Salting the Earth

About

Salting the Earth is a single player action game with fantasy, romance and mystery themes. It was developed by BitterBerries and was released on October 31, 2019. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Salting the Earth" is a farming simulation game where players must rebuild their farm after a devastating war. Grow crops, raise animals, and manage resources to survive and restore the land. The game features dynamic seasons, natural disasters, and a variety of crops and animals to cultivate, offering a challenging and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 118 reviews

story32 positive mentions

gameplay1 negative mentions

The game features stunning artwork and character designs, making it visually appealing.
The story is complex and engaging, with well-developed characters and meaningful choices that affect the outcomes.
It offers a unique setting with political intrigue and a diverse cast, particularly appealing to fans of LGBTQ+ narratives.

The writing quality is inconsistent, with awkward dialogue and some grammatical issues that detract from the experience.
The audio lacks variety, with no voice acting and mediocre music that fails to enhance the atmosphere.
Some players may find the pacing slow, as the narrative can get bogged down in day-to-day dialogue and lore without significant plot progression.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
The story is praised for its complexity and depth, featuring strong worldbuilding and engaging characters, particularly within a unique modern fantasy setting. While some reviewers noted that the narrative can become bogged down by excessive dialogue and a lack of memorable moments, many found the intertwining themes of romance and political intrigue compelling, with choices that significantly impact the outcomes. Overall, the game offers a rich and immersive experience, encouraging multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate its intricacies.
- “The worldbuilding adds depth to this story, and the dreams are an interesting detail, too.”
- “I really appreciate the writing in this visual novel not only for being straightforward and easy to follow, it's cleverly enjoyable to engage me in the story, the characters, the worldbuilding, and even the politics.”
- “An extremely good story with a bit of solid worldbuilding and compelling characters.”
- “I tried it several times, but the story is not very balanced; it could be interesting with war and rebellion, but loses itself in day-to-day monologue/dialogue and confusing bits of lore. The art is great, but the game repeats a few pictures over and over and the music is very mediocre.”
- “The dialogues are not interesting, sadly, and the romantic parts of the story are rare, let alone engaging dialogue or pictures.”
- “The day after I finished the game, it hit me that the fact that a civil war just ended, and that Roo belonged to a different faction in the war than the other characters in the story, is completely forgotten for very large parts of the game when it could have been used more effectively for drama, tension, and character development.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
64%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their warm, textured art style that is both visually appealing and mature, avoiding the common pitfalls of making characters appear overly youthful. Reviewers appreciate the unique character designs and the overall aesthetic, which complements the strong storytelling and adult themes, creating an engaging and immersive experience. The combination of great artwork and a wholesome narrative has resonated well with players, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
- “The art style is warm, textured, and easy on the eyes.”
- “The game's art style and writing manage to be mature while still maintaining an overall sense of wholesomeness, which is really refreshing to see in visual novels.”
- “+ the biggest selling point and the element that kept me invested through my playthrough is the absolutely gorgeous character artwork.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the relaxing and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances emotional moments, while others find it mediocre and repetitive, lacking variety in tracks. Sound effects are often described as generic or startling, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the musical score is seen as decent but not exceptional, with occasional mismatches between the music and the scenes.
- “I enjoy the musical score.”
- “The soundtrack is relaxing to listen to while you play and it fits the atmosphere perfectly, especially for the more emotional and wholesome moments.”
- “A chill and fitting soundtrack.”
- “No voice acting, plain music, and okay-ish sounds.”
- “I tried it several times, but the story is not very balanced (could be interesting with war and rebellion, but loses itself in day-to-day monologue/dialogue and confusing bits of lore), the art is great, but the game repeats a few pictures over and over and the music is very mediocre.”
- “No voice acting, plain music, and okay-ish sounds.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The character development in "Salting the Earth" is praised for its depth and complexity, particularly through the protagonist Roo's struggles with her identity in the aftermath of a civil war. However, some reviewers feel that key elements of her character arc, especially her connections and internal conflicts, are underutilized throughout the game, missing opportunities for greater emotional impact and tension. Overall, while the character designs are highly regarded, the narrative could benefit from a more consistent focus on character growth.
- “The character designs are nice and the world was interesting, especially the parts about the dreams.”
- “I also adore the art and character designs.”
- “It isn't just romance, but it also has some interesting worldbuilding and character development.”
- “The day after I finished the game, it hit me that the fact that a civil war just ended, Roo belonged to a different faction in the war than the other characters in the story. Roo has issues of her own when it comes to the woman she was and the woman she wants to be, and *spoilers ahead* [spoiler]Roo and Urnba having a connection through the people from their dreams[/spoiler] is completely forgotten for very large parts of the game when it could have been used more effectively for drama, tension, and character development.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Salting the Earth" is widely praised for its charm and effectiveness, featuring a blend of cute banter and political intrigue that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the engaging characters and the lighthearted moments that provide comic relief amidst the emotional and thrilling elements of the story. However, enjoyment of the humor may vary depending on personal taste regarding the main character's comedic style.
- “The humor is great, the characters are fantastic, and I really enjoyed the political 'sub-plot' as well!”
- “Humor to tickle a few chuckles from you in between thrill and melting hearts?”
- “Salting the Earth is a wlw romance visual novel about big muscular women, political intrigue, cooking, lots of cute and funny banter, and making connections, both romantic and platonic.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its rewarding and heartfelt romance, complemented by a relaxing soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere during poignant moments. Characters are described as charming, with bold designs and sincere dialogue, while the mature yet wholesome art style and writing provide a refreshing take on the visual novel genre.
- “The soundtrack is relaxing to listen to while you play and it fits the atmosphere perfectly, especially for the more emotional and wholesome moments.”
- “All of the characters are charming in their own way, from their bold designs to their heartfelt dialogue.”
- “The game's art style and writing manage to be mature while still maintaining an overall sense of wholesomeness, which is really refreshing to see in visual novels.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The gameplay of "Salting the Earth" is considered unremarkable, especially for players accustomed to more dynamic visual novels that incorporate movement and various mechanics. Overall, it lacks distinctive features that set it apart from other titles in the genre.
- “There's nothing special about the gameplay of salting the earth.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's high replayability, noting that multiple playthroughs are necessary to fully experience all story points. The combination of engaging art and narrative further enhances the incentive to revisit the game.
- “This does mean you'll have to replay this game a fair bit to get all the story points, but replayability is what a good game is all about.”
- “Awesome art, story, and high replayability.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is enhanced by a relaxing soundtrack that complements the game's emotional and wholesome moments, creating an immersive experience for players.
- “The soundtrack is relaxing to listen to while you play, and it fits the atmosphere perfectly, especially for the more emotional and wholesome moments.”