Overview
Wildcard is setting the scene for a competitive 1v1 game where you'll have to use your deck-building skills and in-game abilities to compete against your opponent, outsmarting and outplaying them to destroy their goal. Time to put banter aside and prove yourself in the arena.
Gameplay
The current version of the game, which is in closed beta, looks stunning! The work on the characters, summons, arena, and special effects is done to a high standard. This quality translates not just to the visuals but also to the mechanics, making for a very enjoyable game with only minor bugs that we encountered. The team assured us that some of these bugs were already resolved in the new build they have at the ready.
Currently, the game is limited to one game mode and arena and two playable champions, with plans to add more champions in the future. Each champion has their own unique look and abilities, which you can build your deck of summons around. The two champions to choose from are Bolgar & Burr, a man in touch with nature and his pet bear, and the more futuristic, tech-savvy champion Locke with his robotic dog Wotchy. Their abilities and ultimates sync with their appearance, offering unique playstyles. While Locke prefers shooting from a distance, Bolgar and Burr get up close and personal with warm bear hugs. To each his or her own.
Before jumping into a game, you'll choose one of these champions, and both currently have their own preset summons deck to play with, featuring some overlap in summons and some unique ones as well. Getting to know each hero's abilities and summons was quite easy with the guidance of the team, and the learning curve was minimal (though mastering will be steeper). The differences in summons abilities and how to use them were fascinating to play around with and optimize as soon as possible to gain the upper hand over your opponent. A quick change in battle tactics during the first few games played showed how swiftly one can get into the game and adapt based on the little experience a few games can provide.
During our games, we quickly realized the competitive nature it brought out in each of us. Normally, we would be talking and chatting, but we noticed that both competing players became quieter throughout the game's progression, and even banter was kept to a minimum, which was surprising, to say the least.
The satisfaction of surprising your enemy with a wave of summons sneaking up on them or even going full stealth mode to destroy their goal is truly memorable!
Some of the teased features on the website include a form of crowd or spectator mode in which spectators can interact with one another and the battling players and even show up in the crowd with their beloved (NFT) profile pictures! Not much has been disclosed on this, but we wanted to mention it in the review since it's a unique feature that could bring a new dynamic to competitive play. Furthermore, the game's website displays various places on the map that make us wonder what the future holds and what surprises the studio has in store for us.
We asked the team for some alpha leaks on what is to come in the future, and while they kept most of their plans under wraps, they did hint at a 2v2 mode, which of course got us super excited, and we can't wait to team up and beat down our opponents once this feature is added.
Review
Overall, we enjoyed the game immensely despite the current limitations, such as the limited number of champions, single arena, game mode, and preset decks. We participated in several playtests so far, and each time we were left craving more. We are looking forward to future updates, in which we hope to see an increase in content, whether it be in the form of new modes, arenas, champions, or perhaps the deck builder, offering a more in-depth view of the various summons and their abilities.