Hearthstone
It was for free so I downloaded the app and decided to give it a chance. I wasn’t impressed with the first game, but what the hell, it was quick, so I played again. I felt it was very random, with no real choices and stupid names for cards but I played again. And then just one last time…
I put Ipad on the shelf and… OK, few minutes later I took it back and played again. Hey! I had spare weekend, sir! Don’t blame me! I played a couple of more time and that was it!
That was it, because… I mean, battery got dead so I had to recharge my Ipad…
***
This is not reason to boast, but I was never into Magic. I do believe this is flaw for designer. Every game designer should know Magic. I don’t know. I played it few times, I got frustrated that I draw Land card when I don’t need it and that’s it for my whole turn and I refused to play it. I am 100% sure that I am missing something in Magic and as I said, I find it a flaw in my resume.
For the past three days HearthStone is like Magic for me. New cards, new abilities, direct combat, creating deck, everything I would love in Magic and what is more – it has very simple fix for the only one thing that I hate in Magic – Mana system. You don’t have Lands here. You just get 1 Mana each round. Brilliant.
I don’t know how long it will last. I know that at this point I have so much fun. This game is fast. It gives me new cards after every few wins. It let’s me kick real people in online mode. It has cool animations. It let’s me tweak with my deck.
I was never into Magic. Will I be into Hearthstone?
We will see…
I strongly believe that good board game is the one that tells a good story. You play it and suddenly you are sucked into it, you feel chills on the skin. Emotions grow. In a moment you defend castle. You hear roar of warriors. You smell boiling oil. You are into it.
That's how I design my games. I always want to tell a good story. I want players to be into it. As deep as possible.
I never played Magic, or any other collectible/trading card game…I always had this bad impression about those type of games (you know, money sucking products, those things about rare, ultra rare cards, ultra powerful, blablabla…). But Hearthstone, even if it’s a digital CCG, left me that feeling of „quickness” for which I play it even in bathroom (just one more, oh I lost this one, ok, one more).
I know it’s still a CCG, someone will put down that ultra rare card and bust your ass and I’ll start cursing in 35 languages because it’s still a little bit „pay-to-win” game.
But I don’t want to pay to win, I never paid to win. And that thing will make me hate Hearthstone after a while… for sure :-\
Oh, add me on battle.net, my battletag:
digitaligor#2142