Balatro
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
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Balatro Trailers
Balatro - Launch Trailer | THE POKER ROGUELIKE
Balatro - Release Date Trailer | THE POKER ROGUELIKE
Critic Reviews for Balatro
A roguelike deckbuilder debut already worth of joining Slay the Spire and Monster Train at the King's table. Essential.
A deck-building poker roguelike of endlessly satisfying proportions, Balatro is the sort of fun that threatens to derail whole weekend plans.
An expertly constructed and intricate roguelite deck builder that draws on the language and concept of poker, before twisting it with an infinity of modifiers, unlocks, and delicately balanced risk and reward.
Balatro is an ingenious and entertaining roguelike and one of my favorite games of the year. Playing it has become a near-obsession; everything feels perfectly designed to encourage you to keep trying because that next run could be the run of your life. Even after hours of play, I still can’t overcome Balatro’s biggest challenge: putting it down.
Balatro's ingenious combination of poker and roguelite gameplay creates an intoxicating combination that's hard to pull away from.
I never would have expected that a roguelike could work so well in a card game before I played Balatro. It’s simple and guides you in so well, but escalates quickly and is happy to crush your run at any moment with the smallest strokes of misfortune. That’s what makes the variety of jokers and bonus cards so fun to explore. Every new option provides an opportunity to buck the house advantage. It leads to an appealing gameplay loop that kept me wanting to try all sorts of new angles and strategies. Balatro is something far out of the ordinary, and heaven forbid it ever makes its way to mobile because my casual time will powerless against it (please?).
A smart and engaging re-implementation of the classic poker game, including hundreds of different cards and special effects.
Review in Italian | Read full review
