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. THuD29
    Nov 9, 2014
    9
    Very fun game that is easy to get into but hard to master. Each card is unique and the artwork and design is impeccable. each class has its own niche that makes it different and fun.
  2. SirCesar
    Nov 20, 2014
    10
    Worry not, my friends, this game is NOT pay to win.
    It is really casual and fun. It manages to make it competitive but at the same time it appeals to first time players with ease.
  3. WarcraftAwesome
    Nov 20, 2014
    10
    This game is extremely well polished and wonderful to play. At first glance, it might look casual, but once a player gets immersed in it, this would probably become one of the best gaming experiences in their lives.
  4. Tencecute
    Nov 24, 2014
    10
    The reason why i love Hearthstone, is the fact that its the best game of its kind, and the fact that its not pay-to-win in any way. And that makes this game relaxing and gives a different experience than any other game, everyone should try the game, it gives you more than you pay for (0$).
  5. lexblow
    Dec 11, 2016
    9
    Simply, fun, easy rules, fast games, atractive game for casual and hard hardocre fans, very competitive, there are many reasons that make me play this game at least once everyday.
  6. emersizzle
    May 23, 2015
    9
    Those who are giving negative reviews because of the feeling of being ripped off by a game that is supposed to be "free to play," read this: get over it.

    Hearthstone is both "free to play" and "pay to win." Yes, it is impossible to make it to the highest level or even in the top 10 or so ranks without spending some money. And yes, you will run into competitive expensive decks in both    Those who are giving negative reviews because of the feeling of being ripped off by a game that is supposed to be "free to play," read this: get over it.

    Hearthstone is both "free to play" and "pay to win." Yes, it is impossible to make it to the highest level or even in the top 10 or so ranks without spending some money. And yes, you will run into competitive expensive decks in both the ladder and casual play, which will make it seem like the game is rigged.

    But I currently have spent zero dollars on Hearthstone and probably win between 60-70% of my games using a budget deck that I searched for online and was able to make with a few cards I received through grinding (more on that below) about an hour a day for a couple weeks. I have MTG experience and Hearthstone game play is very similar, so I'm sure that has helped me. I constantly have the urge to buy cards and expansions, but being a "free to play" player gives me a sort of pride that makes the game even more fun (Nothing better than beating a deck that obviously took some kid a hundred dollars or so to make! with mine that I got for free!).

    SOme reviewers say the RNG is rigged, I say that is some conspiracy **** Blizzard is creative and crafty but that seems ridiculous. Most of my arcane missiles and knife juggler RNG damage seems rigged in my favor, come to think of it!

    Anyways, about how to grind.

    I like to do the daily quest (reroll and try and get 60 gold or better) and "Play" mode to earn about 70-90 gold a day (this takes no more than an hour if I play aggro decks). I also play arena and space it out so I only allow myself one arena loss per day. If I average 3 wins per arena run (I am currently averaging closer to 4 or 5) and cash out every 3 days then the math looks something like this:
    Day One: drop 150g on Arena, make 80g with quest/grind
    Day Two: make 80g with quest/grind
    Day Three: make 80g with quest/grind, cash out approx 60g plus some dust and a pack from arena
    Equals: "profit" of 150g, some dust, and a pack every three days.

    My main concern now is that some cards can only be obtained through expansions (which are really expensive goldwise) and classic packs (and I don't like buying packs).

    Hope this is helpful.

    The game is what you make of it. If it is fun, keep playing. If you wanna drop $25 and save hours on expansions, do it. If you are like me, and pride yourself on not spending a dime and still winning, go for it!

    My goal is to get to rank 10 without spending money, and to have fun!    … Expand
  7. Enigmaze
    Jun 8, 2015
    8
    Greetings traveller,
    We can definitely say that hearthstone is NOT pay to win but it does help to have a larger collection of cards.
    I'm giving Hearthstone an eight for the following reasons: 1. Cross Platform gameplay, we can play hearthstone on our phones, the most commonly owned piece of tech. I do recommend to play it on a Desktop/laptop/ipad when making decks, I find it    Greetings traveller,
    We can definitely say that hearthstone is NOT pay to win but it does help to have a larger collection of cards.

