Card Shark (2022)

It is a little rough at the edges, and if you choose to play for higher-than-default stakes you may find yourself frustrated by some of the less-polished/less-precise mechanics (e.g. some input lag, a weird floatiness when dealing over a mirror, and something that seemed like stick drift [on my brand new Pro controller?] but was only happening during a particular stage of a particular move and was causing me to repeatedly fail that lesson without knowing why, which was even more frustrating because of having to go through the same condescending dialogue over and over; finally I figured out if used the d-pad instead of the stick during the first two parts of the move it wasn't an issue, but as I had no problem with the control stick during any other part of the game I have a hard time believing the issue was with the controller. Which is a long way of saying I was not in a great mood during the last hour or so of this game.)

Remembering all the moves also starts to get difficult, especially as many of them have the same setup but then go in a different direction. The game does let you pause to look at a description of the strategy you're supposed to be executing, though, it's just not always easy to remember that in the moment.

Also, for anyone familiar with either card games the way the game simplifies things can get a little grating at times. Don't get me wrong, that simplification is absolutely necessary (and it's not like I'm complaining about how they've simplified the moves as well), but the idea that my partner definitively won't have a winning hand if I don't get him (or my opponents) precisely the cards and/or info he wants just got increasingly hard to swallow. Like, ok I gave that guy a Jack instead of a Ten, your King still beats it, how'd we lose?

Still, while it is occasionally frustrating (for reasons both intentional and not) it's definitely a worthwhile game: beautiful art, memorable characters, intriguing plot, and challenging but (mostly) fun mechanics with relatively forgiving failure states (and the ability to save scum a bit). And a fittingly anachronistic Borges reference! What's not to love.

p.s. In case you're wondering, I did also mostly play this between 3 and 6 am. Still haven't figured out my sleep problem.

p.p.s. Weirdly met Cagliostro in the game the day after I was telling a coworker about Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro.

I’ll start with what I liked.

The interesting story, the beautiful art, the creative game design that really translated the principles of Card cheating and slight of hand to little mini games.

What I did not like How my brain seems entirely not able to do “deck stacking” in the short time frames you’re given. How my brain can’t remember very simple rules for signaling, or how to move a little mirror around to find an opponent’s hand.

Basically I liked this game but it was real hard and probably a miracle that I got to see the end.

Steam Curator

"The Card Shark's Assistant" would be a more apt title for this one. I don't think Card Shark nails its unconventional idea of making you feel like an ace cheat largely because the gameplay itself is little more than Simon Says, following QTE's and other minigames at the whims of the REAL card shark, your mentor.

The gameplay often felt like a slog, but for me I found enough enjoyment in the non gameplay aspects of this game that I still reflect on it fondly. It's got an unmistakable aesthetic that really gives you the vibe of 18th century France.

Unless you have a particular fondness for the subject matter (card tricks), then I think this is a title worth playing despite its gameplay and not because of it.

I don’t know how I came across this game, probably a Facebook ad. As a fan of card games and a student of history, I was intrigued by the setup. It was the demo and cheap price that hooked me in.

The art style is what sticks out first. It’s a 2d game with backgrounds that look like watercolor paintings of the time with characters that could fit into a Monkey Island game. It’s kinda hard to describe it. Sometimes the backgrounds can be a bit much, but when you are in thick of cheating at cards the background makes sure to draw your eyes towards the cards. The music is also nice, very period. Nothing too standout, but it enhanced the game.

The gameplay can be boiled down into a selection of minigames. There’s around 26 levels in total, because you learn a new card cheat trick for each match and there’s 26 tricks. The game “teaches” you real card cheats, but not enough that I feel I could use them against my friends. The hustle will be explained to you, but the actual interaction is a quick-time event or a jiggling of the joystick. There is a puzzle aspect to these cheats. You have to think about how you’re going to stack the deck in your favor by shuffling in just the right order. Some of the more advanced techniques I still don’t entirely understand and some techniques might work back in the 18th century, but would be easy to spot in modern times. There’s also a time limit to each match displayed as your opponent’s anger meter. The game also breaks up the card games with the occasional sword fight, coin toss, or other event.

Again, you learn cheats, but I never felt like I was a card shark. I'm not even sure what game they are playing. It's not Poker. It feels like an off-shot of Euchre, where the hig card wins, regardless of suit. I would’ve preferred to know the actual rules, and for games to have more ebb and flow to them, instead of just the challenge of pulling off the cheat. Having the ability to throw a hand or two to lull the mark into a sense of security or play a hand straight because they’re getting wise to you would’ve been a nice level of added interest. There’s one set of players that you can choose which trick to use. I would’ve preferred to see that more often.

The story is fun, it’s like The Cincinnati Kid set in pre-Revolution France. The story enjoys a sense of humor and dry wit. One bit that made me laugh is if you mess up the final cheat, your mentor yells at you "You lost the card?! I've taught you how to play for (amount of time you've actually played the game) and you lost the card!". There were other little moments good for a chuckle or a smile.

You’re a mute, yet sardonic, innkeeper’s assistant that ends up working with the Count of St. Germaine after some shenanigans. He tutors you in the art of the hustle. He’s that mentor character in any card counting movie who knows all, is a bit full of himself, and is likely to betray you; so a fun guy. He’s part of a traveling gypsy caravan that is raising money, you learn later for the Revolution. He is using his card playing abilities to learn one of the King’s dirty secrets. The intrigue plot is neat enough I won’t spoil it here. You bump into several historic French figures: Voltaire, Madame de Pompadour, Casanova, King Louis XV, etc. They aren’t drummed up like an Assassin’s Creed game, they’re just friends of the Count. When you do die from some sloppy cheating you play a weird game of cards against Death. It’s the only supernatural bit of the story, but it’s not too jarring.

All in all, this game is worth the price. It presents a story that is part fun, part intrigue as you gallivant across France. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously and I could heartly recommend it.