Card Shark

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 762 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Card Shark Game Cover
There’s not another game even remotely like Card Shark, and as long as you have the patience to learn its tricks you’ll be delighted by its charm.
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"Card Shark" is a narrative-driven adventure game set in 18th century France. As an unassuming traveling comedian, you'll learn the art of cheating at cards, navigate treacherous nobles, and uncover a conspiracy that threatens the monarchy. Each encounter brings new opportunities to deceive and new challenges to stay one step ahead.

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Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 762 reviews
story197 positive mentions
stability10 negative mentions
  • Unique gameplay that combines card tricks with an engaging narrative.
  • Beautiful art style and immersive soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • Challenging yet rewarding mechanics that make you feel like a true card shark.
  • Controls can be finicky, leading to frustration during precise trick execution.
  • Some players may find the memorization of tricks overwhelming, especially as the game progresses.
  • Lack of meaningful choices in dialogue and story outcomes can diminish replayability.
  • story351 mentions

    The story of the game is widely praised for its engaging narrative set in 18th-century France, filled with intrigue, deception, and character development. Players appreciate the unique blend of storytelling and gameplay mechanics, particularly how the card tricks are woven into the plot, although some find the gameplay can detract from the narrative experience. Overall, the art style and music complement the story well, creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps players invested throughout their journey.

    • “The story is well written and made as a game; I won't give it away, but at the very beginning, a brief line is given: 'it will teach you to turn a beggar into a king', which is very true.”
    • “The narrative starts rather simple, but as you progress through the story, quite a lot of unexpected things start to happen, and the story went from being engaging enough to keep playing to me finishing the whole game in a day because I wanted to know how the story would shake out.”
    • “A fantastic game with a fantastic look, learn how to cheat at cards among other things with real techniques while playing through a compelling story of lies and betrayal.”
    • “In my very first playthrough, I did not get to see the final cutscene revealing the twist of the story because the game just casually skipped that part.”
    • “And in my later playthroughs, other cutscenes in other parts of the story were skipped, making the story somewhat awkward and incomprehensible if someone was playing it for the first time.”
    • “The story is underwhelming.”
  • gameplay271 mentions

    The gameplay in this game is characterized by its unique mechanics centered around card tricks and sleight of hand, offering a blend of engaging mini-games and quick-time events that can be both challenging and rewarding. While many players appreciate the innovative approach and the way it ties into the narrative, some find the mechanics repetitive and punishing, with a steep learning curve that may frustrate those less adept at memorization and timing. Overall, the gameplay is described as a captivating experience that, despite its flaws, successfully immerses players in the world of card cheating.

    • “The unique mechanics and engaging narrative create a memorable experience that's both challenging and enjoyable.”
    • “The gameplay loop makes for an addictive circle of learning and applying, with the stakes for messing up being quite high.”
    • “The gameplay is polished to absolute perfection - it's incredibly satisfying to perform every technique.”
    • “Currently, the gameplay feels more like a tech demo.”
    • “A lengthy tutorial before almost every section, unforgiving gameplay, rewatching unskippable cutscenes every time you fail, unclear puzzles where if you guess the devs' intent wrong - you start the entire level over, literally no support for creativity or finding alternative solutions.”
    • “The gameplay feels very repetitive after some time.”
  • graphics146 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning and unique art style, often described as beautiful, charming, and reminiscent of historical paintings. Players appreciate the immersive atmosphere created by the visuals and music, which complement the engaging narrative and gameplay. Overall, the art direction is highlighted as a standout feature, elevating the gaming experience despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.

    • “The art style is fantastic and it also teaches you how to cheat at cards.”
    • “The visuals are outstanding, the soundtrack is amazing, very 'tactile' gameplay.”
    • “I have had an absolute blast playing Card Shark, the game's visual art style is astonishingly beautiful and has a very interesting and unique gameplay concept.”
    • “Graphics are very unics!”
    • “If the visuals and subject matter appeal, that will likely go a long way in making up for comparatively inferior gameplay.”
    • “Definitely leaves a bit to be desired in terms of gameplay and replay value, but has thus far made up for it with the art style, charm, & uniqueness.”
  • music111 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful orchestration and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, seamlessly adapting to various scenes and gameplay moments. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's classical influences, which complement the game's charming art style and engaging narrative. While some note a lack of variety in the music tracks, the overall consensus is that the sound design significantly elevates the gaming experience.

    • “The soundtrack matches the intensity of the moment better than any other game I can think of, seamlessly changing to complement the current scene.”
    • “The art and the music are beautifully put together, strongly recommend for anyone who's into a fun story and some challenging gameplay.”
    • “The visuals and soundtrack definitely elevate the experience.”
    • “Music can get repetitive as the game lacks variety, but it's not an issue as the music is pretty catchy.”
    • “I struggle to find any meaningful improvements to suggest, as it would only be a matter of opinion (for example, I would prefer some swaps to background music during scenes like duels).”
    • “The music, even if you don't like classical, completes each scene and makes this game something special.”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining a fantastic art style, captivating music, and unique animations that draw players into its world. Reviewers highlight how the setting and sound design enhance the storytelling, creating a lively and engaging experience that keeps players on edge. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, elevating it above some of its shortcomings.

