Artifact
- November 28, 2018
- Valve
- 13h median play time
Artifact is a challenging, deep, and surprisingly approachable card game.
Get on Steam"Artifact Foundry" is a free-to-play, digitial card game with a focus on strategic gameplay and the Dota 2 universe. It features over 100 new cards, including 20 new heroes, and a unified mana pool across all 3 lanes. The game has streamlined its systems based on community feedback, reducing the impact of randomness and improving accessibility. New players can also enjoy an extended tutorial, beginner campaign, and hero-specific demo scenarios.
Reviews
- The game features innovative mechanics with a unique three-lane system that adds depth and strategy.
- High production values with beautiful graphics, engaging sound design, and well-voiced characters enhance the overall experience.
- The ability to buy specific cards directly from the marketplace allows for more control over deck building compared to other card games.
- The game suffers from a lack of player base, making matchmaking difficult and often resulting in matches against significantly more experienced opponents.
- The monetization model is criticized for being pay-to-win, requiring additional purchases for cards and entry into competitive modes.
- Many players find the game overly reliant on RNG, with random hero placements and attack directions leading to frustrating outcomes.
- gameplay1,707 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Artifact is widely praised for its innovative mechanics, particularly the unique three-lane system that adds depth and strategic complexity, reminiscent of both card games and MOBA elements. While many players appreciate the intricate decision-making and tactical gameplay, there are significant criticisms regarding the game's reliance on RNG, which can lead to frustrating outcomes, as well as its monetization model that some feel detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as engaging and rewarding for those willing to invest time in mastering its complexities, but it is marred by issues related to balance and accessibility.
“The gameplay is deep and filled with a crazy amount of decision making.”
“The gameplay is fun, strategic and new but the payment system that evolves around the community market (to grab dem sweet selling fees) is completely unfriendly to casual gameplay.”
“The gameplay is unique, different, engaging, and difficult.”
“The gameplay is unintuitive for newcomers, full of infuriating randomness, and just feels clunky overall.”
“The gameplay itself feels like solving a math equation; it's just not fun.”
“The gameplay is so random, you can't tell if you are playing the game, or the game is playing you.”
- monetization784 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players labeling it as a "cash grab" due to its reliance on microtransactions and the requirement to pay for cards after an initial purchase. Critics argue that this approach detracts from the overall experience, making it feel exploitative and discouraging for casual players, while some defend it as a fair system compared to traditional trading card games. Overall, the monetization strategy is seen as a significant barrier to the game's success, overshadowing its potential and gameplay quality.
“The monetization was fair, and the open market for cards is leagues better than Hearthstone, asking you to dust 4 legendary cards to get one legendary of your choice.”
“I especially love how they decided to one-up an in-game store by making card packs only available for purchase for real money, with no way to earn them for free except for the 15 packs and tickets you get for leveling up to level 16.”
“The monetization model is more than fair in Artifact, but people like to complain.”
“It's a complete shame it got ruined by the monetization scheme.”
“The monetization model is atrocious.”
“This game is a pay to win joke with poor mechanics, very low satisfying gameplay and an entourage of a cash grab.”
- graphics214 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, intricate artwork, and smooth animations, often described as the best in the digital card game genre. Many reviewers highlighted the beautiful art style and high production values, which enhance the overall gaming experience, despite some criticisms regarding card design and occasional graphical bugs. Overall, the aesthetic appeal, combined with a captivating soundtrack, contributes significantly to the game's immersive atmosphere.
“The graphics, sound effects, and music are astonishingly good.”
“The visuals are beautiful and the soundtrack is amazing.”
“The graphics and style of the game are phenomenal, and all cards seem to work well together.”
“Lack of interesting card design, poor visuals, and greedy monetization drove this game into the ground.”
“The graphics (despite being on 1080 and max settings) are mediocre at best.”
“Although the graphics are bland and the theme isn't compelling, the gameplay itself has the same kind of synergistic depth of strategy and tactics that you just can't find anymore.”