    I'm giving Hearthstone an eight for the following reasons:

    1. Cross Platform gameplay, we can play hearthstone on our phones, the most commonly owned piece of tech. I do recommend to play it on a Desktop/laptop/ipad when making decks, I find it frustrating when making a deck on the phone.

    2. Gameplay, I've been playing since October 2014, and it does help to have the ability to anticipate and analyse the opponents next move based on their recently played cards. The game is a game of Skill, sure but sometimes the game hands a "free win" to your opponent, this is probably why everyone is hating. You can just google hearthstone basic deck strategies!

    3. The cards, there are a lot of cards in hearthstone, I love the Legendaries like Loatheb and Emperor Thaussiran. Loathe is a must have in any deck especially in any anti Mage decks.

    Card backs are a great way to show off your progress or even Intimidate your opponent I just wish there was a way to obtain every card back.

    4. Micro transactions, I have personally spent $75 on the game and it is not pay to win but more like a booster to give you a nudge in the right direction, I do love the fact that you can earn gold to unlock the Expansions, This means that it is possible to obtain two copies of every card and one of every golden without using a single penny! But you can't get all the hardbacks without paying.

    5. Community, There is a massive community and daily streamers on twitch all sharing their experiences about hearthstone. There are also tournaments where you can win big bucks just for playing hearthstone.

    Summary, Hearthstone is great because it has no pay to win you can still get beaten by a basic deck (I did)
    when you are using all your legendaries. Hearthstone has a great fancies where you can share strategies.    … Expand
  8. dragosbuzz
    Jun 19, 2015
    9
    Well i never played any card games before. i don't really like them, but man this game is addictive. i have spent so many hours. As for the the pay to win thing some people say, yeah sure more money = better cards. but i haven't spent any and still doing good. almost got legend too. you must have patience. The one thing i'd like to mention though is how difficult the game has become forWell i never played any card games before. i don't really like them, but man this game is addictive. i have spent so many hours. As for the the pay to win thing some people say, yeah sure more money = better cards. but i haven't spent any and still doing good. almost got legend too. you must have patience. The one thing i'd like to mention though is how difficult the game has become for newcomers since the release of Naxx and GVG. I think blizzard should do something about this. Besides that, hearthstone is a great game… Expand
  9. Exavier
    Jul 16, 2015
    8
    I can understand the reason for low scores on this game, though I think they're a little biased towards the whole luck factor. It's a card game. Of course there's a luck factor. And yes, you have to earn your cards; sometimes you get lucky in packs, sometimes you don't. At least there's the disenchanting option. There are plenty of guides online to crafting a decent deck with starter andI can understand the reason for low scores on this game, though I think they're a little biased towards the whole luck factor. It's a card game. Of course there's a luck factor. And yes, you have to earn your cards; sometimes you get lucky in packs, sometimes you don't. At least there's the disenchanting option. There are plenty of guides online to crafting a decent deck with starter and common cards.

    Overall, the game is well designed. There are a handful of flaws and inconveniences here and there, but for what it is, I'll happily crank out at least my dailies once a day. The Tavern Brawl mode is an excellent addition and basically guarantees a free card pack every few days, since the Brawl rules are often based on a preset deck for the chosen hero rather than selecting your own cards (and when they are, they're easy to cheese). There are, however, some serious balance issues that have me shaking my head. But having run some of these rather unfair card combos and lost, and conversely facing them and beating them on other occasions, it's hit or miss.

    As far as balance goes, though, my biggest demerit has to be the utterly ridiculous Grim Patron, a 5-cost 3/3 minion that spawns another of itself if it survives damage. I don't knock the idea of the card--a minor tweak would make it infinitely less ridiculous. But someone at Blizzard approved this to go out the door, and they have yet to tweak it as of this writing. An utterly ridiculous card that can change the game more than most legendaries. I shake my head at anyone who uses it.

    I think a lot of the negative reviews simply come from poor deck making decisions. Overall, the game's fun, whether or not you have amazing cards. Sure, it's gonna pair you up against some people with better cards and more experience than you sometimes (hell, more often than not). Roll with the punches and you'll realize this is a nice little gem Blizzard's got here.    … Expand
  10. EatYoga
    Aug 22, 2015
    10
    Hearthstone is hands down the best CCG ever made. I love this game.

