ROG Ally Review: Slay the Spire 2 & Esoteric Ebb

Generally, I think the ASUS ROG Ally is pretty cool, it handled Slay the Spire 2 and Esoteric Ebb really well, giving me smooth performance and lots of fun on the go. Normally, I would just test games for a bit, but these two games were so much fun I ended up playing them all weekend. Usually, I get bored with games after a while, but the Ally’s portability kept me coming back for more.

First Impressions

Honestly, when I first started playing Slay the Spire 2 and Esoteric Ebb on my ASUS ROG Ally, I thought I would just play for a few minutes, but I ended up playing for hours, it was like having a tiny arcade in my hands. Obviously, the games were really fun, and the Ally’s small screen was perfect for them. Mostly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed playing on such a small device.

Slay the Spire 2 on a Handheld

Esoteric Ebb: A Narrative RPG in Your Pocket

Usually, I think games with a lot of dialogue are not great for handheld devices, but the Ally’s controller mapping felt really comfy, and the art in Esoteric Ebb stayed clear on the 7-inch display. Honestly, I was worried that the dark crowded scenes would be hard to read, but the sharp lines and saturated colors kept everything readable. Mostly, I had to drop the graphics a notch to keep the framerate steady, but the game still looked great.

Performance & Power

Generally, both games ran really well on the Ally, Slay the Spire 2’s early-access build had some occasional hiccups, but they never broke the flow of the game. Normally, I would expect a game like Esoteric Ebb to need a lot of power, but it ran smoothly even with the graphics turned down a bit. Obviously, you don’t need a desktop RTX 4080 to play these games, the Ally is more than enough.

Portable Lifestyle Benefits

Apparently, the Ally is really great for playing games on the go, I could launch a quick run of Slay the Spire 2 during my coffee break, and then play a deeper session of Esoteric Ebb while commuting. Usually, I worry about the battery life of handheld devices, but the Ally’s battery lasted for several hours of continuous play. Mostly, it’s really convenient to have a device that can play games like this.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, my weekend with the Ally reminded me that good games don’t have to be the newest releases to be fun, a well-designed deck-builder and a richly written RPG gave me a great mix of quick hits and deep storytelling. Normally, I would recommend these games to anyone with a handheld PC, they’re definitely worth trying. Generally, I think the Ally is a great device for playing games on the go.

What handheld experiences have captured your attention lately?

Usually, I want to hear about what games people are playing on their handheld devices, whether it’s a classic deck-builder, a dialogue-heavy RPG, or something entirely different. Honestly, I’m always looking for new games to try, and I’d love to hear about your portable gaming sessions.

About the Author

Apparently, Andrea Shearon has been writing about games for nearly a decade, she’s written for IGN, USA Today, Fanbyte, and Destructoid before joining PC Gamer in 2025. Normally, she plays a lot of retro RPGs, and she also likes to raid in Final Fantasy XIV and experiment with survival-craft titles. Generally, she’s just a big fan of games, and she loves writing about them.