Slay the Spire 2 finds itself in an unusual position this April: simultaneously riding high on ambitious new feature plans while dealing with one of the most aggressive review-bombing campaigns in recent Early Access history.
Three New Modes on the Horizon
Developer Mega Crit has pulled back the curtain on three new game modes currently in development, each designed to fundamentally change how players interact with the roguelike deckbuilder. The first is a competitive mode aimed at players who want to test their skills against others in a more structured, ranked environment. The second targets players who love the core Slay the Spire loop but lack the time for full runs, offering a condensed experience that still captures the strategic depth of the full game. The third explores social and multiplayer interactions, building on the cooperative foundations already present in the sequel.
Mega Crit has been clear that the goal is quality over quantity. Rather than flooding the game with modes, the studio wants each addition to feel like a genuinely different way to play. Given that Slay the Spire 2 already introduced multiplayer co-op as a major new feature over its predecessor, these modes represent a significant expansion of the game's scope during Early Access.
The Review Bombing Fallout
The excitement around new modes has been overshadowed by a massive backlash against a recent balance patch. Nearly 10,000 negative reviews flooded Steam in a single day after Mega Crit announced nerfs to several popular cards, including the beloved Prepared to Prepare. Players argued the changes continued a trend of making the game harder while providing fewer tools to deal with escalating threats.
What makes the situation more complex is that the nerfs hadn't even gone live yet when the review bombing started. The patch was optional, and players could choose not to apply it. Analysis of the review data revealed that a significant portion of the negative reviews came from Chinese players, with the Simplified Chinese review rating dropping to a Mixed 63% positive. Some observers have pointed to China's recent Steam access restrictions as a contributing factor to the heightened frustration.
Mega Crit responded with a measured statement acknowledging the community's concerns while standing by their iterative approach to balance. The developers emphasized that no change during Early Access is necessarily permanent and that the process of finding the right balance will not always be linear.
Where Things Stand
A follow-up patch has since introduced Badges, a new system that gives players small reminders of what made each run unique, serving as both a quality-of-life improvement and a peace offering to the community. Despite the review turbulence, Slay the Spire 2 remains one of the most-played deckbuilders on Steam, and the promise of competitive and short-run modes suggests Mega Crit has a clear vision for where the game is headed.
