Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

 PC
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2373 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,045 out of 2373
  2. Mixed: 527 out of 2373
  3. Negative: 801 out of 2373

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  1. CrafTricks
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    Hearthstone is casual at first glance but I am unsurprisingly terrible at it, as it has depth that isn't that noticeable at first. It is extremely fun though, even losing is enjoyable to me and I can't wait for Blizzard to start expanding upon the game.

    For what it is now, I give it a 10/10 for being a well balanced and extremely fun game with enough depth to last for quite a while.
  2. dinksmallwood
    Apr 24, 2015
    9
    Hearthstone is fun. Unquestionably the best free game I have ever played on a cellphone. I have been playing for a few days now and I haven't encountered anything that I've really hated yet, in terms of balancing issues. And I haven't paid for a single thing.

    I played a little Magic (my friends always kicked my ass through the wall), but Hearthstone -- which lacks some of the complexity    Hearthstone is fun. Unquestionably the best free game I have ever played on a cellphone. I have been playing for a few days now and I haven't encountered anything that I've really hated yet, in terms of balancing issues. And I haven't paid for a single thing.

    I played a little Magic (my friends always kicked my ass through the wall), but Hearthstone -- which lacks some of the complexity and therefore fun of Magic -- is definitely friendlier to new players. Unlike Magic, you build your decks to a character class instead of a land type, which is actually a great twist. (I miss accounting for land in my deck builds though -- it's a little simple this way). Playing a rogue feels rogue-y, thanks to the special, class specific cards and abilities you have, like backstab and a card called "run" which lets you draw 7 (!) cards at once which can absolutely change the end of a match. Mages can do ridiculous nuke damage. Priests get crazy heals. It will probably feel familiar to World of Warcraft players. And -- this is a particular stroke of genius on Blizzard's part -- these class specific cards are easily some of the most powerful cards in the game.

    Using only the starting decks, I've won about 60%+ of my games, and even though the game requires that you win 30 matches (you get 10 coins every three matches you win) to be able to buy a pack of five cards using in game money, there are three things that really make this okay: 1.) You can earn 10 starter packs of five cards each (with at least one rare card of better than average attributes) just by playing all the classes in the game until you get all their starter cards and beating all the computer opponents and playing online -- where you don't even have to win to get the cards 2.) there are daily challenges that only take a couple of games sometimes if you can win and will net you at least 40 gold 3.) The Arena.

    (I've only gotten a few of the booster packs, too, since I was just having fun. And I still win a lot -- you have to remember though, a lot of this game is luck. It's like playing poker or something, in addition to understanding how the cards work together and when to play what. Needless to say, it's a ridiculously good game to play every day.)

    The arena is -- for a free game, again -- absolutely nuts. It's so f'ng brilliant because what it does is it gives everyone access to the entire breadth of the games possible cards and therefore complexity and depth of gameplay while only requiring 150 gold (again, a booster pack costs 100 gold, or 30 matches won, and the arena is free the first time, too.) Everybody enters the arena under the same conditions: choose from one of three random classes -- so, not really for casual players, since there are 10 classes and they all do play very differently, when you play to their strengths -- then choose 30 cards by choosing one each from randomly presented sets of 3 cards. Then fight and win as many matches as you can before getting a reward based on how far you got.

    You also get three lives, and you don't have to decide to "cash out" or play another hand and risk losing your rewards, which is nice. You just get as far as you can.

    I only won one hand in the arena, but the game still gave me a booster pack and 40 gold. (I don't know how frequently you get booster packs this way though, it looked like the prizes are random too.) So it's worth playing and you won't feel like you're getting crushed by "pay to win" players. If you're decent at hearthstone, you can get a lot of play out of it without really paying anything.

    Which is why it's a great game. You can either spend money, or you can play better. But I often win against people with plenty of rare cards, and I've only been playing a few days and don't have anything special. You can even do fine with Blizzard's pre-built decks (just make sure to finish winning against the computer or other players to get all of a class's special cards like the ones I mentioned earlier). And building decks is enjoyable.

    It would be fun to have rare cards, but it doesn't stop me from having fun -- or winning. Which is how it should be. Good job Blizzard...

    9/10 free to play cellphone game
    8/10 overall game, due to some needed complexity.

    Also, uh, good job Wizards of the Coast. Haha.    … Expand
  3. zombiechan
    May 28, 2014
    8
    Great game, haven't play a CCG since Magic the Gathering. I almost enjoy this game more than Magic the Gathering, I love designing new decks and new strategy. I do wish the amount of decks you can have would increase.
  4. suede88
    Nov 7, 2018
    8
    + great gameplay
    + warcraft lore
    + superb art and sounds + not p2w, it´s possible to earn 2000 - 4000 dust per month without spending real money, good deck cost about 3000 - 5000 dust..it´s not so bad... + if you love card games, you will love HS, for sure...I´m veteran Magic The Gathering player... - single player is so hard...even for skilled players - sometimes is game bit    + great gameplay
    + warcraft lore
    + superb art and sounds
    + not p2w, it´s possible to earn 2000 - 4000 dust per month without spending real money, good deck cost about 3000 - 5000 dust..it´s not so bad...
    + if you love card games, you will love HS, for sure...I´m veteran Magic The Gathering player...

    - single player is so hard...even for skilled players
    - sometimes is game bit frustrating because of very hard ladder climbing, especially on highest ranks
    - it´s important to check the meta sometimes, new strategies and it´s good to see some pro players how they think about game situations and what decks they builds...so, the game is easy to play, but hard to master. If you´re not so much into card games, then this maybe the reason why not play this game and try f.e. Clash Royale which is much easier to master    … Expand
  5. joglow
    May 16, 2022
    8
    It did not fail me to entertain. What else can we expect from this game? You did not marry it, did you?
  6. kdx
    Sep 14, 2022
    8
    If you have extra money and your goal is to kill time, then this timekiller CCG is for you. Random is present in absolutely all moments, and donation does not affect the gameplay only in some branches of the adventure. In other cases, the donation decides. There is nothing to demand from it, because it is built according to the free-to-play scheme. Blizzard uses absolutely the right gameIf you have extra money and your goal is to kill time, then this timekiller CCG is for you. Random is present in absolutely all moments, and donation does not affect the gameplay only in some branches of the adventure. In other cases, the donation decides. There is nothing to demand from it, because it is built according to the free-to-play scheme. Blizzard uses absolutely the right game promotion strategy to make more money.… Expand
  7. Sholman
    Jul 29, 2014
    9
    Before posting my review, I read dozens of other user-submitted reviews and felt that the majority of those who gave Hearthstone ridiculously low ratings either did not have enough time to practice the game, had a negative view of the game because they had trouble winning, or simply disliked the game due to the lack of violence, intense action or a gripping, movie-like storyline. MyBefore posting my review, I read dozens of other user-submitted reviews and felt that the majority of those who gave Hearthstone ridiculously low ratings either did not have enough time to practice the game, had a negative view of the game because they had trouble winning, or simply disliked the game due to the lack of violence, intense action or a gripping, movie-like storyline. My counter to these views, to be frank, is to remember that this is a strategic card game that is based off of the Warcraft series. I understand that this genre does not have the same appeal as violent or action-packed games, but if you play with an open mind, practice different strategies, experiment with hundreds of thousands of possible card combinations, and learn from your mistakes, you will find Hearthstone to be a very deep and creative gameplay experience that is complex enough to be extremely entertaining, while also being simple enough for those who practice to win. All of the angry reviews that say that you have to pay to win in Hearthstone are the biased opinions of those who do not have the patience to practice getting better and do not have the money to satisfy their impatience. Even when I had only played Hearthstone for one or two months of somewhat regular gameplay I could easily win the majority of my matches in casual mode and more than half of the matches in ranked mode with a deck full of basic (free, given) cards. For those people who complain that Hearthstone isn't deep because of its lack of a storyline, I would recommend that they try out any of the Warcraft games or World of Warcraft to satisfy their desire for a deep, detailed and engrossing fantasy storyline. All of the cards and characters in Hearthstone are directly taken from those games, after all. I think that the biggest problem that angry Hearthstone reviewers are experiencing is that they do not play Hearthstone with an open mind. I understand that different people have different opinions, but the fact that there are so many uninformed and, quite frankly, untrue complaints about Hearthstone, I feel that it does the game justice to urge more people to play the game without any untrue beliefs, and to form an informed opinion of the game based on actual gameplay.… Expand
  8. isg1983
    Mar 27, 2014
    8
    A good mix of casual and serious aspects. Everybody should give it a go whether if you're a fan of card games or not, this game should be a good starter for everyone who wants to enter the sweet geeky card game universe.
  9. vunacar
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    I will be frank, I never really liked WoW. I loved Warcraft 3, and tried to like WoW because it was a continuation of story, but the game was boring and I never played it more than a month.
    With that said, Hearthstone is an exact opposite. I got into beta in november and still love the game. Each match is unique and fun, and the game constantly rewards you with new cards which alter your    I will be frank, I never really liked WoW. I loved Warcraft 3, and tried to like WoW because it was a continuation of story, but the game was boring and I never played it more than a month.
    With that said, Hearthstone is an exact opposite. I got into beta in november and still love the game. Each match is unique and fun, and the game constantly rewards you with new cards which alter your experience.
    The best part of the game is that it is totally playable without spending a cent. In my 5 months of occasional play to complete quests I have unlocked all common cards, 70% of rares, 30% of epics and I have 6 legendary cards. I repeat, I never spent a cent.
    For this fact alone, this game is a 10 in my book. Yes, it is a little light on features, but that will be changed in time. Yes, it has some bugs, it will also be changed in time. What will not change time is an amazing attention to detail, beautiful animations and aesthetics, great balance and a smile on my face when I turn around an already lost match...    … Expand
  10. Swimming_Steve
    May 10, 2014
    9
    I HATED card games, but now i have seen this, i am astounded, it is based on the world of Warcraft genre. Even if you don't like world of Warcraft this game will not be a disappointment. A free, 2GB game packed with action, many players, and engrossing graphics and atmosphere. You can either play casual, or ranked. Choose to buy packs, or play for free. The choice is yours. But, what i canI HATED card games, but now i have seen this, i am astounded, it is based on the world of Warcraft genre. Even if you don't like world of Warcraft this game will not be a disappointment. A free, 2GB game packed with action, many players, and engrossing graphics and atmosphere. You can either play casual, or ranked. Choose to buy packs, or play for free. The choice is yours. But, what i can promise, is that this game is "Easy to learn, hard to master."… Expand
  11. Trystanm
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    I swear all of these people who are calling this pay to win obviously haven't played more than a couple ranked games. Of course you aren't going to know the strategies, or what cards to play (which are good or bad) when you start. I remember thinking certain cards were OP until realizing they were trash. This game has an amazing community, with several streamers and tutorials. If youI swear all of these people who are calling this pay to win obviously haven't played more than a couple ranked games. Of course you aren't going to know the strategies, or what cards to play (which are good or bad) when you start. I remember thinking certain cards were OP until realizing they were trash. This game has an amazing community, with several streamers and tutorials. If you give this game a chance you will realize its not a game about endless grinding or paying to win.… Expand
  12. VladiMiagk
    May 15, 2018
    10
    Лучшая на данный момент карточная игра! Все очень красиво и интересно. Соревнования очень увлекающие!
  13. Fany000
    Nov 4, 2018
    9
    I played HS till its release but after two years the game was not fun anymore. I came back to the hearthstone before six months, found out a very different game, with new mechanics, plenty of new cards and now I think it is more suitable for begginers. Blizzard take care about HS as much as they can and they are doing just grest. The best card game nowadays.
  14. TwisterRK
    Mar 14, 2014
    9
    Don't pay attention to the negative reviews. This game is amazing. If you're any good at it. The thing is, the community is terrible. In the Beta, things have been nerfed that didn't deserve nerfing because all the bad players didn't know how to counter them. This will probable still go on forever. Don't pay attention to complaints about RNG, it's a Card Game, there is always gonna be RNG.Don't pay attention to the negative reviews. This game is amazing. If you're any good at it. The thing is, the community is terrible. In the Beta, things have been nerfed that didn't deserve nerfing because all the bad players didn't know how to counter them. This will probable still go on forever. Don't pay attention to complaints about RNG, it's a Card Game, there is always gonna be RNG. Bottom line; this game is a perfectly executed with great potential for expansions and more. Too bad the community are pretty mindless at times.… Expand
  15. demonphoenix
    Apr 18, 2014
    9
    I've played since closed beta and I have to say Hearthstone is a very good game. You can play it casually or very in depth, but luck still plays a huge factor.
    Some say it's pay to win. This is not true, people went to rank 1 without spending any money. And every big card can be shut down with basic cards.
    Some say some classes are overpowered. This is also not true, it's only because    I've played since closed beta and I have to say Hearthstone is a very good game. You can play it casually or very in depth, but luck still plays a huge factor.
    Some say it's pay to win. This is not true, people went to rank 1 without spending any money. And every big card can be shut down with basic cards.
    Some say some classes are overpowered. This is also not true, it's only because how the metagame is shifting. Every class has been called overpowered.
    Some say blizzard changes the game too much. In beta they changed a lot, yes. That's because it was a beta.
    Some say it's weird you can't trade cards. Well, it's a card game, not a Trading card game. They put in a feature that allows you to create cards, which has a lot of bonuses in itself.
    Also, their arena mode is very solid. You have interesting matches and the reward almost always pays for the arena cost. The only time you really need to spend money is if you want to buy tons of cards. But it stays your choice. You could spend a lot of money and be unlucky with the opening of packs or spend nothing and be very lucky and get the cards you want.    … Expand
  16. ethanwelborn
    Jul 30, 2014
    9
    Hearthstone is a great experience for someone who enjoys the Warcraft universe. It really is a casual way to get yourself into the universe, if WoW feels too heavy. The sound engineering is fantastic, the graphics are light and fun, and the game play is engaging.

