The horror game “Slay the Princess” has taken Steam by storm. The excitement is great – but the creepy game is definitely not for everyone.
Even the trailer fascinated me back then and this enthusiasm doesn’t seem to have been in vain. Now, just a few days after the release of “Slay the Princess”, the title has received an impressive 97% positive reviews on Steam. That’s already a rarity for horror titles – but even more so for a black and white game.
What is Slay the Princess about? The story of “Slay the Princess” is easy to summarize, as the narrator starts with the beginning of the game:
You are on a path in the woods. And at the end of the path is a small house. And in the basement of this house is a princess.
You are here to slay her. If you do not, it means the end of the world.
A warning before you proceed.
She will lie, she will deceive, and she will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying her. Do not believe a single word she says.
From then on, the next steps are entirely in the hands of the players.
What does the gameplay look like? If you expect action-packed gameplay from Slay the Princess, you are clearly at the wrong address. At its core, the horror game is a text adventure, where you take influence on its course with your decisions. Depending on which answer options and their associated consequences you choose, the progression of the story can be drastically different.
In this regard, the developers have certainly thought of curious options. You can simply turn around and abandon your mission, even if the narrator regrets it.
Interestingly, there are no “wrong” answers that could lead to a premature end. It always goes on – somehow. Sometimes just not in the way you might have hoped.
What makes the horror of Slay the Princess? The horror of Slay the Princess is multifaceted, but broadly speaking, it is psychological or visual in nature – jump scares are largely avoided.
If you are interested in more details, you can read them in the spoiler box:
Spoilers about the plot and horror of Slay The Princess
The horror in Slay the Princess consists of several things. On the one hand, it initially creates an uncomfortable feeling to be expected to slay a seemingly defenseless, captive princess. At the same time, the narrator is directly suspicious – because he not only tells the story but also converses with the hero.
Sooner or later, every story ends. Either with the death of the princess or your own – or in some other interesting way. But after that, the story is not over. You start your journey again, and the number of voices has increased. If you have died, you no longer hear only the words of the narrator and the hero, but also those of the “Broken”. If you killed the princess without questioning, “The Cold-hearted” joins in instead.
This way, more and more voices join in, all of which actually belong to the hero and each bring with them very different intentions and motivations.
However, the representation of the princess is also disturbing. Depending on what you do with her, she appears differently in future runs. If you kill her directly, she becomes a ghost and later transforms into a dark, zombie-like being that wants to seize your soul. But if you give in to the princess, she evolves into a godlike being that can demand obedience merely through her words.
Especially the various, drawn (and often animated) representations of the princess are horrific and oppressive.
It is particularly interesting that the whole game can be played rather “episodically”. You choose a path and see what new options it leads to and how the upcoming runs change. This way, Slay the Princess has very natural “exit points” where you can close the game without feeling like you are stopping right in the middle of an important sequence.
What do others say? Here are some excerpts from the Steam reviews:
- “This is not the game I thought it would be. 11/10, would look in the mirror again.” – PURP
- “The only game that made me pause Baldur’s Gate 3.” – Vamperic_Knight
- “The Stanley Parable of the Dark Souls of Visual Novels.” – Bunnyboulder
There is a little downside, though. Currently, “Slay the Princess” is only available in English – both the fully voiced dialogues and the subtitles. Those who are not proficient in English will hardly enjoy the title – everyone else I can only highly recommend it.