- grinding178 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a significant divide in player sentiment regarding grinding in card games. Many players appreciate the lack of grinding in Artifact, favoring the ability to purchase specific cards directly rather than spending extensive time grinding for random packs, which they find tedious and unfulfilling. However, some players express frustration over the absence of a grinding mechanism, feeling it limits progression and engagement, particularly for those accustomed to traditional free-to-play models that reward time investment with in-game currency or card packs. Overall, the game's monetization model is seen as a refreshing alternative to the grind-heavy systems of competitors like Hearthstone.
“I absolutely detest daily challenges and the like; it's refreshing to have a game where the gameplay is the only thing that matters and not grinding out free currency.”
“The economy seems fair; nearly everything is available on the marketplace for pennies, so no grinding for a particular card.”
“Being able to buy the exact cards you need from the market and not grinding away for weeks for small amounts of dust is a huge win in my opinion.”
“The gameplay is nice but grinding your way to expansion packs is next to impossible.”
“I value my time, and grinding for 50+ hours to make a single meta deck is not appealing to me.”
“You spend all your time grinding and grinding then someone with money will just buy tons of packs and already be ahead of you anyway.”
- story123 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story aspect of Artifact is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting the absence of a traditional narrative or campaign mode. While the game features some lore through card descriptions and voice lines, it fails to provide meaningful single-player content or progression systems, leaving players feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from the game's potential storytelling elements. Overall, the consensus is that Artifact's story is overshadowed by its monetization model and lack of incentives for player engagement.
“All of the story elements we see in classic and foundry are so interesting and deserved to be explored.”
“Every single card has its own little blurb of story, reminds me a lot of the flavor text on old Magic and DM cards that helped me immerse myself in their universe.”
“The best thing about this game is the story of the war between legions from Dota 2, absolutely amazing lore.”
“No story, no moral.”
“The story of Artifact's first few months will become a negative example in textbooks about how to screw up with a perfect product in your hands.”
“There's no in-game currency system or even a quest system to award you with packs for playing.”
- music93 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its quality, vibrancy, and ability to enhance the overall experience. While the soundtrack is often described as fantastic and well-composed, some players noted a lack of variety, leading to repetitiveness over time. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's high production values and immersive atmosphere.
“The music is great.”
“The soundtrack is amazing.”
“The graphics, sound effects, and music are astonishingly good.”
“So many Steam games with soundtracks, and this game doesn't have one.”
“Also, the music sucks and is repetitive, and that's so bad for a video game.”
“The only good thing about the game I can say are the visuals, music, and sound effects, but those aren't elements that can save a game's poor gameplay.”
- optimization30 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting poor performance, crashes, and issues on lower-end systems. While some players experience smooth gameplay at high frame rates, others struggle with stuttering animations and significant lag, indicating that the game is not well-optimized for a card game format. Overall, the consensus suggests that optimization needs considerable improvement to enhance the gaming experience.
“The power level of expensive, properly optimized decks is so far above anything you can build from your first 10 packs you get with the game, that playing constructed is basically pointless without spending additional money.”
“You can play casually for fun, with themed decks that are just fun to experiment with, or competitively with highly optimized decks that require an insane amount of disciplined play.”
“Now the UI, visuals, music, performance, and network are really great; it's nice to look at, it runs well, and so far I haven't encountered any issues.”
“Game is unfinished with missing features and poorly optimized; don't even think about buying this game because it will go free-to-play, and if not, it will be doomed because there is no chance it will recover with the TCG business model.”
“This game is very poorly optimized, and playing on minimum specs is suffering.”
“The ugly: the game appears to be poorly optimized, barely running on the strongest 2018 MacBook Pro, and randomly crashing.”
- humor27 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The humor in the reviews is characterized by absurdity and randomness, often blending pop culture references with surreal scenarios, such as Baby Yoda and Danny DeVito engaging in bizarre activities. Players find the game's mechanics and unexpected outcomes amusing, despite frustrations with card acquisition and gameplay balance. Overall, the humor is a mix of irony, meme culture, and playful banter, making the experience entertaining even amidst challenges.
“There is hand-painted art combined with effects and very funny monsters on the board, fully animated and funny, that function like some kind of audience while you play.”
