Social interaction is the process of reciprocal influence exercised by individuals over one another during social encounters. - Introduction to Sociology, 2nd edition, William Little

When we are interacting with someone, we have a limited set of tools, values, and techniques. When the other person matches yours, everything is smooth. You are able to communicate, to reach an understanding. When not, communication does not work. It's awkward, lonely, you feel like you don't fit. And if you are tired, communication is harder. You have less patience, your brain works at a slower pace.

Every person you interact with influences you, leaves a trace, changes the way you interact with other people. You learn something from them, and that person takes something from you, too. When you do this long enough, with people out of your comfort zone, you can find yourself being a different person. A person that is not able to connect anymore with the people you use to connect with.

As you gain more experience, you start to have more complex tools, to understand different kinds of people, to adapt yourself to the person you are communicating with. You grow up, you learn from experience.

Why am I talking about this? Because this game is able to represent the complexity of social interaction, with all these nuances, in a simple domino-like deck builder game. Yes, the story and characters could be better.

But the core mechanic is just fantastic.

In need of serotonin? Find a combination of jokers that, together with the rest of the power ups you have gotten, allows you to break the game, and watch the score going up while a fire effect tells you that you did it.

Balatro is perfect, is balanced, is not frustrating. The game loop forces you to adapt, to try new things, to find new strategies, just because it is FUN!! A game that you don't finish, a game you have in your library and play while you are eating.

A timeless hit.

What starts with a "look, a cute resource management game with cards" ends with hours of entertainment in a game that, behind a simple interface and game loop, hides an addictive loop that shines specially in the first few hours of a run.

It's fast-paced, and you can feel the pressure at the beginning to get enough resources to survive another day. And another day, and another, and... And you have spent hours playing without noticing.

The most notable aspect is how it has implemented the process of discovering new recipes. Maybe one of your villagers find an idea while exploring the mountains. Or maybe you have decided to try what happens if you stack a berry and an apple together.

The late game may feel a bit more repetitive, but it's a game definitely worth trying, and ideal for playing in a portable device.