Balatro Review, It's ADDICTING

Hi there! So I recently picked up, Balatro, the next great rougelike deck builder. And ohh my, I have grown to love it! There's a lot to like about it, but it have some flaws! Lets take a closer look!

If you already know the gist of the game, feel free to jump to the gameplay chapter, otherwise here is a super quick breakdown!

Essentially, Balatro is about earning chips when playing poker hands. But there is a twist, the game lets you modify the deck in many different ways. For example, you can collect various joker cards, each with unique abilities that can drastically alter the outcome of your hands. One joker might multiply your score, while another provides bonus chips based on the suits or ranks you play.

Each run consists of multiple stages (or blinds as they are called) with escalating difficulty. You need to meet or exceed the required chip amount to progress, otherwise its game over. The blinds are clumped together as three: the small blind, the big blind, and the boss blind, which together are called an "ante." You complete the run by beating the boss in the 8th ante. The game lets you skip the small and big blinds, and by doing so, you will earn rewards such as enhancing your next blind or getting more cards.

At the end of each stage, you can visit a shop to buy booster packs and special cards that enhance your deck. This adds a layer of strategy, as you must decide whether to invest in immediate benefits or save for potential future gains.

Gameplay

The game forces you to think strategically about every hand you play, leveraging the unique properties of the deck and the joker cards to shift the odds in your favor. However, as previously mentioned, the game has some flaws in my opinion. Let's take the game balance for example. It seems like some strategies are more dominant and reliable than others. Flushes feel a lot easier to get than straights, which makes me question why one would go for the other less viable strategies. The math is way over my head on this one, but I strongly recommend you watch this video if you want to learn more about the topic: Why Flushes Are The Strongest Hand In Balatro.

In general, players often seek to maximize their strategies, sometimes to the extent that the game loses its intended fun or is played in ways the developer didn't foresee. Balatro encounters this issue, as the game doesn't display the exact number of chips a hand will generate beforehand. This can lead some players to rely on third-party software or websites to calculate the optimal hand. While this might help in achieving higher scores, it can detract from the immersive and strategic experience that Balatro aims to provide. Mark Brown from GameMakersToolkit did a video on just this design decision where he talks about this a bit more in depth, I highly recommend you to check it out after the review. Balatro's 'Cursed' Design Problem.

Replayability

One of Balatro's strongest points is its replayability. Each run offers new challenges and opportunities to explore different strategies with the various cards and jokers at your disposal. Apart from the different jokers, which are unlocked by achievements, you also unlock decks which have different modifiers. Completing a run with a particular deck unlocks more difficulties for that deck, Represented by different chip types. The first unlocked difficulty is pretty manageable, but subsequent difficulties stacks its modifiers on the prior ones.

Another factor that enhances the replayability is the snappiness of the game loop. The quick progression through stages and the addictive nature of "just one more blind" or "just one more run" kept me engaged for hours. The rapid pace and the constant promise of new rewards, higher scores and challenges make Balatro a game that is hard to put down.

Audio & Visuals

Balatro's visual and audio design greatly enhance its immersive experience. The game features modern visuals combined with retro charm. The hypnotic backgrounds and the electronic longue music create a relaxing atmosphere where it doesn't feel so punishing to get a bad hand or less viable jokers in the store.

When you beat a blind with just one hand, the score ignites in a visually striking fire effect. This not only signifies a significant achievement but also adds a sense of dramatic flair to the moment. The fiery animation is a rewarding visual cue that makes these high-scoring moments feel even more triumphant.

However, some players might find the screen shake and persistent "wooziness" in the animations off-putting, luckily there is a option to toggle that off in the settings menu.

Balatro has a moderate learning curve. The game provides useful tools to help players understand the current level, base multiplier, and chip counts for every hand type. This is beneficial for both players familiar with poker hands and those new to the game. Experimentation is encouraged to find the best strategies and card combinations.

For instance, you might think, "Hmm, I wonder which order of the jokers yield the most score?" Testing such hypotheses can lead to discovering powerful synergies and strategies. The game's design promotes this kind of experimentation, allowing players to refine their tactics over multiple runs.

Apart from the option to turn off the motion, Balatro includes a option to turn on high contrast cards for those with visual disabilities, but after trying this out, I got to say that I really prefer to use this option to quickly distinguish the different suits. This is a great example of how accessibility options can improve the enjoyability for everyone!

Even after 37 hours of gameplay, I still find myself second-guessing my decisions right after I make them. The constant need to adapt and learn from each hand keeps the experience fresh and engaging. Balatro ensures that every run provides new insights, making the learning process both challenging and rewarding.

Conclusion

Balatro is a captivating and innovative addition to the roguelike deck builder genre. Its unique twist on poker mechanics, combined with the strategic depth of joker cards and procedural challenges, make it a must-play of the year. While it has some flaws, such as balance issues they do not really detract from the overall experience. If my phone can run it, your pc should as well! Try it out!