Stillborn Slayer Review

The roguelike genre is currently enjoying a golden age, with developers finding increasingly creative ways to make us enjoy the cycle of death and rebirth and providing a challenge that is interesting enough. However, while many titles lean into the “power fantasy” of stacking upgrades until you become a god, Stillborn Slayer takes a much basic and punishing path.

Originally a hidden gem on PC, its 2026 arrival on modern consoles brings this punishing, pixel-art odyssey to a wider audience. It is a game that demands respect, panic and an exceptionally high tolerance for failure. If you are looking for a relaxing stroll through a fantasy world, turn back now as this provides no mercy for the unprepared and trust me I was unprepared.

In Stillborn Slayer, you aren’t the chosen one. You aren’t even technically alive. You play as a nameless, deceased adventurer for one purpose which is to traverse the blighted Dark Continent and slay the Horned God, whose very existence has plunged the world into an eternal night of corruption.

The storytelling is intentionally sparse, favouring “environmental narrative” over lengthy dialogue. The world feels heavy and indifferent to your struggle. Every death and you will die often is tracked by a “curse” mechanic, subtly reminding you that even your resurrection comes at a cost adding +2 curse every death as a counter and a constant reminder. Every 20 deaths there is a difficulty modifier though so stick with it, and you will slowly be rewarded even though not by much if you aren’t well versed in these types of games like me.

While the screenshots might suggest a standard top-down pixel art dungeon crawler, the reality is much more intense. Stillborn Slayer is, at its heart, a bullet hell action-roguelike Every swing of your sword and every projectile you fire must be calculated, button mashing will lead to quick deaths thanks to its emphasis on stamina management. Dodging and rolling is king here as it’s a vital mechanic needed to avoid the bombardment of enemy projectiles being fired at you and having you constantly on a swivel making sure everything is slayed before moving on.

The map and exploration is not linear and during your adventures and exploring the worlds you will come across sections with hidden items and chests that reward you with items. Finding these items allow you to mix and match armour and weapons to gain benefits and different fight styles that may work better when it comes to bigger and more dangerous areas and bosses. I found myself backtracking to try and uncover the world before moving on to see if I can get the upper hand.

As well as items there is currency through slaying baddies and smashing up the rooms that help aid your character with levelling up your character with buffs that will give you extra health, stamina etc. as well as items that allow you to upgrade your weapons that do more damage / less stamina consumption. These are super important and taking your time and being calculated is a must to reap the full benefits.

The true stars of the show are the bosses. There are a handful of boss encounters, and each one acts as a brutal skill check. These aren’t just “damage sponges” that you can whittle down with patience they are choreographed barrages of destruction. Early bosses introduce you to basic spreads and homing shots, but by the mid-game, you’ll be facing projectiles that fill the arena and terrain-altering attacks.

Visually, the game uses a high-contrast, gothic pixel-art style that perfectly captures the “Dark Continent” aesthetic. The character designs are grungy and imaginative, leaning heavily into horror themes. Despite the dark palette, the projectiles are always brightly coloured and easy to distinguish, which is a crucial design choice for a bullet hell and it is a good contrast.

For fans of bullet hell and like a challenge it is a compact, focused experience that prioritises mechanical mastery over pressing buttons as fast as you can to progress. At its budget-friendly price point, it offers an incredible amount of “bang for your buck,” provided you have the patience to learn its patterns and not get flustered. It is a bleak, challenging, and ultimately addictive experience that proves you don’t need a massive budget to create a compelling world. Just be prepared to die…a lot.