Is Slay the Spire 2 a Must-Play in Early Access?
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Nearly nine years after the original, Slay the Spire 2 has launched in early access. This roguelike deckbuilder sequel is already a massive hit, boasting over 500,000 concurrent players at peak times.
However, it’s just the beginning. Developer Mega Crit has indicated that early access could last up to two years as they work on adding “more gameplay content, a true ending, various game modes,” and much more. So, what can you expect from the current version, and is it better to dive in now or wait for a more polished experience?
Release date: March 5, 2026 (early access)
Price: $25 / £20, with plans for an increase post-early access
Steam Deck: Verified
Full release: Anticipated between March 2027 and March 2028
Slay the Spire 2 retains the essence of its predecessor, offering a roguelike deckbuilding experience. Each run involves navigating turn-based battles where you play cards to unleash attacks and abilities. Defeating enemies rewards you with new cards to enhance your deck, allowing for diverse strategies and synergies.
Success hinges on refining your deck into a powerful combination, leveraging card interactions alongside potions, relics, and enchantments.
The game features hundreds of cards and relics, over 60 potions, and a variety of enemies and bosses. You can choose from five characters, including three returning favorites—the Ironclad, the Silent, and the Defect. Newcomers include the Regent, a lazy alien monarch summoning cosmic forces, and the Necrobinder, a necromancer with a giant skeletal hand companion.
While there’s only a single-player mode, fans of the original will appreciate the replay value from experimenting with different characters and decks, as well as climbing the Ascension difficulty levels.
As you hit milestones, you unlock Epochs that reveal elements of the game’s backstory along a timeline.
In addition to single-player, Slay the Spire 2 introduces a co-op mode for up to four players. Each player has their own hero and deck, working together to defeat enemies. Currently, there’s no matchmaking, so you’ll need to invite friends to join, which is probably for the best given the level of coordination required.
There’s already a wealth of content in Slay the Spire 2. By the time the first game reached version 1.0, it had only three characters—this sequel starts with five and a broader card pool.
All three acts are available, allowing for complete runs, and there are 10 Ascension levels to tackle with each character. If you enjoy the randomized runs typical of roguelikes, you could easily log 100 hours or more in the current build.
However, some key elements are still missing. Notably, there’s currently no way to achieve a ‘true ending.’ In the original, players could extend their runs past Act 3 to face the true boss, the Heart. In this sequel, the Architect encountered at the end of each run seems to serve a similar purpose, but there’s no way to battle him yet, which diminishes the overarching goal.
The Epoch system is also quite basic at this stage. Many lore snippets feature placeholder art and text indicating that more content is coming in future updates.
I also anticipate significant updates for the co-op mode. Right now, it feels somewhat underdeveloped, especially regarding the user interface. There’s no straightforward way to see what cards your teammates are holding, and in-game communication tools are limited.
Coordinating with other players can be cumbersome and often relies on external voice chat, making it feel more like playing alongside friends rather than truly collaborating. The mode could benefit from additional co-op-specific cards and relics to enhance team synergies.
Slay the Spire 2 is kicking off its early access journey in a solid position. It feels polished, offers plenty of content, and allows for complete runs. It builds on the strategic foundation of the first game, encouraging experimentation and discovery until you’re crafting deck combos that feel almost game-breaking.
That said, I have some reservations about whether it’s worth jumping in right now.
My main concern is that it feels too similar to its predecessor. While there’s a lot of content, much of it—including three characters and many associated cards—seems recycled from the original.
For veterans of Slay the Spire, the sequel offers a nostalgic experience, but it may feel overly familiar. I found myself winning runs with decks I used eight years ago. If you’ve already spent hundreds of hours on the first game, Slay the Spire 2 might not offer enough fresh features to keep you engaged.
For newcomers to the series, this is a fantastic introduction. Just don’t expect groundbreaking innovations for the genre. If you’re after deep, engaging deckbuilding, Slay the Spire 2 delivers.
If you’ve never played a roguelike deckbuilder before, be aware that Slay the Spire 2 could present a steep learning curve. While it’s a foundational series for the genre, it’s a challenging game with many elements that assume familiarity with the first title. You might find a smoother entry into the genre with more modern roguelike deckbuilders like Balatro, Monster Train, Cobalt Core, or my personal favorite, Wildfrost—all of which are full releases that won’t leave you waiting for updates.
