Recesses

About

Recesses is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Sanjuny and was released on August 23, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Recesses" is a card game, visual novel roguelite where you investigate your best friend's disappearance by battling strange kids at recess. With 100 unique cards, lose for new dialogue, strategies, and stronger collections. The music and fifth-grade-inspired graphics create a fun, engaging experience as you uncover the truth behind your friend's mysterious absence.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features a well-thought-out card battler with engaging mechanics that encourage strategic play and meaningful decisions.
It has a quirky yet cohesive aesthetic, complemented by a fantastic soundtrack and well-written dialogues that enhance the overall experience.
Despite its simplistic art style, the game offers deep gameplay and a surprising philosophical narrative that keeps players invested.

The game can feel unbalanced in the early stages, with some cards being significantly stronger than others, leading to frustrating experiences.
There are quality of life issues, such as the inability to save mid-run and a cumbersome dialogue skipping system that can detract from the gameplay.
The philosophical themes can come across as preachy or overly complex, which may not resonate with all players.

gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The gameplay is praised for its complex and engaging mechanics, drawing inspiration from the Pokémon TCG while offering a unique card game experience. Players appreciate the fun interactions and the emotional depth provided by the story and dialogue, which enhance the overall charm of the game. With over 10 hours of main story gameplay and varied experiences across runs, it delivers significant value for its price.
- “This game has good card mechanics and interactions that, even with minimal playtime, shine through and are very fun to play around with.”
- “Even if you don't do any post-game challenges, the 10+ hours of main story gameplay is great and easily justifies the price tag.”
- “But it also has a lot of charm and personality and delivers it in a way that pleasantly blends with its gameplay, and through music and well-crafted dialogue, it crafts a very real, emotional experience.”
- “These mechanics carry its complexity; the cards themselves are somewhat barebones.”
- “The late game features custom cards (for both you and the opponent) that start to feel like Yu-Gi-Oh, where they're so powerful that they take away some of the mechanics.”
- “Both the gameplay and dialogues vary between runs, and there are shortcuts to keep it from becoming tedious.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The story is a clever and thought-provoking exploration of existential themes, using a children's card game as a backdrop for deep character interactions and philosophical discussions. Players appreciate the unexpected plot twists and the mature handling of complex ideas, all while enjoying witty dialogue and charming art. With over 10 hours of engaging main story gameplay, it successfully captivates players and encourages them to reflect on various concepts.
- “The mechanics are fun and dense, the story and dialogue are witty and interesting, and the art style becomes charming with how much of everything else is stellar.”
- “The story is in the literal sense preachy, but there's a lot of interesting thoughts to be had, and I appreciate there being stories like these out there made to get people thinking about different concepts.”
- “It's a story about using a children's card game to confront and overcome the meaninglessness of human existence and form genuine connections with surprisingly well thought out characters who seem to think that the best time to express their personal beliefs such as 'laziness is an ideal, not a vice' and 'homework is a tool of oppression that unfairly punishes those with alternative learning styles who struggle to conform' is after you completely destroy them at cards.”
- “To begin with, the story, despite starring children, is not childish at all.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The music in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive soundtrack by Kasey Ozymy as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. It complements the game's quirky aesthetic and well-written dialogues, contributing to an emotional and immersive gameplay atmosphere. Overall, the music is described as a significant high point that adds charm and personality to the game.
- “A really, really well thought-out card battler with great music, fun art, incredible flavor text for the cards, and a lot of content.”
- “A fantastic little deck building game with a quirky yet cohesive aesthetic, cool music, very well written dialogues and characters.”
- “The soundtrack is certainly noteworthy; Kasey Ozymy's great at music and his additions are very welcome.”
- “But it also has a lot of charm and personality and delivers it in a way that pleasantly blends with its gameplay, and through music and well-crafted dialogue, it crafts a very real, emotional experience.”
- “I forgot to mention the music!”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The game's graphics feature a simple yet charming art style that showcases significant attention to detail, contributing to a quirky and cohesive aesthetic. While some may perceive the visuals as oversimplified, they complement the game's in-depth mechanics, witty dialogue, and engaging story, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The art style is simple, but there is a lot of care and attention to detail.”
- “A fantastic little deck building game with a quirky yet cohesive aesthetic, cool music, very well written dialogues and characters.”
- “Despite what looks at first glance like an oversimplified art style, the game is really in-depth and nuanced.”
- “I described this to a friend as a game that is using a kitschy aesthetic to hide irritating philosophical tracts.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, effectively blending charm and personality with gameplay through well-crafted dialogue and music. Reviewers highlight its ability to create a personal and touching experience, making it an emotionally powerful card game.
- “But it also has a lot of charm and personality and delivers it in a way that pleasantly blends with its gameplay, and through music and well-crafted dialogue, it crafts a very real, emotional experience.”
- “This is an emotionally powerful card game.”
- “When the writing wants to, it can also be personal and touching.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the grinding aspect is mitigated by varied gameplay and dialogue in each run, along with shortcuts that help prevent the experience from becoming tedious.