All posts tagged: Balatro

Blue Prince review: it will steal your time just like Balatro

Blue Prince review: it will steal your time just like Balatro

Published by Webster

I know, I know. It’s become a bit of a faux pas to describe one game using another and yet I am compelled. After a few hours with Blue Prince, I realized this game elicits the same feelings in me as Balatro. Not because it has anything to do with cards or passive-aggressive clowns named Jimbo, but because those hours I played passed as breezily by completely unnoticed as they did when I was knee deep in the poker roguelike. Blue Prince is a time-stealer and as with Balatro, you will be happy to be robbed. Blue Prince is an architectural puzzle mystery game from developer Dogubomb. In it you play as a young man who inherits his uncle’s magical mansion. On your first day at the house you receive a note laying out the rules by which you will earn your inheritance. This house has 45 rooms. Find the secret 46th room that’s not displayed on any of the mansion’s blueprints (get it, Blue Prince / blueprints) and the house is yours. To find …

YouTube says Nope! to age-gating Balatro videos

YouTube says Nope! to age-gating Balatro videos

Published by Webster

On Friday, the YouTube channel Balatro University posted a video highlighting how some of their videos had recently been age-restricted after the company tightened its policies about gambling content. But in a post Monday night, YouTube said the restrictions shouldn’t have been applied. “Videos featuring Balatro gameplay should not be age-restricted,” YouTube says in a post on X. We’re reviewing the age-restrictions on these videos and conducting a platform-wide review. Thanks for your patience as we fix!” YouTube’s post is a reply to Balatro’s anonymous developer, LocalThunk, who shared the Balatro University video Monday afternoon. “Good thing we are protecting children from knowing what a 4 of a kind is and letting them watch [Counter-Strike] case opening videos instead,” LocalThunk said. Balatro, a roguelike that borrows ideas from poker, doesn’t actually involve gambling. But the game received a PEGI 18 rating in Europe after it launched because it “contains prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling,” as quoted by publisher Playstack at the time. LocalThunk also expressed his displeasure with that rating. However, …

Balatro Gets Surprise Release on Game Pass, New DLC Brings Assassin’s Creed, Fallout Collaboration

Balatro Gets Surprise Release on Game Pass, New DLC Brings Assassin’s Creed, Fallout Collaboration

Published by Webster

Balatro, the award-winning poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder, has gotten a surprise release on Xbox Game Pass. The game is out now on Microsoft’s game subscription service, available at no additional cost to Game Pass subscribers across supported platforms. Additionally, Balatro is also getting a new free DLC that brings more collaborations with other games like Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Bugsnax, and more. Balatro Now on Game Pass The surprise announcement came as part of Microsoft’s ID@Xbox indie games showcase. Balatro has been added to the Game Pass library and is playable now to all subscribers. The announcement trailer also confirmed Friends of Jimbo Pack 4 DLC with new deck customisation options from franchises like Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Bugsnax, Civilization 7, Rust, Dead by Daylight, Slay the Princess and more. Developer LocalThunk also announced that Balatro had been reclassified by ratings agency PEGI from 18+ to 12+ following an appeal from publisher Playstack. “This is a good step from PEGI – bringing nuance to their ratings criteria that used to be 18+ or nothing. I hope this change …

Astro Bot, Balatro, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and More: Gadgets 360’s Best Games of 2024

Astro Bot, Balatro, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and More: Gadgets 360’s Best Games of 2024

Published by Webster

This year was supposed to be a slow year for games, a gap year for major releases before 2025 brought out the big guns. But in hindsight, 2024 has been a bountiful year for video games, with some standout titles on all platforms. From Helldivers 2 and Palworld becoming multiplayer phenomenons, to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong lighting up the action-RPG category, past 12 months have seen excellent launches across genres. It’s been a great year for indie games, too. Balatro, a poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder developer by a single person, was nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024. There were some excellent remakes of older games, as well. Silent Hill 2 and Persona 3 Reload brought back classic games in a contemporary package. There were many great games this year, and since 2024 is winding down, it’s time to pick our favourites. It’s also worth noting that there were several acclaimed titles that we didn’t get to play this year and are hence not part of …

Balatro bumped from some console storefronts due to ratings change

Published by Webster

Playstack wrote that the change happened “due to a mistaken belief that the game ‘contains prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling.’” Playstack went on to vehemently deny that Balatro contains gambling of any kind, affirming that its developer “is staunchly anti-gambling.” In an email to The Verge, Playstack PR manager Wout van Halderen went into a bit more detail about the affected consoles and countries, writing, “Most Nintendo Switch stores across Europe are temporarily affected, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.” Storefronts in Asia are also being monitored, but Playstack hasn’t confirmed if they’re also impacted. Van Halderen also wrote that Playstack is working to get the game back up in the affected markets as soon as possible. “The logical first step is to get the game back with the current 18+ rating and take it from there,” he wrote. “This could mean a patch with updated ratings or an additional look through certification.” Despite this hiccup with Balatro, Playstack wrote in its statement that it doesn’t foresee PC storefronts …