    The quality put into this game is outstanding, the art is beautiful, the animations are great, the voice overs are fabulous, the music is good, everything about the UX is spot on. Blizzard really managed to give this game the AAA treatment and feel. No other CCG come close in that aspect. A lot of people's complaints    Hearthstone is hands down the best CCG ever made. I love this game.

    The quality put into this game is outstanding, the art is beautiful, the animations are great, the voice overs are fabulous, the music is good, everything about the UX is spot on. Blizzard really managed to give this game the AAA treatment and feel. No other CCG come close in that aspect.

    A lot of people's complaints are that it's pay 2 win, but it's not. That's only a complaint for people who can't stand loosing. There's constantly pro-players who reach the highest rank with starter decks and what not in under a month. You get plenty of decks, if you play your dailies, and the brawl every week, you'll earn between 3 to 5 packs a week. Which is around 15 to 25 cards a week. The game is a CCG, so collecting the cards is fun, and if it gave out too much too soon, would get boring fast. The PvP is also well balanced, everyone should average a 50/50 win/loss rate. This is a perfect balance, and it should happen no matter your cards, because the match making is very smart.

    The truth is, the game is amazing, go try it out, give it 3 to 4 weeks, and then decide if you don't like it.    … Expand
  11. Kargun
    Sep 22, 2015
    8
    Blizzard lo ha vuelto a hacer. Un juego fácil de jugar y difícil de dominar. Vicio puro. A mí gusto le falta un competitivo más público, con rankings y listas de éxitos por los que alardear.
  12. BeingNickDoh
    Oct 7, 2015
    10
    This is free to play.
    You do not need to ever spend money on the game (you can accumulate in-game gold and make purchases).
    Has the imagination of Magic The Gathering and the inspiration of the other cards games (Yu-Gi-Oh, Vanguard, etc). Note they hired Magic players to advise on the game. Friendly for all ages. It is literally a perfect game. The one downside is, unless you pay    This is free to play.
    You do not need to ever spend money on the game (you can accumulate in-game gold and make purchases).
    Has the imagination of Magic The Gathering and the inspiration of the other cards games (Yu-Gi-Oh, Vanguard, etc). Note they hired Magic players to advise on the game.
    Friendly for all ages.
    It is literally a perfect game.

    The one downside is, unless you pay for booster packs, it will take a good amount of time to collect all the cards necessary to become a top player. But that's normal for ANY card game, digital or physical    … Expand
  13. ChosenKukky03
    Mar 13, 2016
    8
    Easy to get the hang of, hard to master. There are many ways to win or lose. Cards are very balanced, even the Warlock - A class that hurts itself to get stronger(logic!) is surprisingly balanced. Also if you combine certain cards on the table at once, they may be more effective than normal. Even the order you deploy them in may make a difference. That's the sort of thing you don't see inEasy to get the hang of, hard to master. There are many ways to win or lose. Cards are very balanced, even the Warlock - A class that hurts itself to get stronger(logic!) is surprisingly balanced. Also if you combine certain cards on the table at once, they may be more effective than normal. Even the order you deploy them in may make a difference. That's the sort of thing you don't see in other casual-style PvP games like Bloons TD Battles.… Expand
  14. jbetuster
    Jan 17, 2016
    8
    the game is too good but if you don´t play 6 diary hours you will never have good cards and you will lose for ever.
    at least the matchmaking is 7/10
  15. Azurion
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    Just amazing,great card game based on wow , every gamer should give it a go , the store offers things that can easily be fund in game do not listen to all those bad comments its just haters!
  16. A0I
    Apr 12, 2016
    8
    For a casual game, this one makes it alright, having chance to F2P to shine on this, making the fact of paying just a shortcut to get a wider collection with more possibilities. This doesn't mean that a focused F2P can make a goal to make certain deck, dominate it and conquer the ladder, something I already did.

    Many negative reviews here come from people who lack the skill to play and    For a casual game, this one makes it alright, having chance to F2P to shine on this, making the fact of paying just a shortcut to get a wider collection with more possibilities. This doesn't mean that a focused F2P can make a goal to make certain deck, dominate it and conquer the ladder, something I already did.

    Many negative reviews here come from people who lack the skill to play and the courage to admit they are not good enough to adapt to the shifting metagames, punishing hard the game for something that Blizzard didn't do wrong, and remember that TCGs aren't for everyone, they got a specific niche in a way other games such as Dark Souls saga or the last Super Mario Bros installments have.

