I really only got into the original Slay the Spire this year. I downloaded it on my phone as part of Apple Arcade and proceeded to ignore everything around for me for long stretches as I conquered the spire using my favorite orby boy “The Defect”. Since then, Apple Arcade ran out, but Mega Crit recently launched Slay the Spire II into early access. It has since become both my commute and bedtime game and I might be even more addicted to this version.
The progression system feels like the thing that has gotten the best facelift in Slay the Spire II. It really feels like I am making progress a lot faster after every run as your unlocks are not solely tied to gaining exp this time around. Progressing through the various acts as each character can also unlock new relics, cards, potions, and locations. While I think ‘The Defect” remains my favorite character, I really enjoy newcomer “The Necrobinder” as well. His giant hand companion “Osty” is a lot of fun and feels very fresh to the deck-building formula.
There are still a few early access rough edges here (some of the unlock icons look like they were drawn in MS Paint), but I’m sill driven to play because it is so addictive to just keep doing runs. I’m looking forward to seeing what gets added as early access continues!
