Card Shark
- June 2, 2022
- Nerial
- 6h median play time
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.
Get on Steam"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.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Unique gameplay that combines card tricks with an engaging narrative.
- Beautiful art style and immersive soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- Challenging yet satisfying mechanics that make you feel like a true card shark.
- Controls can be finicky and unresponsive, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- The game can feel repetitive, with a heavy reliance on memorization of tricks.
- Some players may find the difficulty spikes and lack of clear instructions overwhelming.
- story714 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Card Shark" is a captivating blend of intrigue and deception set in 18th-century France, where players navigate a narrative filled with twists and engaging characters while mastering card tricks. Many reviewers praised the art style and music, noting how they enhance the storytelling experience, although some felt the gameplay mechanics could detract from the narrative flow. Overall, the game is recognized for its unique premise and well-crafted plot, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate story-driven games.
“In this game, you play as a mute on the run after being framed for murder who makes a living by learning and executing card tricks to cheat in games, all framed by fantastic music and an intriguing story that slowly develops.”
“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.”
“What begins as a classic rags-to-riches story quickly evolves into something far more interesting, full of intrigue and betrayal.”
“The story is underwhelming.”
“The passable story kept me going long enough to not be able to refund it, despite the gameplay being poor.”
“The story holds well until the ending which felt rushed for the sake of adding an ending to the game, which felt like a bummer with all the ploys and details leading to the final act.”
- gameplay562 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Card Shark" is characterized by its unique mechanics centered around card tricks and sleight of hand, offering a blend of quick-time events and memory challenges that can be both engaging and demanding. While many players appreciate the innovative approach and the satisfying execution of tricks, some find the gameplay repetitive and punishing, with a steep learning curve that may frustrate those less adept at memorization and timing. Overall, the game successfully combines its intriguing narrative and charming aesthetics with a gameplay experience that, despite its flaws, remains memorable and distinct.
“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.”
“I just wish the gameplay loop didn't suck so bad.”
“The gameplay feels very repetitive after some time.”
- graphics303 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Card Shark" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning and unique art style, which evokes the charm of 18th-century France through beautifully hand-drawn visuals and painterly aesthetics. Reviewers highlight the immersive atmosphere created by the combination of captivating artwork, engaging music, and clever design, making it a standout experience in the indie game scene. While some mention minor glitches, the overall presentation is described as masterful and visually enchanting, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay.
“The art style is fantastic and the music is great, the game just really sucks you into its atmosphere.”
“The visuals are gorgeous, the music exceptional, the writing sharp.”
“The game offers some amazing graphics and a beautiful aesthetic, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
“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.”
- music226 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely praised for its beautiful orchestration and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, seamlessly adapting to the game's various scenes. While many players appreciate the classical soundtrack and its immersive qualities, some noted a lack of variety, leading to occasional repetitiveness. Overall, the combination of exceptional music and stunning art design significantly contributes to the game's charm and engaging 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 visuals are gorgeous, the music exceptional, the writing sharp.”
“The art and the music are beautifully put together, strongly recommend for anyone who's into a fun story and some challenging gameplay.”
“Music can get repetitive as the game lacks variety in that, but it's not an issue as the music is pretty catchy.”
“I like the story and the art design, the music fits, and I really like the premise, but I feel that the gameplay doesn't live up to what expectations I built up from seeing the first trailers.”
“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).”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by a fantastic art style and a beautifully composed soundtrack. Players appreciate the unique animations and lively design that create distinct atmospheres in various locations, contributing to an overall engaging experience. The combination of music, visuals, and narrative elements effectively draws players into the game's world, making it both thrilling and authentic.
“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!”
“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.”
- replayability32 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding value in exploring different story outcomes and choices, while others criticize its linearity and lack of substantial content. Although there are elements that encourage replay, such as achievements and engaging gameplay, many reviewers feel that the overall replay value is low, making it less worthwhile at full price. Overall, the game may appeal to those interested in its narrative twists, but it leaves much to be desired in terms of replay potential.
“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 kinda screwed the ending, but thankfully the game has replay value on the choices you can take throughout the story, so I'm probably gonna play it again!”
“I like the story, and I think the game offers some good replay value.”
“Unfortunately, this game has little replay value.”
“I feel like $20 is a bit much, to be honest. It's a good game, but I didn't really feel like my $20 was all that well-spent by the end, especially with its very low replay value.”
“Although, I'd recommend getting it on sale as there isn't much substance or replayability.”
- humor24 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, with many reviewers highlighting the witty dialogue and funny character interactions. The unique art style enhances the comedic elements, contributing to a lively atmosphere that keeps players engaged. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its narrative and visual presentation, making for an enjoyable experience.
“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.”
- stability20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and control issues, particularly with certain controllers. While some users experienced solid performance without major glitches, others encountered frustrating bugs that disrupted gameplay, such as freezing and sequence breaks. Overall, the game is described as enjoyable but in need of patches to address its stability problems.
“Very buggy, can't even play with my Logitech controller because the controls are so bad.”
“I love this game so far; however, I have encountered a problem where the game freezes and I can no longer continue.”
“I like the concept, but cannot recommend it with how buggy the controls are.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game can be both tedious and frustrating, often requiring players to replay lengthy scenarios after minor mistakes. While some players appreciate the opportunity to practice and develop skills through repetition, many find the mechanics and animations slow and cumbersome, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“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. 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.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful narratives that resonate with historical themes and personal struggles, evoking feelings of sadness, emptiness, and introspection. Players appreciate the depth of character experiences, particularly in relation to familial relationships and cultural identity, which contribute to a profound emotional impact throughout the gameplay.
“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.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its solid performance, with no reported bugs or glitches during gameplay. Players enjoy the engaging mechanics of executing tricks, which adds to the overall immersive experience, complemented by well-executed live music.
“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.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as deceptive and poorly executed, with users expressing strong dissatisfaction and labeling it as "hot garbage."
“Hot garbage and willfully misleading advertising.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised, particularly for its exceptional character designs and the main protagonist's expressive facial features, which enhance emotional engagement.
“The character designs are a perfect 10/10; I love the main protagonist's facial expressions.”
“The character development is incredibly rich, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
“I appreciate how the characters evolve throughout the story, adding depth to their personalities.”
Critic Reviews
Card Shark review
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.
90%Card Shark review
A fresh, high stakes take on card-based videogames, sure to appeal to more than just deck-builders.
86%Card Shark review — My boy plays cards
Card Shark is unlike any game you’ve played before. As a card game where you don’t actually play cards, learning and executing various methods of cheating is a ton of fun. The historical setting contributes to the conspiracy central to the story, while adding its own colorful cast of enjoyable characters in the gorgeous setting of 18th century France.
95%
