GWENT: Rogue Mage

Most reviews complain about how this isn't the original Gwent. Yes, it's different. For me - better. I like the roguelike gameplay.

I like the idea, going across a board to be a boss to advance. Having to beat elite battles to evolve one of your card. Events and choices that affect the mini-adventure (having more mana or cards). Those are all good ideas. and it's a refreshing pace from Thronebreaker. However, I do not like some of the execution. Without going into spoilers, after the first boss. something happens that makes the game way significantly harder and in my opinion, more dull. I don't personnaly enjoy when a game takes away something from, something that was actually fun and useful (it nerfs you really hard). Other then that, I thought it was fairly fun. The cards are not busted as they are in Thronebreaker, it's more like the multiplayer game so you don't get completly destroyed by one card (mostly). The mini-bosses are fun, but some are way harder then others, but you get to know them and you know what to expect. If it wasn't for what happens after the first boss, I would give it a 4 stars, maybe 5 even. It's a good game for the price, but all I can say about right now is heh. (MOre fun then the Aep Dahy fight on Bonebreaker, that's for sure...).

I epxected a Gwent game and got a generic CCG with a Witcher theme and bad controls where Controllers and Mouse+KB override each other cancelling themself out at times. Totaly disapointed! The game itself would have potential if it was anything like the real Gwent!

As someone that loves Gwent multiplayer and thrownbreaker it makes me sad to say I can’t give this game a high rating. There is two core problem with the game that seriously require loving updates; the story and gameplay. Firstly, the story and delivery of it is not well done. After completing three “experiments” (progressions) the story is subpar. It’s just the text from the trees in Gwent with a voiceover and a single black and white sketchbook image. The voiceover is not even in sync with the text. Bottom line is there might as well be no story. The aesthetics of the game are not on par with Gwent. Sad to see there are no pretty premium cards to unlock. Secondly the core gameplay loop simply is too RNG. Gwent is about deck building. Only having three pre-built decks is just not Gwent. You can only acquire different cards and specials through random events and encounters. I said three pre-built decks but technically there is a fourth. Yet it’s randomly generated for Pete’s sake. You learn the different AI’s decks as you play and prey you get good cards via RNG encounters. There is a spell and energy mechanic but it’s not good. The game want’s you to be conservative with your energy yet simultaneously forces you to use a lot of your limited supply it to counter the cheese cards the AI dishes out. The only times you lose is because you didn’t get the RNG you needed or ran out of energy. The war of attrition aspect of Gwent is the best part, and this game only plays one round no pass. To progress you must make the game harder by toggling on curses like cover the map with fog which makes the game even more RNG. If could build your deck before a run the game would feel fairer. It just feels like a pre-alpha and not a complete game. I truly hope there will be some updates that polish the core gameplay loop and contribute to the aesthetics and story of this game to increase the longevity of it. ALSO NO KNICKERS SO FAR! REEEEEEE

First of: Loved playing Thronebreaker. You are not playing gwent like 3 rounds. Its just one round of laying down cards. Also there is no chance learning the enemies decks. Because when you thought you had it the ai suddenly plays a card you've never been seen before in his deck. Thus losing feels always like you have been cheated. Also Porgressing in the storry feels tedious. Add 3 rounds of gwent. Add some sort of way knowing the deck of your enemy better. And also add more maps and more depth to the maps.