Slay the Princess: A Nightmarish Odyssey
Josh B.
Over the years, I’ve come to love the genre of video games known as the visual novel. While the gameplay may be simple, pressing “A” for most of your time with it, the content within is something to behold. Visual novels (or VNs) like Monster Prom can make you laugh, Coffee Talk can allow you to sit and enjoy the company of fictional strangers, while others still can shake the foundation of what you believe in. After sinking several hours of time into Slay the Princess, I can safely say that this game sits firmly in that latter camp.
I’ve been following the development of the game since its announcement – as the core tenet of the game’s story fascinated me. Slay the Princess was developed by Black Tabby Games, who, along with Zachary Bennett and Carter Dotson of Stride PR, graciously provided RGN99 with an opportunity to play the game. So, let's immerse ourselves into Slay the Princess.
In Slay the Princess, you are a nameless man tasked with going to a cabin in the woods. There, you’re told to “kill a princess that is held captive in the basement. If you don’t, the world will end”. Or at least, that’s what the game’s Narrator tells you. From the jump, the game flips the traditional narrative of “saving the princess” on its head and does so to great effect. The longer you play, the less sure you are of anything that’s occurred, and who to trust: the Narrator, the Princess, or even yourself. In addition to your own input, other perspectives will often join in, casting doubt on your choices, or trying to reassure you of what you are doing. The more you interact, the more things change with each passing event
The core gameplay loop of Slay the Princess should be familiar to most VN players. A character will speak to you, then you respond with one of a set list of reactions, be it a line of dialogue like a question or an action you can have your character take. Visual Novels are known for having branching paths based on player input, much like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. The game also remembers what paths you take and blacks out any paths you’ve already taken. This is helpful as VNs like this one, can have a lot of repeated dialogue as you work your way toward exhausting all possible options. For accessibility and expedience’s sake, Slay the Princess offers a skip function for those wanting to power through to new content, though I often find myself willingly going through the dialogue fully because the voice acting is just that good.
The Princess - Voiced by Nichole Goodnight
Johnathan Sims plays the game’s Narrator, as well as your own inner monologues, and his superb acting in unrelenting authority, yet frustration at his own powerlessness in the face of the player, rivals that of Kevan Brighting’s work in The Stanley Parable. Sims’ Narrator is both hilarious and unnerving in ways that make you keep coming back to try every possible dialogue option just to hear his reaction. The only other actor on display here is the one that truly takes center stage--Nichole Goodnight as the Princess. Goodnight’s performance is sympathetic, enchanting, magnetic, terrifying, and a whole host of other adjectives I can’t get into without risking spoilers. Every encounter with the Princess in the game is different – and so is she. Suffice it to say, she carries this game by virtue of her presence alone.
Black Tabby Games Casted These Roles Perfectly.
Slay the Princess’ visuals also deserve special praise here. All of the artwork was done by gothic graphic novelist Abby Howard, and it looks incredible. Everything has a look of sketchiness to it; the drawn lines of the environment subtly shift even when idle, giving these designs a feeling of life beyond their minimalist design. The black-and-white color palette combined with the way the environment moves makes the game feel like the sketches in my high school notebook come to life, and I mean that in the best possible way. While the camera remains fixed, moving the mouse around causes your camera to move slightly, offering a further level of immersion. These aren’t just images you’re seeing. NO. they’re more like a window into this dark, gothic world’s soul. The minimalistic design of the game combined with its visuals make it feel like a long-forgotten Microsoft DOS game, recently unearthed and having come back… changed for a new generation. It all feeds into the unnerving atmosphere of the game itself, which is woven perfectly.
Another highlight of the game is its impeccable music, scored by Brandon Boone (Pic Right). From soft, contemplative piano to echoes of bells tolling, the strumming of guitar, the thumping of bass or epic angelic choirs, the music in Slay the Princess adapts with the game as the scenes unfold before you, immersing you further into the world you’re taking part in. There were several times where I would stop the game from advancing, simply to just listen to the music – to absorb the atmosphere that was on display before me. This is something I’ve only ever experienced one other time, with my favorite title in the Visual Novel genre – 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.
Mr. Boone has truly outdone himself.
Each pillar of Slay the Princess builds upon itself, to create one of the most gripping and memorable gaming experiences I’ve had in a while. Even after playing the game to its “ending”, after about four hours, I can tell you that I’ve only scratched the surface. Slay the Princess as a whole, will take much, much longer to experience in totality.....and thank goodness for that.
Tony Howard-Arias
Slay the Princess is a game that’s so good, I find it hard to establish why would I risk spoiling the journey for yourself. Lead writer Tony Howard-Arias has done an amazing job of not only telling this tale, but telling it over and over again, and having that repetition be a part of its very narrative. The way the story unfolds is unique in how personal it feels. With every journey up the hill to the cabin, you feel like you might know more about the Narrator, more about the Princess, and maybe even more about yourself, as you continue to perform the duty thrust upon you by the Narrator again and again and again. Prolonged play sessions have had me questioning things about myself – exactly how do I come to trust people? How do I know who to trust and why? What can I do to get someone to trust in me? These questions and dozens more present themselves in Slay the Princess for the player to grapple with. Slay the Princess makes me glad I can still enjoy the exclusive experiences of PC Gaming on STEAM. Believe me when I say, “Slay the Princess will keep you coming back, again, and again, and again.”
Having said all that, I think it’s fairly obvious that I come away from this review recommending Slay the Princess. In fact, I’d say it’s a must buy for any fans of horror, comedy, or visual novels. The game is bloody but isn’t reliant on jump scares like many modern “horror” titles. As a result, the horror comes from the weight of everything you’re doing, and the oppressive atmosphere the game creates for you as you continue to play. Oh, and a word of advice: don’t go looking for spoilers – you’ll want to experience everything this game has to offer with the freshest eyes possible. Especially now, at the time of writing – the month of Halloween 2023. This is the perfect game to cozy up to on an autumn night, just long enough for it to rip the skin off your bones. I give Slay the Princess an enthusiastic 5 out of five stars. Remember: at the end of the day, the blade is in your hands. It’s up to you to see just who, or what, needs to be slain.
