
Taking on the mantle of the nameless main character, you’ll find yourself embroiled in a scheme to trick as many rich folk as you can all whilst investigating a mysterious conspiracy. A game that really relishes in its intricate gameplay and chaotic world, Card Shark is a standout amongst the rinse and repeat titles you’ll play in 2022. Let me be clear though, I haven’t been doing this in the real world, it’s all been part of the extensive training that Nerialand Devolver Digital’s latest title, Card Shark, has been putting me through.

I’ve been swindling folks in three-card-monte, pulling fast ones in card games, and perfecting a coin toss that ensures a win in my favor every time. A demo is available.For the last few weeks, I’ve been living the life of a con artist.

Especially since the story that happens while taking advantage of marks is so compelling.Ĭard Shark is available for the Nintendo Switch and PC. But considering the assortment of tricks you learn and the way the challenge grows, it still can feel very satisfying. Yes, every once in a while I’d come across a con I didn’t enjoy as much as the others. So even if there was a situation where I wasn’t “feeling” the current trick, finding out what would happen next made it worth going through it.Ĭard Shark is a game that made me feel daring, and I was glued to my Switch trying to outsmart my opponents. (Especially when the Comte’s look is saying a lot about the size of donation you might make to the “Court.”) The card games themselves suit the moment, but are also clear when conveying information. For example, I’m a big fan of the Comte and avatar’s expressions throughout the story. The characters are interesting and expressive. It feels vintage and like it keeps with the classic French time period. It is a shame that not every card trick is going to be great, but I enjoyed more of them than not.īecause really, Card Shark is the kind of game in which someone could be in it for only the adventure and ambiance. It’s a nice bit of accessibility if you’re enjoying the story and most of the minigames, but one is getting you down. But it isn’t the end of the world if, for a particular game, you make things a bit easier or turn hints on. The normal one is fairly forgiving when you’re first picking up these tricks. Card Shark offers multiple difficulty options. For example, when attempting to ensure the Comte would always get the highest cards in his hand when dealing, I messed up quite a bit in practice! Figuring out the right direction to pick them up in got tricky!īut there is an extra cushion that can help if there’s a particular short-con that stumps you. As I was playing Card Shark on the Switch, I was a bit concerned about it. While being “off” once or twice won’t ruin an endeavor, consistently messing up will cause the gauge to fill to dangerous levels. If you aren’t smooth when pulling off a con or take too long, the mark catches on.

Others might involve keeping track of when to pick up certain cards or perform certain actions, and in what order to perform certain movements.Īs for suspicion, it sort of acts as a timer. So when you play Three-card Monte, like I mentioned earlier, you’ll actually be going through a rhythm game. Maybe it will be a way to signal what cards are in play? Perhaps you’re trying to ensure cards appear in certain places when you deal them? These involve brief minigames. Before games, the Comte might teach you a new grift to use against a mark. Your goal is to get both money and information. Nope! Rather, you’re trying to cheat your opponent while keeping them from getting too suspicious. Now, the name in Card Shark may make you think this is actually about playing cards in some way. While you will be conning folks out of money, you’ll also be supporting this community and gathering information about the monarchy. It’s a place where essentially the unwanted in France end up. But the Comte takes you on as a partner, and the two of you head to the Court of Miracles. Your former employer is killed, and you’re essentially framed. After helping him cheat at a game in an inn, things go horribly awry.

But this game made me feel confident in my virtual self!Ĭard Shark follows an individual who falls in with a con-man called Comte de Saint-Germain. Like maybe I could pull off the Three-card Monte! Perhaps I could ensure a certain person would get all high-value cards when dealing? Okay, probably not. But after some hours playing Card Shark on the Switch, I felt overconfident and daring. Better at things like Pokemon Trading Card Game and Yu-Gi-Oh than Blackjack, to be sure.