    Variety of classes with their own specific ways to win and control the board, tons of neutral minions to complete your custom deck, it becomes a cycle of build, play, fail, rebuild, play and fail again until you get a decent deck and the vision of how to play it, which is enough to get wins in this game. Very recommendable, more now that you can play on your phone as well.    … Expand
  17. KekL0rd
    Apr 18, 2016
    8
    This game has its own glitter to it, and it can be pretty fun. Blizzard tries very hard to create the >TRADING< (jk) virtual card game experience, being able to craft your own decks on your computer or on your mobile phone. I spent a good amount of time on this game to conclude that this game works, and it works great, even if this is really a game of roll-the-dice. The graphics and layoutThis game has its own glitter to it, and it can be pretty fun. Blizzard tries very hard to create the >TRADING< (jk) virtual card game experience, being able to craft your own decks on your computer or on your mobile phone. I spent a good amount of time on this game to conclude that this game works, and it works great, even if this is really a game of roll-the-dice. The graphics and layout look so slick its pleasing to the eye. Each individual 1v1 game has an interactable battlefield of some WoW location, which allows you to speak to your opponent through emotes. Each card has the WoW art with different effects that are appropriate to the character. You get gold from daily quests and winning games to earn packs, which can give you some legendary WoW characters that look great. You can get even more packs through arena battles or tavern brawls, which are games with specific rules added every few days. What this game has that other card games don't offer is the ability to disenchant your own cards and craft ones you want. To speed up the card count, of course you would need to add in a bit of money.

    This game looks, runs and feels great. However, gameplay itself in a 1v1 match does not feel too great. I found myself begging to draw a certain card or hope he does not draw a certain effect. This game is very RNG-based, and only some skill and knowledge is involved. It comes to the point where every little thing counts if RNG is acting similarly to both players. But overall, this is an enjoyable game and collecting shiny gold cards and crafting legend-worthy decks is serious fun.    … Expand
  18. likevin96
    Dec 28, 2016
    8
    True Score: 8.6

    Pros: - Smooth and clear UI - Father of online CCG - Warcraft characters and lore - Adventures have fun mechanics and characters full of life Cons: - Pay to win (or play forever) - Terrible learning curve to be competitive - Everyone netdecks - Blizzard is often too slow to respond or patch things - Infrequent updates - Character skins for $10????? - Too    True Score: 8.6

    Pros:
    - Smooth and clear UI
    - Father of online CCG
    - Warcraft characters and lore
    - Adventures have fun mechanics and characters full of life

    Cons:
    - Pay to win (or play forever)
    - Terrible learning curve to be competitive
    - Everyone netdecks
    - Blizzard is often too slow to respond or patch things
    - Infrequent updates
    - Character skins for $10?????
    - Too much RNG
    - Often little counterplay

