In Alterstone Kingdom, captured criminals face two choices for their punishment: death or service. Most opt for execution, but a brave few choose to live life in penance as Marked Inquisitors. These wandering wrongdoers hunt wicked Mages, devouring their hearts to prevent them from terrorizing the Kingdom any further. 

Customize a Marked Inquisitor’s crime, look, and class. Choose from one of eight starting classes — Highblade, Paladin, Assassin, Cleric, Dualist, Fighter, Ranger, or Sage — then partake in the Magebane Rite. Imbibe the sacred drink, speak the words, and come away from the rite Spellmarked, in a flux state between life and death. Free from mortal fears, the Inquisitors vow to spill the blood of Mages to put an end to their cruelty. 

Prepare for each excursion at Pardoner’s Vale, a hub filled with friendly Inquisitors. Set out and roam eerie villages, tomb temples, and swamp kingdoms in single player or drop-in drop-out online co-op. Find clues and track down more than 20 types of Mages, including scorching Pyromancers, toxic Venomancers, and abominable Corpumancers. Wield grappling hooks and pursue them, then slay them in brawler-style side scrolling combat. 

Pillage the remains of Mages to craft new equipment with Runic Arts, granting Inquisitors unprecedented new abilities. Search every decrepit corner across multiple maps for powerful melee weapons, deadly ranged weapons, and protective armor and charms. Join multiplayer factions, including the cooperation-focused Dawnlight Order and the player-killing Shroud Alliance.

Ska Studios brings back its signature hand-drawn look, providing each candlelit cave and foggy forest with a personal feel. The expansive Bestiary features more than 100 monsters, many inspired by Scandinavian folklore. James Silva’s haunting score injects a sense of foreboding throughout the entire journey.

Salt and Sacrifice rises to hunt Corrupted Mages on Steam (Deck playable with Verification planned for launch) and Nintendo Switch on November 7, 2023 at $19.99.

A free update, “The Traitor’s Tomb,” will also launch on November 7, available to all Salt and Sacrifice owners on PlayStation 5|4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. 

As Corrupted Mages prowl Altarstone Kingdom and terrorize the realm with horrifying displays of elemental abilities, a collection of conscripted fighters become unlikely champions. Marked Inquisitors, forsaken and condemned souls tasked with hunting Mages as a means of penance, must take up the hunt to both purify the Kingdom and seek redemption.

Select from one of eight character classes, creating a build to suit any and all combat styles. Swing imposing greatswords, roll through enemies before unleashing a flurry of dual-bladed strikes, or sling sorcery while scouring the land for clues leading toward fearsome foes and their wicked magic. Defeat Corrupted Mages and crush their hearts to claim otherworldly flesh and bones to craft into new weapons and armor sets.

Fight through Altarstone Kingdom alone or call upon another Marked Inquisitor for cooperative hunting, with new cross-play support added alongside the upcoming launch. Join myriad factions suited to both PvE and PvP engagements, like the Shroud Alliance, a group dedicated to invading other Inquisitors and assassinating them for ill-gotten gains. Explore an interconnected and detailed world full of deadly enemies and hidden secrets either alone or in multiplayer for a challenging action RPG experience.

Dive deeper into the world of Salt and Sacrifice with “The Traitor’s Tomb,” a free update also launching on November 7. Descend into The Heart of Altarstone, a winding dungeon that increases the base game’s map size by 20%. Seek out the truth behind the Marked Inquisition’s long-buried secrets. 

Encounter intriguing NPCs, overcome trials against five new bosses, and collect a wealth of additional armor sets and weapons, like the massive Lawbringer whip-sword. The free update also introduces a new arena mode, allowing daring Inquisitors to test their mettle in 6-player free-for-all PvP matches.

“Since first launching Salt and Sacrifice in 2022, we’ve been hard at work getting the game ready for Steam and Nintendo Switch and preparing “The Traitor’s Tomb” update as a thank you to all of the players who’ve journeyed into Altarstone Kingdom,” said James Silva, founder, Ska Studios. “With the upcoming Steam and Nintendo Switch launch, as well as the free update for all players, we hope that even more Marked Inquisitors heed the call of battle on Wednesday, November 7!”

Death or servitude as a Marked Inquisitor are the only options for criminals unlucky enough to get caught in the act. As a Marked Inquisitor, hunt down mages and devour their hearts to cleanse the corrupted Altarstone Kingdom, but beware of invaders from another world trying to halt the purification process...or invite the player-controlled interlopers to trial by combat.

After creating a Marked Inquisitor’s appearance, class, and past crime, you’ll embark on your cursed hunt, but there’s no sense in suffering alone. Join a variety of factions for multiplayer combat and online interactions. Revealed in a gameplay trailer highlighting Salt and Sacrifice’s multiplayer features are two such factions: the Shroud Alliance, with a focus on pure PvP combat, and the Blueheart Runners, an invading PvE cadre of arcane smugglers who wreak chaos in a host’s realm.

Consume a Guiltless Shard to temporarily disable the Spellmark, strange magic that binds Marked Inquisitors to their Kingdom, opening the world to invaders seeking riches and blood. Although invaders are other players seeking PvP encounters, the magic that binds them provides ample opportunity for balance. Oathbound Watchers are drawn into worlds threatened by invaders to protect their hosts, and Sheriff Inquisitors are summoned to police realms defiled by Blueheart Runners.

Solo players desiring a pure-PvE experience can avoid the threat of otherworldly invaders simply by never summoning an ally. Those seeking friendly cooperation and exploration may use a password system to grant allies easy access to their game world for epic, mage-slaying adventures.

The eight starting classes, Highblade, Paladin, Assassin, Cleric, Dualist, Fighter, Ranger, and Sage, give PvP matchups a wide variety of strategies and depth. Claim victory in the name of multiple factions like the Dawnlight Order or Shroud Alliance. Finish each fight in style with gruesome finishers to rid the realm of your faction’s enemies.

Experiencing the dark tale of Salt and Sacrifice goes beyond a challenging single-player campaign, utilizing fan-favorite mechanics from soulslikes of the past and deadly multiplayer PvP for a gripping journey that never relents.

Currently available for PS4, PS5 and PC (Epic Games Store), Salt And Sacrifice is coming to Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam) on November 7, 2023 at $19.99.