Battle the bloody and the bizarre in Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity.

The Skautfold series has been around for a while, but I didn’t learn about it until a few days before getting this review up. It’s the classic story: I’m in a game store, browsing the wares, and I see an enticing looking cover. On the cover are characters that looked like they just walked out of a Castlevania title. They’re surrounded by designs and filigree that lead me to believe that the aforementioned series would serve as some influence. The Skautfolkd: Bloody Pack houses Shrouded in Sanity and Usurper. For this review, we’ll be looking at Shrouded in Sanity.

Shrouded in Sanity is a pixel art game that shows a small budget, a big heart, and a bigger imagination. It’s set in alternate version of Britannia in 1897. A deadly fog has set in the already foggy part of the world, causing people to go insane. You play as a Veimar, a corpse brought back from the dead by the mysterious Waltham. In order to continue living, as well as learn more about your past and why you were gifted this second chance at life, you have to fulfill Waltham’s contract: kill the king that supposedly summoned this otherworldly fog. However, your journey won’t have you going around the city streets. You’re confined to the Berelai Manor where the king is protected by four knights.

In theory, the task is simple: subdue the four knights, gain access to the king, and kill said king to get rid of the fog. However, nothing is ever that easy, especially in a game that combines the in-your-face enemies of an old-school 2D action game, the freedom to fight bosses in any order, and the toughness of a Souls-like. The difficulty level is evident from the start when you’re in the tutorial. The Veimar is equipped with a sword (capable of a variety attacks), a gun, healing injections, and a lantern. The lantern is used to provide much needed light throughout the dark, dismal, and oftentimes unsettling manor. Enemies range from maids, to servants, to butlers, to seamstresses, and others you’d expect to find in a manor. Sadly, they’ve been impacted by the fog and are ready to murder anything that they come across. It doesn’t take long for your Veimar’s health to reach zero. The stamina bar (remember – it’s a Souls-like) means you can’t button mash your way to victory, either. I got killed at least five times during the tutorial. The more you get killed, the more your insanity rises. This leads to some bizarre and twisted occurrences within the manor. The difficulty is no joke.

The introduction was rough, but the setting and atmosphere had me so intrigued that I gritted my teeth and went back for more. Death in Shrouded in Sanity is common, and the good news is that the Vitae (Skautfold’s version of currency) you acquire from enemies can be recovered from the place you perished. Even better news? Vitae isn’t as important as you might think. The only thing I used it for was buying Yth Stones. These precious rocks are also dropped by the butler enemies littered throughout the manor. Using these, you can increase your health, the number of healing vials you can carry, your attack power and more. So, while Vitae can be used to purchase Yth Stones, I’d argue it’s more important to explore the manor and kill the butlers. It’s these same stones that make the difficulty in Shrouded in Sanity go from hairpulling to manageable. I focused on upgrading my healing supplies and my attack power. As a result, I was able to wreck enemies (and the four bosses) about as quick as they wrecked me. Also like Bloodborne, firing your gun at the right time opens up all enemies to a devastating/satisfying attack that takes lovely chunks of health away from them. Patience, persistence, and exploration pay off in this game.

Speaking of exploration, Shrouded in Sanity rewards those that take their time to explore every room in the manor. This game oozes atmosphere that is equal parts bloody, gory, and Lovecraftian. Examining your surroundings uncovers more intel on the fog’s origin and the way things were before the fog set in. You’ll discover gruesome ways people met their end, kinky bondage scenarios, and satanic sigils. All of this and more is packed within the manor. Entering a new room for the first time is scary, but exciting. It’s a shame that the game is so dark. Even with the Veimar’s light source (which is finite, sadly) the game could use some brightness adjustment. Most of the time, there isn’t any music playing. This was a good choice because it adds to the game’s overall vibe. Many of the enemies shriek at the Veimar before they begin their attack. It’s unnerving and I loved it. There is no shame in running away like a coward the first time you see a few of them reeling towards you.

Shrouded in Sanity has secrets, an optional boss, multiple endings, and a New Game Plus. NG+ lets you keep your Yth Stone boosts and increases the difficulty. There’s also a boss rush mode, a survival mode, and an option to play the game as one of the four knight bosses. For a game that can be finished in a matter of hours (and sometimes minutes), there is a hefty amount of variety. Once again, an impulse purchase has proven to be worth the risk. If Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity is a sign of things to come, then consider me all in. Check out this tough title. In the meantime, I’ll be getting ready for the second one included in the Blood Pack.

Overall, 7/10: Don’t let the rough introduction and a questionable control scheme abruptly stop your journey through the Berelai Manor. Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity is short and satisfying.