We’re playing: Slay the Princess
Warning: This article includes aspects of horror and deep psychological questions that will hurt your brain a bit.
You’re on a path in the woods, and at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is a princess. You are here to slay her. If you do not, it will mean the end of the world… But despite the horrors you will encounter, see it through.
Remember, this is a love story.
Wow, that was very deep. Let’s get to the review.
Slay the Princess is a psychological horror game that revolves around you being directed to slay a princess with no other reason than she will end the world. You are urged on by the mysterious Narrator, whose sole purpose is the death of the princess for some strange reason. Thankfully you are accompanied by a… dual personality? The Voice of the Hero is pretty much the only logical voice in your head… literally. Despite it all, you will have to eventually face the princess… you have no choice in the matter.
The Princess is… a princess. At first. But your decisions are will ultimately impact your interaction with her, starting with probably the most important choice of the entire game, do you pick up the pristine blade that lies at the front… and do you indeed, Slay the Princess? Because if you do, bad things happen… as in world ending events that lead to horror and hasten your eventual demise(s). However, it is in situations like these which can quite possibly lead to love… you just have to die a couple hundred times! The game gives you the illusion of choice as you are forced into a loop of dying and slaying/rescuing/abandoning/locking up the Princess, but each time you die, you get closer to revealing the eventual truth, and the reality of this scenario is more shocking than you might think.
Now for my honest opinion. This game terrified me in more ways than I could have imagined. From the inevitability of social interaction to being subjected to more horrors than a human can possibly think of, this game is a solid 9.5/10 for me. Why? Because you can’t trust anyone. The Narrator says at the start that you have to slay the Princess, not giving you anything beyond that. But even if you trust him and go for the kill, the outcome may be worse than the world’s end. Likewise, if you try and help the Princess, the Narrator will do everything in his power to stop her… even if it means sacrificing your own life. And if you switch allegiances, the outcomes become unpredictable. As in being trapped in a lair with a beast, looped in your own nightmare for eternity and having dinner with a loved one… I know, horrible, right? And every time you die, a new voice joins you. From the obsessive Voice of the Smitten to the die-hard Voice of the Stubborn. They build to the experience, remembering everything that has happened in your past lives, bantering amongst one another and (mostly) hating on the Narrator (which is understandable). They are your key to new actions and dialogue, and with them, try and find a way out of the loop… whilst saving/slaying the Princess along the way.
The visuals within this game are jaw dropping! Everything is sketched out by Black Tabby Games’ professional artist Abby Howards, and her visions are as beautiful as they are often gruesome – from the iconic sprawling forest that you start within, to the ever-changing cabin, to the Princess, to you. (Also, your cursor changes into what your hand is currently doing, which is a cool little detail.)
And we can’t forget the soundtrack. I’ve played a few games over the years, and not many game soundtracks have truly moved me like this (for those keeping score at home, check out the Ori series, Hollow Knight and Helldivers 2 (because patriotism). Slay the Princess’ soundtrack is unique in the fact that it constantly changes depending on what you are doing. Approaching the Princess with peaceful intentions leads to a calming, lullaby-like atmosphere, whilst if your intentions are murder, the music is jittery and tense. And each Princess variant has her own theme, which is the cherry on top for me (if I can actually see it from all the tears of happiness/terror in my eyes and NO I AM NOT CRYING).
So definitely try out Slay the Princess! With a vast variety of endings and dialogue options, this game will give you something to think about…
And keep you up at night.
Thomas C, Year 12