Beta-ful

Back in June I did a review of the Card Hunter beta I was taking part in. I ended the beta feeling pleased with the game, although there were definitely some things that needed tweaking (namely, bland battlefields and overpriced money items). The actual game released at some point, so I've been playing through some familiar territory to see what the final product looks like.

Although none of my complaints were addressed, I still feel a tad responsible for this final product. I've never actively participated in a beta before, so I feel a sense of pride, however minute, to how well the game turned out. Not that this was my first beta, but I usually abuse betas to get a sneak-peak at a game before I decide to buy it. You know, like 50% of any beta tester out there!

I will also say that it's a bit of a bummer that I didn't get to point out any flaws that changed the final product. Perhaps later "modules" will have better terrain, but so far it's looking like you have walls and pillars, difficult terrain that stops your movement, and the odd hazardous terrain that deals damage if you end your turn in it. I hope they'll eventually have terrain to manipulate, or battlefield effects like a crumbling ceiling that does damage to random tiles, or a crystal that boosts magic attacks when you're near it. Stuff like that is what makes battlefield movement interesting!

Likewise, the price of premium membership is unbelievable. If you were to buy the barebones monthly membership, it'd cost just shy of $10 worth of "pizza." There's a decent $25 option that gives you a monthly membership, 100 pizzas (worth about $3), as well as some special adventures and character avatars. All that money just to get an extra piece of treasure at the end of every battle. It's unrealistic, and I've seen a lot of comments from other testers and players echoing the same thing.

Still, for a game that can be played 100% free, I'm really happy with how it turned out. I still love that ability to pseudo-customize a class's powers. Warrior seems pretty cut and dry - you either go for high damage, survivability, or a mix of the two. Cleric and Wizard are much more unique, and I hope that future classes are equally broad in their options.

If you guys weren't able to get in the beta, I strongly suggest taking the game for a spin. You can read about the game here, or just jump right in and register for an account here. Once you've assembled your team of three you'll know whether or not the game is for you, but if you've ever been a fan of D&D I think you'll have a hard time resisting playing it a few minutes each day!


See you tomorrow!

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