Cardfight!! Vanguard Dear Days

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"Cardfight!! Vanguard Dear Days" is a digital card game that brings the popular trading card game to life with stunning 3D graphics and animations. Players can build their decks and challenge other fighters in various game modes, including a story-driven campaign and online multiplayer. The game features fast-paced, strategic battles with a wide range of cards and abilities to collect and master.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,362 reviews

story68 positive mentions

monetization6 negative mentions

The game provides a fun and engaging way to play Cardfight!! Vanguard, especially for fans of the TCG.
Players can easily earn in-game currency to buy packs and craft cards, making it accessible to build various decks.
The graphics and animations are well done, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

The pricing is considered steep, with the base game costing around $70 and additional DLCs being similarly priced.
There are issues with the online matchmaking, including players disconnecting to avoid losses, resulting in draws.
The localization has several translation errors, and the UI can be clunky, making navigation and deck building frustrating.

story
284 mentions
24 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally viewed as mediocre and predictable, often likened to a typical card game anime narrative, with some players finding it enjoyable despite its simplicity. While the story mode offers a decent amount of playtime and allows for deck building, many reviewers express frustration with the AI's seemingly unfair advantages and the overall lack of depth in the storyline. Despite its shortcomings, the game is appreciated for its engaging gameplay mechanics and the ability to earn in-game currency through story progression.
- “I really like that they went with a 'tag force' approach and made a story/world for the campaign instead of just a list of opponents.”
- “The story is fun in a cheesy card game anime sort of way, getting the cards is easy, you get a lot of currency for boosters in the game, and get crafting points for duplicates so getting the cards you want is easy.”
- “As you progress through Yuki's story mode, you'll unlock four additional stories: Rasen's story, which is about 2/3 as long as Yuki's and serves as another side to her story; and three stories concerning characters from the Overdress anime, which are three interconnected vignettes that take place during and after Yuki's story.”
- “Overpricing this game on top of all of the spelling/grammar mistakes and pitiful story makes me think this would have been better and survived longer as a free mobile game, and I hate mobile games.”
- “The rigged story fights are pointless and shouldn't even be included to waste your time, ruined both the character and their ace card for me.”
- “The story is mediocre and fighting vs AI won't hold you over when the player base vanishes and you can't play multiplayer any longer.”
gameplay
174 mentions
33 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, praised for its smooth mechanics, engaging card battles, and ease of learning, making it accessible for both new and returning players. However, many users express frustration over the high price point, outdated card pool, and some clunky mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game offers a fun and competitive environment, especially for fans of the Vanguard series, with potential for extensive playtime if updates and new content are introduced.
- “The gameplay is amazing; it is nice, fast, fun, and easy to learn and play with everything you could want from a Vanguard game.”
- “If you love card games, then this is probably the best digital card game simulator released. It has quality of life features that would make even Master Duel pale in comparison, not to mention 80 deck slots and tons of variety with gameplay styles.”
- “The gameplay overall is pretty good with many playable characters.”
- “But asking players to pay around $70 for a game that’s severely outdated, both in its card pool and mechanics, is frustrating.”
- “They feel clunky and unrefined; drag-and-drop mechanics would have been a much better approach, but instead, we're stuck with a system that doesn't feel smooth or intuitive.”
- “The gameplay in this isn't even the same as the real cardfighting game.”
graphics
40 mentions
50 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals and high-quality artwork, particularly the detailed card art that closely resembles the original designs. Players appreciate the anime aesthetic and smooth animations, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some consider the graphics to be typical for a card game, the unique artistic style and vibrant effects stand out, making it a visually appealing title.
- “The visuals are stunning.”
- “The animations and graphics are fantastic, and the gameplay and UI are nice, too.”
- “The graphics are great, gameplay is fun, and overall is a great way to kill time.”
- “Graphics: run of the mill card game graphics, fancy VFX and character specific attacks (aside from Yuki, who gets all of them). However, Vanguard as a game, both IRL and online, has always been about the card art, and Dear Days does this flawlessly, with an almost 1-1 recreation of the cards. All of them look beautiful, and if that's something you're all about.”
- “Graphics: run of the mill card game graphics, fancy VFX and character specific attacks (aside from Yuki, who gets all of them). However, Vanguard as a game, both IRL and online, has always been about the card art, and Dear Days does this flawlessly, with an almost 1-1 recreation of the cards. All of them look beautiful, and if that's something you're all about.”
- “---{ graphics }---”
monetization
36 mentions
11 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the ability to earn in-game currency through gameplay, allowing for a more accessible experience. However, others criticize the high initial pricing and the perception of the game as a cash grab due to the need to purchase separate decks and packs. Overall, while the lack of microtransactions is praised, concerns about pricing and accessibility remain prevalent.
