Years of careful study underpin a deceptively familiar sequel.

The new additions make a difference but it's the confidence in what this eccentric card game is that shines through.

Cruelty has never been so enjoyable.

I worried about Slay the Spire 2 before its early access release because everything I saw reminded me of the original.

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I understood there were differences, but they didn't seem big enough or pronounced enough to warrant a new game.

In the back of my head a sly voice wondered: had Mega Crit, creator of the game, run out of ideas? No; I was wrong, and I've never been more pleased to admit it.

The layers of newness I'd considered pastry-thin were thicker in reality.

Consider the game's presentational uplift: it doesn't seem drastically different in still images, but in motion it is.

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Slay the Spire 2 feels more alive than its predecessor.

Fish enemies wriggle as if swimming in mid-air.

Smoky darkness flits around creatures as it clings to them.

Magic radiates from glowing eyes.

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Everywhere, there's movement, it breathes, it heaves, and all while retaining the endearingly homemade look of the original.

Consider the characters added to the game, The Regent and the Necrobinder.

They are not remarkable because Slay the Spire has added new characters before (RIP The Watcher, who doesn't return here).

But these new characters bring fresh ideas as well as different decks to explore.

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They introduce summonable helpers in the form of a large skeletal hand or a floating sword.

There's also a new reverse kind of damage called Doom, which works up from zero, killing enemies when their health drops below the threshold.

There's a new resource in stars, meaning you effectively have two pools for playing cards, which can be incredibly powerful if handled correctly ## Editor's Note What do you think about this news? Share your thoughts below! Source: [Eurogamer](https://www.eurogamer.net/slay-the-spire-2-early-access-review)