[[[SPOILERS FOR SLAY THE PRINCESS]]]
Slay the Princess caught my eye after seeing a thumbnail of the game from a vtuber, and ever since I was considering playing it. Even during the steam Christmas sale I was deciding whether or not I should get it. I didn't end up getting it on sale (bought it the day the sale ended) and honestly I don't even feel bad about it. Going into the game I only knew that 1) it has elements of horror and 2) the game gaslights you. So knowing that the game was trying to trick me and emotionally manipulate me, I went in with the mindset of what would I do if I was put into that situation and— I slayed the princess. But not without her taking me out with her.
So began a Lovecraftian timeloop nightmare that ended in me getting horribly killed over and over again until I was met with a being that took the Princess's heart (literal) and claimed it needed other versions of her to become complete. So now learning what the game is about now - getting different 'endings' to feed the being life experiences - I decided, hey what the hell, let's try being nice and even try romance her, if given the option. I was still suspicious of her kind demeanor in this run, still heeding to the narrator's warnings that it was all a manipulation, but she was... pleasant. Still a little deranged, but overall a more pleasant person. And it made me realise how I wanted to get the rest of the princess endings. I didn't wan't to kill her as much as I was able to.
In the rest of my run, I did just that, only killing when I didn't have a choice and learning more about her I began to think to myself that maybe she really is misunderstood. Maybe, in a meta-sense, she was forced into the role of a villain by the creators, since although she does 'end the world' in endings where you are kind to her, it seems that the world simply ceases to exist as opposed to endings where you were a heartless killer she explicitly states she tormented the world.
So then finally, when it was revealed that the player was created to become a god to end death (the princess) and I was given a chance to talk to the now completed entity, whose goal was to bring suffering upon the world, I was given two choices: slay the princess for good and fulfill the role I was given or join her in an endless cycle to create and destroy worlds. I, was not happy with either of these choices.
Fortunately, the game has another option. You are given one last chance to speak with the princess again. Just, the regular ol' princess chained in the basement of a cabin, though she now knows everything you do. And there, you are able to free her and end the cycle of death and destruction and enter a world of uncertainty. A world where a higher being no longer dictates their every action.
I did not do the themes and emotions of this game justice, but this is more as an entry for me to remember how much I love this game. I'm not the type to replay games, so I'm really happy I was able to get an ending that I enjoyed and connected to a lot.
Play this game if you ever get the chance, it's good fun and really touching (at least, the ending I got was).
Also, here's the playlist I got at the end.
