Mega Crit crafts foundational changes to improve ‘Spire 2’ for roguelike gamers

Slay the Spire 2, a strategic, roguelike deckbuilding title, appeared in time to perplex gamers everywhere on March 5. As a sequel to predecessor Slay the Spire, released in January 2019, both were developed and published by Mega Crit, meaning they have been diligently working towards this sequel since the first game’s release. However, the real question remains: is there enough difference or improvement to warrant another installment? 

Spire follows a group of unlikely heroes who attempt to climb a mysterious, dangerous, and ever-changing tower known only as “The Spire.” As they ascend, they battle strange monsters, collect powerful relics, and build unique decks that will help shape how each player’s run will go. While Slay the Spire mainly focuses on the gameplay, bits of lore are scattered throughout the game entirely, and also through events that help the player understand the quest. “The Spire” is a scary, malicious, and almost living structure that corrupts all who enter. In Slay the Spire 2, the story continues long after the first climb, when the tower suddenly rises again and draws all towards it. Slay the Spire 2 builds on the mysterious tone of the series by adding more lore that is discovered gradually while playing.

The biggest new addition is multiplayer mode, where players can now have servers with up to four people total, being able to beat the game with them, or do the daily challenge runs. Another one of the main draws is the increased number of characters from four to five, getting rid of The Watcher and instead replacing them with The Regent and The Necrobinder in their respective games. They’ve also done a lot of graphical work for this sequel, making many distinct areas that initially came off as rushed look more visually appealing with a stronger vision for their art direction. They’ve also added a new way for unlockables to be obtained, which is through the new epoch system. Epochs, defined as a period of time in history or a certain person’s life, are small memories that help build a transcendent picture for the lore and story behind the game, but if players only care for gameplay and not the in-game history, they can easily skip over them and quickly receive the unlockables to be found in later runs.

Beyond these additions, the sequel also expands on the core gameplay loop that made the first Slay the Spire strongly successful upon release. Enemy variety has been increased, which has significantly forced players of all skill levels to adapt to strategies more often, rather than relying on the same deck builds each run. Additionally, boss encounters feel more dynamic as well, with unique mechanics and phases making fights way less predictable and overall more challenging. These positive changes help keep the game fresh for players, whether they are just starting with Slay the Spire 2 or have played the prequel.

Ultimately, the sequel is definitely worth the money for fans of roguelikes, especially if they fell in love with Slay the Spire. While the foundation of the gameplay remains familiar, new additions show the developers weren’t trying to recreate the first Slay the Spire with just a fresh coat of paint.  Instead they refined the formula while introducing way more characters, mechanics, and systems that are super enjoyable. If players liked roguelikes but maybe didn’t like the first game as much, this incarnation may still be worth their time. However, if roguelikes aren’t exactly your favorite type of game to play, they may want to skip this one, as it doesn’t do much to exactly shake up the formula.

Grade: A-

Slay the Spire 2 is a fresh new beginning for the climb ahead with better graphics, mechanics, and interesting storyline. One of the best roguelikes yet.

by Matthew Stinski 

Published March 20, 2026

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue VI