Mewgenics vs Slay the Spire 2
Genetic cat armies versus polished deckbuilding — both roguelites reward mastery, but one asks for patience and the other for precision.
Makes good on the decade-long Mewgenics dev cycle — McMillen and Glaiel's cat-genetics roguelite hits Isaac territory at 89 MC and 94% recommend.
Still the best deckbuilder roguelite — Mega Crit's sequel deepens the relics and events without breaking the original's perfect 30-min run-shape, on co-op now too.
Steam popularity
Shared scale — sparklines are directly comparable across both games.
Mewgenics
Apr 2026 peak CCU 25,013 ↓ 70% MoM
All-time peak 115,063
Slay the Spire 2
Apr 2026 peak CCU 358,577 ↓ 38% MoM
Key differences
Combat system
Mewgenics is a turn-based tactical game where you move cats on a grid and manipulate genetics between runs.
Slay the Spire 2 is a card-based deckbuilder where each turn is about managing hand and energy efficiently.
Meta-progression
Mewgenics lets you breed cats across generations, passing down skills and traits to build a permanent army.
Slay the Spire 2 unlocks new cards, relics, and characters across runs but resets each session's deck.
Run length
Mewgenics runs can stretch many hours due to deep genetics layers and strategic map navigation.
Slay the Spire 2 preserves the original's 30-minute run arc, now with co-op options for variable pacing.
Which one is for you?
Pick Mewgenics if
- You love Binding of Isaac but want turn-based strategy with pet breeding
- You can invest 200+ hours into evolving a custom cat army
- You enjoy tinkering with genetics and long-term planning over quick runs
Pick Slay the Spire 2 if
- You want a deckbuilder that respects your time with 30-minute runs
- You crave fresh relic synergies and co-op play with friends
- You're new to roguelites and need a clean, approachable entry point
Bottom line
Pick Mewgenics for deep genetic experimentation and tactical combat; pick Slay the Spire 2 if you want tight deckbuilding loops that respect your time.