Heart. Lungs. Liver. Nerves. As the nightmare approached, his face covered in chipped porcelain and his presence like shrill static, those four words became a hymn. Paranoid, one of the many people living in the hero’s overstuffed head, was the one to say this, reminding the other voices in this malformed container that it was now up to them to fulfill once autonomous functions. Heart. Lungs. Liver. Nerves. The words were like a pulse; the singular thread that connects this body to this plane of existence. But as the Nightmare approached, the desperate hum gave way to silence. And then the thin thread broke.

But in Kill the Princess, death is only the beginning: the beginning of a time loop that almost always ends in mutually assured destruction. But despite the horror you endure and the promise of repeated and often brutal death, the game begins on a strange little note: This is a love story. And as a love story, a terrifying visual novel, and a work of narrative psychological fiction, To Kill the Princess is remarkable. Filled with introspection, poetic (and often humorous) writing, gorgeous voice acting, and unforgettable art and music, the Pristine Cut adds even more depth and replayability to an already excellent game, further polishing this gem of a game. Although there are still some rough spots (e.g. audio mixing and user experience design on consoles), Slay the Princess is a beautiful experience filled with emotion and intelligence.

The premise is simple enough, and is explained by both the name and description: “You’re on a road in the woods, and at the end of that road there’s a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin there’s a princess. You’re here to kill her.” Naturally, this raises many questions: Why does he have to die? Why am I the one who killed him? What is the purpose of the person telling you to do this? As the protagonist’s primary, guiding voice, it’s up to you to discover a dozen or so clues that emerge as each new piece of information comes to light. Your every reaction and action—or lack thereof—determines and changes the path that opens before the protagonist, and the many other voices that join you to guide him as successive cycles unfold.

If you are someone who asks too many questions or second-guesses yourself, Paranoid or Suspicious can emerge, altering the choices you have and your own perception of what is happening. On the other hand, a confident approach can give way to the sound of The Stubborn or even The Smitten. As your personality, role and beliefs become stronger, the form of the young girl hiding in the basement also changes. All of these factors come together and develop over the course of a handful of actions, resulting in the end of a story and the progression of a deeper narrative lurking just beneath the surface.

The process of choosing new paths, watching abandoned paths disappear, and encountering an assortment of associated places, sounds, and parties is fascinating. The breadth of the branching narrative is incredibly impressive as it explores seemingly endless situations and events, ranging from the surreal and horrific to the heartbreaking and tender. I was also constantly impressed by how perfectly the game’s reactions anticipated my own, voicing nearly every ethically motivated, practical, questioning, or flippant comment I had in my own mind. In addition to all these features, the Pristine Cut offers players a multitude of new scenarios and endings that add even more replayability and depth.

But aside from that fascinating premise, most of what makes Slay the Princess so captivating comes down to two things: superb writing and impressive performances from two voice actors with frankly incredible talent and range.

Head writer Tony Howard-Arias and the play’s lead artist and co-writer, Abby Howard, work together to create a work that is vibrant, poetic, clever, introspective, and perhaps most surprising. incredibly fun. The voices in your head are great at adding lightness to dark situations (The Cheated in particular introduces a nerve-wracking anxiety that’s always good for a laugh), while many other scenarios lead to absurd and hilarious solutions that are heightened by the game’s atmosphere. Art that changes dramatically depending on the overall tone of the writing.

But in moments where vulnerability is front and center or moments of deep introspection, Howard-Arias proves extremely capable of moving the reader and finding ways to transform a surreal experience into something relatable and thought-provoking. Some of these moments are difficult to describe because they’re best for players to discover, and I’ve already explained arguably more than I’d want a new player to know about the game, but there are many parts of the game that play out. The play – especially with its broad narrative – moved me.

Another duo that adds a lot to the game is voice actors Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight. technically Voice three independent characters in total, creating more than a dozen different voices for them. Sims consistently gives a great performance, whether voicing the more outspoken but exasperated Narrator or any of the protagonist’s various personas. He perfectly captures the emotion behind the fast-talking, swearing The Cheated, the Robert Smith-like The Cold, and the boisterous, love-filled The Smitten, making it feel like an entire community has come together. hero. Likewise, Goodnight can bring terror, devotion, pain, cruelty, disgust, hostility, and complete detachment to the Princess, creating a young girl for whom you can’t help but develop complex feelings.

I would also be remiss not to bring up the game’s Foley effects. To Kill the Princess would be almost useless without the heartbreaking sounds of tearing flesh, bones cracking, draped chains and the rattle of butcher hooks, and so much more.

The game’s music and strategic use of cutting to intensify a few selected scenarios also serve to create atmosphere and environment; I’m not exaggerating when I say every piece is amazing. The delicate piano of “The Princess” is haunting yet heartfelt, and serves as a recurring motif throughout the play, as does “Rhythm of the Flesh,” one of The Pristine Cut’s new tracks. difficult It turned into an intense sound of fear. “The Apotheosis” is another standout track, with its operatic backing vocals and almost industrial sound. “A Kiss of the Thorn” tugs at the heartstrings and causes emotions to well up as the Narrator reluctantly recounts the next scenario: “If history itself were not about to end, historians would document this moment for the rest of time. Musicians would write the era—defining ballads, and great artists would write only the spark you hold in this moment.” “They spend their whole lives trying to catch it.”

The game’s art is also an impressive feat; Because everything is gorgeous, ever-changing, and completely hand-drawn. The fact that it has an almost unfinished, frenetic quality and is entirely grayscale works extremely well in the context of the game, as it reflects and reinforces the overall spirit of Hero and allows Howard to create more experimental works that perhaps would not have been possible. also translate if converted to traditional graphics.

But while this decision worked, there are a few others who thought it was a bit reflective of limited resources that may need some minor improvements. Although Goodnight did a great job voicing the Princess, the audio mix felt a bit off at times; his more booming lines came off a little over the top, while others felt almost layered rather than blending into the rest of the play. The console could use some work. When I first played Slay the Princess on PC, I had no concerns about the user interface. However, when playing The Pristine Cut on PS5, I realized that the experience didn’t quite work. It was a bit difficult to keep track of what I was currently focusing on, and navigating through the game’s numerous dialogue options was overwhelming at times.

But on the whole, Slay the Princess is a dazzling game full of charm, shine and emotion. Last year, GameSpot included this game in its list. Best PC Games of 2024 list. A year later, both time and The Pristine Cut have intensified my love for this book. Despite a few rough spots, Slay the Princess impresses not only as a game from a small, independent studio, but also as a game. There are a significant number of content warnings regarding the game; All of these can be found on the game page. official website–but it’s a must-play game for those who want to endure it.