Round 2: Which Has Better Level Design?
One oft-overlooked aspect of what makes a game a Souls-like is the level design. Part of the charm of From Software’s games is being able to explore a sprawling world, and then finding shortcuts or hidden pathways that loop back into an area you’ve already visited. When the game is able to experiment with verticality to create some seriously interesting geography in the world, finding those shortcuts become a real pleasure.
Both games definitely play around with interconnected level designs, but we have to give the edge to Death’s Gambit because of how compact its world is compared to Salt and Sanctuary. Yes, Death’s Gambit has a smaller map, but it also constantly provides players with a path back to the central hub, and in ways that don’t feel forced. You’ll lose your bearings occasionally, but if you head back in the general direction of Sanctuary even without knowing exactly where you’re going, the game never fails to reward you with either a new checkpoint or a locked door that leads back to safety.
Salt and Sanctuary has a much bigger world, and in some ways, that’s actually a detriment to the game. It’s difficult to get a sense of familiarity with the game’s world because of how big it is, so it feels like you’re always searching for the next checkpoint instead of seeing how all the levels are connected with each other. This is purely a case of personal preference; some players might prefer a more compact design, while others would want the world to be as big as possible.
Winner: Death’s Gambit. The verticality of the world map is one of the strongest aspects of the original Dark Souls, and this game executes it well.
