Narrative games are great–usually using still images and simple animations to convey a story. And while they’re very commonplace as far as games go, there are stand out examples. 2023’s Slay the Princess turns out to be an exceptional take on the narrative game–one that subverts expectations and is as absurd as it is grotesque. At least, that’s what I was getting from snippets of reviews and user impressions coming into this review. I didn’t want spoilers, but it’s nice to get an idea of why something has Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam
Slay the Princess’s story unfolds based on your decisions, but also on what you believe. If you insist the princess is dead in the opening scenario, and you accept your fate then you succeed. But in Slay The Princess the more you buck and fight and try to outsmart your fate, the worse it gets for you. At least those were my initial impressions.
But Slay the Princess is like a narrative onion with layers of body horror, existential dread and ancient evils. It’s almost like the Stanley Parable in a way, with the game’s reality changing depending on your choices.
Slay the Princess is fully voice acted by two people .Jonathan Sims brings the Narrator to life, as well as the protagonist and any of their–er–alter egos. Nichole Goodnight voices all incarnations of the princess. The entire game is brought to life by their voice acting, as most of the game is depicted in a rudimentary drawn style. While it’s done well, it’s just enough to give you visual cues as to the goings on.
Not only does The Pristine Cut bring additional content for free to those who already own the game, it also brings Slay the Princess onto consoles. For fans of the original; you’re probably clamoring for that new content. I didn’t actually play the original, so I only have the context of what the new stuff is through a handy dandy review guide I was provided–and the excitement of the community. There is a lot of love for this game, and it makes sense.
Slay the Princess resonates so much with its fans because it has a surprising amount to say about the truth of life. Yes, believe it or not, the game where a princess sprouts blades from her body and relentlessly kills you over and over again (as one example) has something to say about what it means to be alive. But I don’t want to spoil too much for those who are uninitiated.
I usually only offer high praise to narrative games that stand out in a significant way, and Slay the Princess is one of those games. It’s a bummer I missed it when it released last year–it was stuck somewhere in a “to-do” pile–but I’m glad it’s getting new life on consoles and new content for its loyal fans. If you’re a fan of narrative horror games, Slay the Princess The Pristine Cut is something special.
A PlayStation 5 key was given to us for the purpose of this review
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