Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
- October 28, 2021
- Square Enix
- 10h median play time
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Get on PS Store"Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars" is a role-playing game presented in the style of a tabletop card game, where players embark on a journey to defeat a dragon. The game is part of a trilogy, which also includes "The Forsaken Maiden" and "The Beasts of Burden," and offers downloadable content that changes the design of in-game components. This first title in the series follows the Ivory Order as they search for a stolen royal treasure.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- Unique card-based aesthetic that enhances the storytelling experience.
- Charming characters and engaging narrative with humorous moments.
- Beautiful artwork and a fantastic soundtrack that complements the game.
- Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, making battles easy and unchallenging.
- The user interface is slow and cumbersome, leading to frustrating navigation.
- The story, while enjoyable, is relatively short and predictable, lacking significant player agency.
- story921 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars" is generally perceived as simple and somewhat generic, following a classic fantasy quest to slay a dragon, but it features engaging characters and a charming presentation. While some players appreciate the unique storytelling style and humor, many criticize the pacing, lack of impactful choices, and repetitive elements, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its shortcomings, the game is noted for its beautiful art and music, making it a pleasant experience for those who enjoy light narratives and tabletop RPG aesthetics.
“The story for the game is pretty decent, it’s simple but it’s very nice to read through, it also had a few twists in it that were good to see.”
“The story is engaging and combat, movement, abilities, and environments purely made of cards is a pretty fun aesthetic.”
“The story is really immersive, definitely picks up in the later chapters.”
“The story is a bit bare-bones and after like 3 hours, you can see the same story formulas over and over again.”
“The plot doesn't make any sense.”
“The story is a mess where multiple story elements simply have no resolution or add nothing to the story at all.”
- gameplay387 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a straightforward, turn-based RPG that lacks depth and complexity, often feeling repetitive and slow, even with speed options enabled. While the mechanics are simple and easy to grasp, they do not significantly engage players, leading to a sense of tedium over time. The card and dice aesthetics serve primarily as visual flair rather than impactful gameplay elements, resulting in a game that, despite its charming presentation and narrative, may not satisfy those seeking a more dynamic or challenging experience.
“Enchanting story, easy to learn mechanics, and hard to put down.”
“The gameplay is enjoyable for the most part.”
“The characters are dripping with personality, and the gameplay was simple, yet enjoyable.”
“The gameplay gets rather tiring with time, and combat isn't the most interesting for sure.”
“The game also doesn't save itself with its gameplay elements; combat is dull and other than that, it's a clicking through text simulator.”
“The gameplay is extremely tedious and the novelty wears off really quick.”
- music355 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. Composed by Keiichi Okabe, the soundtrack is described as stunning, though some players noted its limited number of tracks, which can lead to repetition during gameplay. Overall, the music is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.
“The music is stunning, the character cast is lovable and diverse, and the art is easy on the eyes.”
“This game is wonderful, the music is great, the art is great, and it tries to sell you on an experience.”
“The art and the music are absolutely stunning and I can never get tired of the piano.”
“The soundtrack itself is surprisingly small.”
“I was extremely disappointed with the soundtrack; it's like the same 5 songs with some slight variations.”
“Normal battles get nothing, the overworld music's what you'll get, and you better be prepared to hear the same slow-relaxing tune over and over.”
- graphics317 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique card-based aesthetic that is visually appealing, featuring beautiful artwork and a charming atmosphere. However, many reviewers note that while the visuals are impressive, they serve primarily as an aesthetic choice rather than enhancing gameplay, leading to a sense of missed potential in utilizing the card theme more creatively. Overall, the art style is praised for its beauty, but some players feel it lacks depth and variety, making the experience feel somewhat repetitive.
“Both the wonderful artwork and the beautiful music create a nice atmosphere.”
“The art style provides a board game aesthetic, which they really executed well.”
“Voice of cards: the isle dragon roars is a beautifully crafted world with gorgeous artwork.”
“Presentation-wise, while the aesthetic is charming, the game really doesn't do much with its format to impress, and generally, cut scenes are very dry visually.”
“The cards are simply an aesthetic (albeit a very pleasing one at first) that help hide the fact this is a grid-based RPG and that the character UI and customization options are extremely bare.”
“After a while of exploring, however, the card aesthetic begins to drag on.”
- humor94 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of lighthearted, juvenile quips and darker, more morbid undertones, often delivered through a charismatic narrator. Players appreciate the variety of comedic moments, from character interactions to absurd backstories, which contribute to an engaging and entertaining experience. However, some critiques mention that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with certain elements feeling forced or lacking depth in storytelling.
“There are many characters with hilarious backstories and the overall main story is also quite good.”
“I am only 6 hours in and I know humor is subjective, but man, this game is hilarious.”
“The character interactions, the occasional humor coming from the narrator, and beautiful (if a little narrow) music made this a great RPG that I enjoyed from start to finish.”
