One of my favorite video game genres to sit back and cozy up to is deck builders. I love the idea of randomized hands every time you jump in that can either set you up for failure or lead you to success. When Shuffle Tactics was brought to my attention, I knew I would enjoy it because it’s a deck builder. However, I didn’t realize how many different gameplay features this game would have that I only wish were in others within the genre. If you’re a fan of titles like Final Fantasy Tactics and Slay the Spire, then buckle up because you might have just discovered your next favorite deck builder.
Cards Against the Battlefield
From the moment I started playing, I was hooked by how Shuffle Tactics blends strategic deck-building with tactical grid-based combat. Instead of just playing cards to execute actions, positioning and movement play a crucial role, adding a whole new layer of strategy. It’s not just about crafting the perfect deck; it’s about adapting on the fly, anticipating enemy moves, and making the most of the battlefield. There are even aspects of some battlefields that you can use to your advantage. I’ve said before that I’m the type of player who likes to head in guns blazing without a second thought about what challenges await me. That won’t fly here. Since the gameplay can be pretty brutal, it was a bit of a learning curve for me specifically, but I appreciate how the game forces you to learn how to be strategic. Let me tell you, I did my best never to make the same mistakes twice (or, you know, three times).
Before every run, you can select a skill deck paired with a character. In the demo, you start with Doberknight and his skill deck, Sword Throw, which consists of sword-related attacks. After you’ve defeated every enemy on the battlefield, you’ll regain any health you might have lost and choose which location to go next: a street vendor, a boss, an event, or a group of random enemies. Through these battles and locations, you’ll be able to earn gold, companions, relics, and more to help you reach the end of each area. For the demo, players start in The Deluge, which consists of six events before leading to a final boss. A final, ridiculously difficult, and unforgiving boss.
Keep ‘Em Coming!
I would like to consider myself to be pretty good at deck builders, but I found Shuffle Tactics to be challenging. However, it is not challenging in a way that makes you want to immediately uninstall the game and go right back to Balatro or Slay the Spire. It’s challenging in a Dark Souls way that makes you want to try again and again until you finally figure it out. I couldn’t, for the life of me, defeat the final encounter in The Deluge, but while that might be frustrating to some, the game does an incredible job of making each run vastly different enough to justify doing it over and over again. Considering the various cards you can have in your deck, companions you can hire to help you, relics you can equip to cards, and more, runs couldn’t be the same if they tried. The full release is expected to have three heroes and 500 hero cards, 20 companions and 300 companion cards, 26 different enemies, 18 bosses, five regions, and over a hundred relics!
Earning a small bit of XP, especially after torturously failing, is also massively appreciated. Regardless of the outcome of your run, you’ll still earn some kind of reward for all the work you put in. In a twisted way, it’s also a good feeling learning how to get good fast so that you can earn even more XP and additional heroes and skills to try out.
Believe in the Heart of the Cards
There really isn’t an end to the demo, considering that you can play it repeatedly and experience a different outcome. However, getting through the boss in The Deluge took an hour to an hour and a half, depending on your run’s outcome and your strategies. After that, I comfortably played for two to three hours, figuring out different techniques and approaches. Even after the fourth or fifth run, I still saw cards I had never run into and battlefield strategies I hadn’t tried.
For fans of deck-building roguelikes, I recommend keeping an eye on this title. Developer Club Sandwich has really made something memorable that I believe will be a great addition to any card game lover’s library. However, on the flip side, I wouldn’t recommend this to players unfamiliar with the genre because of its difficulty. I even felt that it was a little too difficult at times, tapping out after the third or fourth event in The Deluge. There is a bit of a learning curve, but you’ll be hooked once you’ve got it.
