Faeria

When you try to think about it, it’s difficult to imagine how can one possibly come up with new ideas for the CCG genre, given the fact that there are hundreds of games out there competing for the same spot. However, creativity can win against all odds, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone managed to put a spin on the genre and actually made it better for a change.

Faeria is a seemingly straightforward deck-building game in which you have to use your best strategy to defeat your enemies and acquire better cards along the way. However, there’s a twist when it comes to the actual battles, because besides having to play the cards you also have to build the battlefield tile-by-tile and move around as efficiently as possible to capture objectives and attack the enemy units.

Hence, both players start by creating the hexagonal tiles required in order to place units, and this whole aspect adds a lot of depth to each battle. Sometimes there are structures that provide you with bonuses, so you have to choose between building a path to them or straight to the enemy. Everything takes place in turns as per usual, so there’s plenty of time to devise your strategy.

Although there’s a tutorial to get you started and a lengthy single player campaign to keep you busy for a few hours, the multiplayer is where your skills are put to the test, because there’s nothing quite like matching your wits against another human. The multiplayer rules are the same, so it’s always great to work on the best tactics and watch them unfold during a match.

The game is also designed to be enjoyed as an e-sport, which means that there are plenty of tournaments for you to join, which actually reward the winners with real cash. Speaking of which, you can use real money to purchase in-game gems and a few other bonuses, but they do not affect the gameplay per se, so you won’t lose to OP players. Lastly, the colorful graphics go along neatly with the general feel of the game, and each card is unique and nicely designed.

It’s the battlefield building gimmick that makes Faeria such an attractive card game, not to mention the fact that it opens up so many possibilities. Thus, it should be a real treat for the fans of the genre, especially if you are tired of playing the same thing over and over again.