    They recently released Curse of Naxxramas, which to me was fun, but slightly underwhelming, which is why I gave it a 9    Hearthstone is a great experience for someone who enjoys the Warcraft universe. It really is a casual way to get yourself into the universe, if WoW feels too heavy. The sound engineering is fantastic, the graphics are light and fun, and the game play is engaging.

    They recently released Curse of Naxxramas, which to me was fun, but slightly underwhelming, which is why I gave it a 9 instead of a 10.

    Overall, it's a great game, and worth giving a shot. I've built probably 4 or 5 decks for my Pally, and finally come across a deck that works for my play style. A game that is that flexible and contains that amount of depth deserves a look or two.    … Expand
  17. JohnJackson
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    I never played a digital CCG before, and i have to say i am having a blast. It is like most Blizz titles easy to learn, but hard to master. I was hesitant to try it out, when open beta started, but i did, and i'm glad i did it. It is the game i spent the most time playing this year, and it's free! The graphics are beautiful for a card game, and the gameplay is nothing but fun. And theI never played a digital CCG before, and i have to say i am having a blast. It is like most Blizz titles easy to learn, but hard to master. I was hesitant to try it out, when open beta started, but i did, and i'm glad i did it. It is the game i spent the most time playing this year, and it's free! The graphics are beautiful for a card game, and the gameplay is nothing but fun. And the best thing is, you don't have to spend any money on it. Various players have proven, that it is possible to reach even the highest rank with absolutely no money spent.

    Go and try it out, you have nothing to lose, but be warned, it is highly addictive!    … Expand
  18. RealmCopier
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft was not a game I first expected to enjoy, since I have not enjoyed any of Blizzard's other games. However, Hearthstone was an immensely fun game and I put at least 20 hours in during my first week of play. I really like the uniqueness of the cards as well as the way your plays get better each turn.

    Over all I give it 10/10 because it is an incredibly fun    Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft was not a game I first expected to enjoy, since I have not enjoyed any of Blizzard's other games. However, Hearthstone was an immensely fun game and I put at least 20 hours in during my first week of play. I really like the uniqueness of the cards as well as the way your plays get better each turn.

    Over all I give it 10/10 because it is an incredibly fun game, and adds a certain uniqueness, never achieved before, to the CCG Genre.    … Expand
  19. Alturis
    Apr 1, 2014
    10
    Frankly I don't see how this game could be any better. When compared to any other digital card game it just puts everything else to shame. It's not Magic, it's not Call of Duty, but it is simply the best digital collectible card game you will find anywhere. Give it time to expand and it will give Magic a run for its money.
  20. Raidriar
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Hearthstone is the best online CCG currently available on the market. It's a game that's VERY easy to get into yet as you get more cards it gradually builds upon it's self.

    First off I would like to point out that anyone who is calling this game pay to win is someone you should not listen too. It is entirely possible to get every card in the game without paying a single cent. And it is    Hearthstone is the best online CCG currently available on the market. It's a game that's VERY easy to get into yet as you get more cards it gradually builds upon it's self.

    First off I would like to point out that anyone who is calling this game pay to win is someone you should not listen too. It is entirely possible to get every card in the game without paying a single cent. And it is entirely possible to get to legendary rank using free cards. Now many people will claim that you can just buy a bunch of packs and get a bunch of legendaries. But pretty much every legendary is highly situational, so just having 10 legendaries doesn't actually help you, and in fact it's rather counter productive.

    Now that that's out of the way we can get to the rest of the game. I would like to first start off by saying that Hearthstone just oozes polish. Everything about the impact of a high attack creature slamming into an enemy hero to the glorious effects of the spells. You can just see the effort that was put into the game.
    The next thing I would like to commend the game on is it's resource system. Instead of having manna cards that you draw in a game like magic, you simply get one manna per turn until you reach 10. This get's rid of some of the RNG that plagues many card games, but of course it still has some RNG...because well...it's a card game. But it's still a great improvement. Hearthstone also has a very deep meta. As I stated hearthstone starts off relatively simple and then gradually becomes more complex. Due to the unique play style of all the classes you see a lot of diversity and meta shifting which adds a lot to the game's longevity. And with more cards coming i our future, I see Hearthstone being around for a while.

    All in all hearthstone is fantastic and I highly recommend giving it a download. And even if you end up not liking it for whatever reason, it's free! So there's no reason to not give it a try.    … Expand
  21. The_Ommadawn
    Jun 7, 2014
    10
    Simple, fun, time vampire, complex, well made, highly entertaining and this from a card game virgin. I cannot fault this game at all and see much future potential. It's something (for me) very different from the usual games I play. Yes there's a shop and yes it's expensive, but no one has to buy anything! As you play you earn in game currency which can be used to buy card packs. IfSimple, fun, time vampire, complex, well made, highly entertaining and this from a card game virgin. I cannot fault this game at all and see much future potential. It's something (for me) very different from the usual games I play. Yes there's a shop and yes it's expensive, but no one has to buy anything! As you play you earn in game currency which can be used to buy card packs. If you have the time, it's a simple trade off. There's zero grind as the game is fun to play and you're learning as you go. Oh, and it's FREE to play!!!… Expand
  22. wishanem
    Feb 18, 2015
    9
    I've never loved collectible card games, but I've always dabbled with them. My frustration with Magic: The Gathering was always the cost and the way that matches could drag on interminably. Hearthstone addresses both of those issues very well.

    It is an easy game to learn and play, with enough randomness to keep the matches from feeling too one-sided. It takes longer than I'd like to    I've never loved collectible card games, but I've always dabbled with them. My frustration with Magic: The Gathering was always the cost and the way that matches could drag on interminably. Hearthstone addresses both of those issues very well.

    It is an easy game to learn and play, with enough randomness to keep the matches from feeling too one-sided. It takes longer than I'd like to unlock new cards if one isn't spending money on the game, and there's no mechanism for trading cards with other players.

    My favorite thing about the game is that is gives the a new "quest" every day (up to 3 simultaneously), which sets an arbitrary goal of some kind (winning matches with a particular class, playing a set number of expensive cards, etc.) and provides a reward for completing it. This encourages occasional play, and the player has the option to scrap a quest and free up a slot for a new one if they get one they don't like. I really enjoy having little goals and markers for when I might want to stop playing.    … Expand
  23. LpSilent
    May 3, 2014
    8
    Hearthstone is casual at best and will drive you into its hands, it's a slightly addictive game that'll make you play for hours & hours on hand and you'll most likely never get bored of it, blizzard's turn in a card game has attracted more then enough attention for it to be called ''A classic''.. the game deserves more then enough attention for it to be an outstanding game, but.. for me toHearthstone is casual at best and will drive you into its hands, it's a slightly addictive game that'll make you play for hours & hours on hand and you'll most likely never get bored of it, blizzard's turn in a card game has attracted more then enough attention for it to be called ''A classic''.. the game deserves more then enough attention for it to be an outstanding game, but.. for me to write a review like this you'll probably think ''Oh, you're one of those lovers that'll protect blizzard'', well I'm here to tell you that you're completely wrong, I'm here to speak the truth and that's that, I'll rate games based on the ''Score'' they deserve and I'll stand by it.

    Now I'm on to the problems with this game.. ''ARENA'', its completely unbalanced and will mash you in with the highest leveled people you'll find in the game, mainly Priests who will constantly heal themselves and not even give you a sporting chance (Even knowing none of that happens), its an annoying issue which disappoints me and others I'm sure, which lowers the current score from an '8' to a '7', it could have done better, but there're issues that Blizzard won't bother to fix..    … Expand
  24. IHadASega32x
    Feb 25, 2015
    10
    I've been playing Hearthstone for almost a year and a half now, with almost the same passion I had for it when I first started playing the beta. The game has continued to stay fresh, with the additions of new cards and expansions that have added more to the experience. The added ability to be mobile with it on an iPad has provided levity to the boring parts of my life like sitting at theI've been playing Hearthstone for almost a year and a half now, with almost the same passion I had for it when I first started playing the beta. The game has continued to stay fresh, with the additions of new cards and expansions that have added more to the experience. The added ability to be mobile with it on an iPad has provided levity to the boring parts of my life like sitting at the airport waiting for a delayed flight, or using the bathroom! (yeah, i went there)

    Reading through some of the user reviews, I don't really understand the negativity towards the in-game purchases for this game. I look at this game with the same eyes i used to play Magic: The gathering with. Growing up i was never able to play Magic for free and to be able to play this game for free is AMAZING. Kicking down money into something I enjoy not only helps my decks but it helps the developers that made the game. I don't see a problem with that. In fact I think it's a great model for a game like this. Growing up I spent hundreds on booster packs for magic without the ability to work towards "free packs." On Hearthstone I can, and that's infinity better for my wallet :)

    Hearthstone is a great game. It's provided me with countless hours of fun, and it's worth every penny I've put into it since beta (which includes another $20 I just put into it last night). It's crazy to me that a game this polished, and this well rounded could be given away for FREE and still have to deal with unwarranted negativity.

    Congrats to Blizzard. They make good games, Hearthstone is by far my favorite.    … Expand
  25. Sn0r
    Oct 5, 2016
    10
    There is definetely no other game that still keeps me entertained after years. You can just play a few rounds for half an hour whenever you like. Its casual and its fun. What else would you want more from a videogame ?
  26. Avadon
    Mar 14, 2014
    8
    As a recreational MtG player for the last 14 years, I find Hearthstone a welcome distraction. It's cute, colorful, not very complex (which means you can play it well enough while sleep deprived or intoxicated) and very, very fast (an average ranked game between experienced players probably won't last more than 4 minutes). It features tiny 30-card decks, which is fine if the game is builtAs a recreational MtG player for the last 14 years, I find Hearthstone a welcome distraction. It's cute, colorful, not very complex (which means you can play it well enough while sleep deprived or intoxicated) and very, very fast (an average ranked game between experienced players probably won't last more than 4 minutes). It features tiny 30-card decks, which is fine if the game is built around them, and it also means you can suddenly have a deck concept and proceed to build it and test it within seconds. It also feels amazing to be able to disenchant cards that you don't need and turn them into ones that you do need.

    Is it pay-to-win? Well, assuming 2 players of equal skill and experience, the guy who has spent 200$ will of course be able to make more powerful and varied decks and will win a higher percentage of games than the guy who has spent 0$. However, as opposed to MtG, you don't really have to do that in Hearthstone. Starting out as a new player can be a bit bumpy, but paying 50$ once will give you enough cards and dust to be able to make several good decks. Alternatively, if you don't want to pay anything, you can play Paladin or Mage, who have strong basic decks, and farm some money to do Arenas. I was able to get to about rank 10 in constructed with a basic Paladin late-curve deck, which is pretty amazing.

    Is it "balanced"? Well, card games are never really "surgically" balanced, because the luck factor tends to considerably influence the win rates. However, in Hearthstone the luck factor is significantly lower than in MtG, mostly because you can mulligan without consequences. In constructed the game seems to be in a good place to my experience. There are decks from all classes that can (and have) done well if played properly. Druids are probably a little too versatile and don't have any striking weaknesses, but that's all. As for arena, things obviously vary wildly according to your draft and your ability to make the best plays with it, and it's also really hard to play around cards as you would in constructed. Mages definitely seem too strong due to basic/common rarity hard removals and board wipes, which are often impossible to play around, so make sure you play them yourself when you get the chance.

    All in all, for a launch product, Hearthstone is really good, and as all card games it will get much better as more cards and features are added to it. It's definitely worth installing, and keeping it installed for a very long time.    … Expand
  27. Kryptoxin
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    I don't usually play virtual games, but this one is really casual yet enjoyable.

    It is really easy to catch on the way people play Hearthstone. 250 dollars and 200 expert packs later, I imitated the decks most professionals use together and their playstyles on reddit, giving me a smooth sail up the ranks. After a point, the game is simply a coin flip as most decks and playstyles are    I don't usually play virtual games, but this one is really casual yet enjoyable.

    It is really easy to catch on the way people play Hearthstone. 250 dollars and 200 expert packs later, I imitated the decks most professionals use together and their playstyles on reddit, giving me a smooth sail up the ranks. After a point, the game is simply a coin flip as most decks and playstyles are similar, making it more based on luck. However, I still enjoy playing with professional gamers and having the game recognize me as one of their kind.

