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Dishwasher and Charlie Murder dev reveals PlayStation-exclusive Salt and Sanctuary

Combines "fast, precise 2D combat and super strategic RPG depth".

After making violent, gothic arcade action games like The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile and Charlie Murder on Xbox 360, two-person developer Ska Studios is now making a violent, gothic arcade action game on PlayStation with the PS4 and vita-exclusive Salt and Sanctuary.

Silva cites Castlevania and the Souls series as influences. Both can be seen, but Ska definitely infuses these with its own punk sensibility.

As revealed on the PlayStation Blog by Ska founder James Silva, Salt and Sanctuary will follow in the footsteps of the Dishwasher series with its emphasis on stylish, fast-paced combat, only this will have a lot more depth.

Taking a page from Souls series' playbook, how you equip your character greatly influences how you move. "Weapons can be one-handed and paired with shields or offhand crossbows for versatility, or wielded two-handed for added power, and every configuration has its own unique move-set," Silva explained. "There are staffs for magic, bows for ranged combat, and belt-slotted consumables like throwing daggers and weapon-buffing Pitchfire. Of course, load-out weight affects your movement, rolling speed and stamina regen, so a good balance of defense and agility is key."

"Basically, it combines two things we love: fast, precise 2D combat and super strategic RPG depth," he added. "Also, there are curb stomps."

The game puts players in the role of a shipwrecked sailor on a hellish island where other castaways band together in shelters to take refuge from the perpetual war outside.

Salt and Sanctuary isn't due until next year, but in the meantime have a look at its brutal combat in its debut trailer below.

Watch on YouTube

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