“Slay the Spire 2,” the awaited sequel to Mega Crit Studio’s successful indie video game “Slay the Spire,” made it to early access on Steam on Thursday, March 5.
At first glance, “Slay the Spire” and its new sequel might not look the most captivating. It’s a roguelike, which means the player makes their way through a series of generated levels on the way to a final boss, starting off weak but gaining power-ups along the way. If you die, you start back at the beginning, losing all the abilities you earned on your journey.
“Slay the Spire” stands out by being a deck builder. You choose a certain character at the start of each run with their own starting deck and unique traits. The combat is turn-based, and you must battle through different enemies as you climb the “spire,” progressing through three different acts with their own themes, unique challenges and bosses.
The original game fully launched in 2019, and despite having a relatively simple gameplay loop, the depth of the four playable characters and endless possibilities within a run, along with a fleshed-out system of difficulty, gave the title immense replay value for the last seven years. The game had so much to offer that it begged the question of whether a sequel was even necessary — but even the earliest glimpses at “Slay the Spire 2” showed that Mega Crit hada lot more ground they were willing to cover.
One of the most exciting changes to the sequel is with the characters. Three of the four characters from the original return: the brutish knight called the Ironclad, the stealthy, toxin-trained assassin called the Silent and the orb-wielding robot called the Defect.
While all three characters remain the same at their core, they each benefit from new cards and mechanics to navigate the new challenges you’ll face along the way. They all feel familiar, but never the exact same as you climb the spire, and the difference feels more distinct than a simple update would.
More importantly, “Slay the Spire 2” adds two new characters to the mix. There’s the Regent, an orange alien from outer space who sits arrogantly in a floating chair. While most characters in the game require energy as a resource to play their cards, the Regent uses an additional resource system with stars to play more powerful cards. He can also summon a magical sword that you can infuse with more damage to take out dangerous foes.
The other addition is the Necrobinder, a lich who fights out of revenge with her pet skeletal hand, Orly, by her side. When attacked, Orly takes damage before her, giving a temporary shield from danger. But it also forces the player to heal and shield Orly, as he can deliver powerful attacks of his own. The Necrobinder is also proficient with a “Doom” mechanic, which will instantly kill enemies after their turn once their health has lowered to their “Doom” value.
If you have friends who liked “Slay the Spire,” the new multiplayer option is built for you. In “Slay the Spire 2,” up to four players can team up to climb the spire, where you face enemies that have scaled up stats alongside each other. It’s a surprising but well-implemented change for a game that used to exist as a solo escapade.
Another big change is how the game handles each act. In the original, the three main acts had set themes that didn’t change between runs, though they did have different bosses you would have to face to reach the next act. There are now currently two different theme possibilities in Act One, where you might end up navigating the “Overgrowth” with its forest-related enemies or the “Underdock,” which has more of a city sewage theme. While the next two acts do not have alternate level possibilities, it’s something that may come in future updates.
The progression between acts has also changed. Instead of getting a choice of powerful relics after beating a boss, there are now different “Ancients” — powerful deities — at the start of each act with their own array of boons to provide. While the Ancients have up to nine options they can provide, players will receive a random choice between three of them that can drastically change how you approach the rest of the game.
Along with these additions and changes are numerous quality of life changes, inclusions of small quests to complete within runs for rewards and revitalized artwork and animations. The game looks beautiful, and in many ways, more polished than the original already, though some of the later content lacks the detail you’ll find at the start.
If you tried “Slay the Spire” and found it wasn’t for you, “Slay the Spire 2” and its massive content additions might not change your opinion, as the gameplay flow remains largely the same. But if you haven’t played the original, the sequel might be an exciting place to start.
The $25 price tag might feel like a lot for early access, but the sheer amount of content and replay value makes the cost worth it. Considering the original stayed in its early access state for two years, “Slay the Spire 2” could be hanging around in this form (with constant updates) for a while. It will only get better from here, so if you’re a fan, it might be worth buying in now.
Rating: 4.25/5