Game: Where Cards Fall
Genre: Puzzle, Platformer, Lifestyle, Indie
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows, macOS, Linux) Xbox, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS)
Developers | Publishers: Snowman | The Game Band
Age Rating: EU 3+ | US 10+
Price: US $19.99 | EU € 17,25 | UK £15.49
Release Date: November 4th, 2021
Review code used, with many thanks to Fortyseven PR
Where Cards Fall is a unique puzzle-platformer that relays its story through cards and flashbacks. Will the cards fall in its favor?
Story
In Where Calls Fall, the player follows an unnamed girl through the memories of her life, starting with college. These vignettes are shown in cutscenes that play out in between puzzles. Characters and scenes fade in and out as shades and shadows depending on the relevant participants of the recall.
The levels are often themed, with the protagonist wearing outfits from the memories or motifs in them showing up in the story. In the background, involved characters and events can be seen, but not interacted with.
Gameplay
This game is centred around walking, jumping, and, as the title suggests, cards. Piles of cards lay about the different stages for the player to build into structures they use to reach the entrance, marked with a giant standing card. Cards can be slid around the ground to adjust as the player makes their way across to different platforms and can be stacked to reach taller places.
Cards cannot be built where the player is standing and occasionally obstacles like the wind get in the way. The puzzle lies in figuring out just how to reach the entrance with the cards available, though there is a helpful hint system that indicates the next move. The player can jump and walk on the cards and platforms as needed. For the in-between segments, they play as unskippable scenes in rooms and then the player exits the room to the next stage. There are 50+ levels to play.
Controls
The controls use the majority of the Switch controls. The triggers are used to build and stack cards, the face buttons control the player and cards, and the joysticks help direct movement. They can be sensitive and finicky at times as I often had to press buttons repeatedly or restart the level entirely to properly get through a stage. They weren’t quite as intuitive as I’d like.
Art and Music
The art of Where Cards Fall is beautiful! I love the poly art of the players, the realistic weather, and the stunning nature pieces. As this game takes time to complete, the art is lovely on the eyes for hours of play.
The music and sound design are also a treat. Each piece fits the world and stories, which pair together for a lovely little game. The smooth tones and blowing wind were cozy as I curled up with my Switch Lite on this one.
Pros and Cons
The art, sound design, and creativity in this game are absolutely amazing. I enjoyed my time exploring the world and falling in love with the way this game did things. Playing this back to back with Unpacking (check the review here) reminded me why I adore fun and stunning puzzle games that make you think. I enjoyed the emotional cutscenes as well, which were brilliantly executed and often kept me pushing through the puzzles to get more insight.
My main gripe is that the controls were less than intuitive. There were far too many times I accidentally fell or walked off something because the player character was sensitive. The game can get a little tedious when played for hours straight. I admit to liberally using the hint system to power through several levels when I got tired. However, it’s a perfect game for some bite-sized gaming sessions.
Conclusion
Where Cards Fall is a creative and lovingly made romp through the memories of young adulthood. It approached puzzle-platforming in a brilliantly whimsical way with art and music to match. The controls were frustrating here and there, but overall, I enjoyed my time with it.
Final Verdict: I Like it
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