Shards of Order is a really good deckbuilding RPG that tells a coherent story, has decent progression, and a battle system that challenges. This is not a game where you can just settle on your initial deck choices, but one that encourages regularly switching approaches until you break through. Sometimes that be frustrating, but overall this is a solid RPG experience that's worth your time.

Fardust built a great setting here to tell more stories in this world, and the game pairs perfectly with recent deckbuilder Death Howl if you seek more not-quite-a-roguelite pastoral horror vibes. Focused in its vision and flamboyant on the screen, Shards of Order should land with anyone looking for smart dark fantasy storytelling that plays its cards right.

Shards of Order packs a lot into its short, approximately 10-hour experience, and it did more than enough to keep my attention throughout. Both gameplay and story were highlights in the early game. But it does feel like a bit too much story is trying to fit in too small a package by the late game, with major story beats flying by on the mad dash for the end goal...With that said, I’d do that dash again – and I will. The card battling remains consistently solid, and I’m already looking forward to playing a second time to try out different strategies and deck builds.