    • “The game has tons of unique animations and feels very lively and well-designed, and it's really good at creating unique atmospheres for about every place you visit, and the soundtrack was amazing too!”
    • “The unique concept, art style, music, and general atmosphere absolutely save the game from some of its more disappointing issues.”
    • “Wow, the atmosphere is incredible, and the thrill of almost getting caught is riveting!”
    • “The gameplay is solid and the atmosphere lends itself to making you feel on edge as you try to cheat at cards in plain view.”
    • “There are some quality of life features I'd like (being able to skip seen dialogue faster, maybe slightly better reminders of how to do some techniques), but it absolutely nails the overall atmosphere.”
    • “The unique concept, art style, music, and general atmosphere absolutely save the game from some of its more disappointing issues.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed. While some players appreciate the potential for multiple outcomes and enjoyable gameplay that encourages revisiting the game, others criticize its linearity and lack of substantial content, leading to low replay value. Many suggest that while the game is worth experiencing, it may not justify its price for those seeking extensive replayability.

    • “Highly fun, replayable, and very informative if you want to take up sleight-of-hand/cardplay as a hobby or party trick.”
    • “The story was also very good, full of twists and turns. I kind of screwed the ending, but thankfully the game has replay value on the choices you can take throughout the story, so I'm probably going to play it again!”
    • “I like the story, and I think the game offers some good replay value.”
    • “Very linear, low replayability.”
    • “Unfortunately, this game has little replay value.”
    • “Although, I'd recommend getting it on sale as there isn't much substance or replayability.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and witty dialogue, complemented by a charming art style and engaging characters. Reviewers highlight the funny moments and sharp writing, which contribute to a unique and enjoyable atmosphere, making the experience both entertaining and memorable. Overall, the humor effectively enhances the game's appeal, with many finding it both funny and captivating.

    • “There's a ton of eye-popping drama and some surprisingly funny art and dialogue.”
    • “I thoroughly enjoyed the funny moments between characters and the main character feels full of life.”
    • “The art style, the atmosphere, soundtracks, witty humor, hilarious and silly faces of the main character... overall creating a unique concept.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as controller issues and sequence breaks. While some users experienced solid performance without major problems, the overall consensus indicates that the game is currently quite buggy, suggesting that patches are needed to improve the experience.

    • “Very buggy, can't even play with my Logitech controller because the controls are so bad.”
    • “I ran into a couple of buggy moments, like where the game broke sequence and confused the next tutorial with the previous one, or the controller stopped working when I clicked on the screen by accident.”
    • “I love this game so far; however, I have encountered a problem where the game freezes and I can no longer continue.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often exacerbated by buggy mechanics that lead to repetitive gameplay after failures. While some appreciate the opportunity to practice and improve skills through grinding, many feel that the process can detract from the overall enjoyment, particularly when it involves lengthy replays of scenes or slow animations in mini-games.

    • “However, I can't recommend it because actually finishing it was too tedious and difficult for me.”
    • “You'll make a tiny mistake -- or maybe you won't, you'll do everything right as far as you can tell, and the input just flakes out, or the suspicion mechanic goes nuts, or some other random thing happens -- and you'll spend the next five minutes tediously playing through the rest of an already doomed scenario, and then if you're lucky you'll just have lost a lot of money but still be able to continue, and if you're unlucky you'll be broke or in jail so get ready for even more tedious clicking and iffy mechanics, just to get back to where you were before the first tiny mistake.”
    • “Gameplay: often buggy but generally pretty fun, except that failure is often punished just by making you go through a tedious checklist of scenes rather than raising the stakes in any meaningful way.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful narrative that resonates with historical themes and personal struggles, evoking feelings of nostalgia, sadness, and introspection. Players report a profound connection to the characters and their journeys, with some experiencing a sense of emptiness or enlightenment upon completion. Overall, the game effectively elicits a range of deep emotions, making it a memorable experience.

    • “A fantastic narrative that captures the feeling of its time very well, while touching on a number of famous historical figures.”
    • “The spectacular finale of Card Shark made me feel empty and sad.”
    • “A short, emotional game about a boy with just stupendous luck, and no good father figures.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game's optimization is praised for its solid performance, free of bugs or glitches, enhancing the overall experience. Players enjoy the engaging mechanics and the thrill of executing tricks, while the well-executed live music adds to the immersive atmosphere.

    • “Performance was really solid without there being any bugs or glitches throughout my playtime.”
    • “Worth it just for the experience of practicing a trick, being confident in it, and then getting sweaty hands during the actual performance - known by real-life magicians and card cheaters alike.”
    • “This game really caught my attention in both being a card game and putting on a performance with the art of cheating!”
    • “The tricks are fun to execute, even if I'm getting an ungodly amount of performance anxiety.”
    • “This game really caught my attention in both being a card game and to put on a performance with the art of cheating!”
    • “Worth it just for the experience of practicing a trick, being confident in it, and then getting sweaty hands during the actual performance - known by real life magicians and card cheaters alike.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy has been criticized as deceptive and poorly executed, leading to a negative reception among users.

    • “Hot garbage and willfully misleading advertising.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is highly praised, with users highlighting exceptional character designs and expressing admiration for the main protagonist's facial expressions, which effectively convey emotions and enhance the overall narrative experience.

    • “The character designs are a perfect 10/10; I absolutely love the main protagonist's facial expressions.”
    • “The depth of character development is incredible; each character feels unique and evolves throughout the story.”
    • “I appreciate how the game allows for meaningful choices that impact character growth and relationships.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
6-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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