Part 5 (Jul 2026) · #1 of 2 in that tierWatch the moment (2:23:20)
Slay the Spire 2
- Developed by
- Mega Crit
- Published by
- Mega Crit
$24.99
The iconic roguelike deckbuilder returns. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, and discover relics of immense power in Slay the Spire 2!
Consensus
B71.1/100
Steam players61.2% positiveMixed203,144 reviews
VG Insights estimate ↗≈7.3M copies · ≈$146.9M gross
What creators say
Ranked Mar 2026 · #3 of 3 in that tierListen to the episode
Scored 9.05/10 · tier derived from the score
Ranked May 2026 · #7 of 8 in that tierWatch the moment (0:13:45)
Ranked Mar 2026 · #4 of 9 in that tierListen to the episode
What players say
Mega Crit's sequel to the genre-defining roguelike deckbuilder, adding two new characters, a redesigned Ancients/Epochs structure, and up to 4-player co-op; currently in Steam Early Access.
Slay the Spire 2 launched in Early Access on March 5, 2026 to huge hype, record concurrency and near-universal critic praise (full-marks reviews from outlets such as PCGamesN), and early Steam reviews were glowing about visuals, content volume and co-op. Since then Steam sentiment has slid to Mixed (about 61% positive across roughly 203k reviews), driven by a long run of balance patches that many players feel made enemies, elites and the Act 3 bosses more punishing and less varied, plus review-bombing waves (including heavily negative Simplified Chinese reviews). Even many negative reviewers say the core card game, art and animation are top-notch and that they are leaving thumbs-down only on the current state of balance and direction. The game is still Early Access with no Act 4 announced as of the latest update notes I could read; Mega Crit is teasing big secret features after its September break.
Players love
- The core deckbuilding loop stays as compelling as the original, with many reviewers saying it feels even deeper and more polished
- New art style, animations and game feel are widely called a clear upgrade over Slay the Spire 1
- Up to 4-player co-op that translates the single-player experience well, including multiplayer-specific cards; players use it to play with friends and family
- Large amount of content already in Early Access: two new characters (Regent, Necrobinder), new enemies, bosses, events, lore and music
- Ancients replacing boss relics give three-way choices each act and add build variety
- Epochs/unlock progression and richer events with real risk make runs feel more rewarding and story-connected
- Fair pricing ($24.99, same as the first game) with content updates promised as free rather than DLC
- Steam Workshop mod support, Bestiary and ongoing developer communication
Common complaints
- Repeated patches that nerf strong cards and buff enemies; many long-time fans say each update made runs harder and less fun
- Act 3 third-boss slot has been a flashpoint: the boss was redesigned several times then replaced (Doormaker removed, Aeonglass added), with reviewers saying the fights counter whole archetypes or feel unfinished
- Elites and bosses often feel like raw number checks (block X now, huge HP pools, regen, strength scaling) with less identity than in the first game
- Difficulty is front-loaded and punishing at high Ascension, with little margin for error so runs can end without an obvious lesson learned
- Balance is uneven across characters; some builds feel almost irrelevant against the third boss
- Accessibility gaps: incomplete keyboard navigation, which a disabled player cited as a reason for a negative review
- Some negative reviewers question Mega Crit's Early Access management and direction after rapid boss changes
Can feel tedious
- Long, high-hour grinds through Ascension where build options get narrowed by enemy checks and infinite/engine decks feel forced
- Enemies that chip through block or slam 30+ damage, making many fights feel like the same damage race
- Frequent balance churn means good strategies can be invalidated between patches
- Solo play feeling less fun to some players than co-op after recent changes
- Perceived developer responsiveness to a few high-level streamers rather than casual players
What's unique
- Co-op deckbuilding for up to 4 players inside a Slay the Spire framework
- Ancients: a choice of three rewards at each act's end instead of a single boss relic
- Epochs meta-progression and a stronger lore/story layer than the original
- Two new characters, The Regent and The Necrobinder, alongside returning Ironclad, Silent and Defect
- Rebuilt RNG system meant to decorrelate random elements, and a Bestiary showing enemy moves and animations
- Shift from Unity to Godot after Unity's fee controversy, costing the team around two years of rework
Players want
- Finish Act 4 and the remaining act variants (only Act 1 had multiple variants early on)
- Make elite and boss fights more varied and puzzle-like instead of damage races, and stabilise the Act 3 boss pool
- Rebalance difficulty curve and Ascension scaling so it does not hinge on a strong Act 1 or a 'god run'
- Full keyboard and controller-style navigation/accessibility support
Summarised from Steam reviews and community discussion.
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Tier list Part 5 (2026)
Slay the Spire 2 is the sequel to the game that popularized roguelike deckbuilders, reviewed here while still in early access. He has cleared Ascension 10 with every character and sees it as a proper sequel that refines the original rather than reinventing it. He calls the card design a master class and praises the variety, visuals and multiplayer. His complaints are thin content in places, unfinished art and a disliked meta-progression system. He places it in S, slightly above the first game.
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