Is Slay the Spire Worth Playing in 2023?

There are so many deckbuilders around that you’d think that indie game devs were playing 52 card pickup. Today we’re revisiting the game that really kicked off the genre. It’s been out for a while, but does it stand up to the competitors that came after it? Is Slay the Spire worth playing in 2023?

Background

Slay the Spire fits snugly into the current zeitgeist of indie roguelike darlings. Choose a character and start picking cards. Battle your way through a series of randomly generated dungeons. If you’ve played some of the adventure modes in Hearthstone, then you know what to expect. This is another “easy to start, hard to master” game, with plenty of challenging content for players who get engrossed in the gameplay loop. Fair warning, Slay the Spire is 100% gameplay, no story.

What does Slay the Spire do well?

Each class has its own playstyle and plays differently, so you won’t be facerolling with every character each time. You’ll probably find preferred builds for each character, but you aren’t necessarily forced to rush certain cards each time.

Relics and cards are intuitive and it’s easy to connect the dots to construct a strong deck…if you can get all the pieces. There’s a lot of risk/reward balancing so be prepared to make some hard decisions.

What could Slay the Spire do better?

After a few runs, you might feel some deja vu. I recommend mixing it up by playing different characters so that you don’t feel like you’re searching for the same cards every time.

The synergies are obvious with cards in this game, but you’re at the mercy of RNG. There are some definite points of frustration, especially when you don’t get the combo pieces that you need to actually finish out a run. Slay the Spire is a game that encourages you to roll with the punches rather than crafting your master deck. However, that can lead to feedback loops where your decks consistently brick because of what you’ve been offered.

Roguelike vs Roguelite

Personally, I prefer a permanent progression system. During my runs, I frequently found that many fantastic features are gated behind relics that you might not be offered. “Soft reset if you get bad early rolls” doesn’t sit well with me as a gameplay mechanic.

Is Slay the Spire fun?

There’s a definite learning curve, but once you figure out the strategies for each character it’s smooth sailing. System master is heavily rewarded, and it feels good to get all the combo pieces (though arguably it’s commensurately as annoying when you don’t get them on higher Ascension runs).

Is Slay the Spire good value?

How’s your replay tolerance? This game is crafted for players who like to repeatedly throw themselves into the thick of it over and over. While each run is technically different, I can understand how content like Ascension runs could feel same-y. If you’re on the fence, pick it up when it goes on sale. It’s been as low as 7.49 on the eShop.

Is Slay the Spire worth playing in 2023?

It’s still top of the heap (or spire, perhaps) when it comes to roguelike deckbuilders. If you’re new to the format, you should definitely start with the undisputed leader of the pack.

Alternatives

Despite the glut of derivatives, many of them don’t quite live up to the original. If you’re looking for an alternative, you might consider Monster Train or Dicey Dungeons. As much as I hate to recommend it, there are also similar game modes in Hearthstone.

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