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Essays 23 January 2020, 16:34

Landscape After Galakrond's Awakening – Hearthstone Still Rules Supreme

Many have tried, many have died. Whether you like it or not, Hearthstone sits sprawled on the throne of virtual cards, uncontested by anyone. The Descent of Dragons and Galakrond's Awakening only confirm it.

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Sheriff's star still shines

After all the changes that have occurred in Hearhstone, it's hard to imagine any current card game undermining Blizzard's position in the genre. Many have tried, and many will. Whether they succeed? Eventually. Not now, of course. Even despite all the shortcomings of the game. Well, the capricious RNG makes the gameplay in Hearthstone unpredictable. Sometimes even romantic, like in poker. You know, from before the times when ingenious math wraths from Silicon Valley ousted the eccentric masters of the game. Even the best deck can screw up, which gives everyone a chance.

Hearthstone simply evokes strong emotions. The history happens not only in the game, but also all around it, with all the good and bad happenings. Such a powerful narrative is hard to beat. And the dragons and Galakrond? The number of OP cards is beyond my cognitive abilities. Some really sick combinations can deal massive damage in one turn. Powerful monsters swarm the board with minions (my new favorite move). The situation may turn around after you play a single card. Just like in real life. And just like in Azeroth.

Blizzard managed to release two patches that weaken the vilest decks after the release of the Descent of Dragons, but one beast is swapped for another. Usually, with the face of a dragon. It's just amazing how many times I wanted to delete every memory of this game, cursing it like I meant it. I haven't had so much fun with Hearthstone for a long time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Whenever I think of dramatic Hearthstone games, I hear Ragtime prompter booths screaming in my head. It was an Association with the powerful, non-standard map of Ragnaros, The Lord of Fire. With a bit of work – the bastard's power worked at random – he could the direst of situations to his advantage. A friend of mine infected me a long time ago with the passion for Hearthstone. Since then, I repeatedly moved away from the game just to eventually return – to play some Hearthstone with my friend, or after a new add-on radiating with energy was released. Last time, it started with a catchy melody in the middle of Rrastakhan's Rumble – and so I have remained. That was more than a year ago.

Hubert Sosnowski

Hubert Sosnowski

He joined GRYOnline.pl in 2017, as an author of texts about games and movies. He's currently the head of the film department and the Filmomaniak.pl website. Learned how to write articles while working for the Dzika Banda portal. His texts were published on kawerna.pl, film.onet.pl, zwierciadlo.pl, and in the Polish Playboy. Has published stories in the monthly Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror magazine, as well as in the first volume of the Antologii Wolsung. Lives for "middle cinema" and meaty entertainment, but he won't despise any experiment or Fast and Furious. In games, looks for a good story. Loves Baldur's Gate 2, but when he sees Unreal Tournament, Doom, or a good race game, the inner child wakes up. In love with sheds and thrash metal. Since 2012, has been playing and creating live action role-playing, both within the framework of the Bialystok Larp Club Zywia, and commercial ventures in the style of Witcher School.

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Hearthstone

Hearthstone

Hearthstone: Rastakhan's Rumble

Hearthstone: Rastakhan's Rumble

Hearthstone: Descent of Dragons

Hearthstone: Descent of Dragons

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