    All in all, if you'd like to excel in games without spending too much time, this is highly recommended.    … Expand
  28. Mudget
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    Every 5 years or so a game comes along that addicts me in a way I find both exciting and scary. Hearthstone is currently that game for me. I should say that I was already a big CCG (computer card game) fan, having eaten through hours of the various incarnations of Magic: The Gathering, Spectromancer, M&M Duel of Champions, and the like. I'd always gotten at least a little addicted toEvery 5 years or so a game comes along that addicts me in a way I find both exciting and scary. Hearthstone is currently that game for me. I should say that I was already a big CCG (computer card game) fan, having eaten through hours of the various incarnations of Magic: The Gathering, Spectromancer, M&M Duel of Champions, and the like. I'd always gotten at least a little addicted to most of those, so I figured I should try this one out, despite not exactly being a WoW fan for many years. What I first noticed in beta was how clean and crisp the game was - a real looker - and coupled with the gameplay itself, I discovered a super highly-polished game, the likes we've come to expect from Blizzard.

    I do think this is the CCG that can make people not familiar with the genre fans. It's less complex and much more user-friendly and intuitive than any of its counterparts, with a good tutorial that eases the player into the experience. By the time you've been eased, you're likely to be hooked, and that's when it's time to take the fight to other real online players.

    This is where I think the game shines. In a way, players are somewhat disconnected from each other. There's no chatting unless you're already friends, and there are a limited number of emote choices ("Greetings", "Sorry", "Well Played", etc.). This means you're not instantly assailed by trolls out smear themselves across a good experience - you just have to play and play your best, and I appreciate this being the focus, rather than a social experience. There are plenty of other venues and games for that.

    Gameplay is fairly straightforward, and in this Hearthstone lacks the depth found in other CCGs. But what it has that other CCGs don't are sounds and animated visuals for each of the cards' unique abilities. There are several 'tiers' of cards, too, so unlocking (by winning arena battles and acquiring new decks, or buying them in the store) rare and legendary cards is fun not just because they add a new layer of strategy to your game, but bring along with them interesting sounds and visuals unique to those specific cards.

    The WoW universe is very present here, and most of those audio and visual cues are taken straight from it, of course. The characters are all pulled from the MMORPG and each deck matches one of nine playable character classes from that game (Cleric, Paladin, Rogue, Warrior, Warlock, Shaman, Priest, Mage, Druid). Each has its own set of special cards reserved only for that particular class, and each of the classes seems pretty well-balanced.

    In the end, this is a casual time-waster and you could do SO much worse for a free-to-play game. In fact, I'd argue it's the best FTP game I've played in ages, maybe ever. The pay-for-decks aspect isn't in your face at all, and you can earn decks just by playing arena battles (battles where you and your opponent are given a random selection of cards from the start). So a player could certainly climb the ranks and earn levels and decks endlessly without ever spending a dime. Those folks who do spend cash for cards don't particularly have an advantage, either. This is still a card game, after all, so even though someone else may have several amazing legendary cards in their decks, it certainly doesn't guarantee them a victory. And in time, you'll be getting those epic cards without spending money in any case because of the reward system, and being able to spend gold for new decks, or arcane dust to purchase individual cards. Once you've been playing a while and start getting the maximum two cards of each type, you can turn those excess and unnecessary cards into arcane dust. Once you have enough dust you can actually craft even the most legendary of cards. It's not a quick process, getting to that point, but it's a really rewarding one.

    All in all Hearthstone is a fantastic FTP CCG, as polished as any Blizzard game, and as addicting as any CCG. It might lack a bit of the depth or breadth of a longstanding game like Magic the Gathering, but it's a refreshing new spin and one that will likely be more appealing to a larger number of people. Final word: It's 100% free to play. Give it a spin.    … Expand
  29. Wodenborn
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    A masterclass in game design, Hearthstone creates endless hours of top level competitive strategy gaming for the everyone to enjoy. Every time I have sat down to play a competitive game, I have always been frustrated by the natural barrier created by manual dexterity, reaction times, and age. I will never be a world warrior in Street Fighter, no one will ever call me "gosu" in Starcraft,A masterclass in game design, Hearthstone creates endless hours of top level competitive strategy gaming for the everyone to enjoy. Every time I have sat down to play a competitive game, I have always been frustrated by the natural barrier created by manual dexterity, reaction times, and age. I will never be a world warrior in Street Fighter, no one will ever call me "gosu" in Starcraft, and I'll never get a quintuple kill in DOTA2, but at least when I loose in Hearthstone, I know for a fact that the only thing holding me back from tournament level greatness is my intellect, the one thing I am tirelessly interested in improving, no matter what I do.

    The rules of the game couldn't be simpler, and yet the tiniest choices you make in building your deck or playing your cards have tremendous importance and consequences. Great players are able to realize all the effects of class choice, board position, deck style and composition, and how to make calculated risks or punish careless opponents. It is the most meticulously balanced competitive game I've ever played and the more you learn, the better you are. It's as simple as that. Hearthstone is not only a great game - it makes me want to be a better gamer.    … Expand
  30. mijxero
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    I used to be an avid Magic the Gathering player so when I played Hearthstone I was amazed at how fun, strategic and most of all quick the matches can be. I can win or lose a match in 5 minutes or less and that makes it really fun. The sounds, visuals, and overall play style is just very fun and somewhat casual with a deeper strategy hiding beneath. Their free to play model is very goodI used to be an avid Magic the Gathering player so when I played Hearthstone I was amazed at how fun, strategic and most of all quick the matches can be. I can win or lose a match in 5 minutes or less and that makes it really fun. The sounds, visuals, and overall play style is just very fun and somewhat casual with a deeper strategy hiding beneath. Their free to play model is very good as well. You can earn a pack of cards by playing 2-3 days worth of simple quests like "Win 2 matches" or "kill 20 minions". You can spend real money to get more cards but I wouldn't say its pay to win really. Highly suggest.… Expand
  31. Chamallow
    Apr 28, 2014
    10
    The game is extremely polished and addictive. Between its friendly design and its flexible approach to a free-to-play economy, Hearthstone has pulled me into a genre that I didn't care about in the past, but also managed to keep me interested longer than any games I've played during the past years.
  32. TwirlingFern
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing. I've been playing since October regularly. The arena is fun where you pick 30 cards- 1 at a time from a choice of 3. Constructed is very good too where you build your deck from your card library. You can either pay cash for additional cards and arena or if you spend time instead of money you can acquire most of the cards that you want. Personally I have not spentThis game is amazing. I've been playing since October regularly. The arena is fun where you pick 30 cards- 1 at a time from a choice of 3. Constructed is very good too where you build your deck from your card library. You can either pay cash for additional cards and arena or if you spend time instead of money you can acquire most of the cards that you want. Personally I have not spent anything and have most of the cards, but I have spent many hours enjoying the game.

    The tutorial at the beginning is very nice at introducing players to the concepts. Now available on ipad. They have been slow at first to introduce additional cards because they don't want to introduce a bunch of new cards since the game just came out in ipad. But a new pve expansion with 30 cards is coming out this summer, and expansions to follow later after that.

    Overall amazing ccg, fully playable for free. No trading is allowed in the game so there's no bots.    … Expand
  33. Tastycakes
    Jul 17, 2014
    8
    A tremendous base game with the price of 0 dollars, it's of course worth playing. This game is addictive, fun and competitive. There are two main problems with it, but the game is free so it's not like they should keep you away from trying it.

    The game is very empty. There are very few cards and even less that actually matter. Playing well means playing one of two decks at most for a    A tremendous base game with the price of 0 dollars, it's of course worth playing. This game is addictive, fun and competitive. There are two main problems with it, but the game is free so it's not like they should keep you away from trying it.

    The game is very empty. There are very few cards and even less that actually matter. Playing well means playing one of two decks at most for a class, and if you are a fan of Priests or Warriors, just not playing the class at all.

    Updates. This game does not update. Getting bored? Guess the game is over, because don't expect new cards more than once every year, and even then it's a very small amount. Also, if the game has bugs, gameplay issues or anything, do no expect an update. It is a free game after all.    … Expand
  34. fusion_13
    Oct 12, 2015
    8
    It's easy to describe Hearthstone the same way Blizzard does, fun and simple. It's very easy to learn while the mechanics are also deep and you seem to learn new things all the time. It's fun and easy to play with friends, the classes are unique and the artwork is great too. My negatives are that while it's fun, it can get repetitive, so i recommend Hearthstone in short bursts. TheIt's easy to describe Hearthstone the same way Blizzard does, fun and simple. It's very easy to learn while the mechanics are also deep and you seem to learn new things all the time. It's fun and easy to play with friends, the classes are unique and the artwork is great too. My negatives are that while it's fun, it can get repetitive, so i recommend Hearthstone in short bursts. The expansion prices are ridiculous and it costs a few bucks to get new packs unless you earn them by coins (takes a while) or through daily quests (which those cards aren't even good). So in a way, it IS pay to win. But it is still a fun game to play if you need to kill some time.… Expand
  35. adamovic
    Jun 20, 2016
    9
    Pros:
    - this game is very varied in strategies and requires skill (best streamers get in average 7 win per arena (Kripp, Adwecta) comparing to average 3), there are many classes which means many strategies (at least 4-5 classes good for arena and I'm meeting various classes in standard battles)
    - you can play as a free player and if you are really good you can reach a legendary level    Pros:
    - this game is very varied in strategies and requires skill (best streamers get in average 7 win per arena (Kripp, Adwecta) comparing to average 3), there are many classes which means many strategies (at least 4-5 classes good for arena and I'm meeting various classes in standard battles)
    - you can play as a free player and if you are really good you can reach a legendary level over time (since with avg 7 arena you effectively earn by playing arena)
    - great animations and sound makes it more enjoyable
    - also not too slow comparing to many CCG (this is a huge advantage comparing to mtg clones)

    Cons:
    - sometimes feeling nothing that day to play to enjoy in the game
    - sometimes feeling high imbalance even on same player lvl
    - no really free quest (requires high amount of tokens for a free to play)
    - even paid quest feels sometimes not enjoyable at all

    But in overall there is not better digital CCG at the market in my opinion and I've tried dozens    … Expand
  36. RaiKoi
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    As someone who would never think to play a CCG, Hearthstone has taken me by surprise! It's easy to access game-play was a downside to me at first but the more I played it (at first just with friends), the more I started to enjoy it for it's depth. Not to mention the amazing artwork that's in the game, from the spell-animations to the sound effects, the golden card-animations and more. NowAs someone who would never think to play a CCG, Hearthstone has taken me by surprise! It's easy to access game-play was a downside to me at first but the more I played it (at first just with friends), the more I started to enjoy it for it's depth. Not to mention the amazing artwork that's in the game, from the spell-animations to the sound effects, the golden card-animations and more. Now that Hearthstone is really getting bigger in the competitive scene I'm only looking forward more and more to what it will have to offer as an e-sport.… Expand
  37. ThatBrayKid
    Apr 19, 2014
    9
    Many reviewers seem to be trashing the game simply because they aren't very good at it, and don't understand the mechanics. That's too bad, because the game itself is fantastic. There's a lot to do with constructive play and arena play. Ranked and casual matches as well. The classes are initially very balanced, with strengths and weaknesses for each class. However, skilled playersMany reviewers seem to be trashing the game simply because they aren't very good at it, and don't understand the mechanics. That's too bad, because the game itself is fantastic. There's a lot to do with constructive play and arena play. Ranked and casual matches as well. The classes are initially very balanced, with strengths and weaknesses for each class. However, skilled players will understand card synergy and use this knowledge to crush unskilled players. If those unskilled players would just play and practice, thinking about their mistakes, they would realize the game is much better than what they initially thought. That's what happened to me. Hearthstone is a fantastic, deep card game, with a large amount of replay-ability, and a solid community based around it. Give it a shot, you'll probably be hooked.… Expand
  38. Raskol
    Mar 26, 2014
    9
    Love this game, its short fast fun, Blizzard made a nice thing here, lets hope they keep it. While easy to learn it is complex, ive got many of my friends in to this game, even my parrents, and there over 60.
  39. Adzi
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    I'll start off by saying I never liked card games, I was never interested in them and I thought they were a waste of time, but I decided to give this game a go because it's interface looked gorgeous.

    I tried it for a couple of games and here I am, a couple of months later still playing it, still climbing to legend. This game is amazing, if it wasn't for the glitches and issues with    I'll start off by saying I never liked card games, I was never interested in them and I thought they were a waste of time, but I decided to give this game a go because it's interface looked gorgeous.

    I tried it for a couple of games and here I am, a couple of months later still playing it, still climbing to legend.

    This game is amazing, if it wasn't for the glitches and issues with EU servers I'd saw it's flawless.

    Cards are pretty balanced aside from about 15% of the cards, these 15% don't get used in the current meta for obvious reasons but if you try to make them work, they WILL work.

    Classes are so beautifully designed. The meta keeps turning around and every single time you see a class at the bottom of the winrates you can expect that by the end of the month it will for some reason make it to the top again.

