For this week’s game, we played Slay the Princess. Slay the Princess is a horror narrative adventure game published by Black Tabby Game for most PC platforms, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. I was able to play the game alongside Phuc because all of the content warnings were a bit scary and I do not enjoy anything horror related, but to my surprise, it was not scary at all (unless I missed a branch that was scary…).
As context, Slay the Princess starts off with the player in the middle of the woods, and a narrator pushing the player towards a cabin to slay a princess. The player is able to choose from a multitude of responses that affect their actions against the princess, which will lead to various narrative branches with the princess. In the end, the player either dies from the princess a lot or the timeline is reset such that the player must once again go to the basement where the princess is held.
I had never heard of the game before playing it so I was expecting some creepy scenes or freaky jump scares due to the dark nature of the art style, but as I said before, I was pleasantly surprised. The first time we played, we tried to talk to the princess before trying to kill her, but then we were killed ourselves. Then, we got trapped in a cycle of dying to the princess, with more and more internal dialogue until the player silenced all voices and was able to slay the princess while also dying. At that point, I realized that this game is a branching narrative type game, which I found made it much more fun due to the repeatability of the game and the intrigue of all the different narrative points.
I also really enjoyed the hand-drawn art style, and found it able to convey a lot of the princess’ emotions as we progressed through the narrative. When we were talking to each other about the game, Phuc brought up a great point where the hand-drawn art made a lot of sense as we are basically writing our own narrative based on the choices of replies or actions towards the princess.
Another aspect that was really interesting was the point of the mirror. At the end of all of the narrative branches I played, the mirror shows up and we find that the player is shown to be a monster themselves with no body and just eyes and arms, instead of a hero like they were portrayed to be. Another part of the mirror is that the narrator can’t see the mirror. I have not played too many branches of the game, but my interpretation would be that the mirror is meant to symbolize some form of internal reflection, which is why the narrator cannot see it as he only narrates what is visible in the physical world.
Overall, I would rate this game a 8/10 due to its interest dialogue and fun replayability. I could see myself picking up this game again every once in a while for a change of pace, but these types of games usually aren’t my style since I often avoid dialogue based games. However, I am rating based on the game itself, and I believe it is pretty fun and well made to explore the various narrative branches, providing a new direction in every playthrough.
It’s great to read about your experience with Slay the Princess, Jenny! Your detailed review gives a clear picture of what makes this game unique and engaging. It’s interesting how the game manages to balance its horror narrative with an intriguing, branching storyline that keeps players coming back for more.
Your initial apprehension about the game’s horror elements is relatable, especially for those who aren’t typically fans of the genre. It’s refreshing to hear that the game subverts expectations by focusing more on narrative depth and psychological intrigue rather than traditional horror scares. The hand-drawn art style seems to play a crucial role in conveying emotions and enhancing the storytelling experience, which is a wonderful touch by the developers.
The mirror symbolism you mentioned is fascinating and adds a layer of introspection to the gameplay. It sounds like Slay the Princess encourages players to reflect on their actions and choices, making each playthrough a unique experience. This aspect, along with the game’s replayability and branching narratives, seems to provide a compelling reason to revisit it multiple times.
Your rating and overall positive impression of the game, despite it not typically being your preferred genre, speaks volumes about its quality and appeal. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights! Your review will surely inspire others to give Slay the Princess a try, especially those who appreciate narrative-driven games with a twist.
Jenny!!!!
I really liked your blog post about Slay the Princess. I didn’t really think much about the mirror but I see your point. I think it is rather interesting that we are portrayed as a monster rather than a hero. The branching nature of the game and its weirdness really added to the game’s appeal. Definitely a game I thought was worth exploring more even after the first run!!