Slots and Daggers first impressions: Brilliant beeps and boops

If I asked you to think of something that pairs naturally with a gambling-focused game, would you instantly jump to a fantasy RPG? Likely not, but there’s a game doing just that in Steam Next Fest that’s storming through the charts right now – Slots and Daggers.

This title looks fantastic and it has a solid gameplay loop at its core. If you’ve been looking for the best Steam Next Fest demos to try out with a roguelike format, Slots and Daggers is well worth your time.  

The Escapist recaps

• Slots and Daggers is a slot machine roguelike with a fantasy RPG format, tasking the player with spinning slots to attack, defend, or cast spells in battles against all manner of critters.
• The game lets you purchase power-ups and new symbols for the slot machine as you go, allowing plenty of player freedom and customization.
• The demo performed well during my time with it, with no notable quirks or issues to report. Slots and Daggers looks fantastic, with a dark, retro aesthetic, and it sounds even better, with plenty of beeps and boops as the slot machine spins. 
• It’s a generous demo, allowing you to take the game for a spin and see a number of different enemy types across three levels. It’s one of the best Next Fest demos that I’ve tried recently, along with Dice of Kalma.

Simple in nature yet utterly compelling

Slots and Daggers isn’t an overly complicated game, but it’s completely engrossing once you start playing it. If you’re a fan of games like Balatro, I’m confident you’ll get a kick out of it.

I’m not someone who tends to play gambling games – I’ve never used an actual slot machine before – but something about the aesthetic of Slots and Daggers drew me in. It’s dark and mysterious, with interesting monster designs dotted throughout.

The core gameplay loop in Slots and Daggers involves you entering a battle and spinning the slot machine to trigger a row of symbols; these symbols indicate what you’ll do in the battle.

For example, getting two daggers and a shield means you’ll attack twice then defend, while three daggers will award you a critical hit and deal significant damage. Your aim while playing is to kill the enemy in front of you while monitoring your own health and shield stats. 

You start off with just three symbols to choose from on the slot machine, with a dagger for attacking, a shield for blocking, and a coin for earning more money. As you progress, you’ll be able to unlock new symbols, like a bow and arrow, which can in turn unlock new mini games to complete while fighting a battle.

Any coins that you pick up during a battle can be spent after the fight to unlock new symbols or permanent upgrades, allowing you to customize your run to fit your personal playstyle. 

The battles get significantly harder as you progress, with enemies gaining larger chunks of health and having stronger abilities, too. Luckily, the symbols and upgrades that you gain access to while progressing get more powerful as well.

It’s possible to stun an enemy with a well-timed attack, leaving them wide open for a free round of damage. Small details like this added more complexity to each fight. 

Pixelated goodness with sublime sound design 

In terms of performance, Slots and Daggers presented no issues during its Next Fest demo, with no visual quirks or hiccups to report.

It ran well and looked lovely, and I found the UI pleasantly easy to navigate as well. Sometimes, games with a pixelated aesthetic can have menu text that is hard to read, but thankfully, I didn’t find this to be the case with this game. 

The sound design was a real standout for Slots and Daggers, with all manner of beeps, boops, and bings ricocheting around my headset during each battle. The music is solid, too, adding to the atmosphere of the game nicely.

If you’re a fan of games like CloverPit, you’re sure to love Slots and Daggers. It’s beautifully simple yet utterly compelling, and it feels like it’s been made with love and care. The Slots and Daggers release date is October 24, 2025, but the demo is available on Steam as part of Next Fest right now.

Ask The Escapist