Card-en-Ciel

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 278 reviews

gameplay38 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

Innovative gameplay that combines card mechanics with movement, creating a unique and engaging experience.
Rich variety of characters and references from other Inti Creates games, enhancing the overall charm and humor.
Strong voice acting and a catchy soundtrack that adds personality and enjoyment to the gameplay.

The scoring system can be overly strict, discouraging exploration and forcing players into specific strategies.
Repetitive dungeon layouts and a lack of depth in the story can make the experience feel shallow over time.
Heavy reliance on anime tropes and fan service may alienate players who are not fans of the genre.

gameplay
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
68%
2%
The gameplay of "Card-en-Ciel" is praised for its innovative mechanics, particularly the "diva system" and various card interactions that encourage strategic thinking and combo creation. While the game offers a rich and engaging experience with a variety of mechanics, some players find it can become cluttered and overwhelming at times. Overall, it is considered a solid deckbuilding roguelite that rewards players who invest time in mastering its unique systems.
- “Brain-wracking at times, but the game more than rewards you for taking the time to embrace and study the new gameplay mechanics like the 'diva system', opening the way for amazing combos and making you feel strong in the process.”
- “Every dungeon introduces a new mechanic or a new wrinkle to the game, and you get a starting deck and a pool of card drops focused on that mechanic.”
- “The gameplay loop is fun and can definitely see the replayability it has going for it with the increasing difficulties, and the story, albeit a little cliché, is really good.”
- “If you don't like that style of gameplay, that's tough because those are your only options for that dungeon.”
- “You're basically only playing through dungeons; that's all the gameplay, and dungeons 1 through 3 feel very repetitive.”
- “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.”
music
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised as a standout feature, with a diverse selection of 50 tracks that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly through the unique "muse" system that changes the music dynamically. However, many songs are repurposed from previous titles by Inti Creates, which has led to some criticism regarding the originality of the soundtrack. Overall, players appreciate the catchy tunes and voice acting, though the heavy anime and fan service themes may not appeal to everyone.
- “The music is the standout part of the game, and the 50 muse songs really go hard. The new songs are great, but it's worth noting that about 30 of those songs were already finished and composed for previous Inti Creates titles.”
- “I really love how when a muse becomes active, you get a high-quality song specific to that muse.”
- “The music, visuals, and gameplay are top-notch.”
- “The music is the standout part of the game and the 50 muse songs really go hard, but sneakily about 30 of those songs were already finished and composed for previous Inti Creates titles across Gal*Gun, Azure Striker Gunvolt, etc. The new songs are great, but they aren't all new, so it's not really fair to boast that this game has '50 songs' implying that you've never heard 'Indigo Destiny' or 'Love Hearts' before.”
- “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.”
story
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
6%
The game's story is generally considered brief and somewhat cliché, often relying on familiar anime tropes and humor, but it provides a sense of progression that enhances the gameplay experience. While the narrative is not groundbreaking and can feel repetitive, players appreciate the character interactions and the integration of romance elements, making it enjoyable for casual players. Overall, the story serves as a lighthearted backdrop to the deckbuilding mechanics, allowing players to engage with the game without needing to focus heavily on the plot.
- “The gameplay loop is fun and can definitely see the replayability it has going for it with the increasing difficulties, and the story, albeit a little cliche, is really good.”
- “The story is a nice plus that most deckbuilding roguelike dungeon crawlers lack and makes the gameplay itself somewhat more purposeful.”
- “Very interesting gameplay and great story too!”
- “The story is as generic as it can get and it has some very cliché fan service.”
- “The only real knocks against it are the map/overworld screens being identical, and the story being pretty shallow (whenever someone in a story says quantum or entropy my brain stops listening).”
- “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 about.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
52%
10%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many praising its unique anime-inspired art style and pleasant visuals that complement the gameplay. However, some players find the visuals to be average or lacking in detail, particularly during exploration, leading to an overall mixed impression. The aesthetic is described as fun and engaging, though it may not appeal to everyone, especially those who dislike the waifu moe style.
- “I really love the art style and the music is fantastic.”
- “The music, visuals, and gameplay are top notch.”
- “Visuals are nice and the different muse songs are actually quite pleasant.”
- “Most of the graphics are... fine but not stellar.”
- “The aesthetic isn't for everyone.”
- “[Boring visuals, especially during exploration; card play lacking definition; overall empty feeling while playing.]”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
9%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of self-aware, tongue-in-cheek dialogue and playful references to gaming culture, particularly appealing to fans of "weeb" humor and idol music. While some players find the humor to be cringe-worthy and trope-heavy, many appreciate the clever writing and comedic interactions triggered by collecting cards, making it a standout aspect of the experience. Overall, the game balances hilarity with a light-hearted approach, though it may not resonate with everyone.
- “Coupled with Inti's usual stellar writing, humor, and art style, this is easily an indie game of the year contender.”
- “Some of the individual dialogue about each game's world is hilarious, with special mention to 'Love Above the Rooftops,' which is the fake game that I most wish was real out of this entire experience.”
- “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.”
- “Searching through 150 cards is not funny, even with a sorting system in place; it still feels tedious.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
Overall, the game offers a mix of replayability, with many players appreciating the fun gameplay loop and the challenge of tackling higher difficulties and aiming for high scores. While some reviewers express concerns about the longevity of replay value, others highlight the potential for extended play through repeated dungeon runs and challenges.
- “There's plenty of replay value in taking on challenges.”
- “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.”
- “I highly recommend, but I don't think the replayability is going to be too high.”
- “Where it excels is in replayability and aiming for high scores.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Character development is praised for its high-quality design, showcasing a departure from traditional anime influences while still retaining some recognizable elements. Overall, the character designs are considered exceptional and contribute positively to the game's aesthetic.
- “Character design: top notch”
- “You've largely left anime behind by now, although you can still spot signs of the infection in the character designs.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily tied to advertising for Inti Creates' other titles, with characters referencing these games during dialogues and dungeon explorations. While some players find this integration acceptable, they hope for ongoing support and updates that continue to promote newer Inti games without overwhelming the gameplay experience with ads.
- “It's half a big ad for Inti stuff, which is alright, but before fights, the characters talk, and when you get into 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. A lot of 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.”
- “What I hope most is that the game will continue to get support as advertisement for newer Inti games.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive, which may deter those who are not fans of grinding for achievements or future content. If you're not invested in the grind, this game might not be suitable for you.
- “The experience is repetitive; if you're not into grinding for the sake of achievements and future dungeons, this may not be for you.”
- “Grinding feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The amount of time required to grind for resources is excessive, leading to burnout and frustration.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 gameplay, forcing me to re-run the whole dungeon from the beginning.”
- “The game is good, but it frequently freezes and crashes in the middle of gameplay, forcing me to re-run the whole dungeon from the beginning.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a deliberately crafted narrative that emphasizes the heartwarming theme of love overcoming obstacles, blending silliness with genuine sentiment.
- “Nonetheless, I suspect it is deliberate to lay this silly yet heartwarming narrative that love trumps all.”