Tech: Forbidden Solitaire review

Back in the '90s, one of the biggest PC games around was Solitaire, as Microsoft included it with every Windows installation. The decade also saw the rise of surreal, CD-ROM-based FMV puzzle titles, like Myst and The 7th Guest.  Forbidden Solitaire imagines a world where those two things collided in "a cryptic 1995 CD-ROM that should have never existed"...

A joint effort from indie studios Grey Alien Games and Night Signal Entertainment, Forbidden Solitaire presents a retro horror-fantasy version of solitaire, complete with playable "joker" abilities and card debuffs that would be at home in Balatro or Slay the Spire. The metafictional premise of the game is that it was shelved after parent protests and the mysterious death of its developer. As you flip cards to clear the screen and battle eldritch monsters, you'll experience otherworldly sights and sounds. But it's only a game...right?

Forbidden Solitaire absolutely nails the look and feel of a '90s CD-ROM game, and the solitaire gameplay is as addicting as it ever was.  The story, while predictable, has a good sense of rising tension, and there are fun audio and video interludes to reward you for progressing.  I have to ding it for having shallow gameplay (unlike Balatro and Slay the Spire, there's no deckbuilding element, plus you almost always have enough money to purchase all the upgrades from the shop).  However, if you're looking for 5 to 6 hours of casual card fun and '90s nostalgia, you should pick this up.

Rating: 83/100