PC Critic Reviews

Slay the Spire 2 can easily feel like a massive DLC expansion, and the current balance is still a bit rough. Even so, the framework and content already on display almost surpass what the original achieved. [Early Access Score = 90]

A firm improvement on its predecessor even at this early stage, Slay the Spire 2's slight twist on its deckbuilding philosophy might not appeal to everyone, but makes for a rewardingly complex alternative. [Early Access Review]

So far the new co-op mode has been more than a little chaotic. [Early Access Review]

Slay The Spire is not a game that sounds very exciting to describe and that’s certainly true of its sequel as well. But once you get a feel for how it works it’s enjoyably addictive in the way only the very best video games are. The early access version isn’t cheap, but the original game can currently be downloaded for just £4.99 on Steam, so if you’re not convinced you can get a good idea for whether you’ll like the sequel from that. [Early Access Review]

Maybe it’s expecting too much for a new Slay the Spire game to recapture the thrill of learning the intricate balance of the original game’s deckbuilding system and turn-based combat. If you’re looking for a sequel that builds on the essential skeleton of its predecessor, Slay the Spire 2 has you covered. And there are enough unlockable trinkets and optional difficulty challenges here to keep aficionados poring through the game’s new challenges for hundreds more hours. But if you already feel like you’ve reached the burnout point with the original Slay the Spire, this sequel might not be new enough to rekindle another long-term randomized love affair. [Early Access Impressions]

Where I think the game has really kept me coming back is how both modes—playing solo or squadding up—have shades of the other. It makes for a weird hodgepodge, this narrative-focused competitive horror shooter thing. I’m into each of those component parts independently, but they really shouldn’t work together. Somehow they do, and I’m dangerously at risk of putting this in my unsustainable live-service rotation. Marathon might have what it takes to stick around for the long run. [Early Access Impressions]

Slay the Spire II isn’t exactly a revolution: the framework of the original remains intact, but there are so many new cards and the new characters are so unique that we’re already completely hooked and frantically searching for ways to “break” the game by finding crazy card combos. The new feature we were most looking forward to was multiplayer: from now on, you can team up with other players to take down monsters. That requires a lot of coordination, especially when playing with three or four people, but wow: it adds a whole new dimension. In case it wasn’t clear: we would have rather played Slay the Spire II than written this piece. Though that’s not entirely true: we think this game is so good that we believe everyone should try it, and we’re happy to recommend it. Your wallet will barely feel it: you can get started for just 25 euros. [Early Access Score = 100]