    While the pros/cons seem ridiculously skewed towards the negative, to be fair there is a reason why I have played this game for so long. It does what it does extremely well and even though there are a ton of aspects of this game that bother me, I still come back time and time again as IMO it remains the king of online CCG.    … Expand
  19. LiGhtBurn80
    Jan 17, 2017
    10
    Un jeu de carte gratuit qui peut être simple et accessible a tous comme complexe et addictif ! (et NON ce nes pas un pay2win avec un peut de bonne volonté on peut avoir de très bon deck !)
  20. noxrain
    Dec 27, 2020
    8
    Love this game, play it every now and then. I have to say, that I don't play regular ranked as much, as I rather play the Battlegrounds mode and the occasional duels/arena. Highly rate that, but I do acknowledge that this game definitely has some pay 2 win issues if playing the regular ranked game mode. But for a free game, you can have a lot of fun without spending a dime.
  21. Panica3643D
    Jun 17, 2018
    9
    Интересная и красочная карточная игра по вселенной Warcraft.
  22. Sancherek
    Jun 7, 2017
    8
    This game is a fuc**ng mystery for me, as i love watching streams of it. The game gives time to think and talk with viewers and that's awesome but nothing else. The gameplay is boring and hasn't anything special. Soudns are really good and i have to say it but i'm not the kind of person that likes games for soundtrack :/
  23. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    10
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  24. Axilley
    Jul 22, 2021
    8
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good HS
  25. brianzgy
    Oct 24, 2017
    8
    Unless you are willing to grind for months or open up your wallet/purse this games is not for you. Matchmaking system is simply broken, I am not a kid, I know simple math and can read but repeatedly was matched against players with cards that crushed me. Either matchmaking system is designed to allow players who have spent real money to win (repeatedly). Or the matchmaking system is brokenUnless you are willing to grind for months or open up your wallet/purse this games is not for you. Matchmaking system is simply broken, I am not a kid, I know simple math and can read but repeatedly was matched against players with cards that crushed me. Either matchmaking system is designed to allow players who have spent real money to win (repeatedly). Or the matchmaking system is broken allowing veteran players (with amazing cards) to play/crush new players. Either way game is a pointless waste of money and/or time.… Expand
  26. ruvinisimus
    Nov 2, 2017
    9
    одна из лучших игр, в которые я играл. она породила тренд на карточные игры, однозначно классика жанра, маст плей
  27. Danil_Shtangeev
    Nov 18, 2018
    8
    I've played this game many years ago. But it's still looking interesting for me
  28. Lifefor
    Feb 15, 2019
    10
    Лучшая ККИ в цифровом формате.
    10 баллов ставлю потому , что многие неразумные люди явно занижают игре оценку.
    Сам бы я поставил 8 или 9 баллов из 10.Всё зависит от последнего дополнения. Если хорошее, то оценка выше , если нет то соответственно наоборот. Минусы конечно есть , но у конкурентов всё совсем тухло , так что мне на эту тему сказать нечего. О плюсах: игра ф2п(привет Артифакт    Лучшая ККИ в цифровом формате.
    10 баллов ставлю потому , что многие неразумные люди явно занижают игре оценку.
    Сам бы я поставил 8 или 9 баллов из 10.Всё зависит от последнего дополнения. Если хорошее, то оценка выше , если нет то соответственно наоборот.
    Минусы конечно есть , но у конкурентов всё совсем тухло , так что мне на эту тему сказать нечего.
    О плюсах: игра ф2п(привет Артифакт со входом за 1300р ... ) ,можно фармить новые карты играя ф2п(если научится катать аренки, то на изи можно всё иметь в игре, т.к. дейлики, бонусы за вход и так далее), бесплатные приключения(провел в них бесчисленное кол-во часов), потасовки, ладдер и т.д. Короче контента очень много.Я бы даже сказал на эту тему матом, но не буду :)
    Ну и так по мелочи. Типа того , что игра по Варику и всё такое(стримы,большое коммьюнити)

    P.s. Про минусы, которые в каждом первом отрицательном обзоре.
    Да донат присутствует, но всё можно получить бесплатно. В отличие от ... опять же привет жирному Гейбу.
    Арены можно катать бесконечно. В ладдер пускают не за донат. Бесплатного контента овер дофига 1им словом.А уж задонатив, можно собрать все компететив деки разом , так что не надо тут гнать ...

    Хотите увидеть настоящий донат?Попробуйте собрать, хотя бы одну играбельную-турнирную колоду в картонной Мотыге, тогда и поговорим.
    ...
    Окей я загуглил за вас.Всё удовольствие вам обойдётся ~ в 150 бакинских.
    Неплохо, да?
    ¯_(ツ)_/¯
    Ф2плей лега в ХСе прилагается - https://eu.battle.net/forums/ru/hearthstone/topic/17624433524