- “It's refreshing to play a digital card game without microtransactions, letting you experiment with as many cards as you want without fear of wasting money or resources.”
- “The grind isn't too bad; you can easily get 1,000 VP from even losing a fight. Considering the cheapest pack is only 300 VP for one pack, you only need three fights for a 10-pull. If you don't get the card you want, just craft it. The best part? No in-game purchases; you can reasonably get everything by just playing the game.”
- “I find the pricing structure of the game to be justified. Not just because TCGs are expensive in real life, but because even if you're someone who wants to play a specific deck, this game generously hands out all the VP you could ever want to spend on cards, which is a much better monetization method than something like Master Duel, where you'll pay $600 and maybe get four decks out of that if you're lucky.”
- “Epik and very fun game for Vanguard players, but the only issue is this game feels like a cash grab as a lot of decks and packs you need to buy separately.”
- “- No amount of work this company puts in will justify the price tag. Please do not reward this lazy and greedy developer's attempt to make Vanguard into a quick cash grab.”
- “Sadly, there is just a small player base because Bushiroad (the publisher and creator of this TCG) does no advertising at all in Europe and the USA. Without having a friend who shows the game, seeing people playing it in a TCG store, or just searching for TCGs, Vanguard sadly stays a hidden gem that's even harder to grow in its player base due to the ridiculously high price of this game.”
grinding
36 mentions
0 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
Grinding in the game is generally seen as a rewarding experience, allowing players to build decks without the need for microtransactions, as all cards can be earned through gameplay. While some players find the process tedious and time-consuming, many appreciate the ability to create multiple decks within a few days of dedicated play. Overall, the game strikes a balance between grind and progression, making it accessible for those willing to invest time.
- “Also, they make cards extremely hard to get (the luck of pulling packs), so you're gonna be suffering for a good 20 hours of in-game time grinding for points before you can make a decently built deck.”
- “Those games demand hours of grinding (or microtransactions) to continue to make decks while in Dear Days you can earn all the cards in the current collection just by playing through the story mode.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
music
26 mentions
31 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the high-quality soundtrack and voice acting, which enhances the overall experience. However, several users noted that the original soundtrack (OST) becomes repetitive quickly, detracting from the enjoyment over time. While the music is initially engaging and fits well with the game's theme, its limited variety can lead to boredom during extended play sessions.
- “The soundtrack is amazing, absolute banger.”
- “The gameplay runs quite smooth and the music is top tier, so it has the pull it needs. It's quite a shame that this has such a high price point for entry.”
- “Music and voice-acted avatars during the matches keep the game from becoming dull.”
- “The soundtrack is pretty typical for this format of game, but it does actually sound a lot like the BGM used in the various Vanguard anime series, so it's fitting.”
- “The game is fun even if the story is extremely generic and the OST repeats itself very often, as the main selling point is the actual gameplay.”
- “The OST is extremely repetitive; it's good at first but gets boring extremely fast as there are very few tracks from the many fights I've had so far.”
optimization
14 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with solid performance reported even on lower-end hardware, such as laptops with integrated graphics. However, some users note issues with the user interface not being optimized for mouse and keyboard controls, and there are mixed feelings about the overall experience, particularly regarding the story and deckbuilder mechanics.
- “The game runs smoothly and packs are fairly cheap to purchase.”
- “Performance is fairly solid, even on a laptop with integrated graphics only.”
- “Works well, performance is fine; I have a modern mid-range laptop for reference, with 0 fps drops or stutter.”
- “However, the story is pretty bad, the deckbuilder is really bad, and the game performance is embarrassing.”
- “And not optimized for PC.”
- “- UI not optimized for mouse and keyboard.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing translation errors and a funny story/lore that players enjoy. Additionally, the AI's occasional incompetence adds to the comedic experience, despite some players finding it a bit odd. Overall, the humor is a notable aspect that enhances the gameplay.
- “There are also a few translation errors that don't affect gameplay and are absolutely hilarious.”
- “The story and lore are quite funny to read.”
- “The funny thing is the AI is also trash sometimes and loses to silly things like a deck out, but that still doesn't excuse the weirdness.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' deep engagement and satisfaction, as evidenced by the significant investment of time and effort in creating multiple decks. The experience is described as rewarding, making the price feel justified for both learning and enjoyment, even for those unfamiliar with the traditional paper version.
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While users praise the character design and smooth gameplay, there is no specific mention of character development, suggesting that this aspect may not be a focal point in the reviews.
stability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, with users consistently reporting smooth performance and no significant issues.
- “Game runs great.”
- “Game runs great.”