Card-en-Ciel
- October 23, 2024
- INTI CREATES CO., LTD.
As largely a spoof, Card-en-Ciel succeeds at being funny, even hilarious, but once you get past that, there's not much left to dig into.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Card-en-Ciel" is a roguelite card-battling RPG where you play as Neon, the "Gaming Chair Detective," exploring virtual dungeons based on the full-dive VR game, "Rust Tactics." As Neon, you'll delve into over 10 different dungeons, each representing a different game world, solving a mystery with over 300 cards and 50 unique vocal songs. Meet and collect characters, encounter heroes and heroines, make friends, and save the gaming world in this immersive experience.
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay with a unique blend of mechanics that keeps players invested and encourages strategic decision-making.
- High-quality music and voice acting that enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable even during repetitive gameplay.
- Strong appeal for anime fans, with a vibrant aesthetic and humorous references that celebrate otaku culture.
- The game can feel chaotic and overwhelming due to the sheer number of cards and mechanics, which may lead to confusion.
- Heavy reliance on anime tropes and humor may alienate players who are not fans of the genre, making it feel cringey at times.
- Limited options for deck management and a lack of clarity in the scoring system can detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its adaptive hand management and innovative mechanics, making it a standout in the roguelike deckbuilding genre. While some players find the mechanics cluttered and occasionally unclear, the overall experience is enjoyable, featuring unique card interactions and a vibrant aesthetic. The combination of engaging combos, solid character voicing, and a catchy soundtrack enhances the gameplay, appealing to both fans of the genre and those who appreciate its anime-inspired themes.
“The gameplay is perfect for the niche genre it occupies (roguelike deckbuilding/card battler).”
“There are lots of interesting mechanics and it's really fun to pull off a combo that feels overpowered.”
“Pretty good deckbuilding roguelite with plenty of neat and innovative mechanics, a must play for fans of the genre.”
“Mechanics-wise, I do think that it gets really cluttered. There's a lot that can be going on, and some of the mechanics aren't particularly clear with how they work, and tooltips can get so long they go off screen.”
“The amp mechanic deck is different from everything I've played, so things got slowed down a lot.”
“If you find vtuber/anime/otaku culture cringe and annoying, there is still a very fun and mechanically dense card battler dungeon crawler underneath the pile of anime jiggle physics.”
- music21 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players noting that it grows on them over time. The integration of adaptive musical changes through gameplay mechanics adds a fun layer, while the aesthetic complements the soundtrack well. However, some users expressed disappointment over the lack of a purchasable soundtrack despite the music's significance in the game.
“The music grows on you.”
“The music, visuals, and gameplay are top notch.”
“It's a roguelike deckbuilding dungeon crawler with idol music, and it's really good.”
“I find it very weird that a game that has music as one of the important things (that they even promote on the game's page) doesn't have a soundtrack that you can get, but alright I suppose (that said the music is cool).”
“Very fun and addicting, felt sick on release day so the game helped cheer me up, only negative I have for the game is that you can't pick the muse song that plays when multiple are activated at once.”
“Also a less 'noisy' aesthetic overall with its pixel art direction and subdued soundtrack.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story is characterized as cheesy and predictable, filled with typical JRPG and anime tropes, which may not appeal to everyone. While some players find the narrative amusing and fitting for the game's style, others feel it is shallow and secondary to the gameplay mechanics. Overall, the story serves as a lighthearted backdrop to the engaging card-based gameplay, allowing players to focus on mechanics rather than plot.
“Its JRPG elements also provide some characters and plot to grapple with.”
“Very interesting gameplay and great story too!”
“The story is what you could expect from that kind of game; it's nothing groundbreaking, it's all the silly anime tropes you can think of. I'm not really into that, but I like the gameplay enough for it not to be a negative for me.”
“The story is cheesy and predictable.”
“The only real knocks against it are the map/overworld screens being identical, and the story being pretty shallow.”
“The story is what you could expect from that kind of game; it's nothing groundbreaking, it's all the silly anime tropes you can think of.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a distinctive pixel art style complemented by a subdued soundtrack, creating a less chaotic aesthetic. Reviewers praise the visuals as solid and appealing, noting that they enhance the overall gameplay experience, which is further enriched by the game's unique art direction and humor.
“The music, visuals, and gameplay are top notch.”
“Visuals are nice and the different muse songs are actually quite pleasant.”
“Plot is simple but effective, the art style is solid.”
“The graphics are a less 'noisy' aesthetic overall with its pixel art direction and subdued soundtrack.”
“The art style is solid, but it doesn't elevate the overall experience of the game.”
“While the game has a unique aesthetic, it often feels inconsistent and lacks polish.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is heavily influenced by anime culture, featuring self-aware and tongue-in-cheek elements that blend cringe-worthy tropes with a playful vibe. While it may be uncomfortable for some, fans of weeb humor and idol music will likely find it enjoyable, striking a balance between laughter and cringe. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate its unique aesthetic and comedic style.
“Once I saw there was a dungeon named after Gal Gun: Double Peace, a lot of things started clicking with this game's aesthetic and sense of humor.”
“If you've ever watched a Hololive stream by choice and enjoyed yourself, then this is nothing. The weeb humor and idol music, along with the muse mechanic, is for sure a vibe, with some good tracks as well.”
“Do be warned, it's very cringe and tropey, to an almost uncomfortable degree, but for what it's worth, it's also very self-aware and tongue-in-cheek about it to a point that I'm laughing at least as often as I'm cringing—a good ratio.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily intertwined with promotional content for other titles by the developer, featuring in-game references and character interactions that celebrate their broader game universe. While this approach serves as a form of advertisement, it is not overly intrusive, as many referenced games and characters are fictional within the game's context.
“It serves somewhat as an advertisement for the other games by this developer.”
“It's half a big ad for in-game stuff, which is alright, but before fights, the characters talk, and when you enter a dungeon, the main character says, 'Hey, it's [game], we may see [character].' I can't even understand how he recognizes the game since all the dungeons look the same, and many characters and games don't even exist; they're just in-universe games, so it's not like there are ads all over the game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, particularly for players interested in revisiting dungeons on higher difficulties and striving for high scores, suggesting it offers a lasting experience.
“High replayability, and so far it seems like it'll last you a long while if you're willing to do dungeons again on higher difficulties.”
“Where it excels is in replayability and aiming for high scores.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game shows a noticeable shift away from traditional anime influences, though remnants of this style can still be seen in the character designs.
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
“I expected more depth from the characters, but they all seem one-dimensional and predictable.”
“The lack of meaningful growth for the characters makes it hard to invest in their journeys.”
Critic Reviews
Solid Card-en-Ciel Card Lacks Mega Man Battle Network Charm
Card-en-Ciel features over 10 different dungeons, with each one featuring a different game world! You'll meet and collect different characters in each one while seeing the story unfold. Each dungeon is its own roguelite experience, so you'll start with a basic deck and collect cards to build combos and synergies unique to that dungeon. The rules will even change if you choose a higher difficulty, keeping every dungeon dive fresh! Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.I enjoyed Card-en-Ciel and appreciate how it built on Mega Man Battle Network gameplay, but it lacks some of the charm of Capcom’s series.
70%Card-en-Ciel
As largely a spoof, Card-en-Ciel succeeds at being funny, even hilarious, but once you get past that, there's not much left to dig into.
70%Deckbuilding Strategy Meets Bright Cyberpunk Fun
80%
