BattleForge

 PC
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 116 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 116
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 116
  3. Negative: 28 out of 116
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  1. CraigR
    Jul 30, 2009
    10
    This is the first game I've been hooked on in ages. I've owned my own video game store chain, so I was pretty jaded. This game is awesome. If you can get past the fact that they reel you in "Magic" style to buy new cards, it's unbelievably fun and varied. If you on;y spend $50 on cards, you will have a better time than most games you would drop $50 on without blinking.
  2. StevenO
    May 15, 2009
    10
    I played the last few days of beta, loved it and so bought the game and it's absolutely fantastic. At first i didn't like the idea of cards but as soon as i had played the tutorial, in the beta, and understood how it all worked i was amazed.i truly recommend getting this game to anyone.
  3. slesher
    Dec 31, 2010
    8
    BATTLE FORGE REVIEW

    RELEASED: 27 March 2009 GENDER: MMO RTS I one of the best free MMOs out there. Battle Forge approaches to hybridize real time strategy and cards game (magic gathering like). As it also has been done before, no one has been as successful as Battle Forge. Battle Forge as I already said merges RTS and cards and the result is that you have up to 20 cards in your deck,    BATTLE FORGE REVIEW

    RELEASED: 27 March 2009
    GENDER: MMO RTS

    I one of the best free MMOs out there.
    Battle Forge approaches to hybridize real time strategy and cards game (magic gathering like). As it also has been done before, no one has been as successful as Battle Forge.

    Battle Forge as I already said merges RTS and cards and the result is that you have up to 20 cards in your deck, which you use in field. There are 4 main different elements: Fire, Nature, Frost and Shadow from which you can create a vast number of differently combined decks. Each deck is suited for various situations. (PvP deck greatly differs from PvE).
    Every element has cards of several tiers (levels) 1-4, therefore in order to create a successful deck you need to have cards from each tiers. (usual structure 5 from each tier -> 2creatures, 2 spells, 1structure; However is may differ greatly).

    There are 19 campaign missions (PvE), which can be played on 3 levels (standard, advanced, expert) and can be played with 1-12 players.
    PvE missions are used in order to harvest gold and upgrades, which are later used to upgrade cards and make them stronger.

    PvP is very fulfilling and really test the ability of all the players. PvP cannot be approached as PvE, due to the fact that you need a great tactics plus awesome cards in order to be the top.

    Trading is one of the most important factors in the game. It is done via Auction House, where people add the cards they want to sell and other people can bid on them. Other way it to use the trade chat or forum.

    If you are skillful enough the gather the best cards, create the ultimate tactics and are a dexterous trader -> you are the perfect candidate for becoming the top player!!

    So, do not waste any more time and get to it    … Expand
  4. WarrenD
    Jan 24, 2010
    9
    This is the first RTS in a long time to lure me back in the genre. Great production values and addictive game-play wrapped up in a interactive collectible card game. Tried the F2P version and that was enough to upgrade to the retail version for under $20.00. Good deal, good game!
  5. FabianT
    Apr 1, 2009
    10
    I was a skeptic at first when hearing about it, but now that I have it I really need to say: The unit and spell variety in this game just astounds me. Can't wait for more sets to come out so things will become even more interesting. Even if that costs money, it's so worth it.
  6. Jay
    Apr 16, 2009
    9
    $2.50 for cards isn't that expensive, but that's not the point.

    I know for a fact that you don't NEED to buy booster in order to have an edge in the game. The company provides you with 3,000 points; enough to buy 12 packs. Which is more then enough to build a good deck, also you can trade the cards if you want something specific, so the $$ complaint is not an excuse    $2.50 for cards isn't that expensive, but that's not the point.

    I know for a fact that you don't NEED to buy booster in order to have an edge in the game. The company provides you with 3,000 points; enough to buy 12 packs.
    Which is more then enough to build a good deck, also you can trade the cards if you want something specific, so the $$ complaint is not an excuse to not like the game, considering you can get cards by other means and still be a good PVPer without having to pay an extra dollar.    … Expand
  7. JamesTran
    Apr 2, 2009
    9
    A very addictive new CCG/RTS blend. Despite some interface problems in the auction house and the CCG pricing structure, this game really draws you in.

    I think this is what CCG on a PC should look and feel like. If you are a fan of pure RTS, this game might turn you off. If you are a fan of CCGs, this is perfect.

