Gimmicks in games can be tricky. Some of the greatest game ideas originate from a unique mechanic and evolve into something truly remarkable. However, when you start with a fresh concept, it’s easy to become so focused on perfecting it that other elements feel secondary. This is a risky path in game design, and today’s PC game, Pairs & Perils, serves as a fitting example of this natural pitfall.
Pairs & Perils presents itself as a simple matching game at first glance. You enter a dungeon, facing a random lineup of enemies, each with distinct abilities. Your task is to match cards on a board: correct matches let your party classes attack and cast spells, while wrong ones advance the enemy’s turn timer. Once it hits zero, they retaliate with their own moves. The premise looks straightforward and offers a fun gameplay experience. The core mechanics work, and I have no qualms about them; it’s the other aspects where the game seems to fall short.
As a seasoned fan of roguelites, I tend to be a bit more critical of such games. They typically follow a familiar formula and typically fall into the categories of either great or forgettable, with not much room in between. Pairs & Perils, unfortunately, suffers from one major issue common to this genre: story, or rather, the lack of it.
Arcade games and shooters often get away with limited storytelling. As long as there’s enough narrative to anchor the action, that’s usually sufficient. However, when a game is strategic, like many roguelites or platformers, there’s an expectation of some storyline—something more than just action—to justify your quest. While we don’t need a novel’s worth of lore like a rich RPG might demand, having even a concise narrative enhances immersion. Sadly, Pairs & Perils doesn’t deliver any of this.
When jumping into Pairs & Perils, I anticipated some form of introduction to my character or a reason for entering the dungeon. But the game skips all that, plunging you into a roguelite map without context. There’s no clear objective, no setting, and no narrative to drive the card-matching. Some might argue that this doesn’t matter, but I disagree. A compelling storyline keeps players returning to discover what happens next. Without it, the game, while enjoyable, lacks the allure to sustain prolonged engagement.
Another issue lies with the pacing. The brief memory window, when cards are dealt before they flip, feels unnecessarily short. There’s barely enough time to remember a couple of pairs, which is manageable early in the game but becomes challenging as your card collection grows. Additionally, not all cards are beneficial; some are trap cards that can harm you. Balancing attention between these and your own cards makes for a more difficult experience.
New cards continuously appear, offering brief memorization opportunities, which disrupts any developed strategy, pushing players into a cycle of remembering only the latest cards. This diminishes strategic depth and results in a basic play loop.
The strategic element also falters because the focus is heavily skewed toward memorizing cards. You should be strategizing against opponents, but this task becomes secondary, given the nature of the gameplay. Rather than engage a tactical opponent battle, you end up concentrating solely on flipping the right cards. This isn’t so much a flaw of the game but a side-effect of its design, bringing it down to a simpler level of play than it could be.
As far as the mechanics go, Pairs & Perils holds up. Its card-matching mechanism works well, and typical roguelite deck-building features are present, like unlocking new cards and characters and upgrading in specific rooms. Visually, the graphics serviceably meet what’s expected for this type of game.
Overall, Pairs & Perils presents a roguelite CCG grounded in an interesting concept. However, this isn’t enough to make it stand out when you consider how the gimmick impacts the overall experience. Ideal for short play sessions, the game isn’t particularly pricey, but it lacks the polish and depth needed for lasting appeal. As it stands, it’s a game with potential, but it doesn’t quite reach the level needed to warrant a strong recommendation.
If the developers introduced a story and refined some mechanics, Pairs & Perils could rise to a game worth playing. Currently, it sits amid a crowded genre, leaving it as fun, yet forgettable. If you’re curious about trying it, you won’t feel like it’s a waste, but there are other titles more worthy of your time.
This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.
A balancing act
- Look and feel: 7/10
- Challenge: 7/10
- Replayability: 6/10
- Value for money: 6/10
Overall: 6.5/10
Execution problems
Pairs & Perils boasts an engaging core mechanic, though its execution could be improved. For every aspect that captivates, there’s another that detracts. A lack of story and some mechanics needing refinement hold back what could be an outstanding game. With a few updates, my opinion could change, but for now, it remains in the "good, but not great" category.
