Slay the Spire

PSLX

7Full Release

What this is

A run-based card strategy game built around route choices, deck refinement, and risky adaptation.

What you actually do

You choose cards, remove weak options, collect relics, manage resources, and plan turns around visible enemy intentions. Each run tests how flexibly you adapt your deck and route to uncertain rewards, with failure sending you back to the start.

Verdict

Deckbuilding Under Uncertainty

Slay the Spire turns each climb into a compact strategy puzzle, asking you to build a deck, read enemy intentions, and adapt to imperfect options. Its main caveat is that randomness and punishing setbacks can make losses feel outside your control.

User reviews first

Steam recent first

Is it for you?

What shines

Deep card and relic synergies
Distinct character playstyles
Transparent enemy intentions
Strong balance and strategic depth
Highly replayable run structure
Powerful combo discovery

What to know

Random rewards can derail builds
Some losses feel luck-driven
Runs can feel repetitive
Difficult learning curve
Occasional crashes and launch issues

Quick facts

Genre

Roguelike DeckbuilderCard Game

View

Side view

Solo

Co-op

PvP

Length

12h

Entry

Can start here

Pricing

Paid

MTX

Account required

Active Support

Crossplay

+Best if

You like experimenting with card and relic combinations, then refining your decisions across repeated runs.

!Skip it if

Random draws and run resets make strategic losses feel frustrating rather than interesting.

Developer

Mega Crit Games

Publisher

Mega Crit

Release

Jan 23, 2019

Game DNA

Rhythm

Slow pace

Depth

Deep & complex

Mood

ChallengingImmersiveCreative

Look & sound

2DGreat Soundtrack

Also tagged

DeckbuildingTurn-BasedStrategy

topic

Your role and how it develops

Your role

You shape a character build, choose routes, manage resources, and make the tactical decisions that determine whether each run survives.

Learning and mastery

The basic rules are approachable, but effective deckbuilding and survival take sustained practice.

Replay and variation

Very high, driven by changing routes, rewards, encounters, and build possibilities.

Systems you interact with

What you actually engage with

Card drafting

Choose new cards from changing rewards to shape your deck.

Deck refinement

Add, remove, and balance cards so draws support your plan.

Turn-based combat

Spend cards and resources while responding to visible enemy intentions.

Relics

Collect persistent modifiers that create new strategic combinations.

Route planning

Select paths that trade safety, rewards, and risk.

Character builds

Use distinct card pools and play patterns for different characters.

Run progression

Unlock further options while learning from failed attempts.

topic

Time investment

How long it takes

HowLongToBeat

Main story

focused run

12h

Main + extras

story and side content

47h

Completionist

full clear

188h

Session fit

What the time commitment feels like

When it clicks

Expect a learning-focused opening as you discover how cards, relics, routes, and enemy intentions interact.

Session constraints

A failed run resets progress, and difficult draws or encounters can force repeated attempts.

Best session rhythm

Its self-contained runs suit focused sessions, with natural stopping points between encounters.

DLC timing

No timing guidance for extra content is available yet.

topic

Review interpretation

Current mood

Players remain highly enthusiastic, especially about the deep deckbuilding, distinct characters, and addictive replayability.

Why it works

Its approachable card systems open into deep strategic decisions, with varied runs and character playstyles that keep players experimenting. Critics likewise praise the precise genre blend and satisfying depth.

Critic gap

Critics emphasize balanced strategy and replayable variety, while some players feel harsh randomness can overpower decision-making and make losses feel undeserved.

What players value

Deckbuilding depth and card synergy

high

Players praise the accessible foundation, powerful combinations, and substantial strategic depth.

Replayability and run variety

high

Different characters, builds, maps, cards, and enemies make runs feel fresh and encourage repeated play.

Distinct character playstyles

medium

Players highlight the different ways the characters play and the range of build options available.

Addictive one-more-run appeal

high

Players repeatedly describe the game as highly addictive and difficult to put down.

Evidence-backed risks

Randomness can make outcomes feel outside the player's control

highreviews

Some players say harsh randomness can overshadow strategy, produce unrewarding losses, and limit opportunities to adapt.

High difficulty and repeated failure may frustrate some players

mediumreviews

Some players find the difficulty scaling punishing and lose interest after completing a run or struggling to progress.

Highly addictive loop may lead to playing longer than intended

mediumreviews and critics

Players and critics repeatedly describe the run-based loop as difficult to put down, with a strong pull toward starting one more run.

topic

Minimum PC

Playable baseline

CPU2.0 Ghz

RAM2 GB RAM

GPU1Gb Video Memory, capable of OpenGL 3.0+ support (2.1 with ARB extensions acceptable)

Storage and usability

Disk, language and input

Install1 GB

Download1 GB

Free space1 GB

Languages17 listed

ControllerFull

Accessibility

Verified Steam support

Adjustable text sizeSteam

Custom volume controlsSteam

Playable without timed inputSteam

topic

Support status

Developer activity

Events, not updates

Last game updateNone in recent feed

Last official postJul 17, 2026 · 4 days ago

Updates (12 mo)0

Posts (12 mo)15

CadenceFrequent

SourceSteam

Official Steam news

Slay the Spire

Deckbuilding Under Uncertainty

Is it for you?

What shines

What to know

What you actually engage with

How long it takes

What the time commitment feels like

Current mood

Why it works

Critic gap

Deckbuilding depth and card synergy

Replayability and run variety

Distinct character playstyles

Addictive one-more-run appeal

Randomness can make outcomes feel outside the player's control

High difficulty and repeated failure may frustrate some players

Highly addictive loop may lead to playing longer than intended

Playable baseline

Disk, language and input

Verified Steam support

Developer activity

Latest from the developer

Deal layer comes later