    I never spent a penny and I managed to get all the core cards for most of the decks in just the first couple of days, due to the insane headstart that the game gives you with all the packs and the arena ticket and such.

    You can get all the cards in the game without spending a penny by simply being decent at the arena. Grinding gold becomes absolutely no problem if you just spend some effort into learning the mechanics and the game.
    I'd definitely recommend this game to anyone who likes card games or is remotely interested in them. Everything about it will hook you into it. It will end up being really difficult NOT to spend money on it not because it requires grinding, but because it's so beautifully designed you will not be able to wait to get the cards.    … Expand
  40. Davidesol
    May 5, 2014
    9
    Great and fun game, the problem is luck determinant in a lot of matches, and also opening packs, but well, is a card game so i guess it should be ok.
    The second problem i found is the game needs something else to keep me playing it, i just log in do my dailies and quit.
  41. atro
    Oct 25, 2016
    10
    Really fun strategy game with a lot of depth. A lot of people are calling it pay2win, which is partially true, but not necessarily. You get quests everyday which get you currency, more than enough so that you can be a top tier player if you grind and try, for completely free
  42. DonutTyrant
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    Arena mode gives players random cards to build a deck with before having us go head to head. Cannot buy cards for arena, only player skill matters there. This is where the fun is at so do yourself the service of playing this amazing free to play game. You have nothing to lose but your time.
  43. ThaCandymann
    May 29, 2014
    10
    Hearthstone is absolutely wonderful. You can either be in a very fast paced game with a lot of attacking, Or you could be in a very defensive game where a lot of health cards and taunt cards are played. Its also about the strategies and the good thing about Hearthstone is that it allows you to use all the class that are available and all the class have their strengths and weakness. It allHearthstone is absolutely wonderful. You can either be in a very fast paced game with a lot of attacking, Or you could be in a very defensive game where a lot of health cards and taunt cards are played. Its also about the strategies and the good thing about Hearthstone is that it allows you to use all the class that are available and all the class have their strengths and weakness. It all comes down to your strategies and how you use your good cards and how you use your not so good ones.… Expand
  44. NebbishD
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    I enjoy games with a good amount of depth to them, and generally shy away from any games "casual" in nature, so it's a significant statement to say I've continued playing the game since the early days of the closed beta.

    Rather than re-state everything good about the game that has already been said, I'd rather debunk a lot of the (false) assertions made in some of the mixed and negative    I enjoy games with a good amount of depth to them, and generally shy away from any games "casual" in nature, so it's a significant statement to say I've continued playing the game since the early days of the closed beta.

    Rather than re-state everything good about the game that has already been said, I'd rather debunk a lot of the (false) assertions made in some of the mixed and negative reviews.

    The three most common complaints:

    1. "It's pay to win; the only way you can get a good deck is if you pour tons of money or grinding hours into opening hundreds of packs to get the legendary cards." My stance: In general I hate the microtransaction model in any game, but it's very well developed and is in no way pay to win in HS. There are plenty of testimonials of players who have poured literally hundreds of dollars into the game who still find themselves flagging on ladder. Many pros and streamers have demonstrated "budget" decks with few or no rare cards that have made it to the highest levels of constructed ladder. I mostly play arena, and I've never had to pay to enter; the daily gold quests and arena winnings have given me a steady surplus of gold. To date I haven't had to grind OR pay to win a lot and have fun. To be fair, I've got a high win/loss ratio, so the majority of players (especially new players) will indeed have to either play constructed ladder in between arena runs to earn money from quests or occasionally pay the $2 for an arena entry. But, the system rewards skill; if you play well and make the right decisions, you make a profit on your arena-ing. That potential alone makes the microtransaction model palatable to me. (Naturally, I'm biased, but still; I wouldn't mind paying for the occasional arena entry if I knew it were possible for me to become skilled enough to play for free).

    2. "It's imbalanced; X class is OP". There are inevitably going to be some differences in balance when there are nine classes to choose from and only 200 cards in total. But, there is no class that is completely discounted in constructed; in the most popular set of 14 or so deck lists in the legend (read: highest) ladder, every class is represented at least once. In arena, hunter is decidedly weaker, and mage perhaps a bit better than others, but the "luck of the draw" style of arena balances (or at least mitigates) the power factor of any given race. I've reached 12 wins in arena (the best you can do in an arena run) with 4 classes at this point, including some classes I originally thought would be very difficult to accomplish this with.

    3. "It's too casual and simplistic". Although (after putting many hours into the game) I'm indeed finding myself wanting a bit more depth, it's got enough strategic relevance to compel professional gamers to divert considerable careers to Hearthstone (consider Day[9], Kripparian, and Artosis, to name a few). If this were truly the flappy birds of Card Carrying Games, these players wouldn't have looked twice at the Hearthstone experience.

    It's not a perfect game, and they're still working out some of the bugs, but they've made a lot of progress over the past few months. And on the whole, it does a better job at merging the accessibility of a casual game with the depth and persistence of a big title than any other game I've seen to date.

    I was a bit surprised to find so many (essentially misinformed/wrong)    … Expand
  45. Aukerai
    Apr 28, 2014
    8
    So... This is Blizzard's implementation of a DTCG, or Digital Trading Card Game. Let me first off, state that "Free to Play" is a highly inappropriate name for *ANY* (YES, ANY) trading card game. Why? Because at the end of the day, you can buy booster packs to get more cards, and in turn, improve your deck.

    This is a FACT that permeates EVERY trading card game, be it Magic, YGO, Shadow    So... This is Blizzard's implementation of a DTCG, or Digital Trading Card Game. Let me first off, state that "Free to Play" is a highly inappropriate name for *ANY* (YES, ANY) trading card game. Why? Because at the end of the day, you can buy booster packs to get more cards, and in turn, improve your deck.

    This is a FACT that permeates EVERY trading card game, be it Magic, YGO, Shadow Era, HEX etc etc etc.

    Now, I've been playing trading card games for a few years, and went to a few regional competitions for some of the above TCGs, so I do have some experience with TCG business models. So how does Hearthstones stack up?

    At $2 at pack, it slams right in the middle. It's not as cheap as Shadow Era (at $1 a pack), it's the same price as HEX ($2), cheaper than YGO ($4-5) and MUCH cheaper than Magic ($6 a pack). As a matter of fact, this lands it in the lower end of pack pricing, and this is a plus. HOWEVER, this game does NOT have any form of trading system (any physical TCG, and most DTCGs), nor does it allow you to sell your cards for currency (ie. Shadow Era) to buy new ones. In it's place is crafting.

    Crafting is vastly inferior to all of these options, and does make it harder to acquire cards for free than other options. Keep in mind though, that if you intend to play a TCG, you MUST be willing to pay at least some amount of money in order to be able to be competitive. This has ALWAYS been a part of TCGs, and it can not / will not change with the TCG business model.

    --------------------------------------

    Now onto the game itself.

    Hearthstone is a very pretty, smooth and polished experience as far as turn structure and flow goes. There are no spell chains, which means there's no turn priority. Either it's your turn, or it's not. This means that initially, this game may come off as overly simplified, and to some extent, you would be right. However, in comparison to traditional TCGs, where you have to play around the knowledge of counters and cards in your turn, you are presented with another, more interesting conundrum. You have to figure out what's in your opponents hand based on their play-style, and figure out how to effectively trade against their board presence, while dealing damage to the player themselves. This is somewhat alleviated by the class system, but you definitely need to think about your moves before you make them.

    As always, luck is a constant factor in ALL TCGs, but Hearthstone is a little more offensive, with RNG spells such as Arcane Bolts, and other luck based cards. This does detract from the skill ceiling, but at the same time, it can be a good bit of fun, and does open up the game a bit for the casual players.

    In conclusion, the business model comes as NO surprise (it's a TCG... TCGs have always and will always cost some form of money), the graphics are fast, fluid and polished, the turn structures is interesting and games take a fairly short amount of time. The game itself is simultaneously complex and simple, which is both a good and a bad thing.

    I knocked 2 points from the score for the total lack of a trading system, with none on the road-map, and a (currently) poorly implemented crafting system.

    Off the record, I'm knocking an additional 0.5 off the score for the RNG elements, but that's a personal preference.

    This is a great game to play, while your in between other games, or only have 10-15 minutes available. Drop $20-30 on the game, and you'll mainly skip the poor crafting system, and have a very competitive deck.    … Expand
  46. Leap8
    Mar 19, 2014
    10
    For starters do not listen to the people who say that this game is pay to win. Players have reached the top of the rankings in the game without paying a penny and indeed some have reached very high just using the basic decks given to the player at the start of the game. This game can feel unfair sometimes and i believe that is what these players are feeling. However this is due to theFor starters do not listen to the people who say that this game is pay to win. Players have reached the top of the rankings in the game without paying a penny and indeed some have reached very high just using the basic decks given to the player at the start of the game. This game can feel unfair sometimes and i believe that is what these players are feeling. However this is due to the random nature of some of the cards and the very real aspect of luck involved in drafting the right cards for the right situation. Although this leads to some seemingly unfair games it does tend to balance itself out the more games you play. Anyway now the good and the bad. (Also please remember that this game is free and every card in the game can be earned without paying a penny!)

    Good:
    Brilliant and addictive card game. The sounds and animations are both extremely satisfying and the graphics are very reminiscent of WoW which gives it a nostalgic feel. As mentioned above the payment method is rather moot depending on how you wish to play the game. If you want to jump into the game and be able to play every deck then and there you will have to sink in some money to buy packs of cards. However this is not how the game is meant to be played and is much more suited to a slow progression doing quests and arena runs (its the journey people). Not to mention skilled players have reached the top of the rankings just days after starting a new free account.

    Bad:
    So far everything has been quite positive but like every game it is not perfect (which is not what a 10 indicates fyi). The game does still even after release suffer from some annoying card swapping and overlapping bugs, these can be a real pain and even cost you games. The game is also very lacking in playing modes. Only two currently exist at launch, constructed and arena. This problem is likely to be addressed in later expansion packs or DLC but for the moment the area is lacking.
    Certain cards in the game are just simply stronger versions of others and are almost a 100% pick every time in a deck, this can make match ups very repetitive as you are bound to see these certain cards in every game. Unfortunately most of these cards are legendary (which are very rare) which often leads people to believe the game is pay to win (even though these cards are fully achievable through free means).    … Expand
  47. 8fortime
    Mar 31, 2014
    9
    Hearthstone is casually addictive and fun. The soothing music and the nice feel to the aesthetic make you sit there for hours. It has a nice depth in the gameplay and easy to get into.
  48. jlplatten
    Mar 17, 2014
    10
    This game is addictivelyfun!

    Those scoring this game extremely low don't have a valid argument as to why they don't like the game. First off, the game is FREE! Those complaining they can't easily get a good deck when they paid nothing for the game are ridiculous. Blizzard has to make some kind of money on their products, or else they wouldn't produce any. View the download of this game    This game is addictivelyfun!

    Those scoring this game extremely low don't have a valid argument as to why they don't like the game. First off, the game is FREE! Those complaining they can't easily get a good deck when they paid nothing for the game are ridiculous. Blizzard has to make some kind of money on their products, or else they wouldn't produce any. View the download of this game as a free trial. You can play through some fun tutorials with basic cards, unlock everything you can with the free decks you can get, and then when ready to take on online opponents, be prepared to get whooped... which is still fun, because you get to see the various deck strategies others have put together, and gives you ideas on your own. I'm having so much fun with this game, I decided to pay $50 for more cards, which is really the price of a normal game nowadays anyways. Second, when you play ranked games, your rank fluctuates up and down based on games you win/lose, so more times than not you are playing up against equally ranked opponents with similarly powerful decks.

    I wish Blizzard had a whiner-detector to prevent the complainers from downloading their free game.    … Expand
  49. Tikicobra
    Mar 14, 2014
    9
    As someone who isn't a huge card game fan, I find this game to be insanely fun and addictive. The gameplay is simple and easy to pick up, but it's full of hidden depth and strategy. The look is charming, the card art is amazing, the music is delightful, and the matchmaking is great about pitting you against players of your own level. The freemium elements are brilliantly implemented, and IAs someone who isn't a huge card game fan, I find this game to be insanely fun and addictive. The gameplay is simple and easy to pick up, but it's full of hidden depth and strategy. The look is charming, the card art is amazing, the music is delightful, and the matchmaking is great about pitting you against players of your own level. The freemium elements are brilliantly implemented, and I don't feel at all like they're being forced down my throat or as if they're necessary.

