After 894 hours in Slay the Spire 2, these are our 12 strongest opinions

After spending 894 hours playing Slay the Spire 2, a panel of PC Gamer editors shared their strongest opinions on the game's design, cards, best bits, and annoyances. The game's Act 1 is too punishing and boring, with the Miniature Tent relic being the absolute best in the early stages but not so good later on. The game's structure, especially in Overgrowth, makes some enjoyable early decisions less appealing, and aggressive pathing and drafting are not worth considering a lot of the time. The easiest way to clear Act 1 reliably is just to rest at every opportunity.

The Shiv spam & Sly build is the most fun basic build, showcasing the simple delight of playing lots of cards and getting stuff for free. Shiv, by itself, combos with various other cards to amp strength or dexterity, and dole out bonus damage or block. Sly allows playing a dozen cards in a single turn, providing a "something for nothing" mechanic that is particularly useful against curses in the Act 3 boss Aeonglass.

Silken Tress is a controversial relic, with some players finding it too expensive and unreliable. However, the author finds it enjoyable due to the fun of Glam cards, the ability to solve damage problems early on, and the secret shame of dropping a run if the Silken Tress reward is bad. The author is not afraid to gamble on this relic, knowing that it has or hasn't paid off after the first combat.

The author's opinion on multiplayer has significantly shifted after playing Slay the Spire 2. At first, it felt underwhelming, but as the game progressed, the experience of being carried by someone else's absurd build became surprisingly fun. The synergies from a teammate grabbing a relic like Miniature Tent hit much harder in multiplayer mode.

The author suggests that multiplayer needs to become more distinct as development continues, with mechanics, enemies, and relics designed exclusively for teamwork, rather than just scaling up health bars.