HEX: Shards of Fate
- April 19, 2016
- Hex Entertainment
- 538h median play time
Get on SteamHEX: Shards of Fate is a digital card game that combines TCG and RPG elements, offering over 1,000 unique cards, champions with individual skills, and socketing gems for deck customization. The game features single-player dungeons, 1 vs 1 matches, and trading with other players. Experience a magical world filled with strategic battles and cool animations.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- Hex offers a deep and engaging single-player campaign that is free to play, allowing players to earn cards and gold without spending money.
- The game features innovative mechanics that take full advantage of the digital format, such as cards retaining effects even after being removed from play.
- The community is friendly and supportive, with many players willing to help newcomers and share cards.
- The game can be frustratingly difficult at times, with some encounters feeling nearly impossible without specific cards or strategies.
- There is a significant grind required to build a competitive deck, making it challenging for free-to-play players to succeed in PvP.
- The auction house and trading system can be clunky and slow, making it difficult to navigate and find desired cards.
- gameplay366 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Hex: Shards of Fate" is heavily inspired by "Magic: The Gathering," featuring familiar mechanics while introducing innovative digital-only elements that enhance strategic depth and deck-building options. Players appreciate the engaging single-player campaign, diverse mechanics, and the ability to create unique combos, although some criticize the game's slow pace and reliance on a resource system that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, the game is recognized for its complex and rewarding mechanics, making it a compelling choice for fans of trading card games.
“The gameplay itself has depth.”
“Hex is a deep trading card game that embraces its digital nature, with mechanics not feasible in meatspace.”
“The game has kept my interest the whole time due to the wonderful play mechanics (taking advantage of digital space constantly and always pushing the envelope) and the great size of each set that comes out.”
“The game mechanics are so broken that you lose roughly 1/3 of the time due to shard screw/flood.”
“Gameplay is slow for a digital format, feels too much like playing a paper card game.”
“By slavishly copying magic's mechanics without having magic's design team to back it up, hex fails at both strategic depth and accessibility.”
- story136 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its depth, humor, and unique world-building, offering a lengthy single-player campaign that can exceed 50 hours. While many players appreciate the engaging narrative and character customization, some criticize the linearity and pacing of the story, as well as balance issues in gameplay. Overall, the story mode is seen as a standout feature that enhances the card game experience, despite some players feeling it could be more impactful and varied.
“The story is very long and detailed, and the developers put a lot of work into this, I am sure.”
“I can't think of any other free game with a 50+ hours PvE campaign with good storytelling that somehow manages to keep you entertained without feeling like a grind.”
“Hex gives you far more than that, providing a quirky campaign experience with plenty of charm and a deep story.”
“My biggest complaint is that this game still has tons of balance issues (especially the undead cards) and the story is a bit ham-handed.”
“The story gives you multiple choices but is ultimately shallow and the choices lead you back to the same paths.”
“The story is the bare minimum, so you won't play it for that.”
- grinding97 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
Grinding in the game is a significant aspect, often described as tedious and time-consuming, especially for free-to-play players. Many users report that leveling up and acquiring competitive decks require extensive grinding, with some estimating hundreds of hours to build a viable collection without spending money. While the game offers opportunities to earn cards and currency through PvE content, the grind can feel overwhelming, leading to frustration for those unwilling to invest the necessary time or money.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Your character levels up very slowly, and your rewards for losing battles are minimal, so if you're having trouble with a battle that's required to progress, you may be forced to do a lot of grinding.”
“Unless you are willing to spend hundreds of hours grinding gold in PvE for overpriced packs in the auction house, don't expect to get anywhere in this game.”
“The amount of grinding required to cobble together a serious constructed PvP deck is significant, and I wouldn't recommend doing so to most people.”
- graphics67 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful artwork and high production value, with many users highlighting the impressive card designs and vibrant visuals. However, some players noted inconsistencies in graphical quality, with certain elements appearing less polished, and there are reports of performance issues on lower-end systems. Overall, while the artwork is a strong point, the game's optimization and user interface could use improvement.
“The graphics are beautiful.”
“Great graphics, polished interface, and overall exceptional production value.”
“The game has good graphical polish, with very nice art throughout.”
“The artwork on the cards is rather bad and uninspired.”
“Even the artwork quality fluctuates from horrendous to inspiring.”
“The UI is functional but doesn't feel great, with key missing elements such as a log of what happened in the turn, and resolution options are pathetic (no borderless window for a card game, seriously?). The whole thing is also badly optimized: graphics are occasionally nice but not cutting-edge, yet there is regular stuttering on a gaming PC that runs Witcher 3 on medium smoothly.”
- stability24 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, freezes, and server downtime, which detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the game's free-to-play model and potential, the persistent glitches and lack of updates hinder enjoyment and gameplay progression. Overall, many users advise against playing in its current state due to these stability concerns.
“Unfortunately, the game is very buggy and the servers are down half of the time.”
“And not just small glitches: card effects not triggering, complete UI freezing, buttons being unclickable for no reason, auction house is so badly designed, it's ridiculous, and sometimes the game just skipped some phases of my turn, so f*** planning.”
“Many, including myself, get stuck in loading screen freezes; although I had the patience to wait one time, counting the minutes when it finally loaded through, it was 5-8 minutes.”
- optimization17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with users reporting stability issues and inconsistent performance, particularly during high-load events, leading to occasional crashes and slow responsiveness. While some players appreciate the digital gameplay experience and find it well-optimized for online play, others criticize the UI and auction house for being poorly designed and inefficient, especially on older machines. Overall, while there are moments of good optimization, many players feel the game still requires significant improvements to enhance the overall experience.
“Overall, the cost isn't too bad if you compare it to printed TCGs; you aren't getting physical cards, but, as I previously mentioned, you get to play a game optimized for digital gameplay.”
