Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut

[b]The Narrator[/b]: “You’re on a path on Steam, and at the end of that path is a store page. And at the top of that page is a game. You’re here to buy it. If you don’t, well… let’s just say you’d be missing out on something truly special.” • (Explore) I’ll be missing out on something special? What makes it so unique? [b]The Narrator[/b]: “Oh, where to begin? The masterfully crafted, engaging story echoes a dark fairy tale, twisting familiar themes and tropes into something fresh, unpredictable, fun… and at times, deeply unsettling.” [b]The Narrator[/b]: “Your choices don’t simply dictate a story — they’re reflections of you. And make no mistake, the game remembers. There’s a rich web of perspectives to explore, and the lore unravels piece by piece, daring you to pull the thread.” • (Explore) So, it’s a choice-based game. What’s the appeal? [b]The Narrator[/b]: “If I might clarify, it’s not [i]just[/i] a ‘choice-based game.’ It’s an ever-shifting narrative. The branching paths are vast, leading to wildly different stories, each as enchanting as it is entertaining.” [b]The Narrator[/b]: “Oh, and did I forget to mention that the game is impeccably voice-acted? Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight bring the characters to life with performances that elevate the tension, humor, and horror.” [b]Voice of the Hero[/b]: “So… it’s basically a choice-based game.” [b]The Narrator[/b]: “[i]Sigh[/i]... yes, it is.” • (Explore) You mentioned horror earlier. Is this a scary game? [b]Voice of the Paranoid[/b]: “Oh, it’s [i]definitely[/i] scary. The atmosphere, the tension, the way things… change.” [b]Voice of the Broken[/b]: “It’s heartbreaking. Like watching everything you care about fall apart… piece by piece.” [b]Voice of the Smitten[/b]: “What are you two on about? It is a [i]love[/i] story! A tale of destiny where we fight to save our beloved.” [b]The Narrator[/b]: “[i]Sure, you are[/i]… and in case you didn’t know, the game is perfectly replayable, with countless paths and endings to explore. There are no wrong choices, only fascinating new perspectives to uncover. And remember, every choice you make shapes what comes next... for better or for worse." [b]The Narrator[/b]: “It’s an experience worth revisiting again and again, even if a few moments feel familiar the second time around. And naturally, you’ll want to replay it to hear [i]me[/i] again. After all, who wouldn’t?” • (Explore) Isn’t $17.99 a lot for a game like this? [b]The Narrator[/b]: “Of course not. If anything, it might be too generous for you, especially when it goes on sale. Between this and a mediocre meal, buying this is probably doing you a favor.” • (Explore) What can I expect to see in the game, and how does the story go? [b]The Narrator[/b]: “It’s a secret, but I think you’ll like it. I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun. It’s your story. [i]But[/i] maybe, just maybe, you ought to listen to me in it.” [b]Voice of the Hero[/b]: “Right… and what about the art and music? I think they’re quite nice.” [b]The Narrator[/b]: “How astute. The captivating, beautifully hand-drawn monochrome art makes for splendid visuals to witness throughout your playthrough. And the music always serves its purpose, enriching the moment and heightening the emotion. Oh, and I suppose I should mention the phenomenal narration, too. You wouldn’t want to miss that stroke of brilliance, would you?” [b]The Narrator[/b]: “So, please, I am [i]begging[/i] you to play this game. There are dire consequences if you don’t, so you’d best do your job and listen to me before things go south and you end up regretting not playing it.” • Alright, fine. I guess I’ll try it out. But you better be right about this. [Buy the game.] [b]The Narrator[/b]: “Good. You’re still listening to reason. Maybe the world isn't at stake, but your enjoyment certainly is.”

The true psychological horror is that I can't experience it for the first time again.

Great game. A bit philosophical. Not a horror though, even if some scenes are described in somewhat gruesomee detail. Game will teach you that killing enemy or dying yourself are not the only choices and even these, are perfectly viable. At beginning you can do no wrong, later you likely want to explore routes never taken before. First playthrough is not that long, maybe 4 hours tops. But the game is built in that way, that to play through all the content you need several playthroughs, to still experience new situations. Highly recommended.

absolutely loved this! slay the princess is different from a conventional game.i highly recommend it to anyone who loves "choices matter/multiple endings" games!

This game is like an art piece but It's not my cup of coffee. I don't want to spoil anything but if you're looking for a game that leaves you with a sense of accomplishment this is not it. I don't want to have a small existential crisis after playing a video game when the reason I play video games is to escape the uncertainty and meaninglessness of the real world. I'd recommend the game to anybody that likes this sort of thought provoking and deep game but it just isn't for me. I also applaud the producers for their creativity and vision.

