Studio Mega Crit planned to retain most of the cards from the first game in the sequel. The inspiration for this approach was the Dark Souls series, where weapons like the Claymore sword return from game to game.
The developers assumed that players would similarly build decks around familiar cards. Therefore, an early version of Slay the Spire 2 contained only a small number of new mechanics and combinations.
The idea quickly failed in testing. Players criticized the project: according to them, the game did not feel like a full-fledged sequel and resembled an expansion to the original more than anything else. Players were expecting new mechanics, synergies, and fresh gameplay.
After that, Mega Crit completely changed its approach and abandoned the old concept. The final version featured many new cards and reworked character classes.
As a result, thanks to feedback from testers, the sequel became a completely new experience rather than a copy of the first game.