Legends of Runeterra

There's been a significant rise in the popularity of the digital collectible card game. However, almost exclusively, none of the more prominent ones have been an original concept. Legends of Runeterra is another example of a card game based on a popular franchise looking to expand outside the confines of their base game.

It only takes one franchise before they all do it, and Legends of Runeterra follows suit. When things like this happen, it automatically makes the player believe that the game could be a quick cash grab based on the success of a similar title. While that idea is obnoxious, at the same time, we see digital card games impress more than they do disappoint. So we better check Legends of Runeterra out.

The Deck is Stacked

So if you haven't figured out already, Legends of Runeterra is based out of the League of Legends universe. It was only a matter of time before a card game emerged. The lore from the competition is rich, the abilities expansive, and the characters and environments plentiful. You'd argue that a digital card game is a perfect application of the game's assets, so it's hard to be critical initially.

Playing Legends of Runeterra for a little while, you realize that the game is pretty solid. After all, the stars seem to line up. Gameplay involves two players building a deck of cards with varying abilities and applying them to the gameboard according to how much mana you have available. You use the cards to clear your opponent's deck and batter the hero, who gets defeated when their HP is zero.

Sounds pretty familiar, right? Legends of Runeterra does a fantastic job of making the game their own despite the copy-paste mechanics. The visuals in the game are outstanding enhancing player immersion for one thing. Other well-designed features are the implemented progression systems derived from the base game that keeps gameplay engaging.

Finally, the icing on the digital collectible card game cake is the high level of accessibility in Legend of Runeterra. Casual players and experts alike will be able to ease into the game and enjoy its smooth learning curve to mastery. That's a feat not many similar games of the same genre have accomplished, and it's easily one of the most admirable features of the title.

Playing Your Aces

So how do Legends of Runeterra hold up to games like Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering? It turns out pretty well. Arguably even better than most popular digital collectible card games out there. The main reason? Legends of Runeterra has the accessibility factor right, offering opportunities for players to engage who have no idea how to play or understand the League of Legends universe.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• The learning curve is friendly to both newcomers and experts
• Visuals in gameplay are phenomenal
• An integrated progression system makes gameplay dynamic.

Cons:

• Copy-paste card game mechanics from similar titles