[h1]Dagger of the Mind[/h1] TL;DR: A wonderfully creative horror visual novel with extensive replayability. Has the typical shortcomings of most VNs, so probably won’t convert you if you don’t enjoy the genre.[hr][/hr] Despite being the first game from a small indie developer, [i]Slay the Princess[/i] made a bit of a splash when its demo dropped, featuring beautiful art, great voice acting, and most importantly, a twisted narrative wherein you are instructed by a disembodied voice to seek out a captive princess and slay her. This visual novel is cheeky, disturbing, and ultimately extremely enjoyable. The less said about the plot, the better, but given the setup outlined above it’s obvious that StP has taken notes from [i]The Stanley Parable[/i]. Just as in that game, the narrator is a major character. His voice actor does a terrific job portraying the often-beleaguered storyteller, as well the many facets of your character’s psyche that you’ll meet as the story progresses, giving each a distinct sound and personality. Likewise, the Princess’s actress gives voice to many different versions of her character, and does fantastic work. They’ll be your constant companions, sometimes friendly, often antagonistic, and the writing and voices lift a fairly small project to be more than the sum of its parts. The story is cyclical and highly replayable, as it branches out in myriad directions. Seeing the vastly different permutations on the same situation is really cool, and while the environs are limited, they change to fit the story, leading to tons of unique fullscreen art rendered in a visually-striking style. It’s an enchanting package that only really suffers from the standard drawback of the genre; after a few full playthroughs you’ll see through the mechanics, and at that point it feels like more of a checklist as you attempt to see everything. My recommendation is to stop playing when it starts feeling that way, and revisit it later once the memory is less fresh in your mind. If you enjoy horror stories and either like or are curious about visual novels, this is an easy recommendation. The title is obviously lovingly-crafted, and the story is intriguing with just enough left open to interpretation. I’m excited to see this team’s next project, and glad that this gem found the success it deserves.

Games writing and art style is fantastic. The time loop concept is used very well, but might be a bit much to stomach for a 100%.

> "Do you need time to think about it" > Yes > "Do you need a lot of time to think about it" > Yes > Game did close, thought it was a crash > That's enough for today, go to sleep. > Next day, open the game > "So, was it enough time to think about it" Yoooooooo

A wonderful game filled with love! I'm so glad I've finally gotten around to playing this gem for myself, you can tell a lot of care was put into this little game. With beautiful artwork, and a captivating story of personhood and questioning the self and the nature of your existence, it's no wonder this game is rated so highly! I cannot recommend it enough, and I'm so excited to delve deeper into the other vessel's stories.

Slay the Princess is one of the most beautiful visual novel games I’ve ever played if not the most beautiful. At the time of writing this review, I’ve just reached my first ending, and I’m genuinely impressed. With its blend of sadness and humor, the story carried me through the game in a truly engaging way. The choices you make are tough but always fair, and they have a real impact on how the rest of the story unfolds. And even though you’re constantly torn between right and wrong, you begin to understand other perspectives and how someone else might handle the same decisions differently. Still, the characters’ reactions feel incredibly “real” and emotionally grounded. I wholeheartedly recommend this game. I had a great time playing it, and I’m excited to see what ending I’ll reach next.

This game is... mind blowing. I was a fan of choose your own adventure books as a kid and this is that taken to its zenith. Truly inspiring. I cannot believe the sheer amount of choice, mystery and intrigue that they were able to create with mostly still images and text options. Also, music and voice acting 10/10

Games pretty good, always makes me feel extremely sad after playing though In terms of endings and outcomes everything is very morally grey or dark, very few happy endings in this game, If you play for awhile you realise those aren't even happy endings.

TRULY A MASTERPIECE <3 i adore this game i had so so much fun trying to unlock all of the memories and the story is so fascinating and beautiful and the ARTTTTT !!!! im obsessed 1000% recommend !! <3

This is one of the few truly transcendent video game experiences I've ever had in my entire life. To say it is a great game is doing it a disservice: this is a piece of art as pristine as the blade on the table in the cabin.

I think everyone should play this game, an absolute must. But in the end it's your choice. Will you slay the princess?