    The game is free, guys. Get it.    … Expand
  50. Qwerto227
    May 1, 2014
    10
    Just need to provide a quick response to all those people who are calling it P2W. there are a huge amount of examples of decent players getting to legendary rank using only common cards (most of which you start with and the rest of which are really cheap and you will most likely get them in packs without paying anything quite quickly) the only reason you think it is P2W is because you areJust need to provide a quick response to all those people who are calling it P2W. there are a huge amount of examples of decent players getting to legendary rank using only common cards (most of which you start with and the rest of which are really cheap and you will most likely get them in packs without paying anything quite quickly) the only reason you think it is P2W is because you are bad at the game and need to find something to blame. If you are looking for examples of getting to legendary with commons just search "Trump" on youtube. Anyway the game is really fun and a lot deeper than it seems at first.… Expand
  51. Hossimo
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    Since the beta my new favorite card game. I have played a small amount of MTG Online and while this is not the same game it is far more approachable and entertaining.
  52. Metalsand
    Mar 17, 2014
    8
    A fun game of card-chess for anyone to play, not just serious card game players. It takes all the convoluted, and unnecessary rules within most card games and throws them out the window in favor of easy to learn, hard to master gameplay. The only card-game I've ever truly had fun with and had some strategics thought of with.

    One of the oddest parts is the F2P element, which is somehow    A fun game of card-chess for anyone to play, not just serious card game players. It takes all the convoluted, and unnecessary rules within most card games and throws them out the window in favor of easy to learn, hard to master gameplay. The only card-game I've ever truly had fun with and had some strategics thought of with.

    One of the oddest parts is the F2P element, which is somehow fit into the game. Decks are based on a few token cards that you include in nearly any deck you can, but some of these token cards are night impossible to obtain unless you play 100 hours+ or pump over $100 into the game.

    Overall though, I really like it a lot. A good player can win with a bad deck, and a bad player can lose with the best deck, it really is up to the person itself just as much as it is with the deck they make.    … Expand
  53. Humboldt1337
    Jan 17, 2019
    8
    I really enjoy Hearthstone, but I think that is because I have been playing since day 1. I have never invested any money, and have yet to complete the original "classic" card set - However I am close. I can definitely see how people are frustrated by this game if you are brand new or cannot spend money on it. The new cards are infinitely better than the old cards - So unless you are onI really enjoy Hearthstone, but I think that is because I have been playing since day 1. I have never invested any money, and have yet to complete the original "classic" card set - However I am close. I can definitely see how people are frustrated by this game if you are brand new or cannot spend money on it. The new cards are infinitely better than the old cards - So unless you are on the money treadmill you will lose A LOT. These days I can usually get to lvl 19 just by using the premade "basic" decks from the various classes. If you are a parent, I would definitely prevent your kids from spending money on this unless you want to go broke.… Expand
  54. smk123
    Mar 31, 2014
    8
    I never thought I would enjoy a card game as much as I have enjoyed Hearthstone, it is immaculately well presented and does a fantastic job of easing card-game newbies like myself into how the systems work etc. Each class feels unique and has its own quirks you will soon learn, and the free to play model is not at all unfair surprisingly, one of the top ranked players managed to get to theI never thought I would enjoy a card game as much as I have enjoyed Hearthstone, it is immaculately well presented and does a fantastic job of easing card-game newbies like myself into how the systems work etc. Each class feels unique and has its own quirks you will soon learn, and the free to play model is not at all unfair surprisingly, one of the top ranked players managed to get to the highest league with completely free, basic cards, just goes to show it is often down to skill!

    However after my 60 hours ish of playing I find myself less interested in the game, I think this is because the meta-game (arena aside) is all too predictable and the game uickly becomes stale at higher levels, if you don't have enough gold to enter the arena (or don't want to pay real money) then at the moment I think it is too-samey, but by all means try it, it's fantastic fun for quite a long time and I'm sure when more content drops I'll be dragged right back in    … Expand
  55. XelNecra
    Apr 23, 2014
    8
    I assume when you read reviews, you read multiple reviews anyway. They tell you enough about the game and the gameplay. That's why i will only adress one specific part of hearthstone:

    Pay to win. This is a Trading card game. If you spend money on it, you get boosters with cards. Meaning: If you buy more boosters with real money, you have more and rarer cards than others. This is a    I assume when you read reviews, you read multiple reviews anyway. They tell you enough about the game and the gameplay. That's why i will only adress one specific part of hearthstone:

    Pay to win.

    This is a Trading card game. If you spend money on it, you get boosters with cards. Meaning: If you buy more boosters with real money, you have more and rarer cards than others. This is a basic concept of trading card games, it has been for over 15 years now. If you do not like this concept: Do not play Trading card games, and do not play Hearthstone because it is a trading card game. Playing a trading card game and complaining that paying money for cards gives you an advantage is like eating chocolate and then complaining that you get fat.

    But: Good guy Blizzard has you covered even when you got no money at hand. The "Arena Mode" ("draft" for those who played other TCGs) allows you to create a deck by picking from randomly selected cards which don't have to be owned, and then play against others who also have a deck created the same way. This means: No matter how much money you put into this game, in Arena you are all equal. So, if you do not like the monetisation model of Trading card games, then you can play Arena games and have a fair chance of winning each and every single game. If you are really good with playing arena, the earnings from it cover the entry cost for an arena round, meaning you can play Arena all day long and don't have to pay a cent of real money.

    If anything this is an improvement over the monetisation models of all trading card games in existence, only made possible since this is a PC game.

    More points you might be interested in:

    Gameplay: Blizzard created an enjoyable trading-card-game. The rules are pretty transparent, especially when you already played other trading card games. You can only make decisions during your turn. You might argue that this takes away from the game's depth, but i think it was the right decision for an online game. All in all, the gameplay is fun.

    Advanced Tactics: There is much room for combo play (combinations of cards to enhance their effectiveness). Even a few tribals (cards with a type that synergize well with each other just by belonging to this type) are added already.

    Cards: The amount of cards is decent, but the card pool could be a little larger. New cards are supposed to appear on a regular base. Major complaint: Some cards are a little strong standalone, but this is a recurring theme with all trading card games in existence as well, i just hoped they'd get it right. Card limitations make sure that these cards appear less often, so we got that going for us.

    All in All:
    I deduce one point for not being able to act during an opponents turn. Adding this feature would be a challenge, yes, but it would be worth it for the added depth.
    I deduce one point for the power of some standalone cards - these cards are truly game-changing, but neither do they require you to combo them in any way, nor do some of them offer counterplay because their effect (without combo) already goes of before the next turn starts. That's Anti-fun, and could have been solved better.

    8/10 would recommend.    … Expand
  56. Ixnatifual
    May 17, 2014
    8
    Like most collectible card games, Hearthstone is based on the Pay 2 Win model. The advantage of paying money is that you get access to new cards quicker than can be done by simply playing. It's highly unlikely you'll ever get all cards available simply by playing, especially so with expansions introducing new cards. The payment aspect is particularly devious, as when you buy a pack ofLike most collectible card games, Hearthstone is based on the Pay 2 Win model. The advantage of paying money is that you get access to new cards quicker than can be done by simply playing. It's highly unlikely you'll ever get all cards available simply by playing, especially so with expansions introducing new cards. The payment aspect is particularly devious, as when you buy a pack of cards, the contents are random. So mostly you will get useless cards or cards you already have. It's like a slot machine and it pulls all bells and whistles out as you open your newly acquired packs.

    The game itself is deceptively simple. The tutorial quickly teaches new players the rules and pits them against other beginners as they enter the online gamespace. Play the game for an extended period of time and you will find the game is both highly enjoyable and has more depth to it than you might have thought at first glance.

    While luck plays a major part, there's a lot of skill involved as well. The game adresses many issues found in other collectible card games such as Magic: The Gathering (clearly a big inspiration for Hearthstone) and manages to be easy to learn and hard to master.

    If you're put off by the Pay 2 Win model, Hearthstone offers an arena mode that has players create their decks by random drafts, giving no advantage to players who've bought card packs. Arena can be a very fun and rewarding experience, but unless you are highly skilled or willing to pay money for access, can only be delved in occasionally as it has a rather steep entry fee, especially if you choose to pay with real money instead of in-game gold.

    Overall, a very enjoyable game, but with a very greedy and obfuscated business model designed to make your gamble your money away in small chunks. Recommended for responsible consumers. Stay far away if you have any kind of gambling problem.    … Expand
  57. GuruJoeyy
    May 26, 2014
    9
    An excellent way to spice up the Warcraft world, it has a pay to win system (in a very VERY lose sense of the word) Everything in the game can be obtained for free, it is also not extremely difficult to compete again kids who steal their parents credit card because you can very much obtain a very good deck without having to pay for it within a single week of play. You can only buy cardAn excellent way to spice up the Warcraft world, it has a pay to win system (in a very VERY lose sense of the word) Everything in the game can be obtained for free, it is also not extremely difficult to compete again kids who steal their parents credit card because you can very much obtain a very good deck without having to pay for it within a single week of play. You can only buy card packs (possibly cosmetic items) so far and I assume that is the way it'll stay, the ranking system can't be cheated with money and you can't buy advantages. A lot of people are judging this game cause they get into it and get destroyed because their decks are underdeveloped and know nothing of the game and assume 'must be the pay to win system'. No the game is very much fair to either side, even if you drop 10 grand on cards in the game some cards can't be gained from packs.

    If you aren't easily frustrated and are willing to become a noob again (your best blizzard knowledge won't help you here) then download it for free from the site no fee or anything at the very least you can use it to keep in contact with WoW,Starcraft,or Diablo friends without having to buy a game/subscription.    … Expand
  58. Mags1412
    Jun 12, 2014
    9
    A phenomenal free to play card game. I would advise most to disregard the complaints of it being "pay to win" as I've only ever spent 10$ and have achieved Legend Rank (the highest Constructed Rank) once and sub 3 in the other seasons. It is by far the cheapest and most satisfying card game I've played. If you become even slightly good at the game you can actually profit unlimited gold inA phenomenal free to play card game. I would advise most to disregard the complaints of it being "pay to win" as I've only ever spent 10$ and have achieved Legend Rank (the highest Constructed Rank) once and sub 3 in the other seasons. It is by far the cheapest and most satisfying card game I've played. If you become even slightly good at the game you can actually profit unlimited gold in Arena while supplying yourself unlimited game play. At the absolute very least this game is worth the download for anyone remotely interested in card games.… Expand
  59. ns0l
    Aug 11, 2014
    10
    Insanely amusing. I wasn't sure about it but after I tried I became obsessed by it. What a talent! to build such a Great solid game. And it's gonna be much better by DLCs and updates. And a free for all. I wanna kiss everyone in Blizzard company.
  60. reijison
    May 22, 2014
    10
    I've spent countless hours on this game already. Great freemium game, easy to pick up and play, no purchase required. You can watch pro players start with free accounts and rise to the top with no purchases on Twitch. Good stuff.
  61. chazden
    Jun 21, 2014
    10
    I never thought I'd get into a card game but this ones growing on me every time I play. I cant speak on the competitive side of this game because I'm a complete noob to this genre of game but its certainly fun and strangely addicting!
  62. dodgingbullet
    Sep 15, 2014
    8
    Hearthstone has the possibility to become the "next big thing" for pc gamers and TCG lovers.
    Yet, it needs polishing, it needs more cards and more players.
    Once since all requirements are met, no doubt we will see Heartstone has next big e-sport.
    Thumbs up for Blizzard for delivering once again.
  63. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    8
    Played on PC & Mobile.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GREAT.
  64. Dubstep
    Mar 25, 2014
    8
    First things first: it is NOT pay to win. A bunch of legendaries or epics won't win you a single game, because in order to use them right you need some know-how and skill. HOWEVER if you do play with a solid mixture of basic and easy to obtain expert cards, you can beat even legendary decks.

    The game itsself lacks some of the tactical depth of MTG (which obviously was role model for    First things first: it is NOT pay to win. A bunch of legendaries or epics won't win you a single game, because in order to use them right you need some know-how and skill. HOWEVER if you do play with a solid mixture of basic and easy to obtain expert cards, you can beat even legendary decks.

    The game itsself lacks some of the tactical depth of MTG (which obviously was role model for this game)
    but also purges the gameplay of unnecessary aspects that take speed out of matched (beeing landflodded etc). Balancing is well done. Sound is nice. Graphics are Ok.
    In short: I like it.

    Let's see if Blizzard comes with some options to give their players long term motivation apart from getting all important cards or becoming a legendary ranked player.    … Expand
  65. Matthewalcen
    May 10, 2014
    8
    The references from World of Warcraft are very nice, but the game actually gets a little stale, with few content patches. 11 out of 10, will not play again.
  66. JohnWitten
    Sep 29, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall Premise: Digital Card Games x Warcraft to the greatest effect.

    Graphics and Sound: The graphics look like Warcraft to be sure and the the sound effects to accompany cards are definitely…interesting at times throughout.

    Playability and Entertainment: Definitely very accessible and entertaining to collect cards as you progress in skill.

    Replay Value: High.

