Warhammer Combat Cards - 40K | Game Brain

About

Warhammer Combat Cards - 40K is a casual trading card game set in the Warhammer

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,180 reviews

gameplay79 positive mentions

stability51 negative mentions

Great game for Warhammer 40k fans with beautiful card art featuring actual miniatures.
Engaging gameplay that requires strategy and offers a variety of factions and cards.
Regular updates and responsive developers who listen to community feedback.

Severe matchmaking issues, often pitting new players against much higher-level opponents.
Progression is slow and heavily reliant on time-gated rewards, making it frustrating for free-to-play players.
Pay-to-win mechanics are prevalent, with many players feeling pressured to spend money to remain competitive.

gameplay
175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The gameplay is generally described as simple and accessible, with some players finding it fun and engaging due to its strategic elements and appealing card designs. However, many reviews highlight significant issues, including a pay-to-win model, unbalanced matchmaking, slow progression, and a lack of depth in mechanics, which can lead to frustration and a feeling of repetitiveness. Overall, while the core gameplay has potential and can be enjoyable, it is often marred by these systemic flaws.
- “The gameplay itself is super fun and diverse; the cards look good aesthetically, and the animations are smooth and pleasant to the eye.”
- “Unexpectedly enjoyable, the gameplay is simple yet has its strategic core; the cards are stunning, and you quickly get the hang of what to push to get onto which screen.”
- “The gameplay is a lot more confusing and the game is not as interesting.”
- “When you play online with people, you realize the pay-to-win aspect is hard on this game; they need to work on catch-up mechanics because you quickly peak and cannot progress further without a really long grind or by forking over cash.”
- “The gameplay is a very basic card game that is easy to pick up, and games are fast, but it lacks the depth to make it highly engaging and allow skill to offset card power and card collections.”
- “The matchmaking is incredibly unfair; I currently only have two warlords, each at level one, and repeatedly get matched against enemies far out of my gameplay ability to defeat.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the aesthetic appeal of the card artwork, which features polished images of actual tabletop models. However, numerous complaints highlight issues such as broken animations, poor optimization, and bland backgrounds, leading to a perception of low overall quality. While some updates have improved visuals, many users still find the graphics lacking in diversity and polish, often resulting in crashes and gameplay slowdowns.
- “The gameplay itself is super fun and diverse, the cards look good aesthetically, the animations are smooth and pleasant to the eye.”
- “I like the lore and graphics, but it just gets boring very quickly - just bashing cards together and winning or losing.”
- “As a huge Warhammer fan, I think the team has done an incredible job recreating the aesthetic of 40k here.”
- “The graphics are much worse, the animation is broken, the cards no longer give stats, crashes during every match, unplayable.”
- “Graphics are bland; artwork of models with 'explosions' and shooting and bashing animations repeated over and over.”
- “The tutorial wasn't very good at showing you how the mechanics worked, and the graphics quality was very low.”
stability
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and glitches that hinder gameplay. Many players experience issues such as lag during battles, slow UI response, and lost progress due to crashes, leading to frustration despite the game's enjoyable concept. While some updates have been made, the overall consensus is that the game remains overly buggy and in need of substantial improvements to enhance stability.
- “The game was released over 5 years ago and it is inexcusably buggy.”
- “This game freezes a lot and you'll end up losing progress (because of campaign energy spent).”
- “So many glitches and errors almost makes it unplayable.”
story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
83%
7%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of a clear narrative or engaging storyline. While the campaign missions provide some structure, they do not compensate for the overall lack of storytelling, leaving players wanting a more substantial story mode to enhance their experience. Overall, the game is seen as fun but ultimately shallow in terms of narrative depth.
- “The campaign missions are what keep me going as they restrict your deck enough to make it a bit more of a challenge, and the rewards make it worth some effort.”
- “Would be great if there was more of a main campaign/story mode as well as just battling.”
- “P2W driven, a gameplay loop that becomes very dull very quickly, and nothing in terms of story.”
- “However, the game does progress slowly with no clear in-game mission/story.”
- “Just need a proper story mode to motivate players to play.”
monetization
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
33%
53%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as aggressive and cash grab-oriented, particularly due to the frequent push for ads and microtransactions. While some users appreciate the option to play without intrusive ads and find the game relatively generous with free rewards, others feel that the recent changes have made progression increasingly reliant on spending money. Overall, the consensus highlights a frustrating balance between enjoying the gameplay and navigating the monetization pressures.
- “No ads, no begging for reviews, and no waiting ages to play again.”
- “I have not felt that in-app purchases are needed at all to progress, which is a shock compared to most freemium games.”
- “Free to play with microtransactions to help boost your decks, but you are rewarded well for playing the game too, so it is suitable for those on a budget.”
- “The odds are definitely stacked against you in some matches, and it seems that unless you consistently watch as many ads as possible or spend a good amount on the game, you will not win.”