    Bottom line: Try the demo. I did, and I got hooked.
  8. EubieB
    May 17, 2009
    8
    Battleforge is dogged by the usual teething troubles that affect any new, large scale multi-player game, but aside from a somewhat clunky UI the starting package is a solid mix of deck building and RTS action. EA essentially refunds the retail cost of the software in game currency, which helps to ensure new players are able to build a solid deck without feeling hopelessly outmatched by Battleforge is dogged by the usual teething troubles that affect any new, large scale multi-player game, but aside from a somewhat clunky UI the starting package is a solid mix of deck building and RTS action. EA essentially refunds the retail cost of the software in game currency, which helps to ensure new players are able to build a solid deck without feeling hopelessly outmatched by hard core collectors. There are some issues with card balance in PvP, but as long as EA remains committed to the project and tweaking the game accordingly, Battleforge may earn itself a following among RTS and card game fans yet.… Expand
  9. MartinS
    Dec 5, 2009
    9
    Great Game. Nice Ballance. 1 piont fail.... no offline mode.
  10. EvanG
    Apr 28, 2009
    10
    After viewing the trailer and thinking: "this looks like an odd game, I'll give it a whirl", I can honestly say this is an extremely well made and extremely fun game. The first thing I noticed of course was the card system. I spent over an hour just building a single deck with my first tome of cards and had a blast doing it. The completionists of the gaming community will have a After viewing the trailer and thinking: "this looks like an odd game, I'll give it a whirl", I can honestly say this is an extremely well made and extremely fun game. The first thing I noticed of course was the card system. I spent over an hour just building a single deck with my first tome of cards and had a blast doing it. The completionists of the gaming community will have a great time collecting and trading their cards, while the hardcore players will have fun building a deadly deck. The main gripe seems to be that people think you need to spend money to get more/the best cards. Well you dont, it's very easy to build a stellar deck with the points you get from buying the game. The artwork in the game astounded me. I felt like a little kid in a candy shop when I was looking at the different cards and units, and I'm not usually one to hang on graphics. Next up is the RTS playstyle. I thought they did a very good job in setting up the unique system of not using barracks like other games have repeated over and over and over. While I will agree that certain tactics are proven to be OP, only a month into release and the developers have already released a couple patches to help balance it. That brings me to the next point: content updates. Some people love them, while others hate them. It seems to be a growing trend in the market now, mostly thanks to consoles and DLC. The BF developers have hopped on board with the trend and have already begun releasing additional maps, with much more reported content on the way. Most notably, is a second "Edition" of cards said to premier sometime in Q3 of this year, consisting of an added 200 cards, nearly doubling the stockpile already in the game. The first thing most people should notice is that generally, when a game has an update as significant as this, it comes in the form of an expansion pack, costing anywhere from 20-40$. However with any point management, you could play BF to your hearts content and keep enough points to buy a tome right away when the new edition is released.....I absolutely love this game and look forward to supporting it through it's development.… Expand
  11. Mark
    May 12, 2009
    9
    Great, easy to use RTS which sets itself apart from the crowd with a unique, simple to understand card based system. Although you will have to pay out (quite a bit!) more money to have all of the units/spells/buildings available at once it does have an online auction so that you can trade away the troops that you don't want for those you do.
  12. Kami
    May 17, 2011
    10
    i cant believe the lower ratings on this game, often based on paying for additional cards. with just one purchase of the retail version (which you can get on ebay for about the price of an average lunch) you get more than enough in-game currency to buy anything you might need. and if u ever run out you can buy additional copies and add their content to your existing account. in over a yeari cant believe the lower ratings on this game, often based on paying for additional cards. with just one purchase of the retail version (which you can get on ebay for about the price of an average lunch) you get more than enough in-game currency to buy anything you might need. and if u ever run out you can buy additional copies and add their content to your existing account. in over a year of playing i have spent less than £30 ($45 or so). And for that i have got literally THOUSANDS of hours of top-class entertainement. Compare that to a $50 game that u get 25 to 50 hours of gametime from and then tell me which is better value for money.
    They say that these days its all about the multiplayer, and for me its all about the PvP. BFs PvP is unprecedented. its unique and exciting and gets my pulse racing like no other game.. and ive been a gamer for 25 years. And the beauty is it doesnt matter how bad or good you are because with the ranking system everyone plays opponents of their own level. Someone that levels out around rank 15 can (and will) have matches that are as exciting and fulfilling as somone that levels out at rank 25. Your opponents will always be a balanced mixture of those at your level, those just below youre level and those just above.
    And, unbelievably for an online pvp game against strangers, many of the players demonstrate good sportsmanship and manners. Losers often congratualate their opponent on a match well played, and indeed the standard concession of defeat is "GG" - good game. and to me Battleforge is exactly that - a VERY good game.    … Expand
  13. ManaDar
    Apr 24, 2009
    3
    I'm a huge fan of RTS and RPG games but this game is a "cash cow" in the worst form. The gameplay is repetitive. The units are not interesting. The storyline is a document, like a long and boring book . PvP is not interesting because some cards are seriously overpowered. If you buy this game, then you will regret it.
  14. Matt
    Apr 7, 2009
    4
    I loved the Beta, but as soon as we have to pay to unlock content already in the game, I quit. Spending $2.50 on 8 virtual cards just doesnt cut it. Plus, PVP is pretty lame since you keep seeing the same OP'd cards over and over. The only way to win is to use the same cheap tactics...I loved the Beta, but the pricing scheme and unbalanced play killed it.
  15. Steve
    Jun 19, 2009
    3
    A great idea translated into a disastrous videogame. Right from the start, Battleforge is really hard to grasp. The playerinterface is so cluttering and poorly designed that managing cards, finding matches and navigating the world is a pain. The card auctionhaus is also a joke. The lack of attention to detail and clumsy, outdated functions to buy and sell cards is terrible (Ebay
  16. iseeall
    Jul 29, 2013
    6
    This could be a nice game if it didn't have collectible cards inside. I like RTS games but I absolutely hate games where you collect cards, say nothing about buying such cards with real money. I actually wonder what audience they had in mind at all. That said, the game itself looks much like Warcraft 3, except you have more unit types and you can cast spell (like a god) anywhere on theThis could be a nice game if it didn't have collectible cards inside. I like RTS games but I absolutely hate games where you collect cards, say nothing about buying such cards with real money. I actually wonder what audience they had in mind at all. That said, the game itself looks much like Warcraft 3, except you have more unit types and you can cast spell (like a god) anywhere on the map. Unfortunately, there is just no one to play online against. Could be a great RTS game, but trading cards spoiled it.… Expand
  17. AaronG
    May 5, 2009
    9
    A great game if you like collectible card games and a good game if you like RTSs. It has a bit of a learning curve, but once you get into it, there really is a lot of strategy and the customization you can put into your deck is great. Spending time to tailor a deck to your liking is really something that adds a lot of value and is missed in most other RTSs.
  18. RehabTwelve
    Jun 1, 2009
    9
    A great game different to most of today's popular market. Allows you to have fun with mates over vent as you challenge each other in a different environment to shooting say zombies or raiding instances.
  19. moarage
    Apr 13, 2011
    10
    I'm usually not a big fan of rts, but Battleforge is loads of fun! It's free but not entirely, since to acquire some specific cards you have to dish out some real money. But I got most of my cards by trading in 5 bucks, that's really cheap considering I'm having more fun with this game than any 60 priced game.

