Balatro Review – IGN

Experience the Thrill of Balatro

Some games are fleeting, offering only a brief distraction. Others manage to captivate you, becoming a central focus in your life. Balatro is one such game that will grip you from the moment you start playing. Influenced by poker, this roguelike game may seem simple at first glance, but its addictive gameplay will keep you coming back for more.

Balatro Gameplay

Balatro is a deck-building roguelike that sets itself apart from others in the genre by focusing solely on the power of playing cards. Without the combat or complex storylines found in similar games, Balatro delivers a unique and engaging experience that centers around creating poker hands to progress through challenges.

Experimentation and Strategy

As you navigate through each round in Balatro, you’ll need to strategically manipulate your deck to create high-scoring poker hands. By experimenting with different tactics, such as focusing on flushes or utilizing specific card combinations, you can increase your chances of success. While luck plays a role, the game never feels unfair, allowing you to take control of your own destiny.

Unlocking Potential

One of the key elements of Balatro is the thrill of discovering new card types and unlocking their potential. Each run offers the opportunity to stumble upon exciting new options, creating a sense of progression and accomplishment. Despite the lack of permanent advantages between runs, the game maintains a fun and engaging loop that motivates players to keep coming back for more.

Mastering the Joker

Jokers play a crucial role in Balatro, offering multipliers and abilities that can drastically impact your gameplay. Choosing the right jokers and strategically using them can lead to incredibly high-scoring hands and success in the game. Balancing the use of jokers adds an extra layer of strategy to the gameplay, providing a challenge for players to overcome.

Endless Possibilities

After completing a run in Balatro, players can enter an endless mode to continue pushing their scores higher. With multiple decks to unlock, each offering unique advantages and challenges, the game provides plenty of content to keep players engaged for hours on end. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, Balatro offers a rewarding and addictive experience.

A Game of Chance

While some may find frustration in moments of pure luck determining their fate in Balatro, the game stays true to its roots of poker and roguelikes. Embracing the thrill of chance and the possibility of failure, Balatro keeps players on their toes and eager to dive back in for another round.