That the Gamescom The games on offer, apart from the tough shooters and action games that often get the most attention from the masses, show that 2016 is not only worth a visit for fans of computer games. In addition to analogue games such as the classic Monopoly at the Winning Moves stand or the Final Fantasy TCG at Square Enix, it was above all the digital card games that impressed us.
Not just established titles like Blizzards Hearthstone game fans from all over the world were able to try out new releases such as the strategic card game The Elder Scrolls: Legends by Bethesda or the new development Deckbound: Heroes were waiting to be tested extensively. We present you our experiences with the three named titles in the following article.
Hearthstone: Party time in Karazhan
Hearthstone - Heroes of Warcraft is something like the “big fish” among digital multiplayer card games. The presence of the Californian developers at the Gamescom 2016 is bombastic. We are used to nothing less from Blizzard Entertainment, but this year's performance still causes astonished expressions on the faces of Gamescom-visitors. Hall 7 is firmly in the hands of games such as World of Warcraft: Legion, Overwtach, Starcraft II, Diablo 3, Heroes of The Storm and also Hearthstone. The online trading card game has been thrilling millions of players worldwide since March 2014 and is considered the front runner among competitive online card games. No wonder, because thanks to a shallow learning curve, getting started is not only comparatively easy, but also completely free. Although it is often argued in the official forums whether Hearthstone With its micro-payment system it is now a pay-2-win title, viewed purely objectively, every game content can be played with the necessary patience without the use of real money. In Hearthstone the developers use their experience in the design of multiplayer game systems. Hearthstone It is beginner-friendly and challenging at the same time. The latter is particularly important for the esports segment.
If you haven't done it before, you could watch the brand new Hearthstone adventure at Gamescom in Cologne One night in Karazhan testing. With this expansion, Blizzard brings one of the most popular instances from the World of Warcraft to the card game board - in an alternative variant, to put it mildly.
If you want to spend a magical night in Medivh's party basement, you must first have unlocked all nine heroes for the gate of Karazhan to open. Without the full contingent of heroes, you will fail at the doorman. In terms of content, Blizzard draws One night in Karazhan similar to the previous extensions. In addition to a new board with some entertaining gadgets, if it takes longer, you will receive completely new cards in the course of the episodically unlocked adventure - including some legendary ones such as the Butler Moroes. The adventure consists of four episodes plus an introductory mission that is available to all active Hearthstone players free of charge. The other episodes must be activated by real money for 5,99 euros each or as a complete package for 17,99 euros. Alternatively, you can of course also use the coins you have collected. Then the episodes will cost 700 gold each. Completely new game mechanics as with the real expansions do not await you in the adventures, but some of the 45 new cards have adapted mechanics. Resurrection is available to priests as a battle cry, for example, and you can also use portal cards to beam creatures from other worlds onto the board. This results in new synergies from which card players who love to tinker can develop successful deck strategies which, thanks to the relevant internet databases, are copied thousands of times by players and sometimes even further developed. Hearthstone - Heroes of Warcraft invents the wheel with adventure One night in Karazhan not new, but in terms of play it is on a similarly high level as the previous game content. So just celebrate with the crowd from Azeroth!
Fans have an implementation of the card game Gwent Long wanted as a stand-alone version. Now finally the time has come, and the development of Gwent - The Witcher Card Game turns into the home straight. The closed beta of the digital card game begins for PC
Deckbound: Heroes
A newcomer among the strategic online trading card games is Deckbound: Heroes by the developers of the same name at Deckbound LLC. Deckbound is currently officially developing two games: the card game Deckbound: Heroes as well as the dungeon crawler Deckbound: Quest. A third title is also in the early stages of development.
Zu Deckbound: Heroes the Open Beta is announced for September. Innovative at Deckbound: Heroes is the card system that relies on cards that can be further developed and is intended to bind the players closely to the game content. Thanks to a pool of free cards, the so-called Nomad Cards, interested players can play online card games as part of a free-2-play system Deckbound: Heroes get a taste and celebrate your first successes. These Nomad Cards can also be leveled and are used to unlock additional game content.
