Is Slay the Spire 2 worth playing in early access?

Nearly nine years after the original, Slay the Spire 2 has arrived in early access and already draws over 500,000 concurrent players at peak times. Developer Mega Crit says it could remain in early access for as long as two years while it adds more gameplay content, a true ending and additional modes, so players must decide whether to jump in now or wait for a fuller build.

The sequel follows the same roguelike deckbuilder template: runs consist of turn-based battles where you play cards to attack and trigger abilities, collecting hundreds of cards and relics and more than 60 potions along the way. Five characters are available — the returning Ironclad, Silent and Defect, plus two newcomers: the Regent, a lazy alien monarch who can summon cosmic forces, and the Necrobinder, a necromancer with a giant skeletal-hand familiar.

Singleplayer has only one mode, but Ascension levels and Epochs unlock as you progress, revealing story beats along a timeline.

roguelike, deckbuilder, early access, mega crit, ironclad, silent, defect, regent, necrobinder, ascension