Games similar to Beta Gwent (Question and Suggestions)

[apu11]

QUESTION
(This is more a question for Beta players but anyone can suggest games.)

Like some of you, Beta Gwent opened an addiction to card games that I want to fill again since I don't feel HC is as unique, so I've been looking for a new game to fill that slot for a while but I forgot to ask here.

So I know of Hearthstone, Magic, Eternal, and other similar games; but I'm looking for something different; a game that like Gwent, feels unique and different to the sort of MTG card system that seems to be in a lot of CCGs. What I'm seeking is something more like Beta Gwent:
• Player vs Player (or PvPvP...) game. A game that you can play against someone for fun or to really get competitive in it.
• No Mana or limits to prevent you from playing any card in your hand.
• No system with an attack, health, and cost number (preferably something different). Maybe no player life either?... but I may be reaching there...
• More of a free design (I mean no hand limit, row limits, ability limits, no Orders [like Yugioh] where cards need to wait a turn to take effect/attack, etc).
• A game where most cards are still played on the board instead of having other elements represent them (like 3D objects, or other graphics replacing the card, etc).
• Strategic gameplay.
• Deck building.
• Interesting card abilities that feel unique (and even crazy).
• I don't mind RNG specific abilities that much but I would prefer it to be fair (meaning that there is a risk to the reward: like old Gaunter, old Johnny, Iris' Companions, Stregobor, and others. Even Avallac'h Sage before felt kind of fair because you could end up with nothing most of the time or something that could ruin your play, it was a risk (not like Shupe, Runes or Old Nova which for me felt unsportsmanlike because they seem to give the player easy ways out for almost no effort. IMO of course).
• Faction identity.
• A game where the gameplay is linked to its thematic.
• Great art (Preferably medieval, more of a serious nature but anime art and fun stuff is welcome too).

It doesn't have to cover all points, I just want something different... Still, if you know of a game with the underlined points I would greatly appreciate hearing about it (be it a physical or digital one).

• Any suggestions?



SUGGESTIONS
I've been asking around Reddit, boardgamegeek, and other places, but even if I haven't found that perfect replacement, here are a few suggestions you may or not heard of from my small search:

1. Kards - A WWII card game that uses a similar idea to what I remember seeing on the Gwent’s Reddit a few times. It’s really entertaining, the art is beautifully detailed, the thematic is appropriately applied into gameplay, it has use of rows, cards are displayed and it gives that complex yet simple/elegant vibe Gwent had. To me, this one is the closest. Its really polished and really embraces the idea of rows, reach, positioning, faction identity, and more (Highly recommend it).
2. Ortus Regni - Medieval card game closer to the simplicity of Witcher 3 Gwent. Not completely similar, but the way they use the universe to design the game is excellent.
3. Condottiere - One of the games that inspired Gwent. It's like Witcher 3 Gwent with 3 players or more (and the new release includes a 2 player option).


4. Mythgard - The art is good and there is something unique about it. The game has interesting card abilities and a good atmosphere. It has (like what’s been said in Gwent for 2 years and counting) potential.


Others just because, fun card games:

• War of Omens - A PvP deck building game with CCG mechanics.
• Star Realms - Addicting deck-building game. Simple and strategic.
• Night of the Full Moon - Fun.
• Card Crawl - Great solitaire type game (reminded me of Onirim).
• Slay the Spire - While I haven’t played it (the art is not for me), the friend that introduced me to Gwent says its amazing and highly recommends it.
• Blue Moon Legends - Haven't played, but people recommend it.

There are other games like Runewars which was inspired by Gwent, but I didn't quite like it.




If you have recommendations please put them below, I’m starving for unique card games and I’m running out of places to look.
Thanks

 

[4RM3D]

Slay the Spire - While I haven’t played it (the art is not for me), the friend that introduced me to Gwent says its amazing and highly recommends it.

The only thing they need to slay in that game is the insane amount of RNG. I've played it for a while, but quickly stopped because your choices held little meaning and RNG screws you over too many times. The RNG is just used as a tool for creating variance and "balance". I put the word "balance" between quotes because you can make decks that goes infinite, basically killing everything in one turn, if you get the proper cards. It's the bad kind of RNG.

 

[apu11]

The only thing they need to slay in that game is the insane amount of RNG. I've played it for a while, but quickly stopped because your choices held little meaning and RNG screws you over too many times. The RNG is just used as a tool for creating variance and "balance". I put the word "balance" between quotes because you can make decks that goes infinite, basically killing everything in one turn, if you get the proper cards. It's the bad kind of RNG.

Really, that's disappointing to learn... I knew there was some from what I had seen, but yeah I don't enjoy card games that seem to play themselves. I guess I'll purchase Thronebreaker one day instead for my single player card experience (hoping the fix made it challenging enough at that point).

 

[Shabman]

Great thread!

Looking up your suggestions as we speak.

I also will try to find some cool stuff and will share.

 

[Ulubey0]

I used to play a card game called Spectromancer that was quite fun. Unfortunately the game is 10 years old now and not sure how many are still playing... but on the plus side it's only $10 on steam now.

 

[KowalAFC]

So me and a lot of other people don't like today's gwent, we played it a lot, (more than any other game ever). But todays gwent is not as good as beta was, (open was the best version of this game). When CDP made gwent homecoming a lot of players from the whole world(including key players from the tournamets) said that they wont by playing this game anymore. Because it didn't go in the right direction. So like above, ,,Games like Gwent Beta", cuz we know there is no game like this, LoR, MtG, etc are not really comparable to gwent beta. And the most important question - Why is nobody doing a game based on this mechanics? Remember that old gwent had more twitch streamers (and I think few times more viewers on twitch). I think if somebody will make game like this it can be more popular that gwent is now, even tho its linked with The Witcher.

So maybe after few years if someone will find a great game based on old gwent beta, reply on this