10 Games to Play to Prepare for Slay the Spire 2

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Games to Play Before Slay the Spire 2 Launches Featured

Published Feb 28, 2026, 7:07 PM EST

Josh Speer has been writing about videogames for more than a decade now, but he's loved them since he was a small boy. He grew up with Mario and Mega Man, moved onto RPGs with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy, and now is hopelessly addicted to deckbuilders and rogue-likes. A devoted fan of indie games, he's always happy and willing to play anything that looks interesting, and share his enthusiasm with fellow fans. Some of his proudest moments include attending E3 on two separate occasions, as well as meeting Keiji Inafune when he introduced Mighty No. 9 at PAX West. Lifelong owner of Nintendo consoles, though he's also dabbled in Sony handhelds, and dearly loved his PS2. Now he is completely fascinated by his newest handheld, the Playdate, which provides hours of quirky black and white entertainment. Lives in the PNW and enjoys dark, rainy weather, solace and cup after cup of sweetened coffee.

There was a time, which feels like forever ago, when I wasn't a fan of deckbuilders. Then I played games like Slay the Spire and was suddenly hooked on the genre. And with the sequel, Slay the Spire 2, on the horizon, we decided to share a checklist of adventures gamers will want to play before it arrives.

All of these games are varieties of deckbuilders, so there's something for everyone. Some are more cartoony, others are fourth-wall-breaking nightmares, stories of hard-won redemption, and cyberpunk heists. No matter what, they each have a steep challenge, and most of them feature some sort of Roguelike mechanics or modes.

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As to how they're ranked, the games are arranged based on overall review reception. Now, without further ado, let's draw some cards and fight some monsters in this epic Slay the Spire 2-inspired list!

10 Bearly Brave

Survival of the Cutest

Platforms

Publisher

Genre

Release Date

Barbaric Games

Deckbuilder

December 15, 2025

Generally, deckbuilders feature life or death stakes against impossible odds, which makes Bearly Brave, a deckbuilder about teddy bears fighting for dominance on the store shelves after closing, pretty different. Developed by Barbaric Games, it's a unique take on the genre with a gorgeous, cartoony visual style.

Also unique, the game has you manage your inventory on a Tetris-inspired grid, where space is always at a premium. Combat is very dependent on complex card combos, and can determine the difference between failure and success.

Just because you're fighting against stuffed animals doesn't mean Bearly Brave is easy. It's quite a challenging game, as well as one that features procedural generation. So get ready, because Toby will need all your help to become king of the toys!

9 Arcana of Paradise: The Tower

Urchin Army

Platforms

Publisher

Genre

Release Date

PC, Switch

Shueisha Games

Deckbuilder

April 19, 2023

Put simply, Arcana of Paradise: The Tower is pretty weird. It's also incredibly imaginative, and a game that constantly feels like it's innovating as you play. It tells the story of a group of young children who awaken in a mysterious tower, unsure how they got there. All they know is their bellies need filling.

Thus, you'll set off on expeditions to explore the tower and recover bread. It's not that simple, though, since many monsters populate it, both friendly and dangerous. Luckily, the children learn different combat styles to deal with them — Swordsman, Mage, and Diviner. Using powerful cards and distinct tactics, they'll defend their allies and defeat these creatures.

Will you be able to survive long enough to find the truth of the tower? Or will these poor children perish? That's all up to you in Arcana of Paradise: The Tower.

8 HeistGeist

One Last Score

HeistGeist is one of the most underrated games on this admittedly distinct list of deckbuilders. For one thing, it's a cyberpunk theme instead of fantasy. For another, it's the only example of that genre that proudly calls itself "non-Roguelike," meaning that the game isn't procedurally generated, but is more of a choose-your-own-adventure.

The story of the game revolves around committing increasingly dangerous heists and uncovering a conspiracy along the way. As for combat, each card is inscribed with A, B, or C, and by playing cards in a specific order, you'll trigger helpful additional effects. You'll need all the help you can get to defeat the challenging robots and mercenaries in your path.

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Not to be outdone, HeistGeist also features spectacular voice acting for the quirky cast of characters. Honestly, the only complaint I have about the game is that I wanted to spend more time playing it. So, if you're a fan of the genre, you will especially want to try this cyberpunk adventure out.

7 Alina of the Arena

Blood Sport

Roguelike deckbuilders are hard enough. But when you throw in tactics, things really get intense. That's what you'll find in Alina of the Arena, a super streamlined and incredibly brutal adventure from PINIX.

You're Alina, a gladiator just trying to survive. While a large part of that is how capably you fight, impressing the crowd is also impressive. They'll actually throw items your way to help out, which might make an otherwise impossible battle feasible. Also helping out is dual weapon-wielding, which determines the cards featured in your deck.

If all that wasn't enough, the longer you play Alina of the Arena, the more distinct classes you'll acquire, which give you new ways to battle. Even then, it might not be enough for Alina to come out on top of this particular arena.

6 The Spirit Lift

Going Up?

