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HELLCARD

HELLCARD

Thing Trunk · released Feb 1, 2024

AdventureIndieRPGStrategyPCPlayStation 4Xbox Series X, Xbox OneNintendo Switch

Hellcard is a unique cooperative deck builder rogue-like game. Descend into the paper dungeons on your own, recruit computer-controlled companions or join other players' lobbies in fast-paced tactical card battles against the armies of darkness and the Archdemon himself!

Steam page ↗Metacritic · users 7.8 ↗
79
VGC Score
▼Declininghigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Modding Update” (7mo ago)

78%
At launch
86%
Steam all-time
n/a
Press
66%
Player sentiment
85%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)––0
All-time Steam reviews86%791000
Metacritic user ratings––0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)85%79300
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Feb 3, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 255 total reviews in window · weighted 191 up / 32.5 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (8)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 88
    Nindie SpotlightNindie Spotlight
    trust 70Sep 16, 2025

    “While some could bemoan yet another deckbuilder, having a team to manage, loads of classes, and masses of enemies make this a memorable one”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    Checkpoint GamingCheckpoint Gaming
    trust 67Feb 17, 2024

    “Overall, Hellcard offers an engaging deckbuilder with a unique perspective on the classic formula; its combat map and companion system keep things interesting, and the number of cards, artifacts and companions add hugely to its replayability value. While it may not be the best title for newcomers to the genre, considering the game's UI can feel a little unwieldy and there's a lot to keep track of, Hellcard is sure to reward persisting players who don't shy away from a steep learning curve.”

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    Niche GamerNiche Gamer
    trust 64Sep 13, 2024

    “If you aren’t bothered by long runs and enjoy turn-based combat, then HELLCARD is a pretty good choice for a roguelike. The Bruja DLC is also a very solid addition to the game and worth picking up.”

    read full review ↗
  • 76
    Tech-Gaming
    trust 59Feb 15, 2024

    “Whether you tackle Hellcard’s turn-based confrontations alone or with a pair of online allies, the pursuit of team synergy can be involving. Like many card battlers, you’ll need to upgrade wisely, gleaning every diminutive advantage available before reaching the endgame. Here, persistence proves just as essential as having a prudent policy.”

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    Hynerd.itHynerd.it
    trust 55Feb 9, 2024

    “HELLCARD is a very interesting deck building title. I must honestly say that I did not have high expectations for the title and instead was incredibly surprised. The title is fun and relatively easy to learn. If we then add the total Italian localization and the ease of running the game we have a combo for an excellent pastime. Definitely more than recommended for fans, but also for newbies to the genre like me.”

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    GameBlastGameBlast
    trust 51Feb 1, 2024

    “HELLCARD has evolved a lot by improving what it had presented at the beginning of its Early Access period. The combat, although simple, provides the necessary tools to entertain and encourage the player to develop the most varied strategies, such as heroes with different classes, many cards, artifacts and the random arrangement of events throughout the game. However, the common problems of roguelikes are still present, such as continuous repetition due to the difficulty, the slow unlocking of interesting new features and an extra mode that, although good, becomes monotonous if you don't have company to play with. Despite this, Hellcard is still a good option if you like challenging games or enjoyed Book of Demons.”

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    TheXboxHubTheXboxHub
    trust 51Sep 29, 2025

    “The presentation is unique, and the zoned combat system does implement mechanics that aren’t seen in other games in the genre, but when playing alone it’s hard for the pros of HELLCARD to compensate for the cons.”

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    God is a GeekGod is a Geek
    trust 49Jan 31, 2024

    “Hellcard is a decent if unremarkable card-battler with some cool ideas that offers a decent challenge for fans of the genre.”

    read full review ↗

Patch history

  1. Modding Update
    Feb 3, 2026significant · resets scoring window
  2. Modtools Patchnotes
    Aug 7, 2025
  3. Thursday Hotfix Update
    Feb 6, 2025
  4. Gargoyles and a huge Tinkerer balance patch!
    Jan 22, 2025significant · resets scoring window
  5. Balance Update Public Test
    Oct 24, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  6. Hotfix Update
    Sep 20, 2024
  7. Major Tinkerer Rework
    Sep 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  8. Friday Hotfix Update
    Aug 30, 2024
  9. Friday Hotfix Update
    Aug 23, 2024
  10. "Cards. Lots of Cards." Update
    Aug 21, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  11. Korean Language and Bugfixes Update
    Jul 10, 2024
  12. Bugfixes Update
    May 28, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  13. Various fixes and QoL patch
    Apr 17, 2024
  14. Languages and Bugfixes Update
    Mar 27, 2024
  15. Cards, Chocolate Box and Quality of Life stuff
    Mar 25, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  16. Hotfixes Update and Feature Request Tracker!
    Mar 13, 2024
  17. Keyboard, Japanese, join in progress, and more!
    Mar 6, 2024
  18. Patch Notes for version 1.0.240223
    Feb 23, 2024
  19. Tinkerer balance & bugfixes update
    Feb 14, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  20. Hotfix Update
    Feb 2, 2024
  21. Full 1.0 Release!
    Feb 1, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  22. Hellcard 1.0 Launches on 1st Feb
    Jan 18, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  23. Hotfix Update
    Jan 18, 2024
  24. Bugfixes Update
    Jan 16, 2024
  25. Artifacts Update!
    Jan 11, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  26. New Monsters Update
    Dec 7, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  27. Steam Deck Verified!
    Nov 7, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  28. Small Screen, Controller, and QoL Update
    Sep 14, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  29. New Endless content, balance and general bugfixes!
    Aug 10, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  30. Bugfixes and small balance changes
    Aug 1, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  31. Bugfixes and QoL update
    Jul 25, 2023
  32. Performance, stability, and typos hotfix
    Jun 28, 2023
  33. Torment presets & bug fixes
    Jun 13, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  34. Dev Update: Progress Report!
    May 31, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  35. Lobby Browser, Almanac and bugfixes Update
    Apr 27, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  36. Major Balance Update
    Apr 17, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  37. Performance and bugfixes update
    Mar 24, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  38. Performance Hotfix
    Mar 23, 2023
  39. Bugfixes Update
    Mar 21, 2023
  40. Hellcard is One Month Old!
    Mar 17, 2023significant · resets scoring window

…and 30 earlier patch announcements.