    Ну а про рандом ... тут ещё проще. Рандом от начала присутствовал и будет присутствовать во всех карточных играх.Так как каждый ход вы тянете
    ВНИМАНИЕ
    случайную!!!! карту.
    Не нравится рандом? Тогда вам не сюда ребята!!!
    Шахматы и шашки ждут ваших объятий, ну или СК2 на худой конец. ;)    … Expand
  29. ThisFookinGuy
    Mar 12, 2019
    10
    It's a great game if you like a slight challenge and art that's just fun to look at, but I want to talk about the 500+ **** people saying that this game is PTW. It is definitely not pay to win, because I myself have not spent a dime on that game and I have 500 wins on ranked matches. On top of that, you pay to get a card pack, which gives you random cards and none of those cards areIt's a great game if you like a slight challenge and art that's just fun to look at, but I want to talk about the 500+ **** people saying that this game is PTW. It is definitely not pay to win, because I myself have not spent a dime on that game and I have 500 wins on ranked matches. On top of that, you pay to get a card pack, which gives you random cards and none of those cards are guaranteed to be a great card. On top of THAT, there are no cards in this game that automatically hand you a win on a silver platter, you need to either boost your skill, or play dungeon runs and bot matches. Simply put, git gud **** wads. If this game is too hard for you, then fine, it's too hard for you, but for the love of god don't go on Meta-critic talking about how much you hate the game just because you suck at it.… Expand
  30. Stokholm551
    Jun 10, 2019
    10
    The best strategy card game I have played! The matchmaking is really good and the ranking system is genius. The intro/tutorial is perfect for anyone who hasn't played a card game before.
  31. kodaK
    Dec 8, 2019
    9
    Hearthstone is one of the best card games for pc nowadays. The simple mechanics and cool animations makes it so good. I'd like to give it a 10, but there is one thing that upsets me, the fact that is too pay to win.
  32. Bloodnes
    Feb 6, 2020
    10
    Очередной шедевр от Близардов, лучшая карточная игра, лучшая стратегическая игра, неповторима и всеми любима! 10/10
  33. zzz_DeV1L_zzz
    Jun 12, 2020
    9
    The best game in its genre. One of the only games in which you can relax. But unfortunately, it can be boring, so I can’t put 10, but 9 is possible.
  34. JuviWarts
    Jul 4, 2020
    8
    This is the best card game you can play. Unfortunately it falls into the same trap that all collectable card games fall into. Too many cards get created and the game shifts dynamics ans deprecates your collection. $300 into the rabbit hole and I had to quit.
  35. SeyeerGame
    May 28, 2021
    10
    крутая игра люблю в моем сердце навсегда, правда в последние года она знатно обосралась, но я в неё не играю, лишь поигрываю изредка
  36. Mattygees211
    Aug 12, 2020
    9
    The game is great. I play battlegrounds. But I do not believe the characters and minions are random. The hits are so perfectly made against me. For example, my hyenas always get hit, my death rattles off the bat, my Baron, etc. It seems no matter what is done the enemy always has the perfect hits. And if you play a hero over and over, the game will go against you and never cooperate. IThe game is great. I play battlegrounds. But I do not believe the characters and minions are random. The hits are so perfectly made against me. For example, my hyenas always get hit, my death rattles off the bat, my Baron, etc. It seems no matter what is done the enemy always has the perfect hits. And if you play a hero over and over, the game will go against you and never cooperate. I understand you can’t win every game, that would be ridiculous. But there is some weird system that is used when you refresh enemies or use certain hero’s. This is a pay to win game for sure. People who pay always win, and Murlocs always win unless you have the hero that gives you a dragon each turn. Certain hero’s always win.… Expand
  37. plusRichman
    May 19, 2021
    10
    All Warcraft magic in a competitive card game that can totally hook you up for life!
  38. F3T1W
    Aug 27, 2021
    8
    A chic collectible card game, in a familiar universe, of the minuses, too much frivolous
  39. Zegu
    Jun 17, 2014
    8
    I've never been one for card games, the learning curve always seemed very high, however hearthstone holds your hand enough to get some enjoyment out of the game, and before you know it you are figuring out good combos by yourself and having fun. The visual feedback is remarkably well done, but not over done and it is kindof calming.
  40. Brickfaced
    Nov 26, 2014
    9
    Hearthstone is a fantastic game, provided you accept that it works better on a casual level.

    While you're not likely to getting to legend anytime quickly, it doesn't take too much dedication to build up a good collection of cards. Despite what some seem to say, pay to win is not as much an issue in this game as it is in many because there are lots of competitive decks that are really    Hearthstone is a fantastic game, provided you accept that it works better on a casual level.

    While you're not likely to getting to legend anytime quickly, it doesn't take too much dedication to build up a good collection of cards. Despite what some seem to say, pay to win is not as much an issue in this game as it is in many because there are lots of competitive decks that are really easy to make. Sure, you won't be making a successful control warrior anytime quickly, but after a few weeks of casual playing, you'll likely have everything a competitive Zoo (there are plenty of other cheap decks as well, just that zoo is the most iconic) deck needs to function.

