Released on March 11, 2014, Hearthstone is a free-to-play digital card game taking place in the world and lore of the Warcraft series. The conception of this game was inspired by the team's love of collectible card games, such as Wizards of the Coast's "Magic the Gathering", in which the inspiration is abundantly clear. A key difference though as a digital card game was to ensure that the gameplay flow was kept simple and clean. As such, the game was streamlined to be a quick-paced, turn-based process, where players would be unable to interrupt each other's turns as can be the case in traditional physical card games. With this system in place, games can be enjoyed in quick sessions and allow for more experimentation in creating and playing various deck types from the nine hero classes available to choose from: Mage, Shaman, Paladin, Warlock, Druid, Rogue, Priest, Warrior, and Hunter. Further streamlining the process is how mana naturally ramps during the game. Both players start at one mana, to which they will gain one mana at the start of each of their turns until they reach a total of 10 mana. Having this slow, automated process allows each match to evolve at a controlled, but exciting pace as wilder cards get played later in the game, keeping everyone on the edge of their seat.
Another important aspect in the appeal of this now increasingly popular card game is its clear conveyance of gameplay through design. Every keyword and action in the game is emphasized and exaggerated in the game through thoughtful art and animation. Playable actions and minions are always surrounded by a green glow. Minions with taunt are depicted with a shield border, while those with stat boosts will shimmer and sparkle. This game is overflowing with attention to detail, and with it an abundance of style and charm. Every hero and minion has full voice acting, with multiple lines and humorous quips. The board in which you play on contains interactive scenery to poke around during your wait for your opponents to complete their turns. Even just the way cards will hover and waver in you hand as you ponder which to play has an undeniable allure and quality that makes the game feel that much more alive.
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| Nothing quite beats hearing the battlecry of Leeeeeeeeroy Jenkins. |
Of course, being a digital-only game, the lifespan of this game is only as long as the developers decide to keep supporting such. Based off the massive success this game has been for them though, generating tens of millions of dollars now with an install base of over 70 million players, the series is here to stay for some time. The game is kept fresh with incremental releases of new card sets throughout the year, offering sometimes new game modes, game mechanics, and of course always a slew of new cards to be collected / crafted. To help ensure new players can join the fun against those who have loads more cards, Standard mode began discontinuing use of older cards, which can instead be enjoyed in Wild mode, where all cards can be used and anything goes. To stay competitive in this game though, it does require a degree of investment, be it your time or wallet. Players can earn in-game currency through regular play of the game and completing daily quests, providing further incentive to return and allowing more casual players to enjoy the game without ever having to spend a dime.
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| The latest expansion in Hearthstone as of December 2017, Kobolds and Catacombs, adds a new single-player campaign mode, which turns out to be a fun rogue-like adventure for the casual player. |
Since the release of Hearthstone, the floodgates have been opened to an onslaught of other digital card games looking to capture its success, such as The Elder Scrolls: Legends, Gwent, or the upcoming Artifact by Valve. While they may compete to offer more tactical gameplay and other gameplay variations, Hearthstone still stands apart with its diligence to style and design. So if such should strike your fancy, grab a seat by the hearth and enjoy some Celtic-bluesy rock while you pummel your opponents with angry chickens and dragon hatchlings.
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