Spellsword Cards: Origins
- June 6, 2019
- One Up Plus Entertainment
Get on Steam"Spellsword Cards: Origins" is a single-player card game that combines RPG elements with deckbuilding strategy. Assemble a deck of cards and battle enemies in turn-based combat, using spells, weapons, and abilities to defeat foes and progress through the game's story. With procedurally generated levels and characters, each playthrough offers a unique experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features unique mechanics, such as card fusion and action point management, which add depth and variety to gameplay.
- It offers a good amount of replayability with multiple classes, races, and paths to explore, making each playthrough feel different.
- The game is easy to pick up and play, making it accessible for both casual and dedicated players.
- There are significant balance issues, particularly with the final boss and certain character abilities, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The user interface feels like a mobile port, lacking the polish and functionality expected from a PC game, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Player agency is limited due to information hiding and randomness, making strategic decision-making feel less impactful.
- gameplay22 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay features several interesting mechanics, such as discarding cards to gain extra action points and a combine mechanic that allows for a smaller deck while maintaining access to card effects. While many players appreciate the depth and potential for strategic combos, frustrations arise from certain aspects, particularly the final boss, which is criticized for its anti-fun mechanics. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable mechanics and balanced gameplay, though it may not reach the heights of similar titles.
“I like the mechanic of dumping cards to the discard pile to gain extra action points, which earned quite a few one-turn kill combos that way.”
“Has a few mechanics to make the play quite interesting, such as making cards stronger and burning a card for an action point. This adds good depth where there is little other than the many classes to pick from and the ability to change your skill path along the way.”
“Overall, I think it's a very good game. I like the art style, and the gameplay has many new and refreshing mechanics.”
“I really like a lot of the mechanics in this game, but the overall experience strongly trends towards disappointment and frustration.”
“This is more like the mobile game Meteorfall, but without that game's charming art, serviceable design, interesting character variance, or streamlined mechanics.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as simplistic and reminiscent of a placeholder, with no animations and a straightforward art style. While some reviewers find the visuals lacking compared to competitors, they appreciate the overall aesthetic and find the gameplay engaging and enjoyable. Despite the minimalistic design, the game is considered solid and fun, with a unique charm that resonates with players.
“Overall, I think it's a very good game; I like the art style, and the gameplay has many new and refreshing mechanics.”
“Simple little game, simple graphics, but solid and very fun.”
“Tldr; beyond the simplistic graphics and UI lies a game that, in my opinion, is slightly better than Slay the Spire (without mods).”
“Scrolling through the reviews, I noticed someone compared it to 'Slay the Spire', and it does have a similar vibe - despite the fact it's a very different game - no animations, and fairly simple artwork and layout.”
“I usually don't care about graphics, but it feels like a placeholder game that focuses on swiping cards up or down.”
“Compared to competitors, the graphics are not that great.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its quick playthroughs and the ability to unlock cards and harder modes. Additionally, the variety of class, race, and path options further enhances the replay value, encouraging players to explore different strategies and experiences.
“You do unlock cards and harder modes, so there is replay value.”
“Tons of replayability with all the class, race, and path options.”
“Quick game to play through, but very replayable.”
“You do unlock cards and harder modes, so there is some replay value.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game lacks a compelling narrative, primarily focusing on defeating bosses rather than delivering a rich story experience. Players who enjoy games like "Slay the Spire" and "Dream Quest" may still find it engaging despite the minimal storytelling.
“No real story or pull in that way, it's just to beat the boss at the end.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively easy and tedious, particularly during the initial stages, with difficulty only ramping up significantly at the final boss encounter.
“My first playthrough was trivially, tediously easy until the final boss.”
