SEA SALT

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 304 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
SEA SALT Game Cover
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In "Sea Salt," become an Old God summoning a horde of minions to wreak havengeance on defying religious figures and anyone who stands in your way. Command a diverse army of nightmarish creatures, strategically controlling the swarm to surprise and overwhelm enemies using the terrain to your advantage. This action-strategy game empowers you to collect sacrifices and demand retribution from humanity for their denial of your rightful dues.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 304 reviews
gameplay26 positive mentions
stability10 negative mentions
  • Great aesthetic and engaging story with a Lovecraftian theme.
  • Fun gameplay that requires strategy and tactics to manage your horde effectively.
  • Variety of units and apostles to unlock, providing different playstyles and replayability.
  • Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially with pathfinding issues for minions.
  • Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, with some encounters feeling unfair due to enemy mechanics.
  • Some players experience issues with AI behavior, leading to minions getting stuck or targeting the wrong enemies.
  • gameplay85 mentions

    Gameplay in this title is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating AI issues, leading to a blend of fun and annoyance. While the core concept of controlling a horde of Lovecraftian creatures offers unique strategic elements and replayability, many players find the execution marred by pathfinding problems, repetitive tasks, and a lack of depth in build diversity. Overall, the gameplay is simple yet captivating, but it suffers from inconsistencies that can detract from the overall experience.

    • “Simple but fun gameplay and a solid Lovecraftian aesthetic with a simple but good story.”
    • “The gameplay loop is hypnotic.”
    • “The gameplay is fair.”
    • “The quality of life and some gameplay issues are problematic, like the cultists targeting walls instead of enemies, which means you have to clear the walls out first, potentially screwing up an encounter later in the room. Additionally, the swarm alerts literally every other encounter in the room immediately.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive with uneven difficulty spikes, making it hard to enjoy, let alone recommend.”
    • “The immediate problem with horde mechanics is that there's no target selection, causing your horde to attack wooden barriers when there's a shotgunner in their face, and the AI pathfinding is atrocious, especially in tight spaces.”
  • story59 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its engaging and unique narrative, particularly its Lovecraftian elements and humor, while others find it forgettable or simplistic. The storytelling is often delivered through short cutscenes and lore cards, which some appreciate for their flavor, but others feel detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as enjoyable but not particularly deep, making it suitable for casual play rather than a lengthy, immersive experience.

    • “The story is also quite enjoyable, with a nice snappy pace that keeps you engaged with what's happening.”
    • “You choose a character each stage which determines your starting squad and unique mechanics, and you go through a rather unique story of leading swathes of eldritch horrors against a medieval kingdom.”
    • “The atmosphere, the music, and the plot are brilliant for its size.”
    • “The story is rather forgettable, but I had to chuckle here and there.”
    • “I don't really care that much about the story and I understand there are these small cutscenes sandwiched in between fighting sections, but they don't seem to make much of a difference to me, sadly.”
    • “The story itself and the writing style made for interesting cutscenes, but the game itself just isn't engaging enough to warrant the price.”
  • graphics50 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style and effective use of color, creating a unique and immersive Lovecraftian atmosphere. Many reviewers appreciate the aesthetic coherence, with visuals that complement the engaging story and gameplay, although some note technical issues and a lack of depth in game design. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, enhancing the overall experience despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.

    • “The simple charm of the pixelated graphics always makes a game feel nice to play in my opinion. Put them together with the right mix of colors and details, and you've got the perfect hopeless and gothic atmosphere to fit an invasion of horrors from beneath the waters during medieval times.”
    • “The graphics and sounds are amazing, taking full advantage of the pixel art to drag you deep into an elder god-led world.”
    • “Great graphics, great music, and great gameplay so far.”
    • “The muddy visuals and effects make it impossible to reliably track minions; minions die due to poor pathing, minions prioritize based on proximity instead of player targeting, classes lack any kind of direct gameplay action, and the only defensive option against the opposing human swarms is to run away.”
    • “This game has a very polished art style but absolutely no sense of game design and was created with no actual technical skill. I want a refund; this game is broken.”
    • “As a PC game, even this cheap, the graphics feel very lazy.”
  • music41 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the Lovecraftian theme, while others find it repetitive and forgettable. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's integration into the gameplay, creating an immersive experience, though some note that it lacks standout moments compared to other game elements. Overall, the music is described as fitting and atmospheric, but it may not leave a lasting impression for all players.

