Griftlands - Review @ PC Gamer

PC Gamer checked out the deck-building RPG Griftlands:

Griftlands review

Play your cards right and you'll enjoy a great story.

Games have always been looking for ways to make conversations as compelling as the combat. Why can't a tense negotiation feel as gripping as a tough-as-nails boss fight? That's the question Griftlands seeks to answer. It makes for a compelling roguelike, thanks to great writing and characters, but doesn't quite live up to the promise of its chatty deck-building systems.

The titular Griftlands are a chaotic place where corrupt law enforcement and criminal syndicates run things against a backdrop of sci-fi and fantasy. Brutal it may be, but it sure is pretty. I love the scratchy, hand-drawn touch to everything. There's a smart economy to where the embellishments are made, which ensures the game can deliver on its scope without any rough edges. Character sprites have lovely gestures and expressions that compliment the writing, while the overworld map is simply littered with tidy icons.

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Shortcomings aside, Griftlands is another slice of low-key brilliance from developers Klei. Is there a genre they can't do? The balance of narrative and deck-building made for a much more engaging experience than I often have with card-based titles, even if it feels like more could be done to connect those systems and bolster the storytelling. Still, I'm going to remember my adventures with Sal and the little moments of friendship and betrayal throughout each run. I like playing as a grifter; it ain't much but it's a living.

Score: 80/100 "Charm and good storytelling overcome limited, experimental deck-building."

Thanks Henriquejr!

More information.

This game is quick to play, funny, and has a couple of interesting twists on the card mechanics -- and also I'm always curious about attempts to gamify conversations in RPGs.

Give it a try if you haven't.