becoming really discouraged about continuing to pay this game

[oozePOP]

I have played this game for nearly 30 hours at the time of writing this review, and I feel like I'm just about ready to quit. Looking at the achievements, I see that more than 80% of players have reached ante 8. I am not one of those 80% of people, but I do keep earning achievements that only 50% or less of people have earned, which usually makes me feel good about myself, but then I realize these achievements were earned through countless losses. Achievements about discarding cards, etc. I haven't even gotten the CHANCE to beat the game yet. I'm not the best poker player, but I feel like my understanding of Balatro is significant enough to at least say "I know how to play the game".

Do I just have the worst luck of all? Or am I somehow not understanding an important fundamental? I seriously don't understand how 80% of players can at least reach the final stage, but I cannot.

[ashleyiirc?]

At the white stake, luck isn't much of a factor at all. Check out Northernlion's videos for tips and tutorials, they're great!

[malogoss]

You are probably overlooking 1-2 aspects of the game.

Maybe you are just not using tarot cards and not buying arcana packs.

Or you are not caring enough about economy. It usually starts by generating interest from banked money.

Or you did not realise that joker placement in your lineup can greatly affect your scores.

It's impossible to have bad luck for 30 hours. Even if you did, white stake can be won with all the bad luck in the world.

[etwas_w00h]

Originally posted by malogoss:

You are probably overlooking 1-2 aspects of the game.

Maybe you are just not using tarot cards and not buying arcana packs.

Or you are not caring enough about economy. It usually starts by generating interest from banked money.

Or you did not realise that joker placement in your lineup can greatly affect your scores.

It's impossible to have bad luck for 30 hours. Even if you did, white stake can be won with all the bad luck in the world.

Good points, I'd also add that +mult is not the same as xmult. the latter can ramp up your mult FAST.

[oozePOP]

Originally posted by malogoss:

You are probably overlooking 1-2 aspects of the game.

Maybe you are just not using tarot cards and not buying arcana packs.

Or you are not caring enough about economy. It usually starts by generating interest from banked money.

Or you did not realise that joker placement in your lineup can greatly affect your scores.

It's impossible to have bad luck for 30 hours. Even if you did, white stake can be won with all the bad luck in the world.

I can definitely say I'm quite aware of every aspect you mentioned except "economy". Can you maybe explain that concept a little more? You make it sound like I should be saving and not spending money, but seeing as I keep losing, this doesn't really seem to make sense for me.

[oozePOP]

Originally posted by ashleyiirc?:

At the white stake, luck isn't much of a factor at all. Check out Northernlion's videos for tips and tutorials, they're great!

I've watched quite a few of Northernlion's Balatro videos. I was unable to find a tutorial or tips video. His videos appear to be just him simply playing the game. Watching him play builds up excitement for me to play, but it doesn't teach me what I'm doing wrong or differently that's not allowing me to win.

[malogoss]

If you feel like it, I could coach you for a couple hours. You play, I'd watch and comment, tell you what I'd do and why. It won't instantly make you an expert, but you'll surely get that 1st win and get better.

I helped a friend make it past low stakes by coaching him that way, and I 100%'ed the game.

If you'd rather learn without outside help, I fully understand, no problem.

[malogoss]

Originally posted by oozePOP:

Originally posted by ashleyiirc?:

At the white stake, luck isn't much of a factor at all. Check out Northernlion's videos for tips and tutorials, they're great!

I've watched quite a few of Northernlion's Balatro videos. I was unable to find a tutorial or tips video. His videos appear to be just him simply playing the game. Watching him play builds up excitement for me to play, but it doesn't teach me what I'm doing wrong or differently that's not allowing me to win.

I would not try to learn anything from NL. Good streamer, not a great player.

[malogoss]

Originally posted by oozePOP:

I can definitely say I'm quite aware of every aspect you mentioned except "economy". Can you maybe explain that concept a little more? You make it sound like I should be saving and not spending money, but seeing as I keep losing, this doesn't really seem to make sense for me.

Yeah, so that's likely a big problem.

In a perfect world, you would not spend a dollar until spending won't bring you under $25.

But you can't do that. You have to spend to survive. The idea is to save what you can. $5 per round from interest alone is a huge deal.

[oozePOP]

Originally posted by malogoss:

If you feel like it, I could coach you for a couple hours. You play, I'd watch and comment, tell you what I'd do and why. It won't instantly make you an expert, but you'll surely get that 1st win and get better.

I helped a friend make it past low stakes by coaching him that way, and I 100%'ed the game.

If you'd rather learn without outside help, I fully understand, no problem.

I would absolutely be down for this. I can send you my discord info and we can link up?

[oozePOP]

Originally posted by malogoss:

Originally posted by oozePOP:

I can definitely say I'm quite aware of every aspect you mentioned except "economy". Can you maybe explain that concept a little more? You make it sound like I should be saving and not spending money, but seeing as I keep losing, this doesn't really seem to make sense for me.

Yeah, so that's likely a big problem.

In a perfect world, you would not spend a dollar until spending won't bring you under $25.

But you can't do that. You have to spend to survive. The idea is to save what you can. $5 per round from interest alone is a huge deal.

I still don't fully understand the concept, but I can say since writing that last comment, I did try another run, and I got really lucky with money. Lucky tarot cards and that bonus you get when you skip a blind had me with $80. More money than I know what to do with LOL. I messed that run up, sadly, because I played a hand twice during that blind where you can only play each hand type once. Also, I should note that for the first time ever, I had a really GREAT hand that landed me with like 100,000, when I only needed like 10,000 chips.

[malogoss]

Originally posted by oozePOP:

I would absolutely be down for this. I can send you my discord info and we can link up?

I sent you a friend invite (Steam).
We can watch friends play directly with Steam, I'd go with that.

[TimTim3000]

Yes, NL is very entertaining but he plays fast and doesn't really try to teach so I doubt he'd be that good to learn from.

I would suggest Balatro University instead. He has a video on early antes which completely changed the way I played the first few, which are crucial to setting yourself up for success for the rest of the game.

[Gnome]

I never scored a Royal Flush (achieved by 70% of players) during my 26 hours of playtime and I'm fine with it. As an ex-achievement hunter, all I can say is: please don't let achievements stats ruin your fun - each person is unique and what can be easy to some player may be extremely hard for another player. If you're having a great time playing a game, that's all that really matters.

[Joeynator3000]

I pretty much feel the same way and I understand how the game works...it just feels like it's constantly working against me 90% of the time, and even when I do manage to win, it's always been a struggle with the score. (such as those runs where it just keeps giving me chip/+Mult jokers...but then nothing else to get the xMult stuff...

I kinda just gave up on the game until the Switch version gets the new update, whenever that happens.

I feel like, I dunno, maybe the ability to "ban" jokers from showing up in your runs or something. (obviously it would be limited, but it would still be very helpful...)

Then again, even having the best jokers won't help me when I still can't get what I need in my damn hands, even after all the discards. -.-

[snakeskip]

Check out Balatro University. He really knows the game and explains things in a great detail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atVF4VLHks4&list=PLdNGt-ihEAcEY9VVwmqT4V80xWG9ZWA14

It's not a very intuitive game. Spotting your mistakes by yourself can be hard. And when you don't spot them, the game seems like a crapshoot.