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.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 74 | 33 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 91% | 85 | 437 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 89% | 83 | 3 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 8 reviews sampled · 8 total reviews in window · weighted 6 up / 0.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (20)
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.
- 70
“While a card-battling, roguelite RPG in the style of Mega Man Battle Network is not a wholly original idea, this game’s spin on the concept brings more than enough originality in its mechanics to stand on its own.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“If it weren’t clear by this point, I did not care for Card-en-Ciel as an aggregate. Not because it’s a bad game, because the core game parts are actually pretty good… but every single part around that game makes me not want to bother engaging with it any further. I like the ideas on display but I also do not want to play this game. The annoying stuff makes it feel actively hostile and unappealing. It’s easier to just not.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Card-en-Ciel strikes a perfect balance between challenge and enjoyment. Even with its roguelike elements, starting over doesn’t feel punitive. The music is pleasant, and the characters are visually appealing. The storyline offers an immersive visual novel-style experience. For those new to the deck-building genre, this game provides an excellent introduction without overwhelming players with its technical aspects, complemented by charming anime visuals and catchy music from collected Muse cards.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“For a new IP, Card-en-Ciel shows potential. The premise is intriguing, the core rules and mechanics provide a strong foundation for tactical decision-making, and the replay value is absurdly high. Regrettably, the campaign that houses everything is a slight letdown, due to clichéd storytelling, forgettable characters, and generic, tedious dungeons.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“A colorful, smart, refreshing, and surprisingly varied deck building RPG experience”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Card-en-Ciel's gameplay is incredibly fun, which makes it an easy recommendation for anyone who has liked games like Slay the Spire or Monster Train but wants an anime twist to it. However, if you're looking for a more developed story or characters that go beyond just providing window dressing for the core of the gameplay, I'd advise caution. I really enjoyed my time with Card-en-Ciel, especially for someone who loves that kind of card-based roguelite, but I just wish Inti Creates would give us more from the story and presentation.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I enjoyed Inti Creates’ approach to gameplay in Card-en-Ciel and appreciate how it built on the tactical deck-building found in the Mega Man Battle Network series. While it looks similar, it feels like its own thing. That’s great! Unfortunately, the actual story surrounding Neon and Ancie’s adventure is pretty weak and not handled well, and there’s no personality to any of the dungeons we explore.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“But as it stands, Card-En-Ciel is just a decent time that will ultimately appeal to you more if you like Inti’s style a lot and are willing to deal with the bland barriers in the way of a very fun combat system.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Card-en-Ciel is a roguelite deckbuilder that teeters on the edge of feeling more like a rhythm game. Its audiovisuals are so peppy and animated that it’s hard to associate them with the dark tones roguelikes and roguelites usually embrace. In fact, the audio is so well-developed that there are 300 unique cards with voices that can interact with each other, as well as 50 distinct, mechanically important songs! Unfortunately, the story delivery leaves a lot to be desired, and the game can become repetitive rather quickly. It’s also rather expensive for what it offers.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Card-en-Ciel is a game made better by how much it revels in its own excess. “How much is too much?” is a question that it proudly eschews in favor of throwing everything in the kitchen sink at participants. My primary issue with the game is that it’s clear it’s stretching itself thin in some areas as a result of this, mostly in rather repetitive visuals and a lack of non-vocal music. On occasion it can also grow a little long-winded, but these moments didn’t happen too often. As a card game and especially as a celebration of all things Inti Creates, it’s fantastic.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Card-en-Ciel manages to mix an interesting idea of a card-based RPG with some roguelike elements while still being able to pay homage to a majority of INTI CREATES' history. However, the lack of representation of and some minor technical aspects keep the experience from its full potential.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Card-en-Ciel spoofs so hard, it spoofs itself, and doesn’t have much left to give after that. There’s plenty of entertainment to be found in the game, but it comes at the cost of not having much to offer as a game experience. While hints of cleverness pop up here and there, they’re scant cover for the emptiness in Card-en-Ciel‘s soul.”
read full review ↗
RPGamer
Gamer Escape
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
Siliconera
Seafoam Gaming
Game8
NookGaming
NintendoBoy
RPG Fan…and 8 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.9.1 !Mar 11, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel Demo has been updated!Mar 11, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.8.2 !Feb 20, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.8.0 !Feb 19, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.7.2!Feb 4, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel Demo has been updated!Feb 4, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.7.0!Jan 28, 2026
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.5.3!Jun 10, 2025
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.5.2 !Apr 18, 2025
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.5.1 !Apr 3, 2025
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.5.0 !Mar 31, 2025
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.4.1 !Feb 27, 2025
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.3.0 !Jan 30, 2025
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.2.0 !Dec 24, 2024
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.1.1 !Dec 18, 2024
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.1.0 !Nov 28, 2024
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.0.7 !Oct 28, 2024
- Card-en-Ciel has been updated to Ver 1.0.6 !Oct 25, 2024