“The game is incredibly well optimized for the digital experience and will give you the same depth that is often lacking in many other digital-only card games.”
“Slow-paced, really fun to learn, really well optimized, few visual bugs but still a good game to me so far.”
“The client is mostly stable, but performance ranges from slow to non-responsive (with occasional crashing).”
“Hex continues to be poorly optimized for older machines (midrange 2012 notebook user here) with long periods of hanging games and possible memory leaks.”
“The UI is functional but doesn't feel great, with key missing elements such as a log of what happened in the turn, and resolution options are pathetic (no borderless window for a card game, seriously?). The whole thing is also badly optimized: graphics are occasionally nice but not cutting-edge, yet there is regular stuttering on a gaming PC that runs Witcher 3 on medium smoothly.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its complex mechanics, diverse deck strategies, and various champions and mercenaries, allowing players to explore numerous combinations and formats. The PvE campaign is particularly engaging, offering rewards that encourage repeated play, while the RPG elements and leveling system further enhance the variety. Overall, players find themselves drawn back repeatedly, making it a compelling experience for both casual and dedicated gamers.
“These all promote different deck strategies, making the campaign highly replayable.”
“The PvE campaign is quite fun and has good replay value as you do it with various champions, mercenaries, and decks.”
“The complexity level adds color and replayability, but the UI sometimes gets in the way of a flawless experience.”
“This variety allows for a lot of replayability, and I've spent much time trying out different race and class combinations.”
“The RPG elements and leveling system offer a lot of variety, and deck building options with PvE exclusive cards and equipment will offer endless replayability!”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a dry, satirical tone that enhances both the card flavor texts and the campaign narrative, making it engaging and entertaining. Players appreciate the comedic elements woven into the game's design, despite acknowledging its flaws, and many find the humor to be a significant draw that adds depth to the overall experience. Overall, the game's humor is seen as a highlight, contributing to its charm and appeal.
“Not the story itself, but its sense of humor (along with card flavor texts), world-building, and just the single-player content milestones it achieves are already quite awesome.”
“It's got a great level of complexity mixed with visual style and has a very dry satirical sarcastic sense of humor both to the cards and perhaps more so within the campaign of the game.”
“When I started playing, I just clicked through the text because I normally don't care about story for games I play; I actually restarted when I figured out how cool and funny the story is.”
- monetization10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has faced criticism for being overly aggressive, leading to perceptions of it as a cash grab, particularly for players who cannot invest significant time. While the game is free-to-play and offers access to content without mandatory purchases, the reliance on microtransactions and the pacing issues in the single-player campaign have detracted from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, some players believe that with better advertising and adjustments, the game could compete with larger titles like Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering.
“No problems with the aspect of being a free-to-play with in-game purchases as it all is also available via normal playing at a fast pace.”
“However, they've been a bit heavy-handed with the monetization and caused the community to collapse.”
“It feels like it is a cash grab now for the people who can't put many hours into games to be free to play.”
“The single-player campaign (your only option for attaining cards without buying one of the lackluster starter decks or selling your organs, one by one, to roll the dice on randomized microtransactions) suffers from pacing problems.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its beauty and how it complements the game's atmosphere. While some find it enjoyable, others prefer to play their own music, suggesting that the soundtrack may not be memorable for everyone. Overall, the sound effects and music contribute positively to the gaming experience, though there is room for improvement.
“It's fun, has good music, great card mechanics, great art, and if you've played any trading card game before, you'll learn the ropes almost instantly thanks to how intuitive the game design is.”
“The soundtrack is nice and the plethora of sound effects offers a relaxing atmosphere during the battles.”
“The music is beautiful and lends itself well to the setting.”
“I find myself playing my own music 99% of the time.”
“Sound and music make me sleepy.”
“Music and sound effects are up there and can be fixed if needed.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with many users highlighting its mature player base and visually appealing artwork that strikes a balance between vibrant and sophisticated. The combination of engaging sound effects and a pleasant soundtrack contributes to a relaxing yet immersive experience during gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the best in gaming, enhancing the strategic elements and enjoyment of the game.
“One of the best atmospheres in any game you can ever play.”
“The art and audio are fantastic; the atmosphere is stellar.”
“The soundtrack is nice and the plethora of sound effects offers a relaxing atmosphere during the battles.”
“Strategy games in general tend to have a toxic atmosphere, but Hex has a pretty mature player base.”
“The soundtrack is nice, and the plethora of sound effects offers a relaxing atmosphere during the battles.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed feelings among players, with some appreciating its engaging gameplay despite a perceived lackluster story. The shared campaign experience across different races and factions adds a unique twist, allowing players to connect with the game on a personal level, particularly in PvP scenarios. Overall, while opinions vary, many find moments of excitement and enjoyment that resonate emotionally.
“I can completely understand anyone playing this game and saying, 'Woahhhhhh.'”
“While there's a fair balance between those who like and dislike the game, I personally find it great despite the obviously boring story. The thing that stands out the most in regards to the single-player campaign is the fact that all races, along with factions, share the same campaign with the same missions and fights, simply tweaked here and there to seem different.”
“The emotional depth of the characters is lacking, making it hard to connect with their struggles and triumphs.”
“I expected a gripping narrative, but the emotional moments felt forced and unconvincing, leaving me indifferent to the characters' fates.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the rich PvE experience that enhances character development, highlighting it as a significant aspect of the free-to-play model. This depth allows for meaningful progression and engagement with the game's characters.
“The character development in this game offers a rich PvE experience, making it accessible even for free-to-play players.”
“I love how the character development system allows for deep customization and growth throughout the game.”
“The progression of characters feels rewarding, with each choice impacting their abilities and story.”
