TheRetroArcade
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Joined: Feb 2026
The roguelike deckbuilder sequel is an instant hit.
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You never know what's going to happen with sequels to influential indie sensations like Slay the Spire, which inspired a torrent of other roguelike deckbuilders after it released in early access in 2017. Sometimes, the follow-up gets lost in the sea of its own imitators, and doesn't blow up like the first one.
Not this time. Slay the Spire 2 released in early access today, and immediately shot to the top of Steam's top sellers list: It's #1 globally, above Marathon. In the early evening here in North America, it's also fourth right now for concurrent players, with a first-day peak of 177,362.
I put about an hour into it earlier today, and yeah, it immediately got its hooks in me. From what I've seen so far, it is a classic 'more of what you already liked' kind of sequel: Same format, same basic design, but new enemies, new cards and effects, new artifacts, and so on.
One cool new thing I encountered on my first run—which I've paused to write this, I just cleared the second boss—was an egg which I had to hold onto until I got to a campsite, where I could hatch it. My reward was a special card, but even better than that, a cool bird dude who hangs out next to me during battles. I love that dude. I'll die for that dude.
The one really big new feature in Slay the Spire 2 is four-player co-op, and I've been too invested in my current run to investigate it—we'll give it a go soon and report back.
You never know what's going to be a hit these days, but clearly I was wrong to wonder whether Slay the Spire's original audience had moved on. The world wants to slay that spire again. According to Newzoo data, the original Slay the Spire reached a five-year high for monthly active users on Steam in January at 658,000 (in 37 markets), suggesting that loads of players were revisiting the original in anticipation of the sequel.
If you didn't play the original, I think this is a case where you're totally fine to jump into the sequel, and if you fall in love with it, consider playing the first game as well. Slay the Spire 2 is expected to remain in early access for one to two years, but developer Mega Crit says it "already has more content" than the original.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
2026 games: All the upcoming gamesBest PC games:...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
You never know what's going to happen with sequels to influential indie sensations like Slay the Spire, which inspired a torrent of other roguelike deckbuilders after it released in early access in 2017. Sometimes, the follow-up gets lost in the sea of its own imitators, and doesn't blow up like the first one.
Not this time. Slay the Spire 2 released in early access today, and immediately shot to the top of Steam's top sellers list: It's #1 globally, above Marathon. In the early evening here in North America, it's also fourth right now for concurrent players, with a first-day peak of 177,362.
I put about an hour into it earlier today, and yeah, it immediately got its hooks in me. From what I've seen so far, it is a classic 'more of what you already liked' kind of sequel: Same format, same basic design, but new enemies, new cards and effects, new artifacts, and so on.
One cool new thing I encountered on my first run—which I've paused to write this, I just cleared the second boss—was an egg which I had to hold onto until I got to a campsite, where I could hatch it. My reward was a special card, but even better than that, a cool bird dude who hangs out next to me during battles. I love that dude. I'll die for that dude.
The one really big new feature in Slay the Spire 2 is four-player co-op, and I've been too invested in my current run to investigate it—we'll give it a go soon and report back.
You never know what's going to be a hit these days, but clearly I was wrong to wonder whether Slay the Spire's original audience had moved on. The world wants to slay that spire again. According to Newzoo data, the original Slay the Spire reached a five-year high for monthly active users on Steam in January at 658,000 (in 37 markets), suggesting that loads of players were revisiting the original in anticipation of the sequel.
If you didn't play the original, I think this is a case where you're totally fine to jump into the sequel, and if you fall in love with it, consider playing the first game as well. Slay the Spire 2 is expected to remain in early access for one to two years, but developer Mega Crit says it "already has more content" than the original.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
2026 games: All the upcoming gamesBest PC games:...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?