Round 1: Which Has a Better Combat System and Bosses?
The most important factor for any Souls-like game is its combat system. In that respect, both Death’s Gambit and Salt and Sanctuary have done a phenomenal job here. The moment-to-moment gameplay is very similar in both games; because things take place on a 2D plane, you’ll be slashing left and right, dodging left and right, and blocking left and right. Both games also feature a jump button to allow you to leap pass enemy attacks. There are also different classes and weapon types to experiment with, and this can change up your play style quite a bit. But for the most part, the combat feels similar. That said, we did find that the combat in Salt and Sanctuary was a bit more enjoyable and responsive than in Death’s Gambit, where the game would suffer from a lack of feedback whenever you landed a hit or took damage.
As for the boss fights themselves, while Death’s Gambit has some seriously impressive looking bosses, we feel the need to mention that most of them aren’t that fun to actually fight. There are a few standouts, such as the Phoenix, Bulwark of Aldwynn, and Amulvaro, but most of the other bosses can fall a little bit on the easier side, unless you fight their heroic versions. Salt and Sanctuary, on the other hand, has a lot more variety in terms of bosses, and they’ve all got interesting move sets to study.
Winner: Salt and Sanctuary. We feel that Ska Studios’ game has slightly better 2D combat, and while its bosses might not look as good as the ones in Death’s Gambit, we had a more enjoyable time fighting against them.
