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SolForge

64%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, stability
64% User Score Based on 977 reviews

Platforms

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About

SolForge is a free-to-play, multiplayer fantasy turn-based strategy game designed by the creators of Magic: The Gathering and Ascension. Players build their own decks, level up cards for increased power, and can challenge friends or battle the computer in various modes. With hundreds of cards and leveling mechanics, SolForge offers strategic and tactical depth for both new and experienced players.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
SolForge screenshot
SolForge screenshot
SolForge screenshot
SolForge screenshot
SolForge screenshot
SolForge screenshot

64%
Audience ScoreBased on 977 reviews
gameplay110 positive mentions
grinding19 negative mentions
  • A perfect blend of fun and challenge.
  • Unique gameplay mechanics with card leveling that adds depth to strategy.
  • Generous daily rewards and opportunities to earn cards without spending money.
  • Cannot login due to server issues, leading to frustration.
  • Game is perceived as pay-to-win, with a significant advantage for players who spend money on legendary cards.
  • The new client has numerous bugs and a clunky interface, making gameplay less enjoyable.
  • gameplay
    270 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this card game is characterized by its unique mechanics, particularly the card leveling system that allows players to evolve their cards during matches, adding depth and strategy to the experience. While many players appreciate the innovative design and engaging mechanics, some express concerns about balance issues, reliance on luck, and a user interface that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a fun and accessible experience for both new and seasoned players, though it may require patience to fully grasp its complexities.

    • “The mechanics and cards make this game a blast to play.”
    • “The card-leveling mechanic is innovative and adds tremendous strategic depth.”
    • “The core gameplay is fun enough, but they have a disturbing habit of changing cards and mechanics.”
    • “Just before the new client update took place and after playing the game for 2 years, I decided to back the developers and purchased their promo pack of 60 boosters or so, without realizing the mess the new update would be: no more single player vs AI games eligible for the daily rewards, totally messed up UI, slow, sluggish, and broken gameplay leading to anger and frustration instead of enjoyment and a sense of progression by gathering silver, tickets, and packs every day.”
    • “The gameplay feels slow and clunky due to the new UI.”
    • “While the central mechanics are interesting, they feel poorly put together.”
  • graphics
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful card artwork while criticizing the overall graphical quality and user interface. Users note that the transition to 3D graphics has detracted from the previously functional 2D design, leading to a less immersive experience. Despite some appealing visuals, the game's graphics are often described as unrefined and reminiscent of older, less polished titles.

    • “The artwork is pretty stellar, the balance of the card powers is good, and plenty of ways to play.”
    • “I have been playing this game since the beta and first was amazed by the graphics and sleek design.”
    • “I don't know how they keep pushing that level of quality of artwork with every set, but they are just beautiful, amazing.”
    • “In exchange, the added 3D graphics are inferior to the 2D art already present.”
    • “The game menu is just horrible... the old menu was graphically bad, but functionally 1000 times better than the new one.”
    • “Worst graphics I've ever seen in a TCG.”
  • story
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with players expressing a desire for a more engaging campaign rather than repetitive daily quests and challenging AI opponents. While some appreciate the potential of the new campaign mode and the interesting setting, many find the current quest system frustrating, particularly for new players who struggle to progress without investing money. Overall, the narrative elements are overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that often feel unbalanced and uninviting.

    • “The game allows you multiple packs daily, and already offers a broad range of campaign missions with challenging objectives and vast possibilities, not to mention the tournaments.”
    • “Interesting setting/story.”
    • “Recently a campaign mode was added, which was easy up until the last mission... very tough, for me at least.”
    • “It would be far better if they would make a campaign that had a story to it instead of pitting you against incredibly broken enemies instead of fair fights in which they simply have better or equal cards and you need to out-strategize them.”
    • “Pay to win game, which only gives you a few basic tutorial missions from the campaign to play for free - to play the other half of the tutorial campaign you need to have a deck, and to have a deck you need to buy deck slots and boosters (and you don't have enough silver coins for that at the start of the game) or a preconstructed deck for real money.”
    • “I'm personally not that much into competitive play and in this regard this game really doesn't offer much, past some okay campaign missions and a subpar AI with zero rewards.”
  • grinding
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with players noting that it requires significant time investment to build a competitive deck, often leading to frustration, especially for newcomers. While there are some opportunities for earning in-game currency through daily rewards and draft tournaments, the overall experience is marred by a pay-to-win model and a slow progression system that can feel tedious. Despite these challenges, dedicated players may find a rewarding game beneath the grind, but many reviewers recommend caution due to the extensive time commitment required.

