Spellweaver Review

In even writing this review, I feel incredibly tired. Not due to a lack of sleep, nothing so simple; it's just that this game, Spellweaver, has absolutely exhausted me. It's an online multiplayer card game, and while I'm no stranger to this kind of thing – years of my youth were shamelessly spent on Yu-Gi-Oh! – this game is different in how completely broad it is to the new and uninitiated. I'd suggest grabbing yourself a cup of tea before you begin reading this review, as Spellweaver is so rife with minor rules and ways to play the game that there is no choice but to sit down and learn. As such, there's no way to review this game without having a clear understanding of the title.

Spellweaver is a PvP game centred on card fights, featuring a slew of different creatures and monsters to do battle with. Monster cards will have HP, attack points dictating the damage they do, and a speed level which determines which cards they can attack. If your card has a speed rating of 2, and your opponent's is 4, your card is considered too slow to attack. These cards can fight amongst themselves, but to win the game, you need to deplete your opponent of their overall HP. Luckily, unlike something like Yu-Gi-Oh!, one need not get rid of the opponent's monsters first before attacking the opponent head on; which saves a lot of frustration as the combat between cards on the field can descend into long, drawn-out dogfights; the 45 minute time limit for games is indicative of this. However, that aside, the base formula for the game would seem like a gratifying card game.

Then, much like the old proverb of “too many cooks”, we begin to add more rules and regulations than a post-9/11 airport. First, cards are divided into types, such as Nature, Rage, Order, Wisdom, and Corruption, which is standard trading card game fare. This means that more card types means more cards available to buy, meaning the creators can all be driving new cars within a week. This is not too bad, but the start of a game is where proceedings get really complicated and headache inducing. Among your monster cards, you'll have stat-boosters and Shrine cards; the latter of which being necessary to introduce cards. Players have two stats to fulfil within the game; card level and mana level. Card level dictates the strength of card you can play (level one cards are entry level, level twos are a little bit better, and so on), and mana level tells you how many cards you can play in a turn. If that sounds confusing to you, I'm sorry, but I've rewritten this section three times now and that's as simple as I could make it: Spellweaver feels terribly clunky, counter-intuitive, and slow.

However, this criticism comes when you take Spellweaver as a videogame. In one sense, that is exactly what it is, but if you feel kinder, it's a digital rendition of a card game. If you take the second definition, you can't fault it as much for being slow or counter-intuitive. Card and tabletop games have a much steeper learning curve, and players are much more likely to sit for longer stretches playing these games, on average. As such, I realise that Spellweaver will be a polarising game; you will either “get it” or you won't. I will be honest and say I don't get Spellweaver as a game and will likely never return to it, but can safely call it a good game, easily recommendable as one of the premier card videogames available.

I say this as the adjectives I've used to describe the game: “clunky”, “counter-intuitive” and “slow” are not necessarily bad labels. Counter-intuitive refers to the aforementioned learning curve that might upset players who prefer instant gratification. The game is also 'slow' in the same way a game of chess is; in your moves, you'll have to think carefully, as this is not a game where you can throw cards out onto the field and hope for the best. You'll need to build up your card and mana levels cunningly, summoning the right balance of untouchable monsters with high speed ratings, and lumbering stalwarts that provide heavy hits. As such, Spellweaver demands you to be clever, and it is not a game you'll get bored of, as it keeps you on your toes due to the long and winding learning process. “Clunky” is a little bit harsher; rules like the mana level mechanics make playing cards more frustrating; you'll be wondering why a card won't come to the field or do exactly what you want; you realise you've become embalmed in digital red tape. These are the 'rules' that might be holy to some and sacrilege to others. As such, I find myself in a difficult position with this game. I don't like it at all. Sorry, developers, that's the last thing you want to hear, but I am not the kind of person who gets card games. And yet, I recognise that it would be purely wrong to trash this game especially when it's mechanically sound and (to me, potentially) engaging to those who understand the genre.

Before we finish, there are a few tidbits to the game that can't be left out. Spellweaver is free-to-play, which inevitably translates as pay-to-win; you get a deck at the start of the game, but if you really want to soup up your deck, you're getting your wallet out. This is slightly forgivable in the sense that real-world card games are pay-to-win – booster packs don't grow on trees, and your homemade version of Exodia isn't going to fool anyone. An addictive videogame slant is also added to the game in that winning or losing bouts earns you points that will level you up; being level eight as opposed to level seven won't mean anything, but it will keep you up a little later at night, playing one more duel in the hopes that you can climb the ladder a little faster; a shrewd implementation of traditional gameplay mechanics by the devs.

This game will divide. It certainly divided me, but I can admit it's a good game even if I do not wish to spend another single second playing it. As such, Spellweaver can only be summed up with a paraphrase from pro wrestling promoter Vince McMahon. “To those who believe in the beauty of [card games], nothing needs to be said. For those who don't appreciate [card games], nothing could be said to change their minds." That's the story of Spellweaver. If you like Magic: The Gathering and Hearthstone, Vegas odds say you'll like this too.