Kim Snaith
GameSpewBalatro Review — A Card Game to Beat All Others
Published 2/19/2024
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
-2 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalCritic Atlas
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PC / PS5 / PS4 / Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Nintendo Switch / iOS / Android - 2/20/2024
Balatro
A poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder where players build powerful scoring engines through Jokers, deck manipulation, escalating blinds, and increasingly chaotic run-defining synergies.
- Developer
- LocalThunk
- Publisher
- Playstack
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Critic average
92
Average of 36 scored external reviews.
User average
84
Average of 7 saved user ratings.
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Run-based / proceduralDefining · Curated baseline
Highly replayableDefining · Curated baseline
Strategic / planning-heavyDefining · Curated baseline
Systems / mechanics-drivenDefining · Curated baseline
Buildcraft / customization-heavyDefining · Curated baseline
Unconventional / experimentalDefining · Curated baseline
Puzzle / logic-focusedStrongly · Curated baseline
Loot / progression-drivenStrongly · Curated baseline
Show 12 more descriptors
Atmosphere-driven / aesthetic identityStrongly · Curated baseline
Whimsical / playful / lightheartedModerately · Curated baseline
Cozy / low-pressureModerately · Curated baseline
Punishing / high-pressureModerately · Curated baseline
Side-content richModerately · Curated baseline
Short / focusedModerately · Curated baseline
Serious / dark / groundedNot present · Curated baseline
Reflex / execution-heavyNot present · Curated baseline
Story / character-drivenNot present · Curated baseline
Exploration-drivenNot present · Curated baseline
Combat / action-focusedNot present · Curated baseline
Multiplayer / socialNot present · Curated baseline
Bars show a weighted description signal from player answers and curated baseline data.
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Review coverage
Critic signal strength
Numeric critic scoring uses full scored reviews once available. Review-in-progress scores act as temporary early signal only until full review scores exist. Unscored reviews still count as coverage, but they are not included in the critic average.
High confidenceMostly aligned
Critic avg
92
36 scored reviews
Total coverage
38
2 unscored reviews
Score range
80–100
Lowest to highest scored review
Signal shape
Mostly aligned
Score range is 11–20 points
Critic landscape
The critic average is 92 across 36 scored reviews, with a 20-point spread. Critics mostly agree, but there is some useful variation in the individual reviews.
How to read this
The average is useful broad context, but the high and low reviews may explain what different critics valued or penalized.
Most scored reviews currently sit in the 90–100 band. 2 unscored reviews add coverage context without moving the critic average.
Score distribution
Shows how included scored reviews are clustered across the normalized 100-point scale.
36 included scored reviews
90–10031 reviews · 86%
80–895 reviews · 14%
70–790 reviews · 0%
Below 700 reviews · 0%
Showing 31-38 of 38 matching critic reviews. 38 total critic reviews. Page 4 of 4.
Leo Faierman
Screen RantBalatro Review: "The Next Great Deckbuilder Roguelite"
Published 2/19/2024
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
100
+8 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalJesse Norris
XboxEraReview | Balatro
Published 2/19/2024
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
100
+8 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalAbbie Stone
PC GamerBalatro review
Published 2/19/2024
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RoguelikeDeckbuilderPokerCard gameIndieScore chasingStrategy
Scoring alignment
—
Score
91
-1 vs critic avg
Recommended
Read originalJordan Helm
Hardcore GamerReview: Balatro
Published 2/19/2024
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
100
+8 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalAlex Orona
Nintendo World ReportBalatro (Switch) Review
Published 2/19/2024
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
90
-2 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalGrayson Morley
PolygonReview: Balatro is the next must-play deck builder
Published 11/18/2024
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PolygonText review
Scoring alignment
—
Score
Unscored
Recommended
Read originalKatharine Castle
Rock Paper ShotgunBalatro review: only fools would sleep on this moreish poker roguelike
Published 2/19/2024
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Rock Paper ShotgunText review
Scoring alignment
—
Score
Unscored
Recommended
Read originalPlayer reviews
Player reviews
No player reviews yet. Published reviews from Critic Atlas users will appear here. These are separate from external critic reviews.