Appearances can be deceiving

You are on a quest to a cabin. And inside the cabin, there is a princess. But as the name implies, Slay the Princess is not necessarily about a valiant rescue.

Rather, you’re going to have to do some slaying.

Developer Black Tabby Games announced its next project, Slay the Princess, today. And it is a good pitch. You’re on your way to a cabin in the woods to kill a princess. Do this, and you’ll save the world. Fail, and you doom it. But she’s a princess, right? How bad could she really be?

Well, watch the trailer below and draw your own conclusions.

The story plays on trust, choice, and of course, lots of horror. Because despite any immediate takes on the matter, this princess is a lot more than just that. As the Steam page notes, you will probably die a lot on your quest. Also, don’t try to romance her, or talk to her, or hear her out. But also, who’s to say this narrator is trustworthy either?

Not quite a knight in shining armor

Slay the Princess is a really cool concept, and from a pretty interesting team too. Black Tabby Games had some word-of-mouth going about a previous horror adventure, Scarlet Hollow. It’s clear the team has some chops when it comes to writing interesting horror narratives.

Plus, from the trailer alone, the art style looks fantastic. And the voice work from Jonathan Sims and Nichole Goodnight adds a ton, too. It reminds me a bit of fellow pencil-sketch horror game Mundaun, mixed with a visual novel-style presentation. With some branching paths, possible loops, and probably some secrets to uncover, Black Tabby Games has my attention.

Slay the Princess is aiming for a 2023 launch. Those who can’t wait can get early access to a two-hour demo through Black Tabby’s Patreon here.