One game that I had meant to include in my round-up of Next Fest demos was Burakku Jakku Samurai, but it slipped by me when I was collecting titles together for inclusion. It’s time to correct my mistake.
As explained by the name of the game, Burakku Jakku Samurai is a mixture of the card game Blackjack and samurai combat. Indeed, Burakku Jakku literally translates as Black Jack. Now, there’s a new Next Fest demo for the game, and it’s playable on Windows PC (and Steam Deck, if you’ve got one), and I just had a look!
The combat is governed by your ability to score 21, or at least to score closer to 21 than your opponent. You do this via a pack of playing cards, taking it in turns to stick or twist. Score lower than your enemy, and you’ll take a bit of damage, but bust and score more than 21, and you’re left exposed to much more damage.
Damage is calculated by a number of different factors. Your damage, their defence, and the difference between your respective hands. It’s a simple but effective system.
Your samurai swordsman has access to a small collection of cards, and it’s this light deckbuilding element that will soon start having a profound impact on the outcome of combat. With these cards, you can do extra damage, boost your health, and reduce their card score, or Ki, as it’s called in-game.
Burakku Jakku Samurai is a smart little game that takes two seemingly opposing concepts and marries them together with plenty of style. I’ve only made a handful of attempts to complete the demo, and each time I was cut down ruthlessly along the way.
Don’t be deceived by the cute pixel-art either; this game is ruthless. If you don’t mind a stern tactical challenge, I think you’ll agree that there’s plenty of potential in this blend of samurai swords and playing cards, which is due out at some point in 2027.
If that sounds like your jam, you can download the demo here.
