Rating: 8/10
This week, I played Slay the Princess with a friend! Having company was great because I am a huge scaredy-cat, so the content warning at the beginning was unsettling ;-; It was nice to have someone to discuss choices and events with, and more generally, a companion to rely on during scary scenes.
As a quick recap, Slay the Princess is a horror visual novel released in 2023. It begins with an unnamed protagonist in the middle of a forest, who is tasked by an offscreen narrator to slay a princess imprisoned in a secluded cabin nearby. The narrator states that the princess is a threat to the world, but doesn’t answer much more than that. As the player, we get a variety of different choices to choose from and they decide one of the endings that we get.
[chapter 1: setting in the beginning + character choices]
I did not read up or watch anything about this game prior to playing, so I went in totally blind, with no expectations whatsoever. I was super surprised to see the story progressing so fast, we were in the dungeon, talking to the princess right off the bat, and then I also died right away? I was even more surprised when I reincarnated and began the story again, with the princess remembering the last time I visited, yet the narrator was acting clueless and repeating the same script. The princess also looked more monster-like this second time around, with ears that she didn’t have before. This time loop aspect of the game definitely threw me off, but in a good way :0
[first entering the spooky basement where princess is held ooo]
There was also a strange moment when I realized the voice of the hero was not our voice, as the voice of the hero would converse on its own volition with the narrator, and there was even a time where the voice of the hero would speak directly to us? It was weird coming to the realization that us + the narrator weren’t the only ones in the woods, that there was one additional person with us… And also that if we aren’t the hero, who exactly is this main character that we are playing as? There was also a moment when we could see our reflection, and we had scaly, lizard-like claws. Very interesting….my short play through of the game left me with many many questions……
Of course, how can I play a visual novel game without commenting on the visuals … I found the black-and-white, hand-drawn graphics very appealing, and it really complimented the storyline’s mysterious atmosphere. The voice acting was also excellent, especially the princess’s, and I felt like I was watching a movie. I am not very familiar with visual novels, but this game + Ace Attorney makes me eager to play more.
Unfortunately, I was only able to play the short demo version, but I would definitely consider purchasing to explore the other endings and choices. When I did look up this game, I found some pretty crazy images, so I am curious to learn more about the storyline and answer all the questions that I have.
Overall, Slay the Princess has a unique concept that I enjoyed engaging with. I was honestly more confused than scared, although it was pretty scary. I would be open to playing more 😀
Your experience with Slay the Princess sounds fascinating, Tracy! I love how you described the game’s eerie atmosphere and intriguing storyline. The time loop mechanic and evolving interactions with the princess definitely seem like they add a compelling twist. The black-and-white, hand-drawn graphics and excellent voice acting seem to really enhance the experience, making it immersive and captivating. Your reflections on the game’s ability to keep you engaged despite your usual aversion to scary content are especially interesting. It’s great to hear that it sparked your interest in visual novels! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Tracy,
I went into Slay the Princess thinking that it would be much scarier than it actually turned out to be. I was able to play the full version and the voices are thoughts you accumulate everytime you die! I think that the visuals definitely complemented the game’s premise and style and I also really liked the voice acting!
Hi Tracy!
I was just like you where I also dove in headfirst, without actually knowing what the game was about. I had heard that the game was classified as a horror visual novel as well, and as a fellow scaredy cat, I was bracing myself for a not-so-enjoyable ride with the game. However, I was also pleasantly surprised since the voice-acting and narrative was so silly at times. I agree that this game was really fun to play as a visual novel, and really makes me want to play more of them!