I had no idea what to expect when I began playing Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut. All I knew is that the original edition received tremendously high praise when it was released back in 2023. This disturbingly dark visual novel breaks away from the norm in every way possible. It twists the traditional love story of a courageous hero rescuing a damsel in distress into an unsettling Lovecraftian tale, proposing fascinating psychological and philosophical ideas in the best way.

We often encounter narratives in modern media that stick to familiar, tried-and-tested formulas. While these stereotypical approaches can be effective, they don't always require a deep understanding of lore or a strong emotional investment in the backstory. Let's take one of gaming's most iconic icons, Mario. I don't think the majority of people who play the Mario titles are motivated to because they want to save Princess Peach from Bowser, but it's an easy-to-understand premise that lets you jump into the action rather quickly.

This is where Black Tabby Games recontextualizes and cleverly plays with the accepted formulas in Slay the Princess. Like Doki Doki Literature Club, this is not the type of horror experience that delivers jump-scares, but allows you to make decisions that will shape how the story will turn out. It uses the visual novel format to mimic the experience you would find in a Choose Your Own Adventure storybook. The premise is relatively simple, and the title of the game slightly gives it away. Instead of rescuing a fair maiden trapped in a tower, your mission is to eliminate the princess imprisoned in the basement of a cabin.

Your journey starts in the dank and eerie woods, where you will be accompanied by a voice called The Narrator. This ominous voice will tell you to kill the princess. If not, the world will end. You will then be bombarded with many options, from probing this narrator with questions about potential actions you can take. Later down the line, other voices will join you, challenging the authenticity of the first narrator's words and creating a conflicting, but humorous dialogue exchange that mimics the angel and devil on your shoulder dynamic. With such high stakes supposedly on the line, what will you do? Will you listen to The Narrator's words and murder the princess in cold blood or attempt to save her? Regardless of which option you pick, the story will raise profound questions surrounding life and death, free will, and the purpose of existence.

It might sound like I'm being very vague about the plot, and that's because, to an extent, I am. It's hard to divulge massive details about Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut without spoiling the experience. The less you know, the better. However, I will say that it's incredibly hard not to become engrossed in its narrative, as your actions will create a butterfly effect that directly affects how the world and the princess interact with you. Even merely picking up an item will block out potential outcomes. My first playthrough, which took me about four hours to complete, led to me multiple times physically putting my hand over my mouth in sheer disbelief at what I had witnessed, which resulted in me eagerly starting a new run, wanting to see what would be the aftermaths of different actions.

That being said, the fantastic narrative is not Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut's only draw. The voice acting also plays a key role, as it really helps bring the world to life and makes you feel like you're in the middle of a fairy tale. Some of the voices will be optimistic, while others will be downright snarky and on the verge of condescending. The best performance is delivered by The Narrator voice actor Jonathan Sims, as he will quite literally cover everything that transpires and will take every opportunity to remind you that you must kill the princess. Honestly, the entire game just wouldn't be the same without the stellar voiceovers.

Another standout feature is its artistic design. Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut harbors a striking monochrome black-and-white aesthetic, with every background and character being hand-drawn. It only deviates from this color scheme when depicting serious dialogue or blood, making these moments feel genuinely sinister. The imagery is also clearly inspired by cosmic horror, as some of the figures you encounter will be extremely unsettling and grotesque. Some of the most powerful images come from the portrayal of the princess. The fair maiden can display various expressions, from a radiant, warm smile to a sinister stare. The pencil-drawn art beautifully captures the eyes in particular, creating the impression that they are looking right through you.

If you're a returning player, you might be wondering about the new content in Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut. There are three new chapters, and they're all pretty solid. One of the new chapters was actually one of the first scenarios I came across, which is called "The Cage." It was super creepy, and I remember thinking near the end that no matter what option I picked, I would not like what I was about to see. Some previous routes have also been expanded upon, including "The Den," "The Fury," and "The Apotheosis." A new achievable ending can also be triggered by selecting specific options in the final fight. As mentioned above, I didn't play the original edition, but I like all the new content here. My only minor critique is that I wouldn't say any of the new content is must-see material, so The Pristine Cut may not pique the interest of all the fans who played the previous version. But, given it is a free update for the PC version, it could be worth returning if you enjoy the title.

Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a fantastic horror game that you will think about weeks after you finish playing, as you will be captivated by the story and message the game is trying to portray. It's the type of game where you'll want to close the curtains, dim the lights and binge on for the evening alone or with a friend (if you can agree on options, of course). This is a perfect indie horror title to play during the spooky season and should not be skipped by avid fans of the genre.