by zinho73
In my review of Legendary I stated that the DC deck building game could be kind of similar in quality (from what I have heard). This review is to rectify that.I understand that both games have an intangible appeal because of their theme. If you do like their universes, the drive to play those games is multiplied tenfold. But, trying to put that aside, I would say that:
- The DC game has a nice production overall, but a terrible box. Legendary does not have a perfect solution either (mostly because you have to write on the dividers) but it is way better.
- Art on the DC game is plentiful and of high quality.
- Most cards on the DC game, when looked at individually are really thematic. But when placed together they make the game funny in a weird way: Imagining Wonder Woman wearing the batman cowl or Aquaman with heat vision is silly. Fun, I admit, but not very flattering for the franchise.
Yes, Legendary might have some problems on the theme front, but there`s simply no comparison here. It is way too easy to make fun of the several cross-dressing combinations that the DC game provides.
- Mechanically, the DC game is very simple. Too simple I would say. The one and only resource of the game makes for a game with very little decisions to make. Yes, sometimes you might be in doubt about one or other card, but that`s quite rare in the games I`ve played.
This simplicity also makes the game superfast. I explained the game in less than a minute to experienced players which must be a record, but it is also a sign that the game has no depth at all.
- The huge pile of cards to buy can also make for a very unbalanced experience, because there`s no reliability in the acquisition. If a player gets a cheap powerful card early (like the Green Arrow’s bow), he will win the game, because the beaten villains give even more power to the guy.
In Thunderstone, the guy that beats monsters is at a disadvantage because the monsters will clog his deck.
In Legendary, the guy that beats villains main gain a small advantage, but your deck is split between two resources, so the other players might have a chance to catch up.
In DC, the guy that beats a supervillain gains a huge advantage, and can most of the times crush the opposition depending on the cards on offer.
- Yeah, you can pull of some nifty combos, but the control you have over your deck is very poor.
I did not hate the game, but it was very much like a funny, quick thing to do, than a game proper. Nobody in the table even cared about winning.
Final thoughts? The game might fill that quick, fast, fun niche if you really like the DC universe, doesn`t want to think too much about what you are doing or like to make fun of superheroes that steal each other`s powers and clothes.
To me, Legendary is a much better game - a reliable, solid experience on the light side of the game spectrum. Add all the intangibles, the easy setup and the abilitty to play fast and I understand why some people are drawn to it but I`m clearly not on that group.