Slay the Spire Review. Or how to properly transfer a computer game to a tabletop game.

WAS THE GAME GOOD?

 If you've played Slay the Spire, you're probably wondering how this famous PC game can be brought to the table. You must be skeptical, and I used to be. Slay the Spire has card copying, tons of math, tons of upgrades, and tons of effects that are tracked every round. Implementation of all this on the table will bury any project. Fortunately, the authors noticed this problem in time and in their cash simplified the gameplay as much as possible, while preserving the basics of STS.

 I will give several examples.

 All the numerical values of STS:TBG are greatly reduced so that basic arithmetic is enough for the game. Actually, everything has become easier in the board game: regular battles take fewer rounds, events are resolved faster. The authors also noted that constantly counting the number of cards in a hand in a crowd is not fan-friendly, and removed the hand limit. Double-layered block and energy tracks on the tablets make it easy to track and modify current readings. There are fewer status effect cards, and burns and slime are the same card; only one half is used at a time, depending on the conditions of the current battle. In general, the feelings about the changes are positive.

 Characters have also been rebalanced and licked. The Armadillo's starting Bash is very useful due to the hanging of vulnerability tokens that double the damage of the next attack and reset. In tabletop StS, almost all effects will not have to be memorized from round to round; vulnerabilities, weaknesses, etc. are reset after the first use. The Silent creates sharpening tokens that can be spent at any time to deal 1 damage: a great way to get rid of the class's overabundance of cards. Defect Orbs are now non-rotating: you can activate any orb from any slot, which makes gameplay easier and at the same time forces you to make more interesting decisions. The Watcher isn't left out, either: a rack of rage deals 1 damage if you keep that rack at the end of your turn.

 There are a lot of interesting and convenient changes, so I will limit myself to listing a few more. The Golden Ticket card is waiting for its time in the reward deck; if you draw it, there is a chance to get a rare card. Thanks to this mechanic, rare cards are relatively few in your deck, but it's so nice when you get the chance to get them. As for the travel map, it's simplified compared to the original, but you still have to make a lot of difficult decisions: fight more or sit back and relax by the fire, what's more important - the shop or the events. The game is balanced with a reduced number of key points. And I really liked that the behavior of the enemy and the activation of relics each round is determined by the roll of the dice. At first the randomness put me off, but later I realized how much it speeds up the gameplay. Thanks to this mechanic, the battles are fast - and you will not have time to get bored.

 I will answer my own question: the authors did a great job. STS:TBG is similar to the original, but at the same time polished and simplified, which is necessary for the deck. It is immediately clear that the authors put a lot of effort into balancing the game and smoothing out the rough edges.

WHY PLAY SLAY THE SPIRE BOARD WHEN YOU HAVE COMPUTER

 I come across this question all the time. I will try to explain as a player what attracts me to STS:TBG (given that I am not in the habit of keeping many games of similar mechanics and genres). In short, there is a very well-thought-out cooperative mode. STS:TBG is designed primarily for playing with friends.

 The same event is played out for all players, but everyone can choose the outcome at their discretion. This already shows that the game is perfectly protected against alpha players: no one can know the optimal choice in every event for every player, it depends on your deck and its proportions.

 The shops are full of relics and potions. You can plunk down some gold and buy some awesome (and expensive) heirlooms together. The choice between buying cards for yourself personally and helping your friends is not easy. By the way, about potions: they can be freely exchanged between battles and thus support the laggards.

 But cooperation is most clearly manifested in battles. Each player has a row of enemies to attack (or otherwise harass) each round, but can attack not only them, but any enemy in any row. Thanks to this, a completely viable strategy is emerging to amicably overwhelm one of the enemies in the first turn, before he has time to do something. And decisions about who to knock out, how to defend, whether to use abilities or simply maximize damage, cause discussions at the table. Additionally, many cards have abilities useful for co-op, including Defend+. When upgraded, this card gives 2 units of block to any player. It's great when the entire team's efforts save a player who was ready to die (and if one player dies, everyone loses). There are also effects that allow you to buff allies, increase their defense and even change places. Therefore, during battles, you have something to talk about, and defeating tough enemies and bosses with joint efforts is very exciting.

WHAT MAKES THE GAME STAND OUT FROM OTHER COOPERATIVES?

 One of the advantages of STS:TBG is that players get used to it almost instantly if they have played the PC version. All you have to do is help them with the layout and stacking of the decks, pull out the starting Neow's Blessing and immediately start the first battle. You won't have to explain how campfire recreation, bosses, elites, and more work; the gameplay is quite close to the original. This is a big advantage of STS:TBG, unlike some Dark Souls, the gameplay of which has almost nothing in common with the computer version. And even if players are new to Slay the Spire, the rules are simple and easy to learn as long as there is at least one experienced player in the group.

 Another big plus of desktop STS is the ability to discuss one of my favorite games with friends. Although I actively play the original, I do not have the opportunity to discuss what is happening with my friends. The tabletop is another matter; we sit around the table for hours at a time discussing different strategies for deck building and Spire kills. Each event brings something new to your strategy, and seeing why your friends chose a particular outcome is interesting and rewarding. Discussions where it is better to go are also very exciting, and divide the players conventionally into maniacs (let's kill three elites) and pacifists (let's go through the events). In battles, you can reminisce about your computer games ("Wow, I hate that Jaw Worm so much!") or discuss preparations for the upcoming boss. Overall fun.

 And another plus of STS: TBG is a campaign that can be completed in one evening. Games of this kind already exist (such as Too Many Bones and Townsfolk Tussle), but they are few and far between. I liked both Too Many Bones and Townsfolk Tussle, but the fights there are pretty boring. STS:TBG, on the other hand, is simple, fast and provides many opportunities to pump up the character with the help of upgrades, trophy cards and relics.

CONCLUSIONS

 While I don't usually like kickstarters (especially ones that attract people at the expense of a franchise) and co-op (I prefer to play with friends), as well as games that last more than 2 hours, Slay The Spire: The Board Game charmed me. Knowing the franchise here makes it dramatically easier to get into the game and attract newcomers. Co-op mode is surprisingly interactive; players discuss almost every move. And even though the games aren't fast, I can't tear myself away, checking the available card upgrades or wondering which way to go next. True, the layout takes too much time for my taste, but this is not a problem in a large company. In general, STS:TBG is a great co-op, unlike any other and even different from the computer original. I highly recommend trying it.