Slay the Princess - The Pristine Cut

“If you want to start a conversation with yourself, reveal what your soul hides, try to tame your fears and cowardice, Slay the Princess - The Pristine Cut offers the place and the way.”

“Slay the Princess - The Pristine Cut plays with, destroys, and rebuilds stereotypes and other elements. Small issues that can be easily fixed don't diminish the value of this creative and impactful visual novel.”

“Slay the Princess - The Pristine Cut’s gorgeous presentation elevates already impressive writing that does an excellent job keeping players coming back for more routes, hoping to find them all.”

“With deeply engaging new chapters and a new ending, this console release of a PC gem isn't one to miss.”

“Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a masterpiece from start to finish. Every element of the game fires on all cylinders, and it's a great example of how even something as simple as a choose-your-own-adventure story can be elevated by being part of an interactive multimedia medium. The writing, voice acting, artwork and general tone all create something memorable, distinctive and interesting. If that sounds like a game you're interested in, then try out Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut.”

“Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut further polishes an already-splendid experience, adding more depth and replayability to one of 2023's best games.”

“Had this game debuted in 2024, this would likely win my Game Of The Year award. Even when not on sale, its base price of $17.99 is a steal for the quality of what’s on offer. There have been a few minor bugs, but these were so infrequent that they were barely worth mentioning. Chilling, brilliant, and disturbing, Slay The Princess is in its best condition yet with the arrival of the Pristine Cut.”

“If you like visual novels, or games, or stories in any form, you need to play Slay the Princess.”

“Slay the Princess was a brilliant experience last year on PC, and one I considered on par in many ways with Disco Elysium narratively. With Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut, Black Tabby Games and Serenity Forge have improved upon, added to, and enhanced the core experience enough to have among my favorite games of the year, and one I recommend to anyone interested in unique visual novels and horror games.”

“Slay The Princess: The Pristine Cut is an inverted fairy tale that shatters conventions and questions heroism, opting to pull you into a narrative odyssey that leans into metaphysical themes more than it initially lets on. While its presentation is distinct and superbly executed, extended play sessions can't help but feel somewhat repetitive due to its recurrent structure. That said, there's no denying the depth and breadth of storytelling on offer.”

“Brilliant self-aware writing and some great (and sometimes gruesome) hand-drawn art help to make for a memorable narrative adventure”

“Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a game without peers and without comparison. It’s a visual novel for players who want to stay for a long time and hear, feel and grapple with a massive undertaking. It’s not nearly as long as some visual novels, but it has a tangibility and density that makes it a meal with every single interaction. There are so many variations to discover, so many lines of dialogue performed, but you won’t even know how many until you get your first “real” ending.”

“You’ll be shocked, you’ll cry, and you’ll wonder why. The text-based gameplay will be a hurdle for some gamers to accept, but any gamer with an open mind and willingness to explore will be swept up in the story in Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut.”

“Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut twists the traditional story of a hero rescuing a poor damsel in distress into an eerie horror experience that explores topics surrounding life and death, free will and the purpose of existence.”

“Slay the Princess is a critically acclaimed visual novel that has enjoyed a ton of positive reception, and now it's on consoles with all-new paths, endings, dialogue, and art. It's an excellent expansion of an already-great game that reminds me of The Stanley Parable in the best, most terrifying way possible. However, the user interface and menus still lack refinement and I encountered several technical issues — I have to review the game as it is now, and it's a little rough around the edges.”

“Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a fantastic expansion to an already amazing game. The new and altered routes fit perfectly with the rest, fleshing out Princesses that previously had short interactions. The Pristine Cut wasn't necessary to make this a must play game, but I'm very glad it's here.”

“If you appreciate narrative-driven games with minimal gameplay involvement that also tell a fantastic story, then you probably won't find it better than Slay the Princess.”

“Slay The Princess: The Pristine Cut brings the visual horror novel to consoles, but that's not all: thanks to new avenues to explore and the Italian translation of the texts, grinding out game after game to unlock never-before-seen outcomes has never been so satisfying. This original title can last three hours, or much longer. To kill or not to kill? Investigate the mysterious voices accompanying the hero or just follow orders? Save the princess or give free rein to violence? It is up to the player to choose who to be and who to become, and if you are not satisfied... just select ‘New Game’!”

“Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut is a fantastic visual novel with excellent production values and a lot of dialogue options. You’ll go through a tonne of emotions (mostly unease), but you’ll always remain engaged thanks to a great voice cast and a script that is more than happy to explore uncomfortable ideas. ∎”