I was pretty interested in Shards of Order when I initially saw it because it looked like it was borrowing some ideas from one of my favourite roguelike RPGs: Darkest Dungeon. It just presented itself with a vibe that it would be a gruelling experience that keeps you coming back for more. But the more I saw of it, the more it became clear that it wasn’t going for Darkest Dungeon but a seemingly long-forgotten type of RPG.
Card-based RPGs are somewhat of a lost art nowadays, as most games tend to lean into the randomness factor that comes with using a deck of cards for attacks or progression for roguelike experiences. But Shards of Order isn’t trying to be a roguelike—in fact, the game’s Steam Page felt the need to specify as much. Instead, it evokes the days of Lost Kingdom or Baten Kaitos with a true card-based RPG that is as satisfying as it is challenging.
The story in Shards of Order is shrouded in mystery, as players begin the game with a nameless soldier who is cast into a deep pit—a world seemingly between death and life. The soldier quickly meets up with an archer calling herself “Exile” and a magician calling himself “Scholar,” all of whom have little or no memory of their past lives. Together, the three set out to find a way to escape the strange, corrupted place they’re trapped in, and maybe unravel the mysteries of who they were.
“Shards of Order creates a combat system that is fairly simple in its execution, but becomes incredibly captivating in its depth.”
It’s fairly standard, as far as these kinds of dark-fantasy stories go, but it does some interesting things. Despite being pretty linear, it provides players with a sort of “choose your own adventure” style for dialogue encounters and certain interactions, with certain choices drastically changing the outcome of events, or offering rewards for utilizing certain cards. Its world is bizarre and macabre in a way that keeps it consistently interesting to continue learning about and progressing forward.
But it was the gameplay that captivated me most in Shards of Order. It’s a straightforward card-based RPG where players need to build their decks effectively, while paying attention to character positioning and utilizing each character’s unique abilities for strategic advantages. Despite the random nature of drawing cards, it does such a good job of making each character feel distinct that you can usually create pretty interesting combat maneuvers.
Shards of Order structures itself by giving enemies a time limit before they are able to attack, with cards having different time values so every play brings players closer to being hit. If players use their cards effectively, they can not only mitigate incoming damage, but potentially extend their turns to set up more advantageous situations. Not only that, but each character brings their own unique style to the battle that makes things much more interesting and intricate.
The Soldier builds rage with each attack or defensive card, allowing for a special attack that can change depending on his equipped weapon. The Exile needs to stock arrows in her quiver for attacks, and with careful planning can both increase the damage of each subsequent shot, or apply debuffs to enemies. The Scholar uses a magic system of three coloured energies that can build with attacks, but also be spent to increase the effects of other cards.
“Shards of Order is a fantastic card-based RPG that gives players a lot of options for interesting combat, while also providing a lot of challenge.”
Furthermore, if a character does fall in battle, their cards become “Revive” cards, which can bring them back into the battle, but run the risk of fracturing their mind—dealing damage every time players choose to draw a new hand. It creates an interesting risk vs. reward system where players need to weigh if having an extra party member is worth the cost of added damage, since one or two turns could change the tide of battle dramatically.
It creates a combat system that is fairly simple in its execution, but becomes incredibly captivating in its depth. On top of this, characters can gain new cards through skill points upon levelling up, or gain new abilities from equipable armour, weapons and trinkets, so players are given a lot of options for how they’d like to optimize each character and change how they approach battle.
Visually, Shards of Order has a distinct, almost comic book style that combines dark, painted aesthetics with detailed and striking designs for both characters and monsters. Its landscapes are twisted and haunting, shrouded in darkness and evoking a genuine sense that you are stranded in the abyss. This is juxtaposed by a BANGER soundtrack mostly composed of Celtic metal, making each battle feel both intense, explosive, and fantastical.
Shards of Order is a fantastic card-based RPG that gives players a lot of options for interesting combat, while also providing a lot of challenge. It’s a fine example of the idea that, while the randomness of a deck of cards can be fun, giving players a deeper way to build those decks makes for an even more engaging experience.