    • “The daily rewards system makes grinding for currency and cards enjoyable rather than tedious.”
    • “I appreciate how the game balances grinding with rewarding daily incentives.”
    • “Collecting currency and cards feels rewarding and not overwhelming, thanks to the thoughtful design of the grinding mechanics.”
    • “Combine that with an economy based on grinding, with heavy aspects of pay to win, and an inability to pay for event tickets with in-game currency, and it will take several hours a day for any new player to even complete a playable deck within months.”
    • “If you're very patient and don't mind grinding for years, there is a good game hidden underneath all these problems, but I can't recommend this.”
    • “Grinding the in-game currency is pretty slow, and drafting is really expensive.”
  • stability
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as issues with the client, deck management, and user interface. Many players experienced significant slowdowns and crashes, leading to frustration and a lack of confidence in the game's reliability. While some acknowledge potential for improvement, the overall consensus is that the game is currently too unstable for a smooth experience.

    • “Is it buggy? Absolutely. The discard pile can be broken by a key legend that levels cards in it, the ability to open the deck can be blocked by use of another popular legend, and if you don't know the right tricks, you can lose a brand-new deck you've just designed because the game forgot it existed.”
    • “Unfortunately, it was not the smoothest launch as the client was buggy and had several issues.”
    • “Too many bugs/glitches that make it unplayable.”
  • monetization
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization model of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players criticizing it as exploitative due to the reliance on subscriptions, microtransactions, and the imbalance created by legendary cards. While some appreciate that it's possible to enjoy the game without spending money, others feel that the system favors paying players, leading to a frustrating experience for those who choose to grind instead. Overall, the monetization strategy is seen as a significant drawback, with calls for developers to improve communication and focus on gameplay features rather than new card releases.

    • “Addicting, enjoyable, and you don't need to buy in-game purchases to get a great deck.”
    • “You can grind your way out or you can pay your way out.”
    • “So one can break open their wallets and start enriching their decks with reds, or try to enjoy the game with the exclusion of legendaries, smartly avoiding the overt monetization mechanics.”
    • “If you like TCGs but don't like the monetization model of something like Hearthstone, this is a solid alternative and is, in my opinion, the best online TCG available.”
    • “Specifically, the Solforge monetization pit is built around the absurdly imbalanced legendary cards and the increasing rank of cards.”
    • “While the gambling aspects of trying to acquire OP legendary cards in bulk booster pack purchases is obviously a cash grab, the leveling of cards is a more subtle monetization tactic.”
  • music
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has been widely criticized for being minimal, repetitive, and lacking in quality, failing to enhance the overall experience. Many players feel that the soundtrack does not contribute positively to the game, contrasting sharply with the memorable music of previous titles in the genre. Overall, the music is seen as a significant drawback, adding to the game's negative reception.

    • “This is a shame, as Spectromancer's soundtrack was one of the key elements of making it great.”
    • “However, I dislike that there is very little music, and the music that is there is very plain, and does not add to the Solforge experience.”
    • “- Repetitive music.”
    • “Add in buggy UI and repetitive music and you've got all you need for a bad card game.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, particularly for its laggy performance in the deck builder, which has persisted since its early development. Players report that poor optimization significantly impacts gameplay speed and efficiency, leading to frustration, especially given the game's focus on action economy. Despite justifications related to mobile compatibility, the overall experience suffers from slow performance.

    • “The game is about action economy, and there is a lot of potential optimization for it.”
    • “It's poor optimization all around, and has been around since the very beginning, and this game has been in development for quite some time.”
    • “No game of Solforge ever legitimately takes the entirety of a player's clock, and of course the whole reason the clock still exists to this day is not only poor optimization burning away seconds just to execute one of your two card plays, but is voraciously defended because of the game's mobile roots, to allow players on poor connections to enjoy the game, or so it is justified.”
    • “It is slower, both in performance and gameplay.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is noted to have declined significantly, with players expressing disappointment over its current state compared to its earlier, funnier iterations. While some appreciate the amusing card art, the overall sentiment suggests that the game's comedic elements are no longer resonating with the majority of its audience.

    • “Now here is the funny part:”
    • “(See the hours played for those with no sense of humor.)”
    • “Card art looks funny.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacks long-term engagement, others appreciate its ease of play and value for money, suggesting that investing in custom decks enhances the experience. Overall, it may entertain casual gamers briefly but may not sustain interest for extended periods.

    • “This game gets my highest recommendation for ease of play, replayability, and amount of gameplay given per dollar.”
    • “The starter decks are playable, but I would strongly advise you to buy some packs (you can use silver, which you can get from logging on daily and from winning matches) and get a custom deck going.”
    • “It does not have enough replay value to entertain most gamers for more than five minutes.”
    • “The starter decks are playable, but I would strongly advise you to buy some packs (you can use silver which you can get from logging on daily and from winning matches) and get a custom deck going.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, often feeling frustration and sadness during challenging duels, particularly when faced with unfavorable card situations. However, there are also suggestions for improving the user interface to enhance the overall experience across different platforms.

    • “If you are like me, you might find yourself in the middle of a duel with a low attack and defense card, and it can be so frustrating that you just want to cry.”

Buy SolForge

624h Median play time
576h Average play time
150-1000h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs

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