- Publisher: Valve Software
- Release Date: Nov 28, 2018
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Dec 14, 2018Artifact is one of the most polished digital card games available. The game’s multi-lane mechanics bring MOBA elements into card game form, providing challenging strategic gameplay. Valve still has a way to go to prove Artifact’s long-term viability though due to its lack of a progression system and ranked modes.
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Dec 4, 2018CCG fans looking to sink their teeth into some juicy tactical complexity should consider giving Artifact a try.
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Nov 30, 2018Artifact feels like the MOBA of card games, in more ways than one. There's just as much strategy, just as much variety, just as many resources to manage, and it's just as challenging.
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Nov 30, 2018I desperately wanted to enjoy Artifact, but it currently stands as a monument to the flaws of early CCG design. It’s random, it’s expensive, and it does a horrible job of teaching players both basic gameplay and high-level strategy.
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Jan 15, 2019In theory, a brilliant card game for a demanding audience. In reality, a concept heavily damaged by bad balancing and a truly terrible monetization system. It may yet prove to be a success in the future - but right now, this is a game for wealthy masochists only.
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Dec 8, 2018Can you separate a game’s design from its business model? In the case of Artifact, that’s a resounding no. Both are broken. In a market of pay-to-play, Artifact is pay-to-pay. Skill matters, but the strongest card is your credit card.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Nov 28, 2018Artifact is deep, innovative, and complex. It’s taxing at times to play, and demands investment, in learning, playing, and fielding a deck. The economy is likely to scare off players who don’t want to buy a game, then pay again for more cards. Artifact is daunting. But if you’re willing to take the time and delve into it, Artifact can be intensely rewarding. It’s not for everyone, but for the deck-building, number-crunching card nerds like me, it’s something you need to see.
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Dec 5, 2018There’s a special appeal, too, for Dota players. It’s remarkable how effectively Artifact captures the structure of a Dota game, where semi-isolated struggles build to climactic battles that see every hero converge on the same lane. Though not always: Artifact’s well of possible situations runs deep, offering variety where other CCGs dry up.
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Dec 13, 2018That, in the end, is Artifact in its iron heart: a machine for capturing metagames.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 111 out of 622
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Mixed: 23 out of 622
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Negative: 488 out of 622
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Dec 1, 2018
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Dec 1, 2018
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Nov 28, 2018Awful gambling-based economy. Other card games relying on gambling as a card acquisition mechanic doesn't mean it's an acceptable model.