I really didn't want to like Hearthstone when I started playing it while it was still in Beta, I wanted to hate on it, I wanted it to be lame. In the end I couldn't though. I not only liked it, but I'm a pretty big advocate of it when it comes to its specific genre. I just feel it succeeded where so many had come before it and failed, or totally missed the point of what they were trying to do. As a quick testament to that I just want to tell you that some of my friends who actually like this game absolutely hate all collectible card games out of both experience and principle about being to nerdy.
I should actually attempt to explain what the game is though before I get any further into how much I like it. Hearthstone is a free to play, collectible card game developed and published by the folks over at Blizzard Entertainment. As of the time this review was being written the game has only been released on PC and only on Windows, but there are plans to release it on mobile devices as well using both the Apple and Android operating systems. The game itself as is stated in its own marketing materials and promo videos is designed entirely in homage to Magic: The Gathering a real collectible card game that has influenced and been a part of geek culture for decades. It is now that I hear you say, "But, Magic: The Gathering already has a videogame? Why don't I play that instead?", well that's because it sucks and as a videogame just doesn't even compare to Hearthstone.
The music and art style that dominates Hearthstone is essentially lifted from Blizzard's world famous franchise 'Warcraft' so if you liked that then you are definitely going to like this game. The characters, cards, music, maps, sound effects are all true to the 'Warcraft' franchise, they aren't jammed into anything that doesn't actually feel natural or true to the inspiration material the game is attempting to use. If you are not familiar with the 'Warcraft' franchise, then where have you been? Living under a rock or something? I joke of course, the main thing that will help us to visualize the art style in the game is that they have a very catroony feel to them. While the music has a very grandiose feel to it in its focus to make sure that you don't forget how epic this little card battle you are having with a friend or random person really is.
Those parts aren't what make this game great. They are just the icing on top on an immaculately made cake. The core of Hearthstone is it card mechanics, variety and freedom it allows you to have. The basic structure of the game has you controlling a hero of your choice (Out of the 9 currently available) with their own special power, a 30 card deck that at first is made for you and later on can be made from scratch by you against an equivalent opponent. The pace of the game is remarkably faster than that of 'Magic: The Gathering' you are both on the attack as soon as the game goes and its pretty clear this is something the designers wanted in the game. They didn't want the game to get to out of control though, which is what the game's mana crystals are there to do, they set the pace of the game by being the currency used to the pay the cost of the cards you want to play. You start off with one crystal and are given one by the game at the start of every turn until you reach a total of ten. Its not entirely that different from the concept of 'land' in 'Magic: The Gathering', I'm just stating that its a mechanism that is equally as effective at setting the game's pace and making the manner in which you play card in relation to their cost a strategic decision. I could keep going on and on about the game's mechanics in detail, but I think I need to stop here as you should have a basic idea of what the game is and I don't want to bog you down with two many details.
Before I end, I want to mention a few last point. I brought up 'Magic: The Gathering' a lot and I want to tell you why you should be playing Hearthstone instead of their videogame. The main difference is the fact that you have freedom to create a deck from scratch with the cards you have and the majority of the games library which just isn't possible in the 'Magic: The Gathering' videogame which is mostly an exercise in futility. I'm not saying the real game is worse, its better than both of the videogames actually. Its just that as a videogame Hearthstone gives a much more realistic feel of what these games are. A tense strategic battle between two players with strategies unique to them and their individual card collection. This sheer randomness that forces you to think is what makes Hearthstone the superior videogame, its essentially the closest a videogame about trading card games has ever been to the real thing.
The music and art style that dominates Hearthstone is essentially lifted from Blizzard's world famous franchise 'Warcraft' so if you liked that then you are definitely going to like this game. The characters, cards, music, maps, sound effects are all true to the 'Warcraft' franchise, they aren't jammed into anything that doesn't actually feel natural or true to the inspiration material the game is attempting to use. If you are not familiar with the 'Warcraft' franchise, then where have you been? Living under a rock or something? I joke of course, the main thing that will help us to visualize the art style in the game is that they have a very catroony feel to them. While the music has a very grandiose feel to it in its focus to make sure that you don't forget how epic this little card battle you are having with a friend or random person really is.
Those parts aren't what make this game great. They are just the icing on top on an immaculately made cake. The core of Hearthstone is it card mechanics, variety and freedom it allows you to have. The basic structure of the game has you controlling a hero of your choice (Out of the 9 currently available) with their own special power, a 30 card deck that at first is made for you and later on can be made from scratch by you against an equivalent opponent. The pace of the game is remarkably faster than that of 'Magic: The Gathering' you are both on the attack as soon as the game goes and its pretty clear this is something the designers wanted in the game. They didn't want the game to get to out of control though, which is what the game's mana crystals are there to do, they set the pace of the game by being the currency used to the pay the cost of the cards you want to play. You start off with one crystal and are given one by the game at the start of every turn until you reach a total of ten. Its not entirely that different from the concept of 'land' in 'Magic: The Gathering', I'm just stating that its a mechanism that is equally as effective at setting the game's pace and making the manner in which you play card in relation to their cost a strategic decision. I could keep going on and on about the game's mechanics in detail, but I think I need to stop here as you should have a basic idea of what the game is and I don't want to bog you down with two many details.
Before I end, I want to mention a few last point. I brought up 'Magic: The Gathering' a lot and I want to tell you why you should be playing Hearthstone instead of their videogame. The main difference is the fact that you have freedom to create a deck from scratch with the cards you have and the majority of the games library which just isn't possible in the 'Magic: The Gathering' videogame which is mostly an exercise in futility. I'm not saying the real game is worse, its better than both of the videogames actually. Its just that as a videogame Hearthstone gives a much more realistic feel of what these games are. A tense strategic battle between two players with strategies unique to them and their individual card collection. This sheer randomness that forces you to think is what makes Hearthstone the superior videogame, its essentially the closest a videogame about trading card games has ever been to the real thing.
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