In addition, cards can be traded or bought to expand your personal deck. The highlight of the Deckbound game system: All cards are used for all Deckbound games and are therefore more linked to your player profile than to a specific game. Visually, the card game unfolds a certain nostalgic charm. The developers don't work with overloaded magic effects and sensational 3D models. The focus is on the gameplay elements and the development of successful deck strategies to advance in the game. All card developments are linked directly to bitcoin transactions, giving the deckbound games a game system that is currently unique. By assigning unique IDs, cards can not only be used within an account, but can also be traded with other players or even used for completely different game concepts from the deckbound universe. Behind this idea of "justifying cards" is a theoretical concept that can be further deciphered in the course of the beta phase. Deckbound: Heroes In any case, it sounds innovative and exciting enough to get involved in many rounds of the game.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends
At the beginning of Quake Con 2016, Bethesda announced the start of the open beta of the online card game The Elder Scrolls: Legends which is being developed by Dire Wolf Digital. Of course, visitors to Gamescom could also try out the digital card game in Cologne. The Elder Scrolls: Legends is similar to the principle that card players already know from the competing title Hearthstone. Two players duel in a virtual card game arena. However, unlike Hearthstone, each side of the field is divided into two battle zones unless the rules during a match state otherwise. Each of the combat areas can grant completely different bonuses, such as providing cards with buffs or letting creatures start in stealth. A detail that can be cleverly used for tactical moves. The goal is to use creatures, spells, and abilities to reduce the opponent's life total to zero. When choosing your starting hand, you can replace unsuitable cards, as has been the case since Magic – The Gathering. The "Magicka concept" corresponds 1-to-1 to that of Hearthstone: With each round of play, the Magicka that can be used increases and enables stronger cards to be played or a larger number, depending on the deck strategy. At the point of resource system has The Elder Scrolls: Legends However, some strategic details ahead of its competition. If the Hearthstone classes only have a rudimentary effect on the number of mana points, the Magicka management will help TES: Legends is a more significant factor that is sometimes linked to the presence of individual cards that have been played. Some creatures grant additional magicka as long as they are on the field or increase the supply permanently. This results in some clever tactical tricks on the resource management level that are fun. Also at TES: Legends the focus is on exciting, competitive multiplayer matches, although Dire Wolf Digital has dedicated a whimsical single player part to the card game. A progressive story is told during the campaign, in the course of which you can earn gold for card packs and entire starter sets in addition to individual cards. The story is set in scene by animated narrative fragments, which are perfectly set to music and optically fit perfectly into the Elder Scrolls universe.
From a purely tactical point of view, you can fall back on tried and tested, but fun mechanisms. Buffing and debuffing are also part of the standard repertoire of the multiplayer card game The Elder Scrolls: Legends like guardians who attract attacks or devastating spells that rid entire game boards of low-level creatures. TES: Legends is therefore just as complex as Hearthstone in terms of deck construction options. Another successful feature are the runes, which are linked to the players' life points. Every five life points you lose a rune and if you lose it you draw a card and you have the opportunity to play prophecies for free. A nice element if, as a risk-taker, you want to use this mechanic to your advantage. If you like digital collectible card games, you should TES: Legends definitely watch it and decide for yourself whether the title is a competition for the reigning genre king Hearthstone or maybe even more fun. Fans of the Elder Scrolls games will definitely love the game - provided they enjoy playing card games.
ole card game trend
Online collectible card games are not just trendy, they are fun. Thanks to the free-2-play concept, you can try out almost any digital card game for free and, if necessary, continue playing for free - provided you have enough patience to unlock expensive content using in-game currency. Lovers of a title will invest real money anyway, which is only fair considering the development costs of a game studio. If you want to play at the top, you won't get very far without the use of real money, at least not in the short term. It no longer matters whether you play analogue or digital: the main thing is that you play together with or against each other.
Online multiplayer card games are turning the trending topic of card games into a global phenomenon, which at the same time is expanding positively to the area of analog parlor games (just think of the Final Fantasy TCG). In any case, the mechanisms are often created for both game universes. That has the card game Gwent - The Witcher Card Game impressively shown, which enjoys great popularity in both variants. Hearthstone did it the other way around and evolved from the World of Warcraft TCG. The boundaries between analog and digital game systems are becoming increasingly blurred and this is especially good for casual gamers who want to get a taste of many games. And if only a fraction of the online card gamers are enthusiastic about analog card games, then everyone has won in the end.
