA: Dream BBQ
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Experience surreal environments and inexplicable characters as ENA in a new wild world.
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!
Indigo Park: Chapter 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Explore the abandoned childhood wonder of Indigo Park! Guided by Rambley the Raccoon, help restore power to the destroyed amusement park while you run from the reason it shut down.
Narrow it down
Head-to-head comparisons
More from Ska Studios
Other recommendable Steam games by Ska Studios, ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.
Charlie Murder
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Another title from Ska Studios, the studio behind Salt and Sanctuary. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
It’s a punk rock apocalypse! Team up with your friends to lead embattled punk rock band Charlie Murder in their epic quest to save the world from rival death metalers Gore Quaffer and their legions of evil.
The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile
WHY THIS
Shares a bleak mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Another title from Ska Studios, the studio behind Salt and Sanctuary. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
The followup to 2009's Dead Samurai, The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile is a combo-fueled, fast-paced, stylistic 2D action platformer that features the series' staple gritty, graphic novel-inspired art style, built on a new engine that allows for an even more visually gruesome experience.
Salt and Sacrifice
WHY THIS
Another title from Ska Studios, the studio behind Salt and Sanctuary. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Join your fellow Marked Inquisitors in this online coop successor to award-winning 2016 Soulslike Salt and Sanctuary.
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES 1N IT!!!1
WHY THIS
Another title from Ska Studios, the studio behind Salt and Sanctuary. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
A top down twin stick zombie slaying shooter that you are sure to play again and again!
Plays great on Steam Deck
Valve-Verified or Playable picks from the similar pool — ready to go on Deck out of the box.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife is a challenging 2D action platformer with deep RPG elements. As an agent of Death bound to his service, unravel the mystery of Siradon and discover the true price of immortality.
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
WHY THIS
Shares metroidvania exploration and an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
ENDER LILIES is a dark fantasy 2D action RPG about unraveling the mysteries of a destroyed kingdom. On this sorrowful journey, encounter horrific enemies against whom a moment of inattention could be fatal. Overcome these hardships and seek the truth with the help of fallen knights.
Salt and Sacrifice
WHY THIS
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Join your fellow Marked Inquisitors in this online coop successor to award-winning 2016 Soulslike Salt and Sanctuary.
DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin
WHY THIS
Shares build variety and a bleak mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin brings the franchise’s renowned obscurity & gripping gameplay to a new level. Join the dark journey and experience overwhelming enemy encounters, diabolical hazards, and unrelenting challenge.
Blasphemous
WHY THIS
Shares a dark mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Blasphemous is a brutal action-platformer with skilled hack’n slash combat set in the nightmare world of Cvstodia. Explore, upgrade your abilities, and perform savage executions on the hordes of enemies that stand between you and your quest to break eternal damnation.
GRIME
WHY THIS
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Destroy... Absorb... Grow... GRIME is a fast and unforgiving Action-Adventure RPG in which you crush your foes with living weapons that mutate form and function, and then consume their remains with a black hole to strengthen your vessel as you break apart a world of anatomical horror and intrigue.
Blade of Darkness
WHY THIS
Shares a bleak mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and RPG with Salt and Sanctuary.
Blade of Darkness is a hardcore fantasy action-adventure with unique combat mechanics and role-playing elements that pioneered the “soulsborne” genre. Pick one of four characters to hack and slash through a gory quest to save the world from the forces of Chaos.
Vigil: The Longest Night
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with Salt and Sanctuary.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Salt and Sanctuary.
Embark on a journey through the longest night with Leila, a valiant member of the Vigilant Order. Delve into the hidden truths shrouded in eternal darkness, unravel the mystery surrounding Leila's enigmatic sister, and confront the eldritch horrors lurking in a world that has lost the light of day.
Frequently asked about Salt and Sanctuary
- Is Salt and Sanctuary verified for Steam Deck?
- Yes — Salt and Sanctuary is Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve has confirmed it runs well on the Deck with full controller, text legibility, and default configuration support.
- How much does Salt and Sanctuary cost?
- Salt and Sanctuary is listed on Steam at 17.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
- Does Salt and Sanctuary have multiplayer or co-op?
- Yes — Salt and Sanctuary supports multi-player play according to its Steam store listing (Multi-player).
- What games are most similar to Salt and Sanctuary?
- Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside Salt and Sanctuary are Death's Gambit: Afterlife, ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights, Salt and Sacrifice.
- Who developed Salt and Sanctuary?
- Salt and Sanctuary was developed by Ska Studios.
imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on Salt and Sanctuary.
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