    I feel like supporting this game by just trading 5 bucks or so each month, so    I'm usually not a big fan of rts, but Battleforge is loads of fun! It's free but not entirely, since to acquire some specific cards you have to dish out some real money. But I got most of my cards by trading in 5 bucks, that's really cheap considering I'm having more fun with this game than any 60 priced game.

    I feel like supporting this game by just trading 5 bucks or so each month, so don't discouraged! You also get enough cards to play with when you start, so you can figure out whether you like or not. I got hooked with starting decks.

    This is more probably more aimed at trading card fan than rts fans, but if you like trading card and fantasy rts, then this is definitely worth a try.
    You like trading cards    … Expand
  20. Ordish
    Nov 5, 2012
    7
    Battleforge is an entertaining game for sure. If you like RTS games, you will enjoy this card game hybrid. The game feels like it is missing something or it might just be me feeling burnt out of the RTS genre. Either way, while the game is entertaining, it was only entertaining for a limited amount of time. It is certainly worth a try.
  21. Darmonic
    Sep 22, 2018
    10
    Honestly this is possibly the best RTS game I've ever played. A perfect mix of TCG and RTS. Has multiple "factions" and even hybrid factions giving tons of different playstyles. Everyone makes a deck of 20 cards and then you can do PvP matches or PvE matches 1-12 with varying difficulties. Honestly a truly hidden gem

Awards & Rankings

78
#78 Best PC Game of 2009
90
#90 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
84
#84 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Play (Poland)
    80
    This novel RTS in a slightly overdone but nevertheless interesting fantasy setting appeals with its fresh approach, especially to those among us who have a bit of a collecting bug. And who doesn't? [Apr 2009]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    80
    Take the graphics and easy controls of WarCraft III throw in the addictive and working system from any trading card game and you will get an excellent piece of playability and fun – you’ll get BattleForge. [Mar 2009]
  3. PC Gamer UK
    81
    A flawed but irresistible MMORTSCCG. [Apr 2009, p.74]
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