I first played Slay the Princess earlier this year when developer Black Tabby Games began offering free updates to the game. Abby Howard and Tony Howard Arias have released The Pristine Cut, the definitive version of Slay the Princess. This will be the last update for the game. We took a closer look at the latest update to see what’s changed and whether one of the best games of 2023 could be even better.
I’m not going to rehash what I talked about in the original Slay the Princess review, but if you’re new to this game, check that out first. Instead, I’d like to talk about new features in The Pristine Cut, including three new princesses, and a memory board that shows how much of the game you’ve seen.
Slay the Princess / Black Tabby Games
When I first played this game, I had no idea how many paths there were, or how many ways I could influence the outcome. It turns out there are many ways your answers can change the story. Slay the Princess may be the “choices matter” game with the most outcomes. The memory board has sections for each princess and route, each with about 20 photos to unlock.
Each image that can be unlocked is not linked to an individual decision, but there are multiple decisions with outcomes at each route. Memory boards allow you to rewatch scenes you’ve already seen, as well as learn about what you missed. This takes away some of the mystery that Slay the Princess is known for, but instead gives players a goal to strive for, giving people even more reasons to replay.
Slay the Princess / Black Tabby Games
In an interview with Black Tabby Games, the couple said the new princess is one of the best in the game. In the original release, some second chapters could only lead to one third chapter, but now every second chapter leads to at least two different princesses. I won’t spoil what you’ll see in these new routes, but I can tell you that the developers were right to be confident in the new content. These are the best routes in the game. If you’re playing Slay the Princess for the first time, you’ll feel right at home and happy. If The Pristine Cut isn’t your first rodeo, these are the routes you’ve always wanted to see.
Pristine Cut takes one of the best “choices matter” games of all time and makes it even better. The new routes are perfectly woven into the overall story, adding even more depth to an already excellent game. Black Tabby Games is returning to finish Scarlet Hollow before working on a new game. I’ve never been more excited to see what’s in the kitchen.
Score: 10/10
Version tested: PS5