“Very funny when you win and your friend becomes flaming, calling this game very random and you saying 'nah, it's a very balanced game, you lost because you are a noob.'”
“Its fun, I love how it looks; the little demons have me chuckling as I play.”
“It's not funny.”
“The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
“I expected more clever humor, but it just didn't deliver.”
- replayability25 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers high replay value through free draft mode and a variety of strategic gameplay, many players feel limited by the lack of a campaign, progression systems, and a narrow selection of playable cards. Some users appreciate the infinite replayability of draft mode, but others express frustration over repetitive deck encounters and the absence of rewards for regular play. Overall, the game is seen as fun and engaging, but its replayability could be significantly enhanced with more diverse content and incentives.
“Great card game with a lot of replayability.”
“You get draft mode for free forever, which has basically infinite replay value and you get to play with all the cards, even the pricey ones.”
“Deep, interesting strategic card game with significant replayability.”
“Even if you own every card in the game, only a minority of the cards are playable, and since decks don't actually run that many cards, you wind up playing against the same set of decks over and over again, and seeing the same cards again and again.”
“On top of the fact that there's no reward for playing the game (unless you pay for 'expert' mode), there's also absolutely no progression system, ladder, quests, or other content to promote replayability.”
“It's very different and maybe over time there will be a more streamlined approach to the game, but as of right now it doesn't feel all that fun, and the fact that I can't work to unlock packs at all feels really unrewarding from a replayability standpoint.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mix of heartwarming moments and deep disappointment, with players expressing nostalgia for its earlier wholesome identity while grappling with recent changes that have made gameplay feel less satisfying and more frustrating. Some reviews highlight the emotional engagement of longer matches, contrasting it with the heartbreak of RNG mechanics that can undermine player control and enjoyment. Overall, the sentiment reflects a longing for the game's original charm amidst concerns about its evolving direction.
“This almost made me cry, bruh, because I love Dota 2 lore and I really liked this game at first.”
“Sitting in front of your computer, watching your opponent take 3 turns on 3 boards while all of your heroes are dead just to have them retake initiative and condemn your only way into the game is heartbreaking.”
“My games so far have probably lasted about an hour on average, so it can be a lot more emotionally engaging than shorter session card games.”
- stability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 81 % negative mentions
Overall, user reviews indicate that the game's stability is inconsistent, with many players experiencing frequent freezes, crashes, and bugs, particularly during deck building and match initiation. While some users report a polished experience with no major issues, the prevalence of glitches significantly detracts from the overall gameplay for others. The game's performance appears to vary widely, leading to frustration among players.
“It is polished, it runs great, has good art (Drow Ranger by Livia Prima), and great gameplay.”
“No glitches or bugs experienced; Linux & utility 10/10.”
“Not too buggy.”
“I was interested in the free drafts, however every time I make a draft pick the game freezes on me with a 'please wait' that never goes away.”
“When building a deck, I drag and drop my first card in, then when I do the same with a second card the whole game freezes and becomes unresponsive.”
“Buggy; for me the program crashes 100% just by clicking on the system options menu, among other glitches.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its gorgeous visuals and immersive design, creating a deep and engaging experience that stands out in its genre. Players appreciate the interesting lore and complex mechanics, which enhance the overall ambiance and contribute to a captivating gaming environment.
“The game looks gorgeous, feels great, has a good atmosphere and mechanics which differ enough from the Hearthstones and Magics of the world to earn it a spot on the map.”
“Beautiful, atmospheric and complex game.”
“The writing for the lore is pretty interesting, the audiovisuals of the game set a very deep atmosphere of the Dota world.”
“The writing for the lore is pretty interesting, but the audiovisuals of the game fail to create a truly immersive atmosphere in the Dota world.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the original storyline suffers from insufficient character development compared to its movie adaptations, though some players appreciate unique character designs, such as a giant ice dragon that reads and writes books.
“To top it off, the hero is a giant ice dragon that reads and writes books, which in my opinion is such a cool character design.”
“The original storyline lacked the depth and character development found in the movie adaptations.”
“The characters felt one-dimensional and their growth throughout the game was minimal.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; there was no real sense of progression.”
