Card-en-Ciel

Release Date: October 24, 2024

RPG, science fiction, turn-based, roguelike, isometric view, card games, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet

7.3

OpenCritic

94%

Steam

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A hybrid of an RPG, a card game and a roguelike. Card-en-Ciel has us playing as a gaming detective, exploring the dungeons of a futuristic video game. Each card in Card-en-Ciel is a different character with unique stats and skills. There are over 300 cards to be collected.

Videos and Screens

[4:30] Card-en-Ciel Card-en-Ciel - Story Trailer

[2:45] Card-en-Ciel Card-en-Ciel - Gameplay Reveal

7.3

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 56% of Critics. There are 14 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Nindie Spotlight: 8.8 / 10 by Justin Nation

A colorful, smart, refreshing, and surprisingly varied deck building RPG experience

Full Review

RPG Site: 6 / 10 by James Galizio

While individually Card-en-Ciel's decks offer a fun and engaging time as you learn to play around them, if anything Grand Battle dungeons seem emblematic of the game's own worst flaws. Inti-Creates had a great idea for a gameplay system, and it's charming to see them use their own IPs as fodder for the cards to populate these systems - but at the end of the day, it feels like they simply didn't know how to design a full game around the system they'd envisioned. Card-en-Ciel isn't a bad game by any means, but you can very much feel the limits of what the team could deliver; maybe the gameplay will be enough to make it worth your while, but it's hard to give a strong recommendation when so much of the experience feels disjointed and threadbare.

Full Review

Kakuchopurei: 80 / 100 by Alisha Alix

Card-en-Ciel strikes a perfect balance between challenge and enjoyment. Even with its roguelike elements, starting over doesn’t feel punitive. The music is pleasant, and the characters are visually appealing. The storyline offers an immersive visual novel-style experience. For those new to the deck-building genre, this game provides an excellent introduction without overwhelming players with its technical aspects, complemented by charming anime visuals and catchy music from collected Muse cards.

Full Review

94%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Very Positive (581)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Engaging Gameplay: Players have praised the gameplay mechanics, noting that the card-based battles require strategic thinking and offer a variety of combos and interactions.
High Replayability: Many users highlighted the game's replayability, with different dungeons and challenges that encourage players to optimize their runs and experiment with various strategies.
Unique Mechanics: The game introduces innovative mechanics, such as using cards for movement and the scoring system that rewards players for completing dungeons quickly.
Art and Music: The vibrant art style and the inclusion of over 50 unique vocal songs were frequently mentioned as standout features, enhancing the overall experience.
Voice Acting: The character voices and dialogue were appreciated for adding personality and humor to the game.

The main cons of the game

Repetitive Gameplay: Some players felt that the game could become repetitive, particularly in the early dungeons, and that the mechanics may lead to a sense of monotony over time.
Story and Characters: The story was often described as cliché and predictable, with some characters lacking depth. The dialogue was also criticized for being overly cringey or trope-heavy.
Deckbuilding Limitations: Users noted that the deckbuilding aspect felt limited, as players often had to keep cards that cluttered their decks, making it difficult to maintain a focused strategy.
Technical Issues: Some players experienced freezing and crashing, which detracted from their enjoyment of the game.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

More Robust Deckbuilding Options: Players expressed a desire for a more extensive deckbuilding system that would allow for greater customization and strategy development.
Clearer Scoring System: The scoring system was seen as unintuitive by some, leading to confusion about how to achieve higher ranks and maximize rewards.
Improved Overworld Design: A few reviews mentioned that the overworld felt bland and could use more visual interest.
Multiplayer Deckbuilding Mode: Users suggested the inclusion of a dedicated deckbuilding mode for multiplayer gameplay, enhancing the social aspect of the game.

Summary

Overall, while "Card-en-Ciel" has received praise for its engaging mechanics, art, and music, it also faces criticism for repetitiveness, story depth, and technical issues, with players expressing a desire for more robust features related to deckbuilding and scoring.

Summary generated on: November 25, 2024

Card-en-Ciel is a production that combines element of RPGs, card games and roguelikes. The Japanese studio Inti Creates, which has series such as Gunvolt and Gal*Gun in its portfolio, is behind the development.

Plot

Card-en-Ciel takes us to the sci-fi universe, where a fictional video game called Rust Tactics triumphs. When characters from other productions start to appear in its world, a member of the development team - Ancie - contacts a gaming detective known as Neon to investigate the matter and deal with the problem before it completely gets out of control. Neon has no choice but to immerse himself in the world of Rust Tactics and face the threat hanging over him.

Mechanics

The adventure in Card-en-Ciel leads us through various dungeons related to various fictional video games whose heroes visited the world of Rust Tactics. As we explore them, we encounter opponents and engage in turn-based card duels. While during the exploration phase we watch the action in an isometric view, after starting a skirmish the camera changes to a side view perspective. Both the dungeons and individual arenas are covered with a grid of square fields.

On the battlefields, we play cards corresponding to specific characters, and by defeating our adversaries, we can add their cards to our deck and then force them to fight on our side. The characters have been differentiated in terms of available attacks and combat potential, and since individual moves can be combined into impressive combinations, the key to success is discovering the synergy between individual cards. Each card can be played in one of three ways, related to movement, effect, or a specific special ability.

In addition to standard cards, we also have so-called Muse Cards at our disposal which, after fulfilling certain conditions, can start singing, providing us with various enhancements. Additionally, special "glitched" cards are waiting to be found. Their skillful use can also tip the scales of victory in our favor.

In total, there are over 300 cards waiting to be collected. Interestingly, they are not just props, but characters in themselves. Each of them has been voiced, thanks to which they comment on our actions and also conduct intense conversations among themselves.

Once we decide that our card collection is powerful enough, we can go to fight the boss who guards the exit from a given dungeon. It is worth remembering that our actions are scored, and if we want to achieve the highest score, we must act not only effectively, but also quickly. In the latter, the ability to bypass opponents helps.

Interestingly, after leaving the dungeon and moving on to the next one, our deck is reset and we have to start the process of collecting cards from the beginning. Nonetheless, previously unlocked cards can still be used in critical moments, as well as in special dungeons that allow for large battles, which we unlock as we progress. In addition to this, after clearing a given dungeon, we gain access to 10 additional difficulty levels, including those that strengthen enemies and change the rules of the game.

Game modes

Card-en-Ciel can be played alone or in multiplayer mode over the Internet, where we fight card duels with another person. In addition to the story mode, daily dungeons with global rankings have been added to the game.