Slay the Princess — your choices shape this existential visual novel
A visual horror novel — that is first and foremost a love story — just got a major boost in popularity, thanks to a well-known Youtuber’s playthrough of it. After Markiplier himself posted just one episode so far of him playing it, the game got such an overwhelming boost in attention that indie developers Black Tabby Games decided to do a 20% off flash sale — and this is when Slay the Princess finally left my wishlist, and entered by library.
Initial reception
Slay the Princess was launched October of last year and has received an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam, along with a 90 Metacritic score and a handful of awards and nominations. Black Tabby Games are an indie developer, run by married couple Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias; they’re based in Toronto, and along with updates for Slay the Princess, are currently working on the episodic horror mystery Scarlet Hollow.
The environment
You’re on a path in the woods, there is a cabin up ahead containing a princess, and you are meant to slay her. Simple enough, right? Until the voices in your head start having something to say about it.
The path you start on immediately puts the art style of this game on display, entirely hand-drawn, making it feel as though you’re in a fairytale book, but something is off about it; something eerie. A voice known as The Narrator speaks, and you immediately recognize him as being some sort of voice of god; but he’s got some other voices to compete with. The environment is immersive and immediately pulls you in with the visuals and sounds of the voices in your head.
Jonathan Sims performs every single one of the voices in your head as well as The Narrator, each of them given a unique sound and inflection. He’s quite literally talking to himself in multiple different voices; sometimes the conversation goes on a bit long, but that’s absolutely a character choice as the voices bicker in your head almost comically.
The Narrator and Voice of the Hero are always present, always the angel and devil on your shoulder; your choices decide who will join you later on. Everything about the voices in your head makes the experience feel more real and I can’t recommend playing this game with headphones enough.
Repetition is a big factor in this game, and luckily you are given the option to skip any dialogue you have already heard before; the game is even acutely aware of any dialogue already spoken, so if you go to skip a dialogue you think is starting out the same, the game forces you to listen as you realize something new is said.
The only other performer in the game is Nichole Goodnight who also does a phenomenal job of playing the princess; again, and again, and again. The princess is the same every time, but not, and Goodnight does a great job of tweaking her voice and tone just enough to tell you which princess you’re encountering this time. And yes; I definitely have a favorite princess.
The gameplay
One of the first things I noticed was that my choices mattered in a tangible way; the story tailors itself to every decision made. The world remembers — until it doesn’t.
Choice-based games tend to have the habit of variability that still results in one or two of the same results; I don’t mind this, and still enjoy the adventure along the way. With Slay the Princess, however, I found myself feeling as though I was actually in complete control — and also not. I never knew what was coming next but I knew that what I was doing was affecting it; paths branch off in a way that feels legitimately infinite.
The choices are vast and impossible to explore in just one playthrough; there are 97 achievements to obtain in this game that pertain to choices and outcomes, and after one playthrough I only managed to get 21. Visual novels aren’t usually known for having nearly 100 achievements.
The story
The plot of this game is put very simply on Steam: “You’re here to slay the princess. Don’t believe her lies.” Of course, the game is so much more than that, but going in blind is an absolute treat.
No matter what you think you’re walking into with Slay the Princess, you’re most likely wrong. I’d had this game on my wishlist for months thinking it was a game mainly about difficult choices, a linear story about morality. Morality is definitely in there, but linear storytelling, not so much. I was shocked to find myself brought back to the beginning, again, and again. But always different in some way.
The climax of this game had me in awe. There’s a line spoken that has been rattling around in my brain since yesterday, one that I won’t share because it all deserves to be experienced firsthand. But the game does its job of leaving a lasting effect on the player.
The game took me about 3.5 hours to complete, and once I did I immediately started another playthrough. I didn’t finish it, as I didn’t really have another 3.5 hours in me, but just after 20 minutes I’d discovered new choices and outcomes, the experience already brand new again.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of Markiplier, don’t watch his playthrough before you get to experience this game for yourself. And if you’re worried about its horror aspect, it’s extremely minimal, more heavy on the eerie and “something is very, very wrong here” aspect of things. Go in blind and make your own choices and discover your own story. You won’t regret it.
Slay the Princess is currently available on Steam, with the option of purchasing a Collector’s Edition that includes the full Original Soundtrack and downloadable wallpapers. There will also be a “Pristine Cut” edition, releasing this fall that will include 35% more content; it includes 1,200 more hand-drawn illustrations, 2,500 more voice lines, and a new way to track the outcomes you’ve achieved.
Slay the Princess gets a 5 out of 5 stars from me. It can currently be bought on Steam, with console ports developed by Serenity Forge coming this fall.
