Deckline - Bold, experimental card game

• DEVELOPER: KREIDPIX
• PUBLISHER: KREIDPIX
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: Card Game
• RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2025
• STARTING PRICE: 2,99€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Deckline is a single-player card game with elements of psychological horror, strategy, and subtle storytelling, offering a 2-4 hour experience across and an infinite competitive mode. The game uses the Russian card game Durak (meaning “fool”) as its core mechanic, blending it with a grim war narrative to create a tense experience. Set in a war-torn Eastern Europe during the 1990s, inspired by the Yugoslav Wars, it places you as a soldier in a hopeless situation, out of ammo, encircled by enemies, and abandoned by command.

Has anyone heard of Durak before playing this game?

Each player (you and AI squadmates) receives 6 cards from a 36-card deck, with one suit designated as the trump suit, placed below the deck for reference. You then take turns attacking and defending: the attacker plays one or more cards of the same rank, and the defender must beat each with a higher card of the same suit or a trump card, which can only be countered by a higher trump. If the defender succeeds, roles switch, but if they fail, they take the table’s cards, and the attacker continues. After each turn, you draw to replenish your hand to 6 cards, unless already at or above that number. The goal is to avoid being the “fool” – the last player with cards.

However, the game’s tutorial is overly basic, pointing you to Steam guides for more depth, leaving you confused for the first hour. This means you will definetly fumble through, place cards on the desk without clarity, and even when it starts to click, there’s no satisfying “aha” moment. Success often hinges on luck and the AI’s cards rather than skill. This doesn’t make it bad, but it struggles to hook you early. Its unique premise and atmospheric vibe are the ones that keep you intrigued despite the steep learning curve.

It shares similar gameplay vibes with Buckshot Roulette or Liar’s Bar, emphasizing high replayability. But, don’t expect a Balatro-style experience, this feels more like a social, real-life card game you’d learn from your grandparents, grounded in realism rather than flashy mechanics. There are some clever small features, like turning your head around to observe the room, switching on a lamp when lights dim, or taking pills to reduce arterial attacks that impact your mental state and can black out your screen.

The game takes place in a first-person view inside a dimly lit bunker, featuring low-poly squadmates, a battered card table, and scattered war relics. The PSX-style graphics, with blocky textures and muted colors, create a retro-horror feel, enhanced by a grainy VHS filter. Card animations are simple but clear too, with easy-to-read suits and ranks, while environmental effects amplify the war’s creeping dread. The aesthetic nails the gritty 1990s Eastern Europe vibe, with small details like squadmates’ nervous movements and flickering bunker lights.

“It shares similar gameplay vibes with Buckshot Roulette or Liar’s Bar, emphasizing high replayability.”

Really needs a multiplayer mode

Deckline is a short game, offering a complete experience in about two hours, depending on how quickly you grasp its mechanics. Priced at just €2.99, it’s an affordable option with decent quality, ensuring you won’t feel like you’ve wasted time or money. However, its shortness and lack of surprising twists hold it back. The absence of multiplayer is a missed opportunity, and the leaderboards don’t feel important. This is the kind of game where you might mute the game sound, and listen to music while playing to chill, despite its heavy atmosphere and storyline. It’s still just Durak.

I dare to say this is a bold, experimental war-horror card game that blends Durak’s simple mechanics with the grim atmosphere of 1990s Eastern European conflict. However, basic card mechanics, a repetitive bunker setting, and a short, thin story hold it back from being as good as Buckshot Roulette for example. Still, its brief experience is worth a try and you won’t be dissapointed.

“Deckline is a short game, offering a complete experience in about two hours.”

Review copy provided by the publisher

3.8