    Overall Score: 9.25/10.0    … Expand
  67. flamedstones
    Mar 12, 2017
    10
    This is the most wonderful card game ive ever played. Not only because of the dynamic of every match but because of how it grows with every expansion and the desire of the developers to do it greater every day
    even if sometimes the ranked play get you bored you have arena drafts which is the best mode of the game and you can play it even without having a single card
    shut up Ben Brode    This is the most wonderful card game ive ever played. Not only because of the dynamic of every match but because of how it grows with every expansion and the desire of the developers to do it greater every day
    even if sometimes the ranked play get you bored you have arena drafts which is the best mode of the game and you can play it even without having a single card
    shut up Ben Brode and take my money.    … Expand
  68. Baxstabber
    May 5, 2014
    8
    Hearthstone, an easy game to get into, a difficult game to master.
    Being terrifically fun and rewarding to play Hearthstone is a F2P card game that allows the cards to be collected via monetary transactions or just devoting time to the game.
    I myself have never spent a penny on the card and have very strong decks, I did this by taking advantage of the daily quest system that gives bonus    Hearthstone, an easy game to get into, a difficult game to master.
    Being terrifically fun and rewarding to play Hearthstone is a F2P card game that allows the cards to be collected via monetary transactions or just devoting time to the game.
    I myself have never spent a penny on the card and have very strong decks, I did this by taking advantage of the daily quest system that gives bonus gold for completing the quest of the day. It has taken me a bit of time and at first I did think it was a bit pay to win, as my friend bought 40 card packs and had infinitely better decks than I did for a time. However this scope is limited, and although you can fast-track to get full decks, the game is definitely not pay to win, and has been proved numerous times by a youtuber by the name of Trump who has got to legendary status (top rank) with each class without spending a penny using the very convenient "Disenchant" system to craft the powerful cards he needed.
    The game is well balanced, although there are classes that are slightly weaker than others, with a well crafted deck, all the classes have a chance to shine.
    The Arena, is also a fun feature which allows you to draft a random deck, although costing a hefty 150 gold (2-3 daily quests worth) or £1.50, can be a great way to build your deck as the rewards are plentiful. I actually recommend using your 150 gold to go into arena, as if you break even with a 3-3 score you will nearly always get a card pack and a third of the gold back.
    The way the cards are split are into commons, rares, epics and legendaries. As much as people will try to tell you that legendaries are infinitely overpowered, this is however not the case with the exception of 1-2/30. The higher you go up the rarity of card, the more obscure the card becomes making them usually highly situational, making the basic cards more useful than a lot of the legendaries.
    In terms of technicality the game is still buggy even after their "launch" however I highly recommend the game to any card loving gamers.

    Overall the game is an 8/10, I feel that the card game itself has considerable depth with opportunities for absurdity, however the business model has put a lot of people off, but like I say I put in maybe 5 games a day (an hour max usually) and my decks are becoming strong fast and I haven't spent a penny, and youtubers like Trump have continually put the model to the test and beat it.    … Expand
  69. Orhunkk
    Oct 4, 2014
    8
    Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is the greatest digital card game for everyone.It is very easy to learn and difficult to master. The musical score and sounds are very good as well.
  70. SeriousMike
    Jun 19, 2014
    10
    Very good game. Everything "game-y" is great and it has high production values.
    But for some reason I am getting "matched" with people with several legendaries, combo decks that kill me in a minute. I bought about 14 packs for real money. I got several legenadaries, epics and rares.
    I have build a deck that "ran" from rank 20 to rank 17 without losing. Again I am getting matched with    Very good game. Everything "game-y" is great and it has high production values.
    But for some reason I am getting "matched" with people with several legendaries, combo decks that kill me in a minute. I bought about 14 packs for real money. I got several legenadaries, epics and rares.
    I have build a deck that "ran" from rank 20 to rank 17 without losing. Again I am getting matched with people who obviously paid way more for cards, with cards that cost INSANE amounts of dust they had to buy them.
    Also, WHAT THE **** is Arena ? Paying real money ? *sigh*    … Expand
  71. shaund91
    Nov 14, 2014
    10
    At first glance I did not think much of this game, as a long time MTG player I thought it was a cheap knockoff without the depth and complexity. I admit I was wrong. If you like card games this is a must try. I was worried that taking out the concept of having to draw your mana would simplify the game but that isn't the case, it actually makes it more complex by taking out the randomnessAt first glance I did not think much of this game, as a long time MTG player I thought it was a cheap knockoff without the depth and complexity. I admit I was wrong. If you like card games this is a must try. I was worried that taking out the concept of having to draw your mana would simplify the game but that isn't the case, it actually makes it more complex by taking out the randomness of someone not having enough or too much mana. Even with a small card pool to choose from there are a myriad of decks to choose from and build and they have already added 30 new cards to the game with another 120 coming in December with the first expansion. The biggest draw for me was the fact that it is free and you can not trade cards, eliminating any chance of a market for the best cards like Magic has. Either pay for packs or earn them and same goes for arena games. As with most free games there is no reason not to try it and if you are a card game player this one will hold your attention for a while.… Expand
  72. 15CharactersMax
    Mar 26, 2014
    10
    It is a card game and does have some level of a random element to it. When I started playing it first felt like just a card game but on for your PC. I kept playing and really got into the game when I realized the versatility of the characters and how every class not only has a different play style but how you can actually pick out your style of play for each class. If you do not likeIt is a card game and does have some level of a random element to it. When I started playing it first felt like just a card game but on for your PC. I kept playing and really got into the game when I realized the versatility of the characters and how every class not only has a different play style but how you can actually pick out your style of play for each class. If you do not like strategy based card games, stay away - If you have never played one before, Hearthstone provides a great experience to learn the game and test your deck building and strategy skills.… Expand
  73. DeusXCom
    Jan 31, 2015
    9
    Excellent game that filled the empty void perfectly. I have never played any of these collectible card games, but this sucked me right in, the UI is incredibly friendly and after a short, but fun tutorial you're already familiar with basic game mechanics, even though it's just cards, it doesn't stop them from being visually impressive, every single card has a beautiful hand-drawn picture,Excellent game that filled the empty void perfectly. I have never played any of these collectible card games, but this sucked me right in, the UI is incredibly friendly and after a short, but fun tutorial you're already familiar with basic game mechanics, even though it's just cards, it doesn't stop them from being visually impressive, every single card has a beautiful hand-drawn picture, music is fantastic and even some themes and nostalgic elements, such as the music from Warcraft 2 in the loading screens, I played WC2 in the 90's quite a lot, so nostalgia works flawlessly here. Even though it's simple to learn, huge variety of cards, 9 different classes, synergies, crafting etc. it's all complex enough to sink your teeth into and spend long time with it. But that's where this game is not developed yet, content. There is basically just a deathmatch casual, ranked, or arena and that's it. I'm missing some quality story mode or campaign mode Blizzard is known for. Right now there is just Naxxramas wings to unlock, which is basically just a couple of custom matches against AI with overpowered powers. Not to mention that to unlock individual wings you must grind like crazy for months to be able to earn enough in-game gold. Or of course pay for it in cash, which it was probably designed for, but to pay for it in cash I would expect much more than just a few AI duels. I respect the in-app purchases as the game itself is free, but if you limit yourself to stick with ingame gold, the grinding you have to endure to buy new Naxrammas wings or even packs is pretty hard. Overall, I love Hearthstone, the core of the game is fantastic, but it really needs more story expansions in order to keep my attention and it's lifespan in the future. 9/10… Expand
  74. Paulo_Jorge
    Mar 17, 2014
    9
    Heartsone - Heroes of Warcraft is one of the best card games that I've ever played, the design is beatiful and motivational, the voiceover is perfect in all lenguages, the rules are simple and easylearned, but as you level up in the game, it gets harder and harder, a well balanced game. The classes, cards, decks creation, cratures, magics, everything that you need in a card gameHeartsone - Heroes of Warcraft is one of the best card games that I've ever played, the design is beatiful and motivational, the voiceover is perfect in all lenguages, the rules are simple and easylearned, but as you level up in the game, it gets harder and harder, a well balanced game. The classes, cards, decks creation, cratures, magics, everything that you need in a card game Hearthstone offers you, almost perfect game!… Expand
  75. tsybr
    Jun 3, 2014
    8
    It is fun. Simple old fun. Don't get too attached to it, though. If you play ranked and are on a winning streak but then get a bad card combo, you are gonna cry.
    I won't complain about the pay-to-win model, as Blizzard's gotta make moneys, right? How else will they support the game or provide new content and expansions? Moreover, getting new cards doesn't need that much grinding. You just    It is fun. Simple old fun. Don't get too attached to it, though. If you play ranked and are on a winning streak but then get a bad card combo, you are gonna cry.
    I won't complain about the pay-to-win model, as Blizzard's gotta make moneys, right? How else will they support the game or provide new content and expansions? Moreover, getting new cards doesn't need that much grinding. You just have to finish daily quests for which you get in-game currency which you can use to buy cards. This way you learn plus you earn XP. Crafting mode is also there.
    Only thing is, Anduin (priest) is too darn annoying!    … Expand
  76. morgonfreemun
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    This game puts Magic:The Gathering to shame.
    Altough it's free to play you never feel like its pay to win.
    Great balance and its much faster than Magic.
  77. TheKinBladez
    Apr 3, 2014
    8
    It's fun, it's addictive, and it's free. Well... it starts out that way. The problem with a game like Hearthstone is that just like Magic:The Gathering, there's only one way to really build a good deck, and that's to shell out the cash. Sure, in MTG you can always kill your friends and steal their decks, but that's illegal and generally a good way to get excluded from tournaments. So youIt's fun, it's addictive, and it's free. Well... it starts out that way. The problem with a game like Hearthstone is that just like Magic:The Gathering, there's only one way to really build a good deck, and that's to shell out the cash. Sure, in MTG you can always kill your friends and steal their decks, but that's illegal and generally a good way to get excluded from tournaments. So you want to play (well)? You're going to have to pay.

    Hearthstone is a spiritual successor to the WoW TCG, and as such it follows that same basic principle. If you want to play competitively you're going to end up spending money on it, and I know from Beta there were a lot of people spending literally hundreds of dollars building their decks. That sounds insane to me, as I'm sure it does to you, and rightfully so. It's essentially F2P, but with that P2W aspect looming over it all the time, there's no denying that the really good players are going to be the ones who have bought into it.

    However, that's not necessarily a bad thing or a problem. I don't think we're going to see Hearthstone as some grand esport a la Starcraft, but even if we did keep in mind that you have to buy Starcraft too, so having to pay for Hearthstone isn't a negative, it's a natural part of the industry and that's okay. What is so great about this game is that the casual players who are absolutely terrible at it like I am don't have to pay for a game they're always going to suck at. You can play it, and enjoy yourself, perfectly well without paying a single penny for anything. I have, and I've had a lot of fun with it. Now I can't wait until it comes out on Android devices so I can get fired from my job for playing on the clock, because I know I won't be able to resist.

    8/10- It does exactly what it sets out to do, adapting a beloved TCG to the digital era. It's fun, it's addicting, and the cost of entry is free, which is almost always a plus. Worth the download and definitely worth the time.    … Expand
  78. GreK
    Mar 18, 2014
    9
    Я просто напишу"+" и "-" игры.
    + Интересная боевая система;
    + Хорошая графическая составляющая;
    + Интересно собирать карты;

    - Порой бои выигрываются благодаря удачи вся стратегия коту под хвост.
  79. funkyalex99
    Mar 18, 2014
    8
    A fantastic game that had amazing potential in open beta but did not meet my expectations when released. This is because, in my opinion, there was no hype when released and seemed to be bugger than when it was in open beta. I didn't even know it was out until a few hours ago, however it is still extremely addictive game that when you spend at lest 30 minuets playing it, you are instantlyA fantastic game that had amazing potential in open beta but did not meet my expectations when released. This is because, in my opinion, there was no hype when released and seemed to be bugger than when it was in open beta. I didn't even know it was out until a few hours ago, however it is still extremely addictive game that when you spend at lest 30 minuets playing it, you are instantly attached to it. Blizzard have made some mistakes in the past but this by far is not one of them. 8/10

    :D    … Expand
  80. vlxedits
    Aug 1, 2014
    9
    Fairly simple, extremely fun, and complex in its own way. People say its pay to win, but seriously its not. Yes, legendaries tend to be unfair against players who do not have them, i agree. But, its not like they can dominate the game alone. The designers made it so that EVERY class has some sort of removal. Ex, Rogue with assassinate, hunter with hunter's mark, pally with its equality-Fairly simple, extremely fun, and complex in its own way. People say its pay to win, but seriously its not. Yes, legendaries tend to be unfair against players who do not have them, i agree. But, its not like they can dominate the game alone. The designers made it so that EVERY class has some sort of removal. Ex, Rogue with assassinate, hunter with hunter's mark, pally with its equality- consecrate combo, and so on! Really, hearthstone isn't pay to win if you think about it. Moreover, its a 1/15 chance getting a legendary, so its not like everyone who pays money for packs is getting AMAZING GAMECHANGING CARDS!

