Card-en-Ciel

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 84 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
Card-en-Ciel Game Cover
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.
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"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.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews
gameplay14 positive mentions
monetization2 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and engaging deckbuilding mechanic with a variety of card types and strategic gameplay elements.
  • The art style and voice acting are charming, with a vibrant anime aesthetic that appeals to fans of the genre.
  • The music is enjoyable and adds to the overall experience, with many tracks tied to the game's mechanics and characters.
  • The game can feel repetitive over time, with a generic story and heavy reliance on anime clichés and fan service.
  • The scoring system is strict and can be frustrating for players aiming for high ranks, as it requires specific strategies to achieve top scores.
  • There are technical issues such as freezing and crashing, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
  • gameplay37 mentions

    The gameplay is praised for its mechanical depth and variety, featuring a blend of standard deckbuilding elements, unique mechanics like the wild card and muse systems, and engaging combos that enhance the experience. While some players find the multitude of mechanics can lead to clutter and confusion, the overall execution is considered innovative and enjoyable, particularly for fans of the roguelike deckbuilding genre. The game's vibrant aesthetics and music further complement its gameplay, making it a standout title despite its niche appeal.

    • “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.”
    • “Gameplay is genuinely great though, cool combos, nice cards, nice audio and visuals.”
    • “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.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game is a standout feature, with a diverse selection of tracks tied to the muses, including songs from previous Inti Creates titles. Players either love or hate the cutesy, repetitive themes that accompany gameplay, particularly during ultimate activations, but many find the overall soundtrack enjoyable and addictive. Despite some criticism regarding the lack of a digital soundtrack release, the music is praised for enhancing the game's charm and atmosphere, especially for fans of anime and idol culture.

    • “The music grows on you.”
    • “But my most favorite part of this game is the soundtrack.”
    • “The muse music is excellent, even when you get spammed by it over and over again.”
    • “Especially when you activate an ultimate and the music starts playing, this is another love it or hate it thing that will either make you very happy vibing with the beat or ready to throw your computer out the window because you can't stand that damn cutesy music and theme going off for the 26th time because you drew into a good combo. That being said, if you don't really like anime or fan servicey things, you're not gonna be having a good time either.”
    • “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. The only negative I have for the game is that you can't pick the muse song that plays when multiple are activated at once.”
  • story13 mentions

    The story is generally viewed as simplistic and filled with generic, cliché elements typical of the genre, often leaning on predictable tropes and fan service. While some players find it amusing and fitting for the game's style, others note its shallow nature and repetitive execution. Overall, the narrative serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point, allowing players to engage with the mechanics without needing to invest deeply in the story.

    • “Simple, but effective story.”
    • “Its JRPG elements also provide some characters and plot to grapple with.”
    • “Very interesting gameplay and great story too!”
    • “It is a simple and fun card game but it gets repetitive very quickly, the story is as generic as it can get and it has some very cliché fan service.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The game's graphics are praised for their unique pixel art style and aesthetic, which may not appeal to everyone but is complemented by a subdued soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the visuals as top-notch, with a solid art style that enhances the overall gameplay experience, while also noting the chaotic nature of the card mechanics. Overall, the combination of appealing visuals and engaging audio contributes positively to the game's charm.

    • “I have just started the game and love everything I have seen of it - the style, the aesthetics, the game mechanics, the characters.”
    • “The music, visuals, and gameplay are top notch.”
    • “Visuals are nice and the different music songs are actually quite pleasant.”
    • “The aesthetic isn't for everyone.”
    • “Also a less 'noisy' aesthetic overall with its pixel art direction and subdued soundtrack.”
    • “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.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The game's humor is heavily influenced by "weeb" culture, featuring self-aware and tongue-in-cheek references that can be both cringe-worthy and amusing. While it embraces tropes to an uncomfortable degree, players who enjoy this aesthetic, particularly fans of idol music and hololive streams, may find the humor endearing and entertaining. Overall, it strikes a balance between laughter and cringe, appealing to those with a taste for niche humor.

    • “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

    The monetization aspect of the game is perceived as a promotional tool for other titles by the developer, featuring in-game references and character interactions that celebrate their broader game universe. While some players find this approach acceptable, others note that it can feel like a significant advertisement, albeit integrated into the gameplay rather than overtly commercial.

    • “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

    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.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel tedious.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
    • “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics really hurts its replayability.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent freezes and crashes that disrupt gameplay and force players to restart entire dungeons.

    • “The game is good, but it frequently freezes and crashes in the middle of play, forcing me to re-run the whole dungeon from the beginning.”
    • “I love the gameplay, but the constant crashes make it nearly unplayable.”
    • “Every time I get into a challenging situation, the game tends to freeze, which ruins the experience.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game shows a noticeable departure from traditional anime influences, though remnants of the style can still be seen in the character designs. This suggests a shift towards a more unique identity while retaining some familiar elements.

    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
    • “The characters seem to be stuck in one-dimensional roles, which detracts from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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