SolForge

About

SolForge is a single player and multiplayer casual role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Stone Blade Entertainment and was released on July 25, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

SolForge is a free-to-play digital collectible game in which players construct their own decks to challenge their friends or battle against the computer. The current open beta version includes deckbuilding, collection management, online play, AI opponents, tournaments, drafts, and more. Players can customize their decks with cards from their collection that they can earn through gameplay or purcha…

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64%

Audience ScoreBased on 976 reviews

gameplay110 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

Unique gameplay mechanics with card leveling that adds depth and strategy.
Generous daily rewards and free-to-play model that allows players to build a collection without spending money.
Engaging community and tournaments that provide opportunities for competitive play.

Severe power creep with legendary cards dominating the meta, making it difficult for new players to compete.
Clunky user interface and slow loading times that detract from the overall experience.
Lack of meaningful matchmaking, often pairing new players with those who have significantly stronger decks.

gameplay
269 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
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 intricacies.
- “The mechanics and cards make this game a blast to play.”
- “The card-leveling mechanic is innovative and adds tremendous strategic depth.”
- “Solforge is a unique card game that stands out from the competition in both gameplay and design.”
- “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 has gradually gotten more polished over the last few years, and concepts like aggressive, mobility, vengeance, flank, ambush, poison, etc. keep old cards from fading into obscurity by coming back into gameplay with new deck synergies.”
- “While the central mechanics are interesting, they feel poorly put together.”
story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
78%
7%
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 introduction of campaign missions and the potential for interesting narratives, many feel that the current quest system is frustrating, particularly for new players, and that the game leans towards a pay-to-win model. Overall, the narrative experience is seen as lacking depth and variety, leaving players wanting more from the story-driven elements.
- “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.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
37%
15%
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 new 3D graphics are inferior to the previous 2D art, and the game menu is particularly disliked for its poor functionality. Despite some appealing visuals, the general consensus is that the graphics feel outdated and lack refinement, detracting from the overall experience.
- “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 released 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.”
- “Ultimately, it is brought down by poor graphics and uninspired sound.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
95%
The reviews highlight that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often requiring extensive time investment to build competitive decks, especially for new players. While there are opportunities for earning in-game currency through daily rewards and draft tournaments, many players find the grind tedious and feel that the game leans towards a pay-to-win model. Overall, while some enjoy the challenge of grinding, others find it overwhelming and recommend considering the option to spend real money for a more enjoyable experience.
- “The daily rewards system makes grinding for currency and cards enjoyable rather than tedious.”
- “I appreciate how the game balances grinding with free currency, making it feel rewarding.”
- “Collecting currency and cards through daily rewards is a satisfying experience that keeps me engaged.”
- “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
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as issues with the client, slow performance, and problems with card visibility. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and note occasional improvements, the overall consensus is that the current state is too unstable and buggy for a smooth gaming 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 the 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
23%
23%
54%
The monetization model of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it as exploitative due to high costs for microtransactions and the reliance on legendary cards that can create a pay-to-win environment. However, others appreciate that it allows for a competitive experience without mandatory purchases, suggesting that players can still enjoy the game through grinding. Overall, while the game offers a solid alternative to other TCGs, its monetization practices may deter some players.
- “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
50%
50%
The music in the game has been widely criticized for being minimal, plain, and repetitive, failing to enhance the overall experience. Many users express disappointment, noting that the lack of a compelling soundtrack detracts from the game's appeal, especially when compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, the music is seen as a significant weakness, contributing to a negative perception of the game.
- “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.”
- “This is a shame, as Spectromancer's soundtrack was one of the key elements of making it great.”
- “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
14%
43%
43%
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 frustrating experiences, especially given the game's focus on action economy. Despite justifications related to mobile compatibility, the overall performance remains subpar.
- “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
100%
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 audience, leading to a decrease in player engagement.
- “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
67%
67%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacks long-term engagement, others appreciate its ease of play and recommend investing in custom decks for a more enjoyable experience. Overall, it offers decent value for the price, especially with daily rewards that enhance gameplay.
- “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
100%
Players express a strong emotional response during gameplay, particularly feeling frustration and sadness when faced with challenging duels involving weak cards. While the emotional engagement is notable, there are suggestions for improving the user interface to enhance the overall experience.
- “If you are like me, you probably hate being in the middle of a duel with a low attack and defense card that makes you just want to cry.”