Balatro is a poker roguelike. I've never been a fan of poker, but this game has gripped me. You start with a standard deck of cards, and score points by making poker hands. You have to score a certain number of points in a limited number of hands to win each round. It's quick and addicting.

Balatro is really easy to pick up and play. I've never played poker in my life, but there's a screen showing you all the possible hands so you're never lost. Between rounds there's a Slay the Spire-type shop, where you can spend the money you earn from winning on new special cards that add multipliers, buffs, and other effects to your cards.

It's been a few years since I got really into Slay the Spire, and this game is really scratching the same itch despite being different in every way except for the fact that they're both "deckbuilders". I can see myself keeping this game on the "always installed" list.

Verdict: Endless

Part of the Game Library Project