Lovely game that managed to make me cry a few times. My criticisms feel like nitpicks and would be a bit spoiler-y, but I really enjoyed the time I spent with it.

slay the princess is one of the best visual novel experiences on the market right now. the manner in which this story is told is so hauntingly beautiful. not a lot of games can properly implement the "your choices matter" aspect in a meaningful way- yet slay the princess executes this flawlessly. you'll definitely be left thinking about this game long after you've beaten it. 10/10

Flowery, poetic language I feel is often judged too harshly, there's so much to love about metaphorical storytelling, and this game is proof of that. The way it doesn't punish you for certain choices while regarding you for others (which btw, has worked really well in other games, no shade), and it instead allows you to make choices, and well... gather perspective is so fun to indulge in. The Pristine Cut is my first time playing this, and I love everything that was added and everything before. A wonderful experience, and I haven't even gotten most of the achievements! Also just want to applaud everyone on the teams, the devs, the voice actors, the musicians and everyone else. You've truly made something special here. <3 Sending off with a final "NYAH!!" >:3c (yes the witch is my fave, god bless lol)

So far, I don't think a game has ever managed to make me feel so empty before, no notes. It's fantastic, but I do feel horrible.

---{Graphics}--- ☑ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ Paint.exe ---{Gameplay}--- ☐ Addictive like heroin ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It‘s just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Starring at walls is better ☐ Just don‘t ---{Player Count}--- ☑ Lock your doors and discord calls ☐ Only solo ☐ Better solo ☐ Play it your way ☐ Better with friends ☐ You need friends ☐ Replace your old friends with new ones ---{Audio}--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ Earrape ---{Audience}--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Average Solitaire Players ---{PC Requirements}--- ☑ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boiiiiii ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{Difficulty}--- ☐ Jank Souls ☑ Just press “A” ☐ Easy ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Difficult ☐ Dark Souls ---{Mindful(less)ness}--- ☐ I don’t remember... ☐ 2 + 2 = who cares ☐ Objectives come and go ☑ Immersion achieved ☐ Some complexity or puzzles ☐ Chess, but on a screen ☐ Might require a Quadratic Formula ---{Grind}--- ☐ Nothing to grind ☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks ☐ Isn't necessary to progress ☐ Average grind level ☑ Too much grind ☐ You‘ll need a second life for grinding ---{Story}--- ☑ It‘ll replace your life ☐ Lovely ☐ Good ☐ Average depends an DLC ☐ Text or Audio floating around ☐ Story? ---{Game Time}--- ☐ To infinity and beyond ☐ Long ☐ Average ☑ Short ☐ Long enough for a cup of tea ☐ I can’t say ---{Price}--- ☐ There is no “price” ☑ Worth the price ☐ If u have some spare money left ☐ Wait for a deal ☐ Not recommended ☐ You could also just burn your money ---{Bugs}--- ☑ Never heard of ☐ Minor bugs ☐ Can get annoying ☐ Hate playing, but can’t stop ☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{Dev Expectations}--- ☐ Expect to hate your developers ☐ Wreck-it Ralph works here ☐ No game support ☐ It just works ☐ HAHA Game go brrrr ☑ Passion project ---{Monetization}--- ☐ Money tree required ☐ Pay2Win ☐ Pay2Play ☐ Cosmetics only ☐ Free if you play enough ☑ One and done

As of the time posting this review, i wanted to say that this game has a special place in my heart with the story writing, gameplay itself, and of course, the most iconic part of it all: choosing your own path. i'm just another consumer of the product, my opinion may not matter much, but i seriously do recommend everyone outside and inside steam to give this game a try. You will NOT be disappointed. This game is the one and only game that ever made me shed a tear........ and made me look at british language from.. a *different perspective* ;P

It's not for everyone. It is not a game for fun as much as a game for thoughts. A bit philosophical but not too hard to grasp. It's an experience beyond good or bad. I'd recommend this to someone who likes finding deeper meaning in stories, and those who enjoys making sense of riddles. In terms of game play and execution it is okay-ish but this surely has its unique place in its genre.

This game is great. The game is incredibly thought provoking. You will have to make moral choices, many uncomfortable, and it brings it to great heights.

Brilliant story building and multiversal strategy

This game has been importent for me only through letsplays for years but I finally got around to playing it myself and just- its so impactful and wonderful and the fact that there are still so many things I genuinely have never seen even after all this time is just really really good. There arent really words for what this game is to me.

I couldn’t trust her but I couldn’t bring myself to hurt her either. Slay the Princess explores themes of doubt, choice, and uncertainty. It’s an intimate and unsettling experience that stays with you long after you finish.

This game is genuinely amazing and I can’t even put into words how much I loved it. No other game like this has ever left me feeling so satisfied. And even though it didn’t take me long to beat it, the ending, specially the good ending, was incredibly heartwarming and satisfying that it left a smile on my face.