    Finally, onto the gameplay. Hearthstone is basically a simpler, online version of Magic, with it being better in some ways, and worst in others. Playing the game actually requires some thinking, strategy, and actual dedication to the game. You may have an amazing deck, you still need to know how to play it, especially versus other classes. However, learning how to play the game is extremely easy.    … Expand
  81. Ads20000
    Apr 6, 2014
    8
    Extremely well made but also extremely difficult and frustrating. Not very addictive for me because it is so strategic but I don't think any other digital CCG has ever got this competitive. Polished in every way although still some bugs about. Looking forward to the Android build :)
  82. wimmy1
    Apr 16, 2014
    8
    A fun game that I have taken a break from, but plan to come back once they add more cards. I find that it is a game that I can play in short bursts. Maybe play it nonstop for a solid 2 weeks. Then maybe take a break for a month or 2. But then be drawn back in by the fast gameplay and funny dialog. The games character is brilliant and turns a basic card game into something that can draw youA fun game that I have taken a break from, but plan to come back once they add more cards. I find that it is a game that I can play in short bursts. Maybe play it nonstop for a solid 2 weeks. Then maybe take a break for a month or 2. But then be drawn back in by the fast gameplay and funny dialog. The games character is brilliant and turns a basic card game into something that can draw you in and make you addicted.… Expand
  83. TheMadNag
    Apr 24, 2014
    8
    There are simply two ways to view this game, one of those is as a casual laidback game to just waste time and have something to do. The other is the competitive invest time and money into and go for gold. As a casual game it hits the nail on the head, this truly is a fun game to waste time and just have fun messing around. Its free to play with little pay to win aspect in the fact that youThere are simply two ways to view this game, one of those is as a casual laidback game to just waste time and have something to do. The other is the competitive invest time and money into and go for gold. As a casual game it hits the nail on the head, this truly is a fun game to waste time and just have fun messing around. Its free to play with little pay to win aspect in the fact that you can buy decks like most card games require. Even when spending money there is no guarantee you will get good cards or even the cards you are looking for, they solve this problem by letting you essentially sell you card back for dust and enough dust will allow you to create any card of your choosing. If you view this game from a competitive angle you will find that it is a game based loosely around luck yet there is some amount to skill involved. It is true that there are certain hero’s / decks that are just flavor of the month and have the ability to wreck havoc but you can overcome it with patience.

    Gameplay: Pretty simple yet very user friendly, the UI is extremely easy and clean to get the hang of, and the game itself is very straight forward. A couple hours and you will have the basic’s down invest more time and you can become a top level player realitively fast as it is a new game and people are still learning.

    Replay Value: Tons, depending on if you enjoy card games with a few twists. Considering the game is free to play there really is no harm done. You will end up playing a lot of cookie cutter builds and same hands but sometimes you can spice things up and throw opponents off guard.

    Overall id say this game is a win, and I say that lightly because knowing blizzard and there market for greed its hard to want to give them any satisfaction. Yet they come through this time and make a fun and enjoyable game from a casual and competitive scene.    … Expand
  84. daniil2015
    Apr 24, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. я поиграл в ету игру но ана шикарная пой на карты играй с друзьями и все тагдали и получай удаволствие… Expand
  85. NotaCarpenter
    Apr 25, 2014
    8
    People seem to dislike the game for it being pay2win. How the process of grinding cards is painfully slow forcing you to buy virtual cards in order to build a deck of any worth. I don't understand the difficulty people have with the concept of paying for something virtual. A film is just as virtual, so is music (unless you use a projector or gramophone). So much is virtual. The fact thatPeople seem to dislike the game for it being pay2win. How the process of grinding cards is painfully slow forcing you to buy virtual cards in order to build a deck of any worth. I don't understand the difficulty people have with the concept of paying for something virtual. A film is just as virtual, so is music (unless you use a projector or gramophone). So much is virtual. The fact that Blizzard don't have to pay the paper trading cards are usually printed on doesn't mean they have to pay the artist and people who create the cards any less. Not to mention how building a collection is a huge part of trading card games. Being given all the cards straight away would be like a RPG without item and level progression.The thing is though, I haven't spent a penny on the game having sunk ~20 something hours into it. I have as many decks as I'm permitted to have, which I all enjoy using, all with their unique features.

    Two methods exist for getting free cards. One is buying a pack, costing 100 gold. Another is to enter 'The Arena' for 150. The Arena gives you a selection of 90 random cards and you get to chose 30, this makes Arena very fun in itself, allowing you to play with cards you otherwise don't have. You fight with this deck until you get 12 wins or 3 losses. Going 0-3 still grants you a pack, so the worst that'll happen is you pay 33% more for a pack. However if you get 6 or more wins The Arena starts paying for itself, giving you a free pack.

    Gold is earned by playing matches, you get daily quests for bonus gold and although generous, they are pretty standard - win x games with x class. Classes are bit like colours in MTG. However a class will have it's unique 'hero power'. This is a move you can do once per turn using up mana, but not costing a card. Mage for example - deal damage to something. Priest - heal something. Although all having minor effects, correct use of them is incredibly important as each card is so valuable in Hearthstone.

    The game is balanced. Looks probably as amazing as a virtual trading card ever could. The feel of playing on a board is very much there, which is humbling. It's fighting system is very fast paced, emphasised by the fact you only have 30 cards decks. This does come with however come with a gripe. The games being so quick, while stimulating and interesting, they're simple and does have more RNG than I would like. I would suspect this would hold back the competitive seen, however it seems to be doing quite well, despite it being still only in beta. Another thing holding the game back, in my opinion is the lack of trading in a trading card game. You can't trade cards. I don't know if this is going to be implemented, but this for me is pretty deal breaking in the long run. There being only limited cards yet released does make this bareable for the time being, but once the game gets bigger it's going to be so difficult to make the deck you want. Blizzard have compensated for this however in a fairly innovative way. You can disenchant cards for a currency which allows you to build new ones. This is great if there's a card you really want, however this it's inefficient. The only time I've really found myself disenchanting a cards for notable amounts 'dust' is when I'm lucky enough to get a legendary or shiny. The disenchant system is fair, but I'd prefer trading.

    This game is good. I really like it. Possibly a bit too RNG for me to be 10/10 stuff, but all trading card games are pretty damn RNG after deck building anyway, If you want to play a trading card game and don't have anyone to play MTG with I do recommend Hearthstone. Because if you think Blizzard are being stingy with cards, wait until you see Wizards modal for MTGO.    … Expand
  86. JustAnotherGamr
    Apr 30, 2014
    8
    At first glance, Hearthstone is very simple. It's a stripped down CCG, with minimal true interaction (I play this, you play that in response). Coming from a background of Magic: the Gathering, I gave it a once over, played a few games, and walked away from the simplicity I saw.

    I came back a short time later, and played more and immersed myself in the game, where I discovered some of    At first glance, Hearthstone is very simple. It's a stripped down CCG, with minimal true interaction (I play this, you play that in response). Coming from a background of Magic: the Gathering, I gave it a once over, played a few games, and walked away from the simplicity I saw.

    I came back a short time later, and played more and immersed myself in the game, where I discovered some of the deeper complexity. It's not as deep or complex as Magic, and quite frankly, that's a huge boost for the game. Magic has been suffering from complexity creep for a while now (the head designer has acknowledged this) and can be very intimidating for new players. Hearthstone doesn't have to worry about that.

    Games are also relatively quick. On average, a game lasts no more than 15 minutes at the longest, and finding games also happens at a relatively quick pace. I can get 5-6 games in inside of an hour very easily, a great upside for me with my schedule.

    There is a random factor, maybe a bit more than other card games, but nothing too extreme from my experiences. You draw bad hands in Magic, you draw bad hands in Hearthstone. Your opponent topdecks the perfect card in Magic, your opponent topdecks the perfect card in Hearthstone. You see where I'm going here.

    Some are complaining it's "Pay2Win." My response is this - it's a CCG. Find me a TCG or CCG where you don't lay money out to win. It's relatively cheap compared to - you guessed it - Magic. You spend $600 on Magic, and you get a deck that's in the standard rotation for another year and may even lose relevance in three months when the next set drops and a hard counter falls from the sky. Modern can cost north of $750-$800, and Legacy/Vintage costs are unspeakable. I've spent roughly $100 on Hearthstone total. I have 7 complete decks that are competitive, plus 4 more that are almost finished. Cards are able to be disenchanted, so once you play a decent amount and earn enough gold for packs or buy enough, you can start to just destroy excess cards.

    The biggest downside for me is Arena. It's a weird Sealed-Draft-hybrid format, but it's very luck dependent. This is the biggest RNG failing the game has. A true sealed or draft style environment (or both? Please, Blizzard?) would be a huge boost to the game, as it would diversify what kind of players are attracted to the game.

    More in-game and developer tournament and competitive play support would also really make me happy. The constructed ranked ladder is a nice feature, and being able to grind up that is a good challenge against myself and other players, but having in-game tournaments with prize support and a modest entry fee of either real money or gold would be a great addition to an already fun client.

    The announcement of Adventure Modes, Naxxramas being the first, shows at least some extended support and further expansion of the brand by Blizzard and new cards will be rolling in at a nice time to refresh the constructed and limited scenes.

    Overall, the game isn't for everyone. If you want a free game that's going to hand everyone everything at the outset, this isn't your game. Nor is any TCG/CCG for that matter, honestly, as they all require investments of time and money. If you hate randomness or bad breaks, the same. But if you like a challenge and you like TCGs/CCGs, Hearthstone can be a fun way to spend some time and enjoy yourself, especially if you dislike the growing complexity of other card games as they continue on in their life spans.    … Expand
  87. lolskate32
    Jul 4, 2014
    9
    I love how many ignorant reviewers say that this game is pay 2 win, it isn't. You can buy packs for in game currency sure if you grind for them without quest then it is really hard to get the packs but if you play at least 2-5 matches a day (depending on the quest) you can get at least 3-5 packs a week which is enough for a free to play player to feel satisfied. Of course the people whoI love how many ignorant reviewers say that this game is pay 2 win, it isn't. You can buy packs for in game currency sure if you grind for them without quest then it is really hard to get the packs but if you play at least 2-5 matches a day (depending on the quest) you can get at least 3-5 packs a week which is enough for a free to play player to feel satisfied. Of course the people who pay for the packs are gonna get them quicker but if you know how to play it wont matter if they have a deck filled with 5 or more legendaries you can still beat them. You just have to try so you can get better at the game or learn the way i learnt the game - watch streams and videos of better players playing and see what kind of decisions they make against other players. All in all the game is fun and can get addictive if you are trying to get all the card or get to high legend in ranked play, it does have some balancing issues because some cards are better than others but that happens in every game.… Expand
  88. thebestbev
    May 11, 2014
    9
    Okay everyone, Hearthstones a great game. It really is. It's simple yet addictive...and free. One of the best games to come out in a very long time and a nice, if rather simplified version of magic. Did I mention it's free?

    There's a lot of people who are saying that this game is trash, and its pay to win. Well no.....it's not. In constructed play (gameplay where you choose from the    Okay everyone, Hearthstones a great game. It really is. It's simple yet addictive...and free. One of the best games to come out in a very long time and a nice, if rather simplified version of magic. Did I mention it's free?

    There's a lot of people who are saying that this game is trash, and its pay to win. Well no.....it's not. In constructed play (gameplay where you choose from the cards you own) it is perfectly possible to take your deck all the way to legend rank with a very basic assortment of cards, as shown by very good players on youtube. This game is not pay-to-win but people like to say that when they lose because its an excuse for them to do badly without worrying. The game may appear simple but there are often many many different ways to approach each turn and all of them will have different outcomes. If you just play the cards in your hand without watching the board, you're probably going to lose. If you analyse and make decisions based on what you think your opponent is going to do you'll often do much better.

    Arena is the place where everyone becomes equal. You draft your own cards given to you from a selection and make the best deck possible. 3 Losses and your arena stretch is over. The more games you win, the more you're rewarded. Win seven games and you'll have earn not only a new deck but more often than not enough gold for another run. It is therefore entirely possible to get new cards without spending a penny.

