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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    8
    Played on PC & Mobile.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GREAT.
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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.
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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 :)
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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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