Heroes of Magic & Cards PS5 Review: Poker Hands Turned Deadly Spells

Heroes of Magic & Cards, developed and published by First Day Entertainment alongside Forever Entertainment S.A., is a single-player roguelike deckbuilder with a distinctive poker twist. Released on PC in March 2026 and arriving on PS5 on September 24, 2026, it drops you into a mystical fantasy world of monsters and magecraft where a standard 52-card deck becomes your primary weapon.

The core premise is straightforward yet inventive. You choose a character, chart a path across randomized act based multi-lane maps filled with encounters, elites, events, and bosses. All while you upgrade your deck with enchantments and relics, and defeat powerful foes by forming poker hands, using face cards, and suits that fuel devastating abilities. It’s a blend of careful buildcrafting, tactical card play, and classic roguelike progression that rewards both poker knowledge and strategic adaptation.

The game features three named heroes, each with a unique playstyle, access to dozens of skills, and unlockable items. The first character made available is Ironhoof, a melee and defensive-oriented Tauren character available from the start. Heroes each differ, not only in name and class, but also in how they interact with cards and combat. You'll find that some lean into aggressive damage spells like Chain Lightning or Hellfire while others delve into resource management such as Sacrifice, rage-building, or more defensive tools. Stories included are light and atmospheric rather than deeply narrative-driven. You basically venture through a fantasy realm against growing threats referencing Might & Magic antagonists, unlocking more characters, decks, and content through progression. The focus stays on mechanical identity and replayable runs though rather than elaborate character arcs, fitting the roguelike format.

Key features include over 40 card enchantments that modify face values, suits, or add effects like cloning or poison. Additionally there's more than 140 relics that radically alter runs with gameplay modifications as well as randomized acts with dozens of possible events. In the way of combat there's over 60 enemies including multiple bosses per act. To break up this tension there's even relaxing minigames such as blackjack for extra rewards. 

The gameplay loop, itself, is your classic roguelike thoroughfare. You select a hero, navigate a branching world map with combat, training, shops, rest sites, elites, and special events. You can also opt to refine your deck and loadout between fights, push toward bosses for powerful rewards, then start a new run with permanent unlocks. 

Combat in Heroes of Magic & Cards is turn-based, as you might expect. You draw and play from your deck, form poker hands to deal damage and activate character abilities, but must also manage resources carefully, and adapt to enemy mechanics. Objectives center on surviving and conquering the acts, defeating bosses, discovering content for the logbook, experimenting with synergies, and chasing higher difficulties or completion goals like collecting all relics or enemies.

The Presentation ...

Presentation in Heroes of Magic & Cards leans into charming pixel art territory with a fantasy aesthetic that feels clean and readable in side-view as well as with fixed-screen combat and map traversal. The graphic design supports the card-focused gameplay well without unnecessary visual clutter, contributing to the replayability noted earlier. The soundtrack complements the mystical, adventurous tone, and provides solid atmospheric support for exploration and tense battles without overpowering the strategic focus. Overall, the presentation is polished for an indie effort from a small team, emphasizing clarity and atmosphere over spectacle.

The Verdict ...

Heroes of Magic & Cards delivers a fresh, engaging take on the deckbuilder-roguelike formula by making poker hands the engine of combat and synergies. It's depth, build variety, and addictive loop is impressive, though the narrative is secondary and the core experience will feel quite familiar to fans of the genre. Replay value is high thanks to the three distinct heroes, extensive relics/enchantments/skills, randomized paths and events, minigames, and unlock progression that encourages experimentation across many runs. It rewards mastery of both poker fundamentals and long-term planning.

I feel the game is best suited for fans of roguelike deckbuilders (think Slay the Spire or Balatro hybrids), players who enjoy poker mechanics blended with strategy and fantasy, and PS5 owners looking for a focused, replayable single-player indie experience with strong replay value. If you like tactical card games and don’t mind lighter storytelling in favor of systemic depth, it’s an easy recommendation.