Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Review

Here it is, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. In truth, Blizzard has a ravishing resume when it comes to multiplayer online experiences. Besides, it’s not often that a company can claim bragging rights over a gamut of games sitting pretty inside the list of the most lucrative esports games. Many of them, genre-defining titles, or at least they were considered to be on release. Just some of the names included in that all-star roster are World of Warcraft, and Heroes of the Storm. Not to mention the never-say-die Starcraft saga, to name a few.

 

True to form, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft encapsulates everything we’ve come to know and love about Blizzard over the years. Accessible to both elite and casual demographics, the game strikes a structurally sound balance. On that note, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft resonates with both sides of its target audience to a high degree of success. By that I mean, the game is accessible to all abilities, yet it rewards those willing to master its advanced systems.

Much of the joy generated in Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft resides from its wealth of cards, and the depth of strategies available to put those cards to good use. Heroes of Warcraft is a compelling, collectible card game which makes clever use of the WoW lore, fusing it with a fun and addictive Arena system, guaranteed to put your tactical skills to the test.

 

What’s more, the fully-flexible crafting system allows for great versatility. Hence, giving the player freedom to create, mix and match in the manner they see fit. Better still, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is playable across platforms. Meaning, players can test their mettle on either the Mac OSX, Windows, or Apple and Android iOS systems.

 

This MMO trading card game shares similar systems to another genre-great Magic: The Gathering. With that in mind, players attuned to the concepts will get even more of a pickup and play experience with Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft.

 

Firstly, let’s delve into the character roster. Overall, there are nine playable heroes. Each of which has an authentic card pack to call their own. Aside from the unique sets, there are also standard sets, which you can tinker with, rotate around and switch out with the end goal being: to craft the ultimate, deck-defying hand. (See what I did there).

 

The game cards, all 500 of them, are pigeonholed into two distinct classes. Standard/regular cards and of course, the hero cards. The regular cards contribute towards deck-building. All the while, each Hero is assigned specific cards unique to that character. Are you still with me, friends? Good.

However, the game indeed comes into its own when you start to factor in each of the characters unique cards — coupled with the special powers of each hero. As you can imagine, this creates a seemingly infinite plethora of possibilities.

 

The result of this riveting randomness is a high-stakes encounter that never grows stale. No matter how many times you lay those cards on the table. In truth, the potential for variety in each match-up keeps each contest intense and exciting. You never know what the opponent’s has hidden up that crafty sleeve.

 

Due to the complex systems at play, it’s advisable to skim through the tutorial, at the beginning of the game. Besides, this is where you’ll engage in battle for the first time. Therefore, giving you a real sense of what’s to come. Also, this is where you’ll receive your first hero card. Jaina Proudmoore is a hero belonging to the Mage class. Just one of many authentic class types found throughout the game.

 

Each hero possesses a unique set of moves and abilities.  For instance, the Mage class can utilize a high-powered magic attack to inflict significant damage on any opponent. Moreover, this ability can avoid units with taunt.

 

Alternatively, the hero power grants players the option to turbo-charge minions making them more active during head-to-head encounters. Likewise, it can prove handy in disabling a Divine Shield from your opponent.

 

In truth, this complexity to each character bolsters the core experience, adding immense replay value and longevity. Other than the Mage Class, there are also the Hunter, Rogue, Warlock, Priest, and Druid classes. All of which mix up the dynamic with their contrasting styles.

 

In short, the strengths and susceptibilities of each hero bring an effortless equilibrium to game-play. As a result, each encounter is defined and ultimately decided by tactical astuteness and strategical know-how over pot luck and wild guesstimations. And, this balance makes the game exciting no matter how many times you play it.

 

All in all, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft excels in many areas. Everything from its rich player roster to the risk-and-reward system within conjures up many notable engagements that, will be immortally etched in the memory. Despite showing signs of apparent age, its rock-steady core continues to catapult Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft to the top of the esports genre.

 

What did you think of the game? Have you had a memorable encounter, or perhaps you compete at an elite level? Let us know in the comments. We welcome your views.

 

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