    Even if you do come to the conclusion that it is pay-to-win I still don't think you'll regret giving this game an hour or two of your time. Hope to play you all soon!    … Expand
  89. reddemon
    May 14, 2014
    9
    Hearthstone si very easy to learn and difficult to master. This game doesn't require buying cards with real money and getting in game gold is not hard if you play a bit every day or if you're good in the arena. I think the game is mostly very well balanced (there isn't a class that is really OP) but some cards still might still need minor tweaking. I'm excited to see how Blizzard willHearthstone si very easy to learn and difficult to master. This game doesn't require buying cards with real money and getting in game gold is not hard if you play a bit every day or if you're good in the arena. I think the game is mostly very well balanced (there isn't a class that is really OP) but some cards still might still need minor tweaking. I'm excited to see how Blizzard will develop the game further.… Expand
  90. zamach
    May 27, 2014
    8
    Very good, but after You play some games You realize there are no more cards that You might want to get as there are few in general. Fortunately an expansion is coming and a bunch new cards should be introduced, so my only problem with this game will be no more. On the up side this game has very fun card mechanics that would be impossible to achieve in a table top card game with physicalVery good, but after You play some games You realize there are no more cards that You might want to get as there are few in general. Fortunately an expansion is coming and a bunch new cards should be introduced, so my only problem with this game will be no more. On the up side this game has very fun card mechanics that would be impossible to achieve in a table top card game with physical cards. It is aware that it's a virtual game and makes a good use of that fact. There is no pay-to-win (IMO) as a basic deck can easily defeat a "full epic-gold" deck just because it is always a random draw!… Expand
  91. JakeeY
    Jun 4, 2014
    9
    Ich liebe Hearthstone und habe es schon auf dem Notebook gesuchtet. Nun gibt es mein lieblings Kartenspiel endlich auf dem Ipad ! Ich kann es jedem empfehlen der das Blizzard universum mag und spaß mit coolen Animationen haben will. Einziger manko -> ab und zu gibt es disconnects, daher -1 Star
  92. NanoStyle
    Jun 20, 2014
    9
    Öncelikle oyun çok iyi.İlk baştaki dengesizlik sonraki güncellemeler ile düzeldi.Oyuna ilk başladığınızda "Şu sınıf karşıma çıkarsa kaybederim" şeklinde düşünebiliyorsunuz ancak ilerlediğinizde yeni kartlar açıp taktiğinizi oluşturduğunuzda bu düşünce ortadan kalkıyor...
    Oyun negatif yanları şunlar
    Kart Sayısı(Yaklaşık 300 küsür var ancak az geliyır) Masa şekilleri (Sadece 2 masa şekli    Öncelikle oyun çok iyi.İlk baştaki dengesizlik sonraki güncellemeler ile düzeldi.Oyuna ilk başladığınızda "Şu sınıf karşıma çıkarsa kaybederim" şeklinde düşünebiliyorsunuz ancak ilerlediğinizde yeni kartlar açıp taktiğinizi oluşturduğunuzda bu düşünce ortadan kalkıyor...
    Oyun negatif yanları şunlar
    Kart Sayısı(Yaklaşık 300 küsür var ancak az geliyır)
    Masa şekilleri (Sadece 2 masa şekli var)
    Soundtrack eksikliği

    Bunlar pek sorun değil aslında...İlerde düzeltiebilicek şeyler...Kısaca direk oyuna BAŞLAYIN!    … Expand
  93. ChiefKing
    Jul 31, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a well done and expansive virtual CCG. Unfortunately there are some aspects that suck including not being able to trade cards, pay 2 play model, and lack of creativity in deck creation. However this is the best online TCG today; and will likely be in the future as Blizzard continues to expand the game. With 9 unique classes from the "Warcraft" universe this adds a unique way to play the CCG. For being relatively new the game is fairly balanced in time it will be even better as they patch and perfect it. I like the new expansion as it adds single player that is very difficult. I played Pokemon and Magic back in the day. Both solid TCG... but Blizzard released a great product here that allows players to be ranked competitively. To those people that say the skill ceiling is low and it is only P2P they are wrong... as they would clearly know if they spent more than 10 hours on the game.… Expand
  94. Byaconicus
    Aug 16, 2014
    9
    This game is awesome, sure it had his problems over the beta but Blizzard fixed almost all of them and the class balance work is very fine too.
    The mechanic is both simple and funny, so it's easy to a new player to learn the game basics but he or she will have the possibility to make weighted plays too, it's a card game but it's not all based on luck.
    Contrary to what so many bad reviews    This game is awesome, sure it had his problems over the beta but Blizzard fixed almost all of them and the class balance work is very fine too.
    The mechanic is both simple and funny, so it's easy to a new player to learn the game basics but he or she will have the possibility to make weighted plays too, it's a card game but it's not all based on luck.
    Contrary to what so many bad reviews say, it's not a pay for win game at all, nor arena is a pay to play. Of course you start with few cards only but with some patience you can build competitive decks without spending money at all, other than that you can find on Internet a lot of lists of "budget decks", perfect for who has just started; it's a COLLECTIBLE card game and you can't expect to start having all the cards from the beginning! Speaking about the arena: I think that a lot of reviewers are just whiners, when I started I had difficulty in the arena too but once you get used to it, maybe reading some guides, you can gain a lot from it, and accelerate the collection of cards pretty well.    … Expand
  95. aver233
    Aug 18, 2014
    8
    I don't understand all the negative reviews. This game is awesome and addicting. U can get a little bored of it but that's maybe just me. When i first started to play the game i thought it was kinda lame. But i was wrong. After like ten games i loved it and played it constantly.
  96. Braggi
    Aug 31, 2014
    8
    Decent casual CCG with a simple mechanic and a steep learning curve. It can keep you entertained for a long time and offers constant short play sessions, perfect for mobile. Besides some computer trainers and dungeons, the main game is PvP with some matchmaking issues.

    First hurdle for new players are the 9 classes to play and to fight. You must unlock their basic cards first, and get a    Decent casual CCG with a simple mechanic and a steep learning curve. It can keep you entertained for a long time and offers constant short play sessions, perfect for mobile. Besides some computer trainers and dungeons, the main game is PvP with some matchmaking issues.

    First hurdle for new players are the 9 classes to play and to fight. You must unlock their basic cards first, and get a grip on their special action and their specific class cards.

    Quests urge you to try out an owerflow of options - play all classes, against the computer, normal and ranked games, arena and now dungeons. New cards flood in, and you'll find yourself constantly adapting your decks without really knowing what you do, especially when not spending money early to afford vanilla decks.

    After this you're on your own. There are enough guides for basic decks and economic starter decks. There are even a few good generic deck building guides out there. With a good grip on the game (ouch) you can cash your tutorial rewards for some card packs and get a competitive deck going with a few magic cards.

    Even a casual player can harvest decent quest rewards with limited, regular effort, with 3 quests in parallel. Rewards accumulate to about 250-300 gold in 4 days, which is 3 packs of new cards or 2 arena fees. Even play maniacs can only raise this amount slowly, and get rewards with bragging rights instead.

    Perception of fairness is something else completely. Losing unranked games vs decks 10 times more expensive than your own feels broken, and makes you question the game's matchmaking.
    In that respect ranked games are actually better, as the pros are sorted to the high ranks here.

    But - even playing a perfect deck, I will lose 50% of my games against a mirror of my deck. In the short run random bad draws may leave me without chance more often than that (as does being a less than perfect player...).
    Can my deck consistently beat the NPC? On normal and hard? Does it have tempo issues, good card resupply? Do I have a consistent win idea, or do I try to do too much at once, and nothing right? With many decks it also makes a big difference which class I fight, as they all have special actions and removals available. Which cards to keep at start against whom? What to prepare for? Few guides care to explain this, and unexperienced players rarely have a clue about it.

    If you're still here at this time, you're hooked and try to hack the metagame.
    Arena is nice as you randomly select your deck from all cards, but you better have a grasp on deck building or it is a waste of resources. Dungeons (Naxramas) add more (distant) cards, something a beginner can do without.

    For some time the game had some annoying connectivity issues, atm it runs smoothely. Can play my account from both Pad and PC, which is fine.    … Expand
  97. bobhelmut
    Aug 26, 2014
    10
    Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a quality free-to-play card game. There is no way to trade cards between players, which eliminates any possibility of gold farming or exploitation. You can get gold by winning battles, completing quests, and you can spend gold on booster packs of 5 cards, or you can pay to enter the arena, which is like an MTG draft event. You can also spend a bunch ofHearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a quality free-to-play card game. There is no way to trade cards between players, which eliminates any possibility of gold farming or exploitation. You can get gold by winning battles, completing quests, and you can spend gold on booster packs of 5 cards, or you can pay to enter the arena, which is like an MTG draft event. You can also spend a bunch of gold on a level of the new DLC, which takes a popular WoW raid and allows the player to face of in card battles with mini-bosses to earn rare cards, unique to the expansion. The first wing of Curse of Naxxaramus is available for free and is tons of fun.… Expand
  98. Chronarch
    Sep 22, 2014
    10
    Hearthstone is an online card game that is free to play but Blizzard (the company who makes it) profits from it by online purchases.

    It is really based on Magic the Gathering (MTG). There are a lot of key differences though: It is much easier to learn and start playing it. Mastering it is still very difficult. It much faster than any other card game, with games that can last down to    Hearthstone is an online card game that is free to play but Blizzard (the company who makes it) profits from it by online purchases.

    It is really based on Magic the Gathering (MTG). There are a lot of key differences though:

    It is much easier to learn and start playing it. Mastering it is still very difficult. It much faster than any other card game, with games that can last down to 5 minutes.

    Unlike MTG, you will never get mana flooded or having too few lands. The game gives you a mana crystal every turn. This also means that less cards are needed in a good deck, i.e. you dont need the expansive multicolored lands like in MTG.

    It is much cheaper that MTG. In hearthstone spending 200-250$ will get you all the cards, and half the legenderies. Probably more. In MTG a single card can cost more than the above amount. In a MTG deck you will need 4 cards of each. Decks are also 60 cards minimum, 20-25 of which are lands that are in general non-basik and cost money too. In Hearthstone they are exactly 30, an not lands. In addition in Hearthstone you actually get gold by making guests and just wining games in ladder. MTG you have to win some local event or booster draft. Nobody will give you free packs in MTG.

    You can do something with you duplicates, you disenchant them to get arcane dust, so you can craft the cards you need. In MTG you sell or trade them, but the bulk of cards rots in the basement.

    The arena, the draft analogy of MTG. cost 2$ to enter. Again much cheaper than MTG.

    The game really shines on the ipad air.
    The game itself is very polished and relatively bug free. It also is very addicting and fun to play.

    Getting competitive is easy if you are good at it. Just get to top ranking in legendary and you go to Blizzcon.

    Some things I have to say.
    -The game is extremely difficult at higher ranks. Players there spend a lot of time on it, so if you don't do the same you will lose and drop in rank. No matter your cards. You CANNOT pay 1000$ and expect to be top player.

    The only suggestions I have so far is to make climbing the ladder more interesting. As it is now, the only real reason to play on ladder is to get to rank 20 to get a card back. The next goal is to go to legend rank, which is very difficult. There is a huge number of games in-between that do not offer any type of reward except the 10 per 3 wins. Blizzard should really change that.    … Expand
  99. PsychoG
    Dec 29, 2014
    8
    Hearthstone is a game that is ridiculously easy to become addicted to, it's simple to pick up and learn as the game mechanics are extremely straight forward, outrageously fun and the addictiveness of the matches leaves players wanting to play match after match, tweaking their deck as they go in order to achieve the best results.

    The ability to pay real money for card packs has given    Hearthstone is a game that is ridiculously easy to become addicted to, it's simple to pick up and learn as the game mechanics are extremely straight forward, outrageously fun and the addictiveness of the matches leaves players wanting to play match after match, tweaking their deck as they go in order to achieve the best results.

    The ability to pay real money for card packs has given Hearthstone a reputation among some players as being a 'pay to win' game and that players have no chance of performing well unless they shell out for packs. This is, to an extent, true although the cards you are given to begin with and the extras you will pick up from packs bought with in-game gold from daily quests are generally enough to build a reasonable deck.

    If you want to be one of the top ranked players, then yes, you will likely need to shell out for packs. But if you're content with just having a good time competing with your friends and enjoying the game, there's no need as you should do fine with what you pick up along the way.

    Overall, Hearthstone is a simple but very fun game that can be enjoyed by both those looking to climb up to the top of the ranks and those who just want to kill some time or compete with their friends.

    + Extremely simple to learn with a well done tutorial
    + Addictive and fun game play
    + Great game to play with friends
    + Free to play and card packs can be bought with in-game gold for those who are patient enough to earn it

    - Reaching the highest ranks in constructed is very difficult without buying packs
    - Some balance issues with some classes feeling much more powerful than others    … Expand
  100. TimTeamTebow
    Sep 27, 2014
    8
    A lot of people are giving it terrible ratings for being pay to win, which is kind of silly.
    The game mode "arena" gives you random cards to choose from. The only gold/money involved is used to get into the arena. 100% impossible to "pay to win" in arena.
    In regular constructed play, paying really doesn't offer you an advantage, although it does open up a lot more possibilities. There    A lot of people are giving it terrible ratings for being pay to win, which is kind of silly.
    The game mode "arena" gives you random cards to choose from. The only gold/money involved is used to get into the arena. 100% impossible to "pay to win" in arena.
    In regular constructed play, paying really doesn't offer you an advantage, although it does open up a lot more possibilities. There are plenty of cheap decks you can make, but they all feel about the same. Paying will definitely boost your enjoyment of the game by giving you more options, but you always have the option to grind a bit more to save money. Doing great in arena is an easy way to get cards for free while enjoying the game.
    Check out Trump's F2P decks on youtube if you think its P2W. He gets to legendary rank with Free to play decks.

    Its a great little game to play if you are short on time or multitasking.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2014
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
41
#41 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Hardcore Gamer
    Jul 6, 2014
    90
    When Blizzard announced they were making a digital CCG, we all expected it to look and sound beautiful, and there was little doubt that it would be well-balanced, but I don’t think anyone anticipated this level of sophistication and subtle brilliance.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jun 28, 2014
    85
    Simple rules, high production values, low system requirements and huge tactical freedom make Hearthstone one of the best card games available. And if you take into account the free-to-play model – it’s the best one. [05/2014, p.62]
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jun 7, 2014
    85
    A fine example of a great free-to-play game. Hearthstone is not only an addictive and well designed card game, but absolutely fair with gamers that do not wish to spend money on it.
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