A couple months ago I was introduced to a little deckbuilding rogue-like called Slay the Spire. At first I was interested because I normally hate deckbuilders: I find them micromanagey and given the opportunity I usually just hoarde cards. I tried Yugioh Duel Links but wasn’t captivated. I tried Hearthstone as well but it ran so terribly on my laptop I rage quit before I was done the tutorial. I’ve also dabbled with Magic the Gathering’s Duel Decks as a way to play casually it with friends without having to get into a game that doesn’t appeal to me. But Slay the Spire feels different.

Instead of playing as an omniscient duelist, there are two characters (with a third just released!) that are individually sent on a mission to, well, slay the spire. The game play starts with you selecting your character, and receiving a blessing from an NPC named Neow. Not much is known about Neow, and she doesn’t reappear in the story, but her reason for being can be inferred from rare in game events.

From then on, your character can collect cards, potions and relics which can be played or can buff the player’s playstyle. The concept itself is simple: traverse a map, fight minor enemies and mini-bosses before a boss battle, experience random events, and amass a deck that can decimate the monsters you encounter. The monsters aren’t players with their own cards, which is quite refreshing. The monsters are just monsters. You are able to see what buffs/debuffs the monster has applied, as well as their intent*. This makes the monsters more predictable, although you may not be in a situation to react accordingly depending on your resource management. Ultimately, I find this style far more enjoyable than playing cards against other cards. I appreciate the characterization.

As well, unlike conventional deck-builders hoarding is not an option. I can hoard for one game, but that might lead to not drawing the cards I need to live through a boss fight. The game resets to the starting point following each win or loss, so no matter what you start with a clean slate. The deck compilation isn’t overwhelming as you acquire cards as you complete stages, giving your end-game deck a unique yet well-established feeling.

But you get it. The game is fun. It pretty much meets the minimum requirements to be a good turn based strategy game. But why is it so good?

My answer to that is simple.

It’s charming.

Let’s be honest, a lot of card based games can get really tiring with their super intense art work that the gameplay itself can get lost in the detail. The card on the right is probably a pretty decent card, but by god is it boring to look at. The overly detailed dark but spookily lit knights/dragons/evil mages is so done to death. Even games I’ve played a lot of and enjoyed can seriously overdo it on the fantasy-realism schtick. It’s not that this type of art is bad or that I don’t like it, it’s just that it feels stale at this point. Give me something fresh!

That is one reason why Slay the Spire seems so charming. It’s art style is somewhat more painterly, relying on shapes and loose shading to create detail and movement. While the game does have to rely on certain stereotypes such as dark earthy hues to represent creepy and neon green to represent toxicity, the art is easy on the eyes. Even though I’ve logged over 100 hours in this game, I don’t feel as though I’ve seen the same art a billion times.

The other big win in the charm department has to do with the fact that you don’t play as a summoner commanding an army of knights and pawns, you’re a character in a story. Although the character never speaks, the enemies and NPCs will speak to the character. Everything from taunts from bosses to witty banter from the NPCs adds personality to the game. That, and being able to make choices that affect the outcome of your character’s path make the game feel much more engaging.

None of this is to say that other games aren’t fun or that they’re inferior- ultimately what matters in a game is that it’s enjoyable. I think Slay the Spire is a big winner on the enjoyment factor, and I think part of its initial appeal and its staying power is its unique aesthetic. Big congratulations to MegaCritic for releasing it’s highly anticipated third character to the game! I can’t wait to see what comes next to the spire!

Slay the Spire is available via Steam and retails for $17.99 CAD. The game is still in early access, however updates are frequent and the quality of life is equal to a full game. A beta version is also available for people like me who like to shorten the time between patches.