Wish i went in completely blind but i think i would have shat myself if i did. Wonderful art and storytelling. My favourite is the witch! You have to click on the gallery and the princess to see everything... I reset mine thinking it was glitching because I had all the princesses not every path within it though... I will not be spending another 20 hours to try get them all back though ahhaha maybe in 5 years

This is one of the most incredible things I've ever experienced. From the art, the writing, the original soundtrack, to the flow of the game, everything is just so pristine and high quality. The story is impeccable and has changed my life and my view of the world. If you are someone who has deep appreciation for philosophical discourse and beautiful art, this game is for you. I highly recommend it to everyone who is willing to engage in such a compelling story. Everyone I've recommended it to so far has loved it and played it multiple times.

Very creative game. Nice dialogue- a lot of the 'characters' were pretty funny. Having fun working on fleshing out the gallery.

This game is amazing! Huge fan of multiple ending games, especially when all your choices DO actually matter. With so many endings it made my playthrough feel unique, something I've always wanted from a game but never quite got. Not like this anyway. 10/10 game!

Simply fantastic. My only gripes with the game are the sheer staggering of achievements required for 100% (there's a lot to see, for good and ill), and the fact that skipping to get to unseen dialogue will not play the audio track for said unseen dialogue. Even while grinding for 100%, the fact that I did it shows how invested I was.

The artwork, the music, the voice actors, the story, the replayability (there is so. many. paths.). This game is amazing.

The alternate endings are so cool and the moral quandaries really get you thinking.

Best Psychological Horror Game ever- it plays with your mind and doesnt let go i`ve watched markipliers video on this and i was absolutely astonished, as a first time playthrough- absolutely magical

phenomenal premise. i don't think it's explored to its potential but the game is decent. though i don't quite understand how a powerpoint presentation can heat the pc up so much

This is one of those games that reminds you why you play games. It's made with an immense amount of heart, plays with deep and thought-provoking themes, has razor-sharp writing, and is fully hand-drawn and voice acted. I've almost completely expunged every piece of content I can from this game, and I'm genuinely sad putting this one away. Disco Elysium meets eldritch horror meets Stanley Parable meets existential dread meets a beautiful love story. Play the damn game, for your sake.

The Story in this game is beautiful , It can make you Laugh, It can make you Cry, It can make you question all your choices at 2 am, depending on your choices , it could be a story of longing, a story of hate, a story of both of you destroying themselves, a story of love, a story of betrayal. This is a love story. Also Being manipulated By Jonathan Sims's voice is a plus!

The game is beautifully done and has interesting dialogue and a wide range of routes and endings. It's a unique masterpiece, definitely recommend if you're a fan of visual novels.

Slay this fucking grimy rotting cock and testicle sack thats leeking with puss and everytime i stroke it flakes of skin fall off

Truly a special game. From the charming art to the beautiful music and the impeccable voice acting to the best choice-based ever changing story, it is truly something, everyone remotely interested should give a chance. It may just amaze you as much as it did myself. It has been a very meaningful, captivating experience to see for the first time - and there is genuinely so many more angles to explore. It's so well made, it's a joy hearing some familiar voicelines again and seeing new things.

Such a unique, and fun story. Definitely go in blind the best you can! The experience is so much better if you dont know anything about the game. Also shoutout to the voice actors for really immersing you in the experience

Loved thus game since the moment I laid eyes on it. It is a story so thoroughly undercut with love that i barely recognized how in my first playthrough, I picked anything that would take me to her sooner. Couldnt even branch out into the newer paths because I just want to see her right away. I love this game.

What a wonderful game. I've just finished my first play through and this game really does tug at your heartstrings. At the end of the day, this is a love story, and I think everyone can relate to a number of the topics that come up through the game. I highly recommend if you're looking for a fantastically story driven game with hard hitting themes about love, heartache, self and change.

This game is absolutely crazy, a perfect story of struggle, love and contractions.

What else can I say, its a good game, a little confusing, but the message is clear. Its a love story

Truly one of the most pleasantly surprising games I've played. With endlessly beautiful art style and feeling-provoking messages, this game is a must play for anyone who enjoys bittersweet stories of the likes of OMORI or Detroit: Become Human, or for those who enjoy (minor amounts of) horror.

Incredibly well written, well voice acted, and the art is really good as well. Very good game.

Narrative Masterpiece. Amazing Art and Voiceacting. One of the few games i have 100% in because I was just that invested. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend.

A master piece in story telling and choices. Fear filled my mind playing this game as i kept walking up that forest path.