SPECIAL GRIFT
Play your cards right and GRIFTLANDS will tell you a great story
Games have always been looking for ways to make conversations as compelling as the combat. Why can’t a tense negotiation feel as gripping as a tough-as-nails boss fight? That’s the question Griftlands seeks to answer. It makes for a compelling roguelike, thanks to great writing and characters, but doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its chatty deck-building systems.
The titular Griftlands consist of chaotic, almost post-apocalyptic sci-fi settlements ruled by corrupt cops and criminal syndicates. Brutal it may be, but it sure is pretty. There’s a smart economy to where the embellishments are made to ensure that the game can deliver on its scope without any rough edges. Character sprites get lovely gestures and expressions that complement the writing while the overworld map is littered with icons.
Its factions are written in broad caricature, in line with the game’s cartoonish nature, but paint a good picture of the world you step into life as a ‘grifter’, the game’s shorthand for smooth talking mercenary. There are three characters to play as (each with their own story) but only one is unlocked to start with—Sal, a once indentured slave now on the hunt for the woman who sold her.
What a relief it is to play an RPG that doesn’t involve scrolling through paragraph after paragraph about some guff that happened a thousand years ago. There’s an immediacy to everything in Griftlands, whether its the world-building or the stakes: Life’s short, it’s only what’s in front of you that really matters.
The writing itself is engaging, and even the smallest of characters get a chance to make an impression, all the more as you collect a small arsenal of subplots en route to your overarching goal. For me, the allure of its story was far greater than its expanding deck building.
There are two modes of play: Battles and Negotiations. Both are turn-based and use cards. In battles, your deck is full of attacks, blocks, and powers—largely fun, but fairly conventional. The negotiations are rather more interesting. For those you draw from an entirely different deck, and your cards are used for building ‘arguments’ against your opponent. You’re constantly striving for a deft balance of chipping away at your foe’s lesser ideas while piling plenty of damage onto their core argument. I really felt like I was always juggling a lot of plates in the best way, the pressure always on to make the most of each turn.
PLAY NICE OR SLICE
As an abstraction, it’s compelling, but it never quite bridges the space between the actual dialogue and the card game where debates take place. Compared with something like Signs of the Sojourner, which much more cleverly uses its mechanics to shape and fuel character interactions, Griftlands feels a bit awkward.
The split between pacifist and violent routes can feel a little arbitrary too, but the game does make good on far reaching consequences. Recurring NPCs pop up in unexpected places, leading to tough spots where you might have to contemplate a double cross to achieve your goals. These are also randomized for subsequent runs, to an impressively varied degree, ensuring every playthrough feels reasonably fresh. Which does soften the blow when you die.
You can get a boost on your next run too but there’s only so much sting it can take away, and despite the convincing way side missions are generated, the main story remains the same Failing close to the finish line is never not going to take the wind out of your sails.
Shortcomings aside, Griftlands is another slice of low-key brilliance from developer Klei. Is there a genre they can’t do? Balancing narrative and deck building gave me a much more compelling experience than I often have with card based titles, even if it feels like more could be made of those systems to bolster its storytelling. Still, I’m going to remember my adventures with Sal and the little moments of friendship and betrayal throughout each run. I like playing as a grifter—it ain’t much but it sure is a living.
Cards are used for building ‘arguments’ against your opponent