Every once in a while there comes an indie game that defies the status quo and can’t be easily categorized. It may completely shatter genre conventions and will typically divide gamers trying to figure out if it’s a brilliant work of art or if it’s pretentious junk. Slay the Princess is one such example that confounds yet compels, inviting the player to go deeper into its mysteries.
The core game relies entirely on text and illustrations, like a Western take on a visual novel. It combines meta-narrative and self-awareness of something like The Stanley Parable and the deep decision-making role-playing of Disco Elysium. One thing is for sure: you’re on a path in the woods, and at the end of that path, is a cabin. In the basement of that cabin is a princess and you’re there to slay her. What will you do? Find out in our Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut review!
Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut
Developer: Black Tabby Games
Publisher: Serenity Forge, Black Tabby Games
Platforms: Windows PC, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, (reviewed)
Release Date: October 24, 2024
Price: $17.99
Slay the Princess begins ominously with a pushy narrator confronting every question the player retorts with. No matter what, the narrator insists that the player must follow his instructions and do whatever it takes to murder the chained princess in the cabin’s basement. How hard could it be? She is a waifish girl, chained to a wall, and you can take a knife with you to overpower her. There is no way you can lose, right?
As it turns out, killing this girl won’t be as easy as it seems. In fact, nothing in Slay the Princess is as it seems. This game is steeped in a constant state of doubt and intrigue. Everyone comes off as unreliable and dishonest. Even the player character is not entirely forthcoming and it does not take long to realize that he isn’t human as evidenced by his monstrous, talon-like claws.
As for the Princess, who she is depends entirely on the choices made by the player. The narrator explains that she is going to end the world and players will question the mechanics of the logic. Slay the Princess devilishly anticipates every preconceived notion the player has and tells a story unlike anything else, and it couldn’t be told any other way.
The gameplay, if you can call it that… is as simple as picking choices from a menu. Mechanically, there is nothing Slay the Princess gets wrong because of its bare-bones gameplay. The challenge won’t be in reflexes or problem-solving but in psychology and wits.
There is what can be loosely described as a “lose state”, and there is a defined goal, and to prevent spoilers, the less you know going in, the more enjoyable Slay the Princess becomes. The most appealing aspect of the story is the profound sense of mystery and intrigue that sucks you into the plot’s tendrils.
The protagonist is trapped in a loop and the cycles can vary. Without giving away too much, the routes will depend on choices, and reaching the ultimate goal leans on players being able to profile the princess. Sometimes this can go south while experimenting, but once you know what to say and do, everything becomes clear.
The tone can swing between sardonic and dry humor, to bleakly depressing, and even shocking horror. Slay the Princess will make you feel all kinds of emotions and it is all supported by great voice acting from the two sole performers who show unbelievable range.
The actress who voices the Princess has to portray multiple variations of the character and she’s always convincing. This talent extends to the narrator/protagonist who also has to convey alternate variations and he carries most of the experience.
On top of the superb performances for every line of text is Abby Howard’s art. The muted, pencil sketches embody the identity of Slay the Princess and it would be impossible to imagine the game without it. Some utterly brutal illustrations will catch you off guard. Abby also has a great eye for body horror imagery, as well as composition and expression which veers into harrowing agony.
There is some animation peppered throughout but it’s kept to a minimum. The line work has a little bit of a jitter to it that adds an extra manic energy to the atmosphere. Red pops and has an incredibly dramatic effect when it appears… usually because it depicts some gruesomely visceral gore.
Slay the Princess offers a lot more replay value than one would initially assume. Getting to the end can take about five hours, but experiencing every route can take upwards of ten hours.
Getting through previously experienced sequences is fast and painless. There is an option to auto-skip all previously read text which is very forward-thinking and convenient. Getting to other routes becomes snappy and time is never wasted.
Anyone interested in a story-driven adventure that spits in the face of genre conventions will find a lot to like about Slay the Princess. It has hours of impressive and entertaining voice acting supported by a very strong script.
You’ll be shocked, you’ll cry, and you’ll wonder why. The text-based gameplay will be a hurdle for some gamers to accept, but any gamer with an open mind and willingness to explore will be swept up in the story in Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut.
Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut was reviewed on an Xbox Series S using a code provided by Serenity Forge. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut is now available for Windows PC (via Steam), Linux, macOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
