Card Shark Critic Reviews

Between court intrigues, disguises, deceptions and sleight of hand, Card Shark tells an historical era through a story, which, like the truth, is a prism with well-defined faces capable of reflecting light in an iridescent way. Nerial new game is a brilliant take on narrative adventure and card games, where the gameplay makes you feel in the mind of a real cheater in his never ending game against the destiny in search of freedom.

One of the year’s best orchestrations of gameplay and presentation in unison, Card Shark is a smart, but above all, brilliantly-crafted journey of cunning and deception.

One scam at a time, the (mis)adventures of an XVIII century apprentice cheater are transformed into the chapters of an unmissable tale in which the deceptions at the table are intertwined with political intrigues. Recommended even for those who are not that into card games.

Whatever the path may hold, all that players can and would experience in Card Shark is beautifully put together, with a fascinating narrative matched by a vibrant and outstanding aesthetic, and propped up by wonderfully inventive gameplay that puts the player in the eye of the storm. In fact, it almost feels like the game has everything stacked in its favor, just like the different plots at play in the quiet confines of high society.

A card game in which you don’t actually play cards? This extremely original, creative adventure will fascinate you with its complex story interweaving history and politics, it will pull you in the shadowy world of professional hustlers and amaze you with its unique graphics. You’ve never seen something like this before - that we can guarantee.

A fresh, high stakes take on card-based videogames, sure to appeal to more than just deck-builders.

Card Shark is the indie surprise of the year, or at least one of them. And we won't be thinking our heads off if it ends up being highly regarded among the GOTYs. A very fresh proposal, in which we are constantly learning new mechanics; and not just based on cheating with a French deck of cards, although that is its main premise. If its proposal is attractive, the icing on the cake is a very interesting plot, full of twists, conflicts of interest and, of course, constant deception and betrayal.

Card Shark is a truly unique experience that shouldn’t be slept on. This is the game for those who don’t like card games. The developers have made a very fun experience that builds on itself fluidly in a way that many other games don’t seem to get right.

Card Shark is unique, layered and an absolute must.

Card Shark is certainly one of the most unique and interesting titles of the year, the son of a completely crazy concept that works divinely from the first to the last second of gameplay.

Card Shark is a unique adventure, both visually and playfully. This game of deception bewitched us for all the hours it took to get to the finale. The gameplay is focused on a few specific ideas, perhaps at times too few. For some players, the lack of variety might be a problem, and we therefore suggest trying the demo first to get a feel for the style.

Card shark is more like a visual novel combined with a bunch of mini-games. The exquisite graphics style and witty writing make me very satisfied. Even if there are some compromises in gameplay, Card shark is still an excellent work.

A game that catches the eye of gamers with a unique material, 'A sharper of medieval France'. Its fine art style visual and beautiful orchestra music, narratives featuring alternative history about 19th century France are impressive. However, they used 'card tricks' as a simple tool for progressing the story, unlike my expectation for them to be a key element of the game.

Card Shark is a clever and charming game whose engaging plot and gameplay focus on being a great cheat over being a master player gives it a unique personality.

All this is beautifully brought to life with scribbly, expressive character portraits, wine-coloured backdrops and a cosy, mock-serious score that suggests a chamber-music troupe lurking just across the salon. Card Shark isn’t always this charming, however. Building the story around perfecting tricks makes for plenty of repetition, whether practising in the coach or restarting a scenario with little more than the shirt on your back. Nerial does its best to avoid a traditional game-over – you can actually cheat death – but it’s easy to imagine a better-resourced version of the game in which every loss sends you along a wholly different story branch. Still, mastering a new con is always worth the trial and error – as is the thrill of taking a duke to the cleaners.

Some dizzying tricks and cheap, sudden encounters aside, Card Shark feels like a genuine and charming mystery interwoven into a very interesting series of mechanics mimicking the fascinating sleight of hand behind card tricks.

Card Shark is an interesting little game. At its heart, it is more of a card-themed visual novel with some educational elements, but it presents the entire experience in an enjoyable package that avoids overstaying its welcome. A few nagging bugs and glitches caught my attention, and nothing ruined the game, but hopefully at least one issue will be patched soon. Either way, it's a fun experience. Just don't try to take the techniques to Las Vegas.

We were waiting for Card Shark with some impatience and as much to say that we were not disappointed. At the same time clever, original, exhilarating, effective, the game from the Nerial studio offers a unique adventure.

Card Shark is not a card game, it's one about cheating with them, with an interesting story and unique aesthetic. Even if it has some flaws and limitations, or if you think it's a collection of quick time events and minigames, it does it right, and in addictive fashion that will hook you till the end.

Hands/eye coordination, concentration, self-control, a great memory... If you lack any of this, don't play Card Shark. It is a great - and beautiful - game, but a stressful one.