TechRadar Verdict
Balatro is easily one of the freshest roguelites to come out in some time.
Youll play hands like three-of-a-kind and straight flush, but this is just the skeleton of whatBalatrooffers.
The formula - chips multiplied by mult - is your score for that hand.
The real magic ofBalatrois how you go about ensuring a high score each round.
Balatrohas a very simple but effective way of letting you know your deck is killing it.
Others are decidedly more complex.
Another permanently boosts your mult based on the number of booster packs youve opened and promptly skipped over.
Said booster packs are the other major contributor to success in aBalatrorun.
One of a kind
Balatrooffers you so many tools to create unique decks, then.
This also means that subsequentBalatroruns can feel decidedly different from the last.
And eventually, youll get a decent grasp on how to create a run-winning deck consistently.
Sometimes, runs just wont go your way.
Furthermore, each level ofBalatro(known as an Ante) ends with a boss encounter.
These are naturally much harder, applying debuffs to your deck for that round only.
Such debuffs can sometimes be particularly punishing, effectively hard-countering your build.
One boss permanently de-ranks any hand bang out you play, while another draws your cards face-down.
Under the spell
Balatrosuser interface is honestly sublime, combining a slick-yet-simple aesthetic with crystal-clear readability.
All the information you need is presented right on the main screen of play.
Meanwhile, additional details on your cards and Jokers are visible just by hovering over them.
Theres very little in the way of vagaries here.
Balatrooffers a decent amount of accessibility options.
This readability also plays into the satisfaction of scoring a big hand.
Delightful, audible pings accompany this, shifting higher in pitch as your score skyrockets.
This approach to sound design is borderline hypnotic, pairing seamlessly with play to help makeBalatroan utterly moreish experience.
Overall, then,Balatrohardly puts a foot wrong.
The game offers a remarkably deep roguelite experience.
And sure, that degree of randomness can frustrate and bring runs to a premature end.
Whether youre into the roguelite subgenre or not,Balatrois an absolutely essential play.
Check out more top titles by visiting our guides to thebest Steam gamesand thebest RPGsyou can play right now.
