Card-en-Ciel Reviews
Card-en-Ciel spoofs so hard, it spoofs itself, and doesn’t have much left to give after that. There’s plenty of entertainment to be found in the game, but it comes at the cost of not having much to offer as a game experience. While hints of cleverness pop up here and there, they’re scant cover for the emptiness in Card-en-Ciel‘s soul.
Card-en-Ciel can be considered a great option for fans of deck-building roguelites and also JRPGs. The impressive variety of cards and the various mechanics involved mean that the game never becomes repetitive.
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If it weren’t clear by this point, I did not care for Card-en-Ciel as an aggregate. Not because it’s a bad game, because the core game parts are actually pretty good… but every single part around that game makes me not want to bother engaging with it any further. I like the ideas on display but I also do not want to play this game. The annoying stuff makes it feel actively hostile and unappealing. It’s easier to just not.
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.
Card-en-Ciel is a fantastic card battling title. I didn’t think I’d find myself so enamoured in playing a card game like this, but the plays at hand along with how the overworld plays into the battle system along with daily and weekly battles makes this game a extremely replayable title. ∎
I enjoyed Inti Creates’ approach to gameplay in Card-en-Ciel and appreciate how it built on the tactical deck-building found in the Mega Man Battle Network series. While it looks similar, it feels like its own thing. That’s great! Unfortunately, the actual story surrounding Neon and Ancie’s adventure is pretty weak and not handled well, and there’s no personality to any of the dungeons we explore.
While a card-battling, roguelite RPG in the style of Mega Man Battle Network is not a wholly original idea, this game’s spin on the concept brings more than enough originality in its mechanics to stand on its own.
Card-en-Ciel is a game made better by how much it revels in its own excess. “How much is too much?” is a question that it proudly eschews in favor of throwing everything in the kitchen sink at participants. My primary issue with the game is that it’s clear it’s stretching itself thin in some areas as a result of this, mostly in rather repetitive visuals and a lack of non-vocal music. On occasion it can also grow a little long-winded, but these moments didn’t happen too often. As a card game and especially as a celebration of all things Inti Creates, it’s fantastic.