    You can't count on getting the legendaries you want from packs, but it isn't too hard to save up dust for rares and epics, which have a great diversity of powerful cards to choose from. Even with the best deck money can buy, you can still easily lose to a cheaper one that counteracts its weaknesses, so while money is helpful (as to be expected) it most certainly doesn't make the game unplayable without it.

    My account is entirely free to play, and I can comfortably get to rank 5 each month, if I have the time at least. The daily quests give you the gold you need to buy lots of packs, and good arena runs will give you great rewards too. Your daily quests run out of course, but if you only play this game every three days or so like me, then it will take an hour or two to complete them all anyway, by which point you'll probably have gained your fix for the game, and you'll be a lot richer for it too.

    It is of course, very easy for sore losers and people who haven't learnt how to play efficiently, to simply brand the game free to pay. Fact of the matter is, that so long as you don't mind spending a few months building up your collection, you'll be fighting with the best of them. And if you aren't, then maybe instead of blaming the game for your lack of progress, you can impart some on your own inabilities.    … Expand
  41. Mastodon
    Dec 20, 2014
    8
    I'm about 50 games in and honestly I am fairly satisfied. The game doesn't have all that many restrictions for those who don't want to pay.... for the most part it just takes time. My major complaint is how little of a return you get when you trade in cards you don't like. Overall it is somewhat difficult to gain currency after the first couple hours of gameplay - that being said, it isI'm about 50 games in and honestly I am fairly satisfied. The game doesn't have all that many restrictions for those who don't want to pay.... for the most part it just takes time. My major complaint is how little of a return you get when you trade in cards you don't like. Overall it is somewhat difficult to gain currency after the first couple hours of gameplay - that being said, it is not nearly as grindy as one might think due to the 5 to 15 minute average length of each game. Overall I think this game has great potential, and as is it provides hours of entertainment.… Expand
  42. LFiori
    Dec 12, 2014
    9
    As a huge fan of the Warcraft series, as well as fan of card games, I have to say it's the most fun game I played in a long while! I keep playing it a lot, and it's incredible how easy it is, and at the same time, how complex it can be. My only complain is that you have to pay to play arena (the gold you receive by playing is nothing and arena costs 150). But it becomes a minor problemAs a huge fan of the Warcraft series, as well as fan of card games, I have to say it's the most fun game I played in a long while! I keep playing it a lot, and it's incredible how easy it is, and at the same time, how complex it can be. My only complain is that you have to pay to play arena (the gold you receive by playing is nothing and arena costs 150). But it becomes a minor problem since all the rest is freaking awesome. Way to go, Blizzard!… Expand
  43. kakumeijun
    Jan 4, 2015
    8
    For a card game, Hearthstone relies a bit too heavily on the RNG side of things. On one hand, this means that luck will eventually get the better of you and you WILL lose a fair amount of games. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Players will need to learn to adapt and create plays where the harmful effects of RNG can be reduced to minimum. It makes you think. A good deck doesFor a card game, Hearthstone relies a bit too heavily on the RNG side of things. On one hand, this means that luck will eventually get the better of you and you WILL lose a fair amount of games. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Players will need to learn to adapt and create plays where the harmful effects of RNG can be reduced to minimum. It makes you think. A good deck does not need to win 100% of the games you played to reach Legend, you simply have to make one that has more than 50% win rate if you want to rank up. And sometimes, RNG makes things a lot more entertaining (see Hearth Trolden's videos on Youtube for a taste of it).

    The issue that concerned most players is the aspect of pay-to-win and there's no denying that Hearthstone is indeed one such game. But coming from a physical trading card game background, this doesn't concern me too much as I am used to spending money to buy cards (too bad you can't sell them in this case). The daily quest and arena help a bit in this regard but the grind is still real. Only the passionate and patient can survive the grind so expect to pay if you have just started playing the game. In short, DO NOT treat this game as a free to play game.

