Developer: Mega Crit Games
Publisher: Mega Crit Games
RRP: £19.49 (Gog.com, Humblebundle and Steam)
Released: 23rd January 2019
Available on: Gog.com, Humblebundle and Steam
Played Using: A Xbox One control pad
Approximate game length: 15 hours
You awaken within a grand structure, almost instinctively you know that this is ‘The Spire’, that you are at the base of it and that something within you yearns to make the ascent. You’re dimly aware that you could perhaps leave this place, that there is a world beyond it to explore but such a thought is quickly silenced and replaced with the ever growing desire to climb. And so you do.
Slay the Spire is a roguelite deck building game where in your attempt to climb to the summit you will face many deadly creatures. At the start of the game you have only one class to play as known as the Ironclad, however as you play successive runs more will become available.
Each class has their own starting relic that provides a passive ability, for example the Ironclad heals 6 HP at the end of combat where as ‘The Silent’ (which is another class) draws two additional cards at the start of combat. You will gain more relics as you play through defeating elite enemies and bosses, buying them from the stores you come across or finding them in events (signified with a ’?’).
When you start (or embark as the game calls it) you get to select which room you wish to begin in. You can also look ahead on the map to see what may be your preferred route.
Once you start your run you get to choose which encounter to start with, all of them will be a combat encounter but once that is done you follow a pathway leading from it. You can look head on the map to see what encounters you will face and what paths you can take before you make your choice.
When you enter combat you start with three energy and five cards in your hand. Playing a card will use energy (usually one or two) to play, although some cards cost zero and can be played for free.
The cards themselves have various effects and conditions that apply to them, such as ‘exhaust’. If a card is exhausted its removed from the rest of that combat encounter unless a different card allow you to bring it back.
Some creatures will add cards into your deck that hurt you or just don’t do anything other than take up valuable space within your hand. Thankfully these cards usually only last for that combat. At the end of every combat you get to pick a new card to add to your deck. You also are rewarded with money and occasionally potions that you can use on your combat turn. If the encounter was an elite creature or a boss then you also will get a relic (more on those later).
When you reach a campsite you can either rest which heals 30% of your maximum health or you can upgrade a card which makes it more powerful. Events that ‘usually’ don’t involve combat. Instead you make a choice. Sometimes this choice will be wholly beneficial other times it’ll be a double edged sword.
There are also shops you can encounter, these shops allow you to buy whatever cards they have in stock some potions, relics and the ability to remove a card from your deck.
As you play you’ll accrue relics, these are artefacts that add passive bonuses. Usually these are found by defeating bosses and searching chests, however sometimes you can attain them through a ’?’ event. Or alternatively you can buy some of the weaker ones at a shop.
New cards and relics become unlocked and added into the game world as you play, allowing for greater variance in strategy.
Well according to Steam I’ve played a little over thirty hours of this game and to be honest even though I’ve now completed it I still have the desire to dive back in and see what ridiculous combo’s I can create are. So, yeah I recommend this. It’s a wonderful time sink with a great artstyle.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Nowhere Prophet
Griftlands (currently in Early Access)
Dicey Dungeons
