Skautfold: Shrouded In Sanity | PS4

Blended together like a hot take on Lovecraftian horror and the Soulsborne genre, Red Art Game's "Skautfold: Shrouded In Sanity" brings the challenge unapologetically to the player in a masterfully crafted way. As a dug up, and resurrected corpse of no particular name you'll be tasked from the start with killing off certain manor inhabitants via a contract signed with the manor's overseers. Namely the 4 knights that act as the game's bosses. Equipped with a pistol, a katana, and a lantern you must trek through the darkness in the unnerving maze of the Waltham estate as you deal with deadly denizens who are hellbent on ending your quest before it begins. Limited by health, stamina, battery acid for your lantern, and health potions you must brave the odds. In true Soulsborne fashion. Even upon death you will not find reprieve though as the binding contract you signed at the beginning has you eternally bound to the deal you are obligated to fulfill. Death only brings with it psychological affliction which will affect your sanity, and increasingly so. Causing hallucinations, and the appearance of Lovecraftian creatures that will only make your job a hell of a lot harder to complete.

Skautfold is a grind in every sense of the meaning. Much like it's Soulsborne inspiration. As you travel through the maze-like areas of the manor and it's grounds you will face off against formidable lesser foes, and the bosses that are the four knights you are obligated to kill. Harvesting their Vitae and Yth stones as a sort of currency for in-game upgrades. Standing between your character, and certain death is a useful set of skills, and features that will help you extend your playthrough, if played well. At your disposal is a katana sword with light, and heavy slashes. Each of which consume stamina meter to use, respectively. Additionally you'll find the sword itself has varied uses in combat, and offers abilities like parrying, stabbing opportunities, and even evasion attacks or uppercuts when the block or evasion mechanic is applied. Learning the attack patterns of the enemies will help you better utilize these sword skills, and capitalize on the game's dual currency system that is Vitae, and Yth. Vitae being the equivalent of souls in A Soulsborne game, and Yth stones being key items dropped by butler enemies for more permanent upgrades. Upgrades, of course, come from certain characters and stationary markers. Some asking for Vitae, and others for Yth. You can upgrade HP, bullet stock, and HP potion quantity among other things. Should you die along the way you can venture back to that place of early demise, and walk across a gravestone apparition of yourself to recover Vitae that was previously collected.

Apart from sword play the gun, which is a weapon alternative, is as it was in "Bloodborne". It's mostly a long range deterrent that does minimal damage, and relies on bullet stock to fire. Between the sword, and the gun that's pretty much it for offensive options. When it comes to the defensive side of gameplay Skautfold offers a blocking mechanics as well as an evasive roll. These defensive options also depend upon stamina meter, but can offer protection from various attacks that the enemies dish out. Minus projectiles, and magic attacks. With the blocking mechanic you can negate all income melee damage if timed right. You can also parry with a follow-up of the light sword attack. With the evasive roll it's good for dodging enemy attacks, and avoiding surprise floor spikes that will do hefty damage themselves. In tandem with the light slash it can also be used as a dashing slash attack. For kneeling enemies the sword additionally allows for extra bonus damage by stabbing the kneeling enemy with an approaching light sword attack. These are all of your options when it comes to offense, and defense. One more thing worth noting is the inclusion of a lantern for better visibility in the game's dark world. The lantern lights up the forward facing view of the played character, but relies on battery acid stock that ticks away over time. While it's useful it's not really necessary as there is a dim halo of light naturally surrounding the protagonist, and it shows enough of the playing field as to not obscure anything of importance.

When it comes to modes of play, and bonus features Skautfold has it's fair share. It features a '4 Knights' wherein you get to play as and control the four knight bosses. Their attacks intact, and ready to use. Additionally the game offers multiple endings depending upon sanity status, and supposing your sanity is maxed you can see the true ending after facing off against the game's secret boss. Along with that there's a 'New Game+" which will see all your upgrades carried over, and the enemies more challenging to deal with. Last but not least there are a couple of secret modes that act as the game's enemy gauntlet challenge, and an all out enemy arena where survival is the goal. In the gauntlet-like mode you will face off against mobs of lesser enemies in challenging groups that get progressively more difficult to defeat. It's good for farming Yth. In the arena style mode they through everything plus the kitchen sink at you. You're put in the middle of bosses, and lesser enemies, and have to figure out a way to deal with them all at the same time. No easy undertaking there.

The Verdict ...

I like Skautfold. In fact I may have fallen in love with it. It feels a lot more doable than most Soulsborne games, and isn't as off putting. Sure, it takes some inspiration from Soulsborne games, but functionally it's, it's own beast with the sanity feature at play. Combat flows without a hitch. It's more fast and frenetic than most Soulsborne games as well, and it is visually outstanding from those titles. It is an isometric pixel painted indie game that is nicely animated, and accented by the absence of a music soundtrack, and the presence of all sorts of horrific sound effects set against eerie silence. As a full package you get your moneys worth. With the new game plus you also get some replay value though the challenge does tend to decline the more playthroughs you do due to the maxing out of upgrades. Even so it's a good game for what it is, and in that respect it earns my enthusiastic approval! I found it inviting yet challenging. A Soulsborne adventure of the indie kind that takes a tried, and true formula and makes it it's own.