Slay the Princess Demo Impressions

“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’re here to slay her. If you don’t, it will be the end of the world.”

So says the mysterious voice in your head. Labeled ‘narrator’, this voice guides you through Slay the Princess, providing vague explanations but a firm objective. You must murder what is definitely 100% a princess for the good of the world. Is the narrator trustworthy though? Her royal highness doesn’t seem so bad. Maybe you should talk it out before things get out of control.

As soon as the demo begins, you can tell Slay the Princess by Black Tabby Games is something special. The music from Brandon Boone is beautiful, Abby Howard’s artwork is both lovely yet appropriately disturbing, and the voice acting by both Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight is a treat. The writing pulls it all together, continuously pushing you up the hill to meet the princess.

Mechanically, gameplay is basic. As a visual novel, you progress the story by selecting responses to character or situation prompts. At each story junction, you can attempt to tease out information or change the narrative. What elevates Slay the Princess is strong writing and its twisting tale of cosmic horror. There is a wide variety of dialogue options that lead to branching paths, and the pull to see what awaits around each bend makes for a captivating loop.

Slay the Princess surprised me most by how cleverly playful it is. Cosmic horror story it may be, but the way it unfolds, how it’s written, and the acting from Sims is all very fun. There’s some disturbing moments for sure, but the humor perfectly balances the game. Rarely do you get the opportunity to argue with and blatantly disregard a narrator’s instructions.

This preview is short and tough to write because I believe you should experience Slay the Princess unspoiled. It’s strange and terrific and deserves your attention. The demo is a lot of fun and has seven different endings, so check it out! Then join me in hungrily awaiting the full release.