- “Used to love the game but with the rapid succession of changes to the in-game free currency and the push towards giving you less and less cards and the means to upgrade them, the game has turned into a cash grab.”
- “Enjoyable gameplay which is ruined by aggressive pushing of microtransactions.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game is heavily grind-oriented, often leading to a tedious experience where players feel compelled to spend money to progress effectively. While some users appreciate the availability of free cards and regular rewards, many express frustration over the lack of meaningful gameplay and the overwhelming grind required to compete, particularly against stronger opponents. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the game's potential enjoyment.
- “After a promising start, the game ends up being extremely grindy while constantly prompting you to spend more money to boost your card collection to actually be able to progress anywhere.”
- “The matchmaking is so bad that the outcome of every battle is pretty much predetermined, which makes it boring and tedious whether you win or lose.”
- “Nearly one battle out of the tutorial, they put you up against opponents too powerful to beat, and the only way to progress is through wins... grinding becomes an endless cycle of losses.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
42%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting poor performance, lag, and stuttering, particularly on high-end devices. While some appreciate the visuals and gameplay, many express frustration over the sluggishness and lack of improvements in optimization, despite the developers' responsiveness to feedback. The game is seen as needing substantial optimization work to match the performance of similar titles.
- “Optimized game is optimized!”
- “The developers also respond to feedback about performance issues quickly.”
- “Still a fun game but I feel like its performance has been getting progressively worse.”
- “The optimization, however, is terrible.”
- “There's no reason for such a sluggish performance.”
- “Not optimized for high res screens.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding the campaign mode and character interactions, particularly with the orks, to be genuinely funny. However, the presence of numerous bugs, including a malfunctioning ticket system, adds an ironic layer of humor that players find amusing despite the frustration. Overall, while the game has its comedic moments, the technical issues detract from the experience.
- “Campaign mode is funny, though, and gives great rewards.”
- “The T'au are my favorite and the Orks are hilarious; themed on 40k, this game has a variety of different warlords available, each with their own way of winning by using passive skills and traits that troops may have.”
- “Funny little game.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is described as atmospheric and enjoyable, contributing positively to the overall experience. However, users express frustration with the music automatically restarting upon re-entering the game or switching audio devices, which detracts from their enjoyment. Despite these issues, the sound effects and overall audio design are generally well-received.
- “I enjoy the gameplay, art, music, and events that I can wait as they tune and expand the game.”
- “Great graphics, effects, and animation; nice sound effects, atmospheric music; gameplay slick and entertaining; game design also essentially high quality.”
- “When I turn off music and SFX, it still has touch feedback and the music when you deploy warlords.”
- “I muted the music, but it turns back on every time I re-enter the game.”
- “It would receive a much higher score if the music did not start up every time I switch to or from Bluetooth... I hate it with a passion.”
- “When I turn off music and SFX, it still has touch feedback and the music plays when you deploy warlords.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Players appreciate the variety of playable factions and the absence of paywalls for deck building, contributing to some replay value. However, many feel that the game suffers from repetitive events and limited differences between factions, leading to a quick decline in replayability. Suggestions for improvement include adding more playable commanders, cards, and game modes to enhance long-term engagement.
- “All the main factions are playable and well represented.”
- “No purchase necessary to build a good deck, and there's a lot of replay value.”
- “What devs need to do to improve the game is nerf Tau commander powers; add more playable commanders and cards for all factions; finally get around to adding clans; make it so you can challenge a friend; add a new alternative to the game mechanics (we have psychic, melee, and ranged) to keep it interesting and add a new dynamic.”
- “Replayability runs out quickly with repetitive events, and the only differences between races are the flavor text.”
- “The game mechanics are fun and well thought out; the trouble is the game has no real replay value.”
- “What the developers need to do to improve the game is nerf Tau commander powers, add more playable commanders and cards for all factions, finally get around to adding clans, and create a way to challenge a friend. They should also introduce a new alternative to the game mechanics to keep it interesting and add a new dynamic.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by impressive graphics, effects, and animations, complemented by immersive sound effects and atmospheric music. While the overall design is high quality and the gameplay is engaging, some players feel that certain implementation details, such as AI opponents and balance issues, detract from the experience.
- “The graphics, effects, and animations are stunning, complemented by immersive sound effects and atmospheric music that truly enhance the gameplay experience.”
- “The overall atmosphere of the game is captivating, with high-quality design elements that draw you into its world.”
- “The combination of slick gameplay and a rich auditory landscape creates an engaging atmosphere that keeps you invested in the game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express strong frustration with the matchmaking system, indicating that it elicits feelings of disappointment and sadness.