Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era vs Slay the Spire 2
Turn-based strategy revival versus refined deckbuilder — one demands hours, the other respects 30 minutes.
Updated 10d ago
Olden Era revives the HOMM3 formula with modern flair, but its PvP-driven balance and single-player wonk make it a wait-for-full-release unless you're multiplayer-bound.
Still the best in its genre — the new multiplayer co-op alone justifies the buy even in early access.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era | Slay the Spire 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Value Slay the Spire 2 wins on value | ||
| Price now | $29.99 −25% · GamesPlanet US | $24.99 Steam |
| All-time low | $27.69 | $24.99 |
| Cost / hour | $2.57/hr $29.99 · 12 h main story | $2.61/hr $24.99 · 10 h main story |
| Off its low | +8% vs $27.69 low | At its low low was Mar 2026 |
| Main story | 12 h | 10 h |
| Health Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 87% 21k reviews | 61% 194k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 81% 969 votes · vs 87% lifetime · souring | 67% 6k votes · vs 61% lifetime · improving |
| Peak players | 13,594 Jul 2026 · ↓ 24% MoM | 124,547 Jul 2026 · ↓ 18% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 22% of Mar 2026 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 60,562 May 2026 · now at 22% | 574,638 Mar 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 4 weeks ago | 8 days ago |
| Patch cadence | 10 in last 90 days | 9 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era
The HOMM3-inspired feel hooks veterans—builds feel varied, magic synergies shine, and randomly generated maps keep hundreds of hours fresh.
Balance and load times frustrate long-haul players—AI steamrolls on higher difficulties, templates are a gamble, and crashes mar sessions.
from our August 2026 verdict
Slay the Spire 2
The new four-player co-op hooks even skeptical friends, and regular updates keep the card pool evolving
Ascension 10 balancing draws consistent frustration — brutal enemy scaling and RNG-heavy bosses feel unfair to many
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era if
- You crave turn-based strategy with deep faction variety and map exploration.
- You're a Heroes III veteran wanting the same feel with better QoL.
- You can tolerate early access rough edges for a classic experience.
Pick Slay the Spire 2 if
- You sunk 200+ hours into Slay the Spire 1 and want fresh relic combos.
- You're new to deckbuilders and want a 30-minute-per-run entry point.
- You want a co-op deckbuilder that doesn't break asynchronous solo runs.
Bottom line
Choose Olden Era if you're a Heroes III diehard willing to wait for multiplayer fixes; choose Slay the Spire 2 for a polished, immediate fix that respects your time.