The Spirit Lift
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About The Spirit Lift
The Spirit Lift is a deck-building rogue-like with horror themes set in a crumbling haunted hotel. You play as a character ascending 13 floors via a glitchy elevator, battling ghosts and monsters using a randomized deck of equipment cards. Developer prettysmart games released it on PC in January 2026. It’s a single-player strategy game where every floor feels like a gamble, your choices in card upgrades and resource management determine whether you make it to the villain at the top. The vibe is tense and twitchy, leaning into jump scares and permadeath. It’s for folks who like risk-reward loops and don’t mind dying a lot.
Gameplay
Each run starts with a fresh deck of weapons, tools, and consumables. You ascend one floor at a time, opening doors to fight enemies or scavenge. Battles are turn-based, requiring you to balance card draw, damage, and limited healing. Controls are straightforward but rely on quick thinking, every wrong choice leads to respawns. The elevator itself randomly triggers encounters, like sudden ghostly ambushes or environmental hazards. You can tweak your deck between floors, but permadeath means mistakes compound fast. The game’s pacing is frantic, with each session lasting 30, 45 minutes. Strategy comes in managing card synergies and prioritizing upgrades, though RNG heavily influences outcomes.
What Players Think
Critics gave it a 72, while users average 68. Completion rates are low, only 19% finish all 13 floors. Average playtime is 8.5 hours, with most players abandoning after 3, 5 runs. Community moods are split: 39% excited, 32% curious, 22% skeptical. Reviews highlight the game’s “haunted slot machine” vibe: one player wrote, “Loved the card customization, but the difficulty spikes feel unfair.” Another called it “a short, punchy experience with too much randomness.” The 35 achievements track deck builds and survival streaks, with players averaging 49% unlocked.
PlayPile's Take
The Spirit Lift is a gamble. If you enjoy high-risk deck-builders and don’t mind short playtimes, it’s $29.99 well-spent. But if you hate RNG or want a deep story, skip it. The core loop is addictive, but the 19% completion rate shows how punishing it can be. Achievements add replayability, but they’re mostly for collectors. It’s a niche pick for fans of rogue-likes who thrive on chaos. Otherwise, it’s a quick, frustrating ride.
Game Modes
Single player
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