18 reviews for Red Hellions

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Resonance – February 17, 2021

   There’s a lot of different playing card decks out there and while I’m not a real collector, i like to pick up some of the more interesting ones, and i’m always disappointed if i open them up to discover that aside from the jokers and backs, the cards are indistinguishable from an everyday deck of cards. I like to see a little more artistry than that. This deck definitely mixes it up a little more — the face cards are all heavily individualized. In fact, they might err on the side of individualization in that some of the face cards are simply an alteration of the regular style — same line art but different expressions on the face, for example queens with closed eyes — and others, instead of using lines to define the face, primarily do so with shading. It’s a different effect; I would have preferred the deck go one way or the other, or even two decks with one in each style, instead of doing the mix of both which is a little artistically jarring — mostly when you encounter one of the darker-faced cards. But the overall artistic effect of the face cards is still good — they look altogether more earthly and venal.

   Ellusionist decks come with fairly regular gaff cards — a card where both faces look like the back, for example. A trick 10 of diamonds that looks like all the pips have fallen to the bottom of the card. I know these cards are typically of interest to the would be card-sharps and magicians that Ellusionist decks seem most aimed at, but, to me they’re… boring. It’s as pointless as the extra silverware that people toss in your bag of takeout food, and there’s already a million decks out there with those gaff cards.

   And that’s the basic problem with ‘new’ and ‘different’ playing cards. There’s a million decks out there, it seems like, but when you open them up they’re mostly all the same If you’re going to build something new, throw in an alternate suit face card or something as a gaff the way the Quicksilver deck did. Add a face card to each suit, add suitless cards, throw in something new. People can always take them out and just have a regular deck of 52 cards, nobody’s life will end if they open your deck and discover 11s and 12s for pip cards, or a zero card, or, like, Bishop or Duke or Assassin face cards. They’ll probably have a crazy night playing penny ante poker. So go ahead and innovate. Go nuts — just please don’t be boring.

   All in all I was happy to get these. They aren’t the pinnacle of design but they’re good-to-very-good and the face cards have a lot of character.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Paul L Sutherland – February 10, 2021

   Good quality cards. Little more flexible than bicycle standard. Box is well designed but of average quality, and I’m not a fan of the upside down opening. Overall good buy.

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Stephanie – January 13, 2021

   I love this deck, and the little details in the box are a hilarious addition to a fun deck of cards.