    Initially, I do have some concern regarding the balance of the game. Certain classes seem to dominate the ladder every season. But with every expansion, the meta shifts significantly. Every class is given the opportunity to shine. Even without expansion, when a certain class becomes dominant, anti-meta decks emerges which makes every season a different experience (which is why sites like Liquidhearth have a power ranks every month). And if a class remains dominant for many seasons (see Hunter and Rogue), Blizzard does interfere to nerf some of the key cards. And worry not, when a card is nerfed, you get to refund the cost to craft them so that you can use it to make something else. In addition, after the recent GvG expansion, most classes have deck variations that play very differently (control, aggro, tempo, or mid-range). This makes the game more brainy as you can't identify what type of decks your opponent is playing just by knowing his/her class anymore. If you are like me, who only plays a single class (Druid) because you can only afford to do so or because you really love that class, you can be sure to have a good time in certain seasons and some crappy moments other times. But the best moment for me in Hearthstone is when you manage to make a class work in a season when it is deemed to be the worst class to ladder with. And for me, this is what a card game is all about (satisfaction in experimenting with counter strategies).

    Tl;dr: In essence, the foundation in which Hearthstone is built upon makes it a card game with tremendous potential (for funny moments as well). You ARE going to pay real cash if you decided to commit to the game and casual players not looking forward to spend cash will have a hard time winning. But for those who are fine with paying money to buy cards and are looking for a really enjoyable card game to commit to (for long term), I fully recommend Hearthstone because (for me) it is simply the most enjoyable and comfortable card game I have played since forever. My suggestion is to try the game first, don't worry about winning but instead check it out to see if you like the mechanics. If you do, then perhaps you can fork out some cash to get yourself started. If not, you can always try other card games that suit your style.

    Disclaimer: I have a background of playing physical card games (mostly Yu-Gi-Oh!) for more than 10 years. I have been playing Hearthstone on PC since open beta (early 2014) up until today.    … Expand
  44. killer1237
    Oct 24, 2018
    10
    Hearthstone is a one of a kind experience that no other card game can pull off that also sadly requires a lot of money to enjoy to its full potential. If I were to rate this game as if I were a free to play player, I'd give it a 7.5/10.
  45. Amorph0us
    Jan 7, 2022
    8
    In my opinion, they used well the capabilities a pc offers to a card game. Mechanics like rng, fast pace, instant deck effects made it unique as one of the first serious card games for pc. As a negative, in order to gain profit they made it "pay to accelerate". Also after many releases it is normal to release bad or unpopular expansions.
  46. Bruterake
    Nov 1, 2021
    10
    Falando do hearthstone clássico, que não era pay to win e era sobre habilidade e não em sorte, é 10 o jogo que teve e ainda deve ter as melhores artes e dublagens. Eu engoli esse jogo n parei de jogar por meses diversão pura antigamente. (hoje em dia o jogo é pay to win)
  47. Zumbie101
    Jul 1, 2023
    9
    Good introduction to card games, can be good to unwind and just have fun with new expansions and packs
  48. CompleteIdiot
    Dec 7, 2021
    8
    I have spent probably more than a 1000 hours in this game and also introduced the addiction to my girlfriend. Its a simple game, and I could best compare it to like a bag of chips. You crave it, but after having it doesn't feel fulfilling at all. But a bag of chips from time to time is always nice. And gotta give credit to Blizzard for giving this much content for free. I have never spentI have spent probably more than a 1000 hours in this game and also introduced the addiction to my girlfriend. Its a simple game, and I could best compare it to like a bag of chips. You crave it, but after having it doesn't feel fulfilling at all. But a bag of chips from time to time is always nice. And gotta give credit to Blizzard for giving this much content for free. I have never spent a single cent on this game and I have never felt restricted by the fact that I don't buy packs for myself. Fun card game that's a bit shallow.… Expand
  49. eefeef
    Aug 31, 2023
    9
    I started playing this game in 2015 and am still playing in 2023. Honestly, I can't give an objective review of this game. However, the quality of recent expansions has been spotty, so I'm not giving it a 10.
  50. Ciocolici
    Aug 20, 2023
    10
    Hearthstone is a remarkably enjoyable and finely-crafted card game. Coming from someone who typically isn't drawn to card games, it managed to hook me in. Being intertwined with the Warcraft universe is definitely a major plus, but even if you look solely at its gameplay, it's undoubtedly a solid 10/10 in my books.
  51. GuiBio
    Dec 29, 2022
    8
    Great casual game. hard to build a competitive deck, but you still can have fun with starter decks
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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

All reviews »
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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