Platforms

Publisher

Genre

Release Date

prettysmart games

Deckbuilder, horror

January 27, 2026

In a way, The Spirit Lift is like the Goosebumps of deckbuilders. It's a game with some light horror elements, lots of teenagers, and spooky supernatural scenarios to survive. The game has you choosing a team of 3 to explore, and doing your best to get through 13 floors of mayhem.

Each member of your team brings different items into combat, ranging from tennis balls to switchblades. They sort of have built-in classes, even if they don't immediately spell them out. You'll need their assistance to deal with cryptids, possessed dolls, and all sorts of angry monsters.

To help you further, you'll be able to use accumulated Spirit Points to tweak future runs in The Spirit Lift, making life easier or harder accordingly. It's a groovy trip through the '90s that I really wish was available on consoles.

5 Deathless: Tales of Old Rus

Four Heroes Against a Madman

Deathless: Tales of Old Rus

Though I've encountered all sorts of cultural mythologies in video games, Deathless: Tales of Old Rus is unique. It's the first game I've ever played that focused on Slavic folklore, which was a refreshing change of pace, as well as a great place to start a complex fantasy adventure.

The game features four distinct heroes — Varvara, Vasilisa, Dobrynya, and Alyosha. Each has a very different way they fight, from flinging a hair whip at foes to firing magical bullets, summoning handmaids, and using a massive shield to block damage. Not only that, but you'll choose their path through a series of battles, eventually fighting powerful bosses in your quest to eventually defeat Old Rus.

While Deathless: Tales of Old Rus is a challenging tale, it's also one of the most gorgeous games I've played in the genre, with stunning hand-drawn animation. This brings the assorted monsters (including giant war geese) to brilliant life. It's a diverse and quite engaging adventure that's well worth your time.

4 Death Howl

One Mother's Determination

Remember earlier when I said mixing deckbuilding with tactics makes a game more challenging? Well, that's even more apparent when you throw a little Soulslike into the mix. That's what we have in Death Howl, one of the most brutally hard yet inexplicably addictive deckbuilder adventures I've ever played.

Death Howl is the story of Ro, a grieving mother who goes into the Spirit Realm to bring her son Olvi back from death. Once there, it becomes apparent that the realm is in a state of chaos, which only makes her journey that much more dangerous. Luckily, Ro can craft cards out of materials and use the titular howls to make new cards, each of which gives her a better chance of survival.

Like any Soulslike, you'll need to be careful when you save, since doing so brings every foe you've defeated back to furious life. Thankfully, you can warp between save points, as well as use a skill tree to increase Ro's odds of survival. Trust me when I say she'll need all your help to have any small chance of success.

3 Out of Hands

Kafka-esque Deckbuilder

While it's true that Arcana of Paradise: The Tower is a little weird, it has nothing on Out of Hands. It's a Kafka-esque tale that feels like The Metamorphosis on steroids. You wake up with your entire face comprised of grasping hands. Thus, you'll dive into your own nightmarish memories, trying to unearth the core madness that's afflicting you.

Every card in your deck is based on either Action, Mystery, or Logic, and your actions determine which of those you most resonate with. They'll also restrict your cards as you progress, making them play differently, as well as dictating where the story ends. As far as combat, you'll use your "hands" to grab card weapons. These range from pencil erasers to scissors and weirder, all to pummel your foes with.

Out of Hands features a sort of claymation visual style, and it's equal parts fascinating and disturbing. This is a really compelling adventure, and it's really, really hard. The only question is if you'll fight your insanity or give in to it.

2 Inscryption

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Inscryption is one of the most amazing deckbuilders I've played. It's also a game that will break your mind as you play it. It's a sort of fourth-wall-breaking adventure that starts as an escape, and then turns into something very different. And the whole while, you'll be wondering what's real, and what are the ravings of a deluded mind.

Not only does the game require you to play the card game against your captor, but you'll have to examine your environment to escape. But don't get comfortable, since the card game you initially play doesn't stay the same, nor does the visual style of Inscryption. You'll start playing animal cards, dive into monstrous dungeons, and even fight back against robotic overlords.

Leshy's cabin is just the beginning of this deranged deckbuilder journey, and it's a memorable one.

1 Cross Blitz

A Jubilant Journey

I'm as surprised as you that Inscryption wasn't the big winner here. But since Cross Blitz edged it out by a couple of points, let me explain why I'm okay with it. Cross Blitz is a game I had a lot of experience playing in Early Access. While perhaps not as challenging as some other games on this list, it's still an incredible and diverse deckbuilder.

The game's story mode is split between several characters — Redcroft the pirate, Violet the pop star, Quill the thief, Seto the martial artist, and Mereena the plant princess. Each of them will level up and upgrade, gaining new cards for their deck, as well as unlocking several different deck styles. You'll have a lot of control over how you tweak their decks as you go on a heroic journey.

If that wasn't enough, Cross Blitz also has a Roguelike mode called Tusk Tales after you've rolled credits. Combine that with lush, super vibrant visuals, engaging music, and a whole metric ton of different cards and relics to acquire, and you'll start to understand why this deckbuilder took the gold.