Of Fops and Flops: Cheating the Aristocracy in Card Shark

Yeah, I know "fop" traditionally refers to an English or American dandy and not specifically eighteenth century French aristocracy, but you try writing an eye-grabbing title for a YouTube video about cheating Voltaire out of five bucks in today's economy.

[_random_commenter]

"Gambling without stakes is meaningless, and the game tries hard to provide them, but I found it convenient too often to rob myself of that joy."

So what you're saying is, you cheated not only the game, but yourself?

[Kelohmello]

One of the most novel concepts I've seen out of games in years. And the idea itself is fresh, but the presentation is what really puts it over. There's just so much video games can be.

[ogto]

I still can't believe someone said "let's make a game out of that part of Barry Lyndon where he works for a card shark". wonderful game (with a few weak points).

[rosskwolfe]

"Delivers in spades." Well done... Well done.

[madmanmax]

"Delivers in Spades"

...and clubs, and diamonds, and hearts...

[Arctem]

I loved the idea of the game, but the fact that every encounter chose for you what kind of cheat to use and that each method had a very fixed way to do it where if you made a single mistake you absolutely failed killed my interest. I wish the game had a bit more simulation behind the card games and let you improvise more: Failing a cheat always resulted in failing a hand rather than just lowering your odds and a partially completed cheat was just as useless as not doing it at all. I felt less like a card cheater slowly building up a repertoire of tricks and more like I was just following a very specific script (especially since most of the tricks you learn never actually come up again later - almost everything is one and done).

I'd love a version of this game that was more sandboxy and more focused on keeping suspicions low. As is it expects you to win every single hand with perfect cheating, while it would be more interesting to play a game where you're subtly increasing your odds of victory like a real card cheater would. There's no option to play normally for a while to lower suspicion (even if you lose a hand suspicion climbs continuously while you shuffle or pick up cards or whatever that specific trick is about) and so the most common feeling in the game was a lack of agency. Cheating felt restrictive instead of freeing.

[temporalwolf]

Y'know, I find it kind of funny how the idea of "uncovering a grand conspiracy in Enlightenment France through card games" doesn't make sense until the namedrop of St. Germain. Like, I've only really encountered the character in fiction through Castlevania, but given in the games he's this enigmatic Dr. Who style time traveler that is quite literally trying to cheat Death out of reviving Dracula, and in the show he's a washed up alchemist using pomp and lies to project the image of nobility to con his way into almost *helping* Death revive Dracula, this really does feel like the happy medium of where that character would be once you remove vampries from the equation.

[LilayM]

Delightful. Love it when you cover unusual games.

[COLDCHEMICALpresents]

I really appreciate this video. Card Shark is one of those games that I know I'll never play myself, but it's a joy to watch it and hear people discuss it. Such a well-written video, too. Thank you for creating it!

[OtherMomo]

ironic how strong the game's anti cheat system is, saving after each hand, considering the objective of the game

[wondersuave]

Hey, thanks for uploading. I was actually watching a bunch of your videos just last night. What a fun coincidence!

[lordcrispen]

I absolutely HATE that I've opened a new Youtube homepage an underestimated 50-70 times over the course of 12 hours today and just now, 13 hours after you published the video, it finally gets suggested to me. Time to hit the BELL, which is something I never normally have to do for channels where I want to watch literally every vid they make.

[jigurd]

Laughed out loud at the pronounciation gag at the start. Love it.

[addymant]

This is the second time I've seen the Comte de Saint Germain in a fictional medium and I have questions

[SourSourSour]

I saw you tweeting about this game and gave the demo a try. Actively one of the more stressful games I've tried and it was awesome

[MrTiredHuman]

This video was created for the last line, admit it. It was glorious

[enistoja]

You just wanted to use the closer "delivers in spades", didn't you?
Good to hear about this game! Certainly needs more love

[safe-keeper]

Another game I'd never have tried had it not been for a YouTuber covering it. Thank you so much, have to add this to my list of to-play games now.

[HomerGunther]

Was just rewatching through a bunch of your videos
Great timing

[Guruc]

Wonderful! I've almost forgotten this game, and seeing it now, I don't know how I did. Excellent review!