Blizzard may be best known for AAA titles like WoW and Diablo, but the company is currently testing out new waters with a game called Hearthstone; their first free-to-play title. 

Hearthstone is an online card game that shares similarities with TCG (trading card games) such as Magic: The Gathering. In the game two players duel it out with 100-card customisable decks; each card inspired or connected in some way to the Warcraft universe.

The game recently entered a free open beta period, meaning anyone can jump in and try it out right now.

Playing cards online?

While the idea of playing a virtual card game might seem peculiar to some, online TCG’s are no strangers to the video game world (MTG2014). Even titles not technically classified as TCG’s share many similarities with the genre (Final Fantasy: Tactics, Pokemon, etc.)

The concept of sitting around a virtual table playing cards might seem relatively simple, but don’t let that fool you; Hearthstone is almost wickedly addictive.

After launching the game, first-time players will be ushered through a quick and intuitive tutorial that will drill the basics into even the clumsiest card shuffler. After this is taken care of players will be able to start battling it out against AI and human opponents alike, earning new cards and in-game gold as they progress.

In-game gold can be used to purchase extra cards or enter the ‘Arena’, an online battle dome where you take on other players with hastily assembled decks. Online play isn’t restricted to the arena however, with both casual play modes and a ranked ladder available completely free of charge.

I still don’t get it...

To ease understanding for TCG newcomers, let’s run through a quick explanation of how a Hearthstone game typically unfolds.

Step 1 - Choose your hero. The game features nine distinct heroes from Warcraft lore; each utilising a different play-style and cards to try and best their opponents. The wizard’s deck focuses on using spells for example, while the Warrior is all about beefy minions, while the Priest focuses on healing.

Step 2 - Choose your cards. Now that you’ve selected your hero, it’s time to choose the cards that will do the actual fighting. Players can select between a number of minion, spell, trap, and weapon cards to build their deck; each card possessing unique abilities and tricks in combat. New players can also use the handy ‘suggest card’ function to have a balanced deck created in no time.

Step 3 - Fight! Now that we have a hero and cards we’re ready to enter the fray. Once the game starts players are dealt three to four cards from their deck as their starting hand.

Step 4 - Mana. The most crucial in-game resource in Hearthstone is the mana crystal. Each turn players will receive one additional crystal up to a maximum of 10. These crystals are used to put cards onto the battlefield. At the start players will be restricted to weak creatures and spells, so use your mana wisely!

Step 5 - Strategy. As the game unfolds your mana capacity will increase, allowing players to cast more powerful spells and minions. Each of these cards possess unique special abilities, and using the different types together strategically will ensure swift victory.

Step 6 - Celebrate... or not. Once you or the opposing player reaches zero life the game is over, and it’ll be time to either lick your wounds or continue the fight.

A few more basics

Each player has 30 health at the beginning of a standard game, and players win the game by using their various cards to inflict damage on the enemy. Certain minions also have special abilities, and each player’s hero also has access to an ability they can use once each turn.

If your chosen hero doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty you can also opt to use special weapon cards. When these cards are equipped they allow your hero to do direct damage to the opposing player or their minions; but be careful, your hero’s health can quickly be drained if you get overzealous.

The verdict

Though the game is still in beta, we were extremely impressed with the well-polished interface and general ease-of-use the game sported. Matches are brief yet enjoyable, and a healthy number of card combinations are available at present.

We would like to see more cards added in future updates though, especially those that focus on buffing others for support purposes. If you have TCG experience, especially with Magic: The Gathering, you’ll be able to get the hang of the game extremely quickly.

Both the public beta and the final game will be free-to-play, so we’d really urge TCG newcomers and veterans alike to give Hearthstone a shot.

If you still don’t believe us, you can always check out the trailer below.