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Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut

Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut

Black Tabby Games · released Oct 22, 2023

AdventureIndieRPGSimulationPCPlayStation 5, PlayStation 4Xbox Series X, Xbox OneNintendo Switch

You're here to slay the princess. Don't believe her lies.

Steam page ↗Metacritic 91 · users 8 ↗
90
VGC Score
■Stablehigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Small (Final?) Content Update” (1y ago)

93%
At launch
97%
Steam all-time
91%
Press
88%
Player sentiment
96%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

What players say

Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 358 sampled Steam reviews (344 positive / 14 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.

What positive reviews talk about

  • Story & writing36% mention it
  • Visuals & art12% mention it
  • Music & audio7% mention it

What negative reviews complain about

  • Story & writing64% mention it
  • Visuals & art36% mention it

Satisfaction by hours played

Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.

Under 5h

92%

147 reviews

5-15h

98%

132 reviews

15-40h

100%

68 reviews

40-100h

100%

10 reviews

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)–9126
All-time Steam reviews97%921000
Metacritic user ratings–8463
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)96%903000
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.6, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 33,971 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Mar 2, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 11790 total reviews in window · weighted 196.8 up / 3.2 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (8)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 90
    PLAY ZinePLAY Zine
    trust 67Jan 8, 2025

    “Slay the Princess is a brilliant psychological horror that puts a creative twist on the 'damsel in distress' trope. It delivers an intense narrative where every choice shapes the story, filled with unexpected twists and unforgettable outcomes.”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    SiliconeraSiliconera
    trust 64Oct 25, 2024

    “Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a fantastic horror game that you will think about weeks after you finish playing, as you will be captivated by the story and message the game is trying to portray. It’s the type of game where you’ll want to close the curtains, dim the lights and binge on for the evening alone or with a friend (if you can agree on options, of course). This is a perfect indie horror title to play during the spooky season and should not be skipped by avid fans of the genre.”

    read full review ↗
  • 95
    Worth PlayingWorth Playing
    trust 63Dec 3, 2024

    “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.”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    GameSpotGameSpot
    trust 63Nov 18, 2024

    “Slay the Princess is a dazzling game, dripping with charm, brilliance, and emotion. Last year, GameSpot included the title on its Best PC Games of 2024 list. A year later, both time and The Pristine Cut have intensified my love for the title. Though there are a few rough spots, Slay the Princess is not only impressive as a game hailing from a small, independent studio, but as a game, period. There are a substantial amount of content warnings surrounding the game--all of which can be found on its official website--but for those willing to endure, it is a must-play.”

    read full review ↗
  • 91
    RPG FanRPG Fan
    trust 60Nov 12, 2024

    “Slay the Princess, The Pristine Cut is a work of video game art that should not be missed by anyone fond of this form of the genre. It takes you down the stairs, traps you in the basement, and forces you to confront yourself in a dark mirror that wears a tiara. Pick up the blade. You’re going to need it to face what’s down there.”

    read full review ↗
  • 84
    MeuPlayStationMeuPlayStation
    trust 58Oct 28, 2024

    “What was already a good game has become even better with The Pristine Cut. Slay the Princess is a unique horror and RPG experience that debuts on PlayStation with excellent voice acting, multiple route possibilities, and well-defined characteristics. ”

    read full review ↗
  • 92
    Gamers' Temple
    trust 57Nov 26, 2024

    “Slay the Princess is not for those looking to make their way through an adventure game to enjoy a tidy little story. It’s the kind of game that will get inside your head, make you contemplate ambiguous moral and philosophical matters, and leave you with unanswered questions to contemplate and answer on your own. If those types of games are as interesting to you as they are to me, you’re going to love Slay the Princess.”

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    GLHF on Sports Illustrated
    trust 54Oct 24, 2024

    “The Pristine Cut has made one of the best “choices matter” games of all time even better. The new routes weave into the overall narrative perfectly and add more depth to an already excellent game. Black Tabby Games is going back to finish Scarlet Hollow before working on a new game, and I’ve never been so excited to see what’s in the kitchen.”

    read full review ↗

Patch history

  1. March 5th small fix
    Mar 5, 2025
  2. Small (Final?) Content Update
    Mar 2, 2025significant · resets scoring window
  3. January 22 Patch Notes
    Jan 22, 2025
  4. December 31st Patchnotes
    Dec 31, 2024
  5. November 6th Patch Notes
    Nov 6, 2024
  6. November 1 Patch — Fixes for yesterday are LIVE :)
    Nov 1, 2024
  7. Test Branch For Crash Fix!
    Nov 1, 2024
  8. October 31 Notes. EDITED FOR FIX – PLEASE READ IF HAVING ISSUES
    Oct 31, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  9. October 30th Fixes
    Oct 31, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  10. You're on a path in a gallery. And at the end of the path is an achievement fix.
    Oct 27, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  11. Finish the Gallery achievement should be fixed.
    Oct 27, 2024
  12. Pristine Cut Day 2 Patch 1
    Oct 26, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  13. Pristine Cut Hotfix 6
    Oct 25, 2024
  14. Pristine Cut Hotfix 5
    Oct 25, 2024
  15. Pristine Cut Hotfix 4
    Oct 25, 2024
  16. Pristine Cut Hotfix 3
    Oct 25, 2024
  17. Pristine Cut Hotfix 2
    Oct 24, 2024
  18. Pristine Cut Hotfix 1
    Oct 24, 2024
  19. 5/8 Smol Update
    May 8, 2024
  20. 5/1 Small UX Patch Notes
    May 1, 2024
  21. 4/27 Improved Controller Support Patch Notes
    Apr 27, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  22. April 23 Small Fixes
    Apr 23, 2024
  23. Hotfix April 1st
    Apr 1, 2024
  24. March 28th Update Patch Notes
    Mar 29, 2024
  25. March 25 Hotfix
    Mar 25, 2024
  26. "The End of Everything" Content Update is Here!
    Mar 25, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  27. Patch Notes: The End of Everything Update
    Mar 25, 2024
  28. Development Update and Live Performance of the Main Theme
    Mar 10, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  29. Pacing Tweaks
    Dec 27, 2023
  30. 12/26 - more voice fixes (should be done or almost done at this point)
    Dec 26, 2023
  31. more fixed voice files lol
    Dec 24, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  32. 12/24 Afternoon Patch
    Dec 24, 2023
  33. 12/24 Morning Hotfix
    Dec 24, 2023
  34. 12/23 evening patch 2 O_O
    Dec 24, 2023
  35. 12/23 Evening Hotfix
    Dec 24, 2023
  36. Audio Remixed and Remastered. Happy holidays!
    Dec 24, 2023
  37. 12/15 Update - Bug Fixes, QOL, Supporter's Pack Update
    Dec 15, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  38. 11/5 Fixes
    Nov 6, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  39. 10/30 Drowned Grey Fix
    Oct 30, 2023
  40. Thorn-bros rejoice! (10/29 Patch Notes)
    Oct 29, 2023

…and 9 earlier patch announcements.