Really charming! I enjoy a solid poker game, even if its not my favorite genre. But the framing device, four criminals discussing their past over cards, broadly fussing about their all too likely impending deaths at the hand of the mob... it all works really well. Telltale's Poker Night at the Inventory exuded charm with its elaborate character interactions at the table, but Sunshine Shuffle weaves a tight story about old jobs and adapting to a new present. There's no major twists and turns, as much as I was hoping for some kind of murder mystery reveal, but the characters are fairly open about their circumstances and their traumas once they've played a few hands with the viewpoint character. Perhaps the story goes a bit fast, but the overall dynamics are charming enough that little writing foibles don't bother me much.

I want to see more, to be honest! Expand on the narrative, add in some tensions, and build off the core premise of criminals sharing stories over cards, and you could really build something special.

Reviewed on Jul 25, 2023


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