Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity

Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity is a dark action-adventure game created by Steve Gal and published by Pugware. Released on Steam in 2016, it serves as the first entry in the Skautfold series and introduces players to a grim alternate history setting steeped in gothic horror and cosmic mystery. The game combines 2D exploration with deliberate combat mechanics inspired by Souls-like design, while its narrative borrows heavily from Lovecraftian themes of madness, hidden knowledge, and humanity’s vulnerability when confronted with forces beyond comprehension. Though modest in scale compared to larger action games, it attempts to craft an atmospheric and challenging experience built around exploration and survival. The story takes place in an alternate version of 19th-century Britain within a fictional empire known as the Angelic Empire of Britannia. Players assume the role of a royal emissary dispatched to investigate Berelai Manor, a once-prestigious estate now surrounded by an unnatural fog and plagued by rumors of madness and violence. Reports indicate that the manor’s inhabitants have succumbed to strange behavior, and communication with the outside world has ceased entirely. What b…

Skautfold : Shrouded in Sanity is a short, isometric soulslike that doesn’t give off a great first impression, though I admittedly warmed to its somewhat obtuse mechanics after I began to finally understand how it’s meant to be played. From what I managed to glean from the fairly sparse story you are Elisabeth, raised from death by the mysterious Waltham and tasked with killing a King who has massacred most of his subjects to summon an impenetrable fog; a fog that is now warping the rooms of his manor into something far more nightmarish. The way to the King is blocked by four of his Knights that you can tackle in any order, with the possibility of either sparing or killing them once they are defeated in combat. Speaking of combat, it’s a fairly simple affair. You can dodge and block in typical soulslike fashion, and also parry certain attacks with your trusty pistol that, when timed just right, opens up the enemy for a massive riposte attack, à la Bloodborne. Don’t go looking for any other weapons, however, your trusty pistol and cane are all you’ll be using throughout your three-to-five-hour playthrough. Enemy variety is fairly slim, though I appreciated that each type h…

Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity is a good game with some issues that could easily be fixed. Presentation is nice, gameplay is tight and the story is interesting. The game wears its inspiration on its sleeve, it's basically 2.5D Bloodbourne. If that sounds like your thing, then you'll like it. There were a couple of issues I found with the game. When collecting blood, if their corpse is next to a door, you won't be able to get it. You can't roll while sprinting or perform heavy attacks. Other than that, its a short, decent experience.

A fun little action souls like, slightly janky, but it's a 10 year old title at this point. I would get it on a sale!

It's very janky, combat is too simple with terrible hitboxes but it won me over in the end, and I'm currently going down the Skautfold series rabbit hole. There's a free version too, so anyone can assess their jank resistance without having a buyer's remorse debuff.

A real hidden gem in the Souls-Like genre. Skautfold is a short, approachable game that's perfect for any fans of Bloodborne. I initially thought the MC was a white-haired anime boy twink, but it turns out it's actually a woman?? Damn.