It is good in its current state. I know, sometimes it's not perfectly balanced and matchmaking could be better (as always). However this is not a paytowin game, mainly because a big part of the "pay" gets invested on aesthetic upgrades. I have easily won high level players with rare cards just with regular decks and a couple of nice cards. Lore is fantastic, looks nice and gets updates and expansions frequently.
I really enjoyed playing Gwent in The Witcher 3, and so did I in Thronebreaker. As a matter of fact, I decided to take advantage of the rewards I got in Thronebreaker and try out Gwent multiplayer. I find Gwent to be a breath of fresh air in the world of digital card games, avoiding the typical MTG mechanics that most others choose. It's a great concept that I love the idea of. The execution? Truth be told, I find it good. As of writing this review, there are all the traditional Gwent factions, alongside another one called the Syndicate. All of them have unique specifics to how they are played, unique leaders, unique reward trees. They are differentiated well enough.
Balancing-wise, the devs seem to take care of keeping everything fair. There are regular updates (one card I liked a lot even got nerfed. :C). A provision system exists that limits the abuse of stronger cards and gives a general overview of how strong your deck might be.
There are 3 modes to the game: Classic Gwent, ranked and unranked; Seasonal, which is basically classic with a rule twist that changes each season; Arena, where you are given random cards to build a deck with, then try to win 9 rounds with. All of those are good, I suppose. But I feel as if Arena can drag on for too long with those 9 matches.
My issue with the game has to do with how unengaging it can be. It's fine to play a game or two, but I get exhausted afterwards. I understand that it's simply the type of game Gwent is, yet this is a recounting of my experience. Also, the rewarding system feels often unsatisfying. I applaud the devs for giving generous rewards regularly, but when you don't have much to spend them on, it leads to a lack of excitement when you do get them. Reward points are the one thing executed well in that regard, as you have much to spend them on. Perhaps the same goes for meteorite powder. But scraps and ore? They just stack up, with nothing worthwhile mostly.
They literally turned it into a mobile game with everything that comes from that title. If removal of the third play zone alone isn't evident enough i don't know what is.
I've been playing GWENT since the beta and find that I've generally enjoyed all the changes that have impacted the game since the Homecoming update. The game is very streamlined compared to some of the wackier mechanics that the game had during the beta. That isn't to say that wacky cards don't exist, there are simply less opportunities to get away with otherwise game breaking mechanics.
In terms of the F2P model this game is exceedingly generous (especially compared to hearthstone). You'll be able to craft a strong enough deck in no time to start gaining rank sooner than you'd imagine.
My personal highlights with GWENT are primarily around the incredible artwork and attention to detail for those who are fans of the Witcher series (books & games). The premium artwork really brings the game to life with amazing card art animations.
My main issue with the game has to do with some of the balancing regarding certain mechanics that overemphasis some playstyles over others. This is something I know that's bound to ebb and flow with every other update but it can be frustrating to see the same decks over and over again when a certain card starts to take over the meta (currently Viy and Korathi Heatwave).
In the end I find this game to be an ultimately rewarding experience which is sure to play much better with friends over ranked. There are other more casual modes such as the seasonal match types and he new Draft mode where you're able to get away with some crazy combos. Make no mistake, this is definitely a competitive game and will frustrate any long-time player at some point but the deck-building and unique ideas GWENT is capable of bringing to the table make it the CCG you should definitely check out.
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