Cardaclysm

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 223 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • grinding
Cardaclysm Game Cover
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"Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four" is a single-player fantasy turn-based strategy game with splendid mechanics and stellar graphics. As a dark wizard who has unleashed the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, collect and use over 200 unique cards and 40 artifacts to battle bosses and prevent the Apocalypse. The game's procedurally generated world offers endless exploration. Masterful music and a risk of grinding are also included.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 223 reviews
gameplay19 positive mentions
grinding33 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of card battling and RPG elements, allowing for strategic deck building and character customization.
  • Visually appealing with vibrant graphics and engaging animations, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The progression system is rewarding, with opportunities to collect and upgrade cards, making each run feel impactful.
  • The game suffers from unbalanced difficulty spikes, making it frustrating for players to progress after initial levels.
  • Limited inventory space for cards can lead to a cluttered deck, hindering strategic choices and gameplay flow.
  • The overworld navigation feels tedious and lacks meaningful exploration, often resulting in repetitive gameplay.
  • gameplay92 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its unpolished mechanics, repetitive nature, and reliance on luck, leading to a frustrating experience. While some appreciate the unique card mechanics and the potential for strategic depth, others find the level design and overall execution lacking, resulting in a chaotic and often shallow gameplay loop. Despite its visual appeal and some interesting features, the game struggles with balance and clarity, leaving players divided on its overall enjoyment.

    • “There's a satisfaction in mastering its unpredictable gameplay and pulling off epic combos amidst the chaos.”
    • “The gameplay is not just a normal card battle, but also a sort of puzzle game that requires planning before playing, as matches can end in only 2 or 3 turns in the late game.”
    • “The deck building and battling mechanics are solid, and there's enough variation to hold interest.”
    • “Awful level designs, unpolished graphics (your character floats), choke point gameplay (you will get stuck as the mechanics of the game are not at all well planned or thought).”
    • “The gameplay is a mess.”
    • “There is barely any strategy or gameplay; it's just grinding for no particular reward.”
  • graphics51 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant art style and polished visuals that create an engaging atmosphere. While some players appreciate the unique and colorful designs, others criticize certain aspects like unpolished animations and level layouts. Overall, the game's graphics are generally seen as a strong point, contributing positively to the overall experience despite some minor flaws.

    • “The art style is vibrant and eye-catching, drawing you into its whimsical world of card-based chaos.”
    • “The graphics are colorful and vibrant, card design is some of the best I've seen in a deckbuilder and the RPG aspect of it shows promise.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, I love the design and the map is lovely.”
    • “Awful level designs, unpolished graphics (your character floats), choke point gameplay (you will get stuck as the mechanics of the game is not at all well planned or thought).”
    • “Cardaclysm is a very light roguelike card battler that starts with a bombastic cutscene and high production graphics which built up expectations quickly, only to end with disappointment for most players as the gameplay loop is surprisingly very simple.”
    • “Lovely atmosphere, small problems with the UI and graphics settings (vsync).”
  • grinding33 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it enjoyable and a necessary part of progression, others criticize it as excessive and lacking purpose. Many note that the grinding can feel tedious and repetitive, especially when trying to collect specific cards or resources, leading to a gameplay experience that resembles free mobile games. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant element of the game, with varying opinions on its impact on enjoyment and replayability.

    • “There is zero purpose to grinding; the game limits you in so many ways.”
    • “There is barely any strategy or gameplay; it's just grinding for no particular reward.”
    • “The game also gets grindy to the point of feeling like a free mobile game port, as you spend hours trying to increase your reserve to play better creatures by collecting gold coins and soul orbs.”
  • story31 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers describing it as minimal or almost non-existent. Players find the quest system repetitive and simplistic, often revolving around basic fetch tasks that fail to provide meaningful narrative context. While the core gameplay mechanics show potential, the overall storytelling aspect is seen as a significant missed opportunity for enhancing player immersion.

    • “You can get quests there and go into new realms to battle monsters and grind to get new cards, gold, and more.”
    • “After you have completed an area, you go back to the interdimensional pub; here you’ll be able to store cards in a chest, trade with the sneaky goblin trader, and get quests from the innkeeper.”
    • “The tutorial is not the best, and the game would benefit a lot if there was a little story to explain the basics of the world, why/that a boss is coming for you, and what or why you have to do x or y.”
    • “The story is almost non-existent; most battles require thinking in terms of card composition and actions.”
    • “This is possibly the worst part of the game because this is where you can accept quests that are so simple that they might just as well give you the rewards outright, even though they are absolute trash most of the time.”
    • “Just the same 3 'bring me a mcguffin', 'slay 1 creature', 'slay 3 creatures' quests over and over.”
  • music31 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere, ranging from soothing to epic, and fitting the game's themes effectively. However, some users noted that certain tracks can be forgettable or repetitive, and there are occasional issues with sound balance. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the immersive experience, complementing the game's vibrant visuals and engaging gameplay.

    • “The art style and music are fantastic; I highly recommend this one.”
    • “The low poly art is pleasing to the eye and the music switches between relaxing and epic when appropriate.”
    • “Together with the game's mesmerizing atmosphere and music and the random nature of these beautiful worlds, this is a game I 100% recommend.”
    • “Unfortunately, the sounds and music in this game are forgettable, and what a shame because while playing Cardaclysm, I'm visually engaged.”
    • “It isn't refined; it has many minor issues, like pathfinding, trying to control where you want to go, the battle victory screen being way too obnoxious, and sounds and music can be repetitive. There are also horrible ambient noises if you remove the music.”
    • “The music is relaxing, but the few voiced lines in the tavern are jarring.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some players find enjoyment in the gameplay despite these issues, the poor user interface and design choices contribute to a clunky and frustrating experience. Overall, the game's stability is a significant concern, impacting its playability.

    • “It's fairly buggy and there are some poor design choices.”
    • “Third update: also, the game is buggy as hell, which really ruins your experience.”
    • “Game is clunky and buggy with very little redeeming qualities.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its mesmerizing visuals and music, evoking a calm and beautiful experience reminiscent of titles like Ori. Players appreciate the combination of stunning graphics and sound effects, which enhance the overall immersion in the beautifully crafted worlds. Despite some minor UI and graphics issues, the atmosphere remains a standout feature that many find enchanting.

    • “Together with the game's mesmerizing atmosphere and music and the random nature of these beautiful worlds, this is a game I 100% recommend.”
    • “Very nice graphics and music/sound effects; the atmosphere actually reminds me of Ori. Calm and beautiful; cool mix of walking on the map and fighting.”
    • “The visuals and the music are really lovely; the game looks great, or at least I really enjoy the atmosphere of these kinds of indie games.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, the game offers good replayability due to its strategic combat and engaging design, though some players find it can become grindy. While current replayability is considered low by some, there is optimism for improvements as developers are open to feedback during early access.

    • “Its design makes it replayable again and again.”
    • “Good replayability, but gets a little grindy.”
    • “Combat is pretty fun and strategic; unfortunately, replayability as of now is low, but the developers have expressed interest in making changes in early access, so hopefully they listen to feedback.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is praised for its unique features, impressive graphics, and solid performance, indicating a strong potential for further optimization.

    • “Unique in many ways, nice graphics and performance, and great potential!”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
    • “I love how the game runs seamlessly; the developers clearly put a lot of effort into optimization.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, which has been well-received by players.

    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without requiring additional purchases.”
    • “No microtransactions - God bless you.”
    • “The monetization system feels exploitative and heavily favors players who spend money.”
    • “I can't enjoy the game because every feature is locked behind a paywall.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
8-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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