    • “The soundtrack is amazing and the boss fights are awesome.”
    • “The music is immediately engrossing and perfectly sets the theme.”
    • “Great music, the gothic and dark style fits the Cthulhu atmosphere well, and still holds the tension of battle.”
    • “Levels are too long, monsters are not responsive to clunky controls, and the music gets unbearably repetitive and annoying.”
    • “The actual music is a bit lackluster...and the voice acting (if you can call it that) is just horrible.”
    • “-music is fitting, but too repetitive and forgettable.”
  • atmosphere22 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its effective blend of gothic charm, pixel art, and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the Lovecraftian themes. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a hopeless yet engaging environment, with detailed visuals and sound design that immerse players in its dark, comedic, and sometimes frustrating world. Despite some gameplay issues, the overall ambiance is considered a standout feature, making it a memorable experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The simple charm of the pixelated graphics always makes a game feel nice to play, and when combined with the right mix of colors and details, you've got the perfect hopeless and gothic atmosphere to fit an invasion of horrors from beneath the waters during medieval times.”
    • “I understand that the Lovecraft theme is kind of cliché and there are way too many games that exploit it already, but in this one, the developers do a good job recreating the old-fashioned atmosphere from Lovecraft's books while also not taking it too seriously and adding some humor and fun as well.”
    • “The game most certainly lives up to the hype I felt, and it continues to impress from the moment it boots up; seriously, just linger on the start menu and listen to the sounds; it builds the atmosphere so well.”
    • “The soundtrack won't particularly catch your attention when compared with the other elements of the game, meaning the soundtrack perfectly fits the atmosphere and theme; both the music and sound effects just blend in during gameplay.”
    • “Great music; the gothic and dark style fits the Cthulhu atmosphere well and still holds the tension of battle.”
    • “The game most certainly lives up to the hype I felt, and it continues to impress from the moment it boots up. Seriously, just linger on the start menu and listen to the sounds; it builds the atmosphere so well.”
  • replayability15 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through various mechanics, including multiple minion choices, unlockable apostles, and branching paths that encourage players to explore different strategies and experiences. Players can engage in different modes, such as arena challenges, and the need to replay levels to access missed content enhances the overall replay value. While some reviews note the game is relatively short, the diversity in gameplay options and unlockable content keeps players coming back for more.

    • “I love this game, really cool secrets to find, great pixel art, fun mechanics, and a good amount of replayability.”
    • “There are numerous choices of minions to use in your swarm and you can even choose an apostle to bless your swarm with different buffs and mechanics, so you can enjoy a lot of replayability, trying all the different strategies and see which is more voracious and horror-inducing.”
    • “The choice of apostle at the start of a mission makes the experience vastly different, and highly replayable.”
    • “Has a decent amount of replay value as well, but is slightly short.”
    • “There's a ton of replay value here as well, as between many levels you're given branching paths with no way to return and check out the other side, meaning entire areas as well as boss fights are left to explore even after your first playthrough. When I finished the game, I recalled an earlier cutscene showing some of the enemies I'd eventually have to face and realized I missed about half of them! There are also arenas to unlock as you progress - sort of like endurance runs to see how far you get - which also count towards your overall progress of unlocking more apostates (your effigy in-game that determines your bonuses or unit preferences) and achievements, if you care about that sort of thing.”
    • “Bit short but quite replayable with hard mode, arena, and all the possible horde setups.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dark and whimsical elements, featuring funny character designs and writing that often embraces a tongue-in-cheek approach to its Lovecraftian themes. While some players appreciate the comedic undertones and absurdity, others may find the humor off-putting, particularly due to its dark nature and the potential for unsettling scenarios. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay, appealing to those with a taste for quirky, macabre comedy.

    • “Otherwise, the game is very funny with the characters and has nice gameplay.”
    • “Plus, it is funny in a dark and silly/cute sort of way... don't forget to devour everything...”
    • “I understand that the Lovecraft theme is kind of cliché and there are way too many games that exploit it already, but in this one, the developers do a good job recreating this old-fashioned atmosphere from Lovecraft's books while also not taking it too seriously and adding some humor and fun as well.”
  • stability11 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and AI issues that detract from the overall experience. Players have noted frustrating gameplay due to these technical problems, including crashes and unresponsive units, which overshadow the game's charm and graphics. While some users have found it polished and enjoyable, the consensus leans towards a lack of stability that significantly impacts playability.

    • “It's very polished, bug-free, and is a concept of a game I always dreamed of!”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches, making for a seamless experience.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it allows me to fully immerse myself in the world.”
    • “There is a framework for the whole game here, kind of, but the sheer amount of bugs, glitches, and the unrealistically frustrating gameplay shows that there was love at the start, then the dev just quit on it and posted it anyway for money.”
    • “It's buggy, repetitive, not fun, and feels like a waste of time when something offscreen deletes your army in one fell swoop.”
    • “The game also frequently crashes and freezes.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; while some appreciate the lack of painful grinding and find it fun, others feel that the repetitive nature of certain tasks can become tedious and underutilized, missing the potential for more engaging gameplay.

    • “The game in itself is kind of tedious and not hard, but fun for what it wants to accomplish.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “'Move and attack' is okay, but it ends up feeling tedious; it's a missed opportunity to not do more with such a cool concept.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to a frustrating experience for players despite their appreciation for its Lovecraftian-inspired real-time strategy elements.

    • “The game is poorly optimized.”
    • “I love this game, I love the Lovecraftian-inspired real-time strategy, but this game is horribly optimized.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The game delivers a heartfelt and wholesome life lesson centered on the importance of listening to wisdom from elder figures, evoking a strong emotional connection with players.

    • “A good, wholesome life lesson about listening to your elder god.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
8-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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