Slay

About

Slay is a single player and multiplayer turn-based strategy game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Sean O'Connor and was released on November 30, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"Slay is a medieval strategy game where players must capture enemies' land and create stronger territories using turn-based moves. Starting with peasants, players can upgrade to stronger troops or risk bankruptcy by creating too many expensive ones. With cunning strategy elements and engaging multiplayer, Slay has been praised as a work of genius with brilliant AI and addictive gameplay."

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 582 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

graphics9 negative mentions

The game offers a great mix of strategy and simplicity, making it addictive and enjoyable for both casual and serious players.
There are numerous levels with varying difficulties, providing a good challenge and hours of gameplay.
The absence of ads and in-app purchases enhances the overall experience, allowing players to focus solely on the game.

Recent updates have introduced bugs that cause crashes and loss of progress, making the game frustrating to play.
Some maps are unbalanced, making them nearly impossible to win on higher difficulties, which can lead to player frustration.
The user interface is not optimized for mobile, leading to issues with unit placement and screen responsiveness.

graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
65%
26%
Overall, the graphics have received overwhelmingly negative feedback following a recent update, with many users expressing a strong preference for the original art style. Complaints include washed-out colors, low-quality visuals, and a significant decline in performance, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Users are calling for a return to the classic graphics, which they believe enhanced the game's aesthetic and playability.
- “Simple rules and no frills graphics mask an absolute gem.”
- “With simple, straightforward rules and simple, pleasant graphics, the emphasis is on pure strategy.”
- “Faitful to the 95 desktop version with updated graphics.”
- “Unfortunately, the graphics on the new update are terrible.”
- “The October 2021 update introduced really awful graphics (can't tell the colors apart) and very slow gameplay.”
- “The new graphics are absolutely awful, and they ruin the classic clean look of the game.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The gameplay is described as addictive and engaging, with simple mechanics that offer surprising depth and strategic variety. However, some users have noted issues with responsiveness, frustrating surrender prompts, and a decline in performance and graphics quality following updates. Overall, while the core gameplay remains enjoyable, there are significant concerns regarding speed and precision that detract from the experience.
- “Gameplay so addicting that 5 minutes easily turns into an hour.”
- “Incredibly fun and addictive gameplay.”
- “Quick convenient gameplay with rich strategic depth.”
- “The core gameplay remains, but like others, I've noticed a regression in the response and precision of screen tapping to select and place units.”
- “It can be frustrating at times; I don't want to accept a surrender, but it keeps asking until you accidentally press yes, and then an hour of gameplay was wasted.”
- “The October 2021 update introduced really awful graphics (can't tell the colors apart) and very slow gameplay.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users noting significant performance issues, particularly on mobile devices. While some players report smooth performance after reinstalling, others find the interface unresponsive and poorly suited for touch controls, leading to frustration. There is a consensus that the game requires further optimization, especially for Android devices, to enhance speed and responsiveness.
- “Reinstall was required, but now the game runs smoothly on Android 9.”
- “Stellar performance.”
- “Its greatest issue is performance; it does not look like a game that should run slowly on any phone, let alone one with relatively modern specs.”
- “The app was much better aesthetically and from a performance perspective before the update, and I hope that version is made available again.”
- “The game is not optimized for a phone screen.”
- “I assume it's a port from iOS, but for a higher price I think it'd be reasonable to give the Android version a bit more optimization work.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The monetization model of the game is highly praised, as it features no ads, in-app purchases, or loot boxes, allowing players to enjoy a complete gaming experience without interruptions or additional costs. Users appreciate the freedom to play offline and the absence of data collection, contributing to an overall positive reception of the game's monetization strategy.
- “No gems, no ads, just a solid, enjoyable, entertaining game.”
- “What I like: no ads, play at your own pace, simple user interface.”
- “Bonus: no ads or stupid loot boxes.”
- “No in-app purchases or any other cap.”
- “The best part is that there aren't any ads, it doesn't collect your personal data, and it doesn't care if you are connected to the internet.”
- “Happily, the developers decided to keep the game free of in-app purchases and ads, so you get a full game without limitations for your money.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game offers significant replayability, comparable to classics like chess and Tetris, with players enjoying its depth and simplicity. However, some users note bugs and express a desire for features like a random map creator to enhance the experience further. Overall, it is praised for its potential to provide hours of engaging gameplay.
- “Actually, it's a brilliant game with endless replayability like chess or Tetris.”
- “Actually, it's a brilliant game with endless replayability like chess or Tetris, but... it's buggy.”
- “Absolutely love the replayability of this game!”
- “Beautifully simple yet complex enough for hours of replay value.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The story aspect of the game is described as simplistic, with a focus on strategic elements like resource management and unit rankings, resembling a rock-paper-scissors dynamic. Players are encouraged to utilize castles effectively, suggesting that the narrative may be secondary to gameplay mechanics.
- “The legit slay (this one) is a whole different story.”
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any real emotional response.”
- “The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the game's stability, noting that while the iOS version is more polished and less prone to bugs, the overall experience is marred by glitches that can significantly impact gameplay, such as losing points unexpectedly. Despite its engaging mechanics and replayability, these stability issues detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “It's really a shame and absolutely confusing how the iOS version is so much more polished and less buggy.”
- “Actually, it's a brilliant game with endless replayability like chess or Tetris, but... it's buggy.”
- “Finally figured out how to play this, then the game glitches with no troops on the battlefield. I lost 18 points, going from earning 50 points to 10, with no loss of land, eh?”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game overall, but many find that the "very hard" levels lead to tedious grinding, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “I really like this game, but the 'very hard' levels get incredibly tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which makes the game feel more like a chore than fun.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the humor in the game, particularly enjoying the comedic sound effects, though some wish for the option to disable them. There is also a desire for the developer to bring their previous humorous title, "rats," to Android, highlighting the positive reception of its comedic elements.
- “I just wish the developer would port his 'Rats' game to Android as well, as that was not only great to play but had pretty hilarious sounds too.”