Slay the Spire 2 Faces Steam Review Bomb as Players Protest Unreleased Balance Patch

For the first time since its launch, Slay the Spire 2 has seen a dramatic drop in its Steam rating. Within a single day, the game’s score fell from an “Overwhelmingly Positive” 97 % to a “Very Positive” 83 %, a swing that translates to roughly 11,000 new negative reviews out of a total of 60,000. The culprit? A balance patch that has not yet been released to the public.

What Triggered the Flood of Negative Feedback?

On the night of March 19, Mega Crit announced Beta Patch v0.100.0 on Steam. The update promises a “huge balance pass” aimed at making the coveted Infinites harder to achieve, along with a new Phobia Mode featuring custom assets to address players’ creepy phobia concerns. However, the patch is currently opt‑in only; to access it, users must navigate to the Game Versions & Betas tab and select the “public‑beta” branch. Mega Crit has repeatedly emphasized that beta patches are provisional and subject to change.

Despite this, the announcement sparked an immediate backlash. The most heated criticism centers on the nerfing of the Silent’s Prepared skill. In the beta branch, Prepared has been replaced by a new card called Prepare. The new card costs 1 energy, discards two cards, and grants 2 energy on the next turn—compared to the original, which was free, drew two cards, and discarded two. Many players feel the Silent’s power has been significantly reduced, turning a once‑overpowered deck into a more balanced, but less exciting, option.

Another point of contention is the buff to the Doormaker boss in Act 3. In the beta version, Doormaker now permanently removes the tenth card drawn for the rest of the fight and gains one strength each time it does so. This change has upset players who argue that the boss’s new mechanic makes the fight feel unfair and removes the strategic depth that fans enjoyed.

Key Changes in the Beta Patch

• Silent’s Prepared → Prepare: 1‑energy cost, discards two cards, grants 2 energy next turn.
• Doormaker Boss Buff: Permanent removal of the tenth card drawn, +1 Strength per removal.
• Introduction of Phobia Mode with custom assets.
• General balance adjustments aimed at reducing the frequency of Infinites.

Community Reactions and Developer Response

The Steam community’s reaction has been swift and vocal. Many users posted screenshots of the new card and boss mechanics, arguing that the changes undermine the game’s core strategy. Some have called for a rollback of the patch, while others have expressed frustration that the changes are being announced before the patch is even available to the majority of players.

In response, Mega Crit issued a statement clarifying that the beta branch is optional and that the changes are still subject to further testing. The company also emphasized that the goal of the patch is to address long‑standing balance concerns that have been raised by the community since the game’s release. They urged players to participate in the beta to provide feedback before the final release.

Despite these reassurances, the negative reviews have already been posted, and the Steam rating continues to decline. The situation highlights the delicate balance developers must strike between transparency, community engagement, and maintaining a positive perception of their product.

What Does This Mean for Players?

For players who have not yet downloaded the beta, the current version of the game remains unchanged. Those who have opted into the beta will experience the new card and boss mechanics immediately. The patch’s impact on overall gameplay is still uncertain, as the community’s feedback will shape the final version.

Players who are concerned about the changes can either