Game Review: Durak

Durak by Lost Token Software LLC

The durak (pronounced do-rock, which means 'fool' in Russian) is the loser— or the last player of two to four left with cards in their hands. This game is surprisingly addicting, and hands are go very quick. I had only had it for a weekend, and the next thing I knew, I'd played over a hundred games! It took a few hands for me to understand exactly how the game went at first, because it's so unlike any other game I've played before, but the game is very simple to play once you understand all the rules.

Explaining the full rules of the game will go on for pages and pages, so I'll spare you the agonizing details. There is a very comprehensive tutorial that explains the game perfectly,

which is highly recommended if you've never played before. Each game has a different trump suit. The starting player is different each game. If you get a high trump card (ace, king, queen, jack, etc.) hoard them until the end! This will definitely swing the chances of winning in your favor.

There is some strategy involved in the game, but much of the game is up to chance and what cards you're dealt with. If you don't receive any trump cards, don't worry! If you're smart about what cards you play and where, you still can win.

There are three difficulties to choose from (easy, medium, or hard), and you can play games against one, two, or three opponents. I found playing against three opponents was easiest, and against one player hardest (my opponent always seemed to get the ace and king in the trump card. Always). You can also play against players through your Wi-Fi connection. Online play is planned for the next update, too!

Gameplay is very smooth, and the graphics are superb. The music got on my nerves, though, so I switched it off in the settings menu. If you're playing your own music before you start playing the game, you'll need to turn the music off manually. You can switch the sound effects on or off (I personally enjoy them— who wouldn't love getting a massive round of applause every few minutes?) You can also switch the language from English to Russian.

This is definitely one of my favorite games, and one I subconsciously reach for when I'm supposed to be doing other things (whoops!) A well-deserved 5/5.

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