- grinding89 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially towards the end where it feels like filler content. While some appreciate the art, music, and story, they note that the high encounter rate and slow UI contribute to a frustrating experience. However, completionists may find the grinding manageable, as certain gameplay mechanics allow for minimal grinding to achieve 100% completion.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Hyper repetitive and long, mindless grinding.”
“The last 5 hours of my playthrough was just me grinding out all the extra bits to finish the game.”
“Grinding in a game is lazy design.”
- atmosphere28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a cozy and relaxed vibe, enhanced by beautiful artwork and music that evoke nostalgia and lightheartedness. While some reviewers note a "generic fantasy" setting, the humor and simplicity of the mechanics contribute to an enjoyable experience that allows players to immerse themselves in the story. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for being accessible and inviting, making it a pleasant backdrop for gameplay.
“Both the wonderful artwork and the beautiful music create a nice atmosphere.”
“Every character, enemy, and scenario is represented this way, creating a nostalgic and unique atmosphere that clearly differentiates it from other RPGs.”
“If you pick this up, I think you will fall in love with the atmosphere and have a wonderful few days.”
“Tl:dr- surface level aesthetic with lukewarm story and a cozy atmosphere.”
“Atmosphere: separately from aesthetic... the world's atmosphere is basically 'generic fantasy'.”
“The narrator's sense of humor really gives the game personality and already, third chapter in, I'm seeing the creeping hints of Yoko Taro's morbid writing past all the (mostly) lighthearted atmosphere.”
- emotional22 mentions
- 91 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews; while some praise its touching narrative and the presence of emotional moments crafted by Yoko Taro, others criticize the lack of character voice acting and a monotonous narrator that detracts from engagement. The music is highlighted as a strong point, with beautiful tracks enhancing the emotional experience, but overall, the game is seen as entertaining rather than deeply profound. It appeals to those seeking a fun, heartwarming story with lovable characters, despite some narrative gaps.
“Yoko Taro, with his characteristic touch, ensures that emotional moments and surprises are present, offering a solid narrative that, while not revolutionary, is certainly entertaining.”
“It was a fantastic experience with funny, emotional, and shocking moments.”
“If you're looking for a fun and sometimes heart-breaking story with a simple combat system and very lovable characters, this is a perfect choice!”
“The narrator sounds fine at first but quickly turns into a drone with very little inflection, as if you're telling a boring story over a campfire.”
- character development18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
Overall, the game suffers from a lack of character development, with many players noting that while the story and character designs are visually appealing, the depth and interaction of the characters are minimal. Comparisons to more robust RPGs, like Final Fantasy, highlight this shortcoming, as the game fails to provide meaningful growth or backstory for its characters, particularly for non-starting party members. Despite the engaging art and music, the character development remains a significant drawback.
“The art on the cards is wonderful and the character designs are pretty fun, and the way the cards are animated adds a lot to the immersion.”
“Character designs are interesting.”
“- good character development”
“There's not a lot of character development.”
“The cons I felt most about were the random encounters that you were not able to stop - but per the part of some JRPGs, so not surprising, and the lack of character development and interaction as well as an extremely basic story.”
“[spoiler] The two non-starting party members get basically no character development after their hometown.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered minimal, with many players feeling that the experience does not justify a second playthrough. Despite some elements of combat and character diversity, the lack of significant new content in New Game Plus and a short playtime of around 11 hours contribute to a general consensus that the game does not offer enough value for its price.
“Some replayability.”
“The volume of the game and the extent of replayability does not warrant a $30 price tag.”
“The game for me at least was 11 hours; sadly, the replay value isn't a thing, and that is kind of sad once you finished the game.”
“I don't think they added anything in New Game Plus, and if they did, the replayability of the game is too low to merit a second playthrough as the narration and exploration at this point are a drag.”
“The volume of the game and the extent of replayability do not warrant a $30 price tag.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization appears to be highly variable, with performance largely dependent on the player's hardware; some users report smooth gameplay on higher-end systems, while others note that the game lacks engaging content and relies heavily on its artwork. Overall, while the graphics are praised, the gameplay experience may suffer without a well-optimized character build.
“Performance depends on your PC, but it ran flawlessly on mine (I have a Lenovo RTX 2060) with fullscreen 1920x1080.”
“You will have explored the entire map by this time and still need 5-10 levels for each of your characters to beat the final boss if you are going with anything other than a tightly optimized build.”
“This game serves as a performance piece, showcasing how a game can succeed with only one positive quality, the artwork.”
“This was like a performance piece in how to make a game with only one positive quality, the artwork, to see if that would make a game successful.”
“This isn't interesting grinding either; you will have explored the entire map by this time and still need 5-10 levels for each of your characters to beat the final boss if you are going with anything other than a tightly optimized build.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy is misleading, as the advertising suggests a card-based gameplay that is not present, leading to confusion among players. Additionally, the lack of originality in the game's content further detracts from its appeal.
“Don't let the art style from their ads fool you; this has zero originality beyond the minor visual changes.”
“The advertising and theming are very confusing because the game does not involve card play in any capacity.”
