PC Critic Reviews

What do you get when you add espionage and intrigue to the ubiquitous game found in nursing homes and every Windows decide known to mankind, then drop it into a carefully crafted, existing science fiction world? You get The Solitaire Conspiracy.

The Solitaire Conspiracy is one of this year’s most surprisingly addictive games, a tense showdown amongst spies using nothing other than your own wits and a few card tricks up your sleeve to deliver a quick punch of strategy.

The crew at Bithell Games has done it again. The Solitaire Conspiracy may not be the developer’s best-told story, but it’s one of the most enjoyable on a gameplay level. And like every Bithell Short, it never overstays its welcome. If you want to play something short and sweet, look no further.

If you’ve never played a solitaire video game, The Solitaire Conspiracy is the perfect gateway into them. Bithell Games have created an accessible yet deeply strategic twist on the classic card game that includes an espionage narrative delivered via FMV’s featuring famous faces. There’s some ludonarrative dissonance between the drama of story told and the relative calmness of the game play but it does little to spoil one of the best this genre has to offer.

Whilst it is only solitaire, Bithell Games has managed to put a fresh take on an old classic. The Solitaire Conspiracy is addictive, and it oozes style in every game.

Beatable within two hours but offering good replayability, The Solitaire Conspiracy is a short but sweet experience. Featuring some strong visual aesthetics, an engaging narrative and enjoyable gameplay, this bite-sized title proves particularly entertaining and left me wanting more. Though limited by the smaller scope, it marks another winner by Mike Bithell, making this one conspiracy we recommend investigating.

At its core, The Solitaire Conspiracy isn't much more than a gussied up version of Solitaire. Still, the work done in creating an intriguing narrative and piecing it together with an amazing style makes this little venture worth picking up. With the team not opposed to doing some DLC down the line, it could also become a much more substantial game in the future.

If you’re looking for a solid take on solitaire with an interesting injection of hero-based action, The Solitaire Conspiracy is exciting, well-paced and genuinely unique. You just need to decide if you really need to play another take on solitaire. Especially given the fact that multiple variations of the game likely came pre-installed on your computer, anyway. But, then again, do any of those have hero characters?

I applaud Bithell Games’ efforts to make a classic card game something more. There’s no denying its presentation is compelling, even if the story may feel rather unnecessary. But regardless of how you feel about the over-the-top dramatics, there’s an excellent game at the core of The Solitaire Conspiracy. Its Countdown and Skirmish modes are something that players will find themselves going back to time and again – if only for a welcome change from Freecell or Spider Solitaire.

The Solitaire Conspiracy’s story about direction – which later transforms into a techno-horror story – is sharp and intelligent. But due to the card-based gameplay’s lack of flashiness and variety, you might get bored before it all comes to an end. While this issue was partially fixed with the Version 1.03 update, there is still work that needs to be done in order to make this a game that has not only literary quality but is also fun as entertainment.