Taproom shenanigans

Blizzard's 2014 card game Hearthstone actually checks all the boxes for a good game: A fresh game concept? Check. A pretty, timeless look? Check. Beginner-friendly enough to make you want to play the next round, but deep enough to get stuck into the complex mechanics? Check check. And self-deprecating enough to make you crack a smile at the new content? Mega check.

So it's actually a good game. Actually. If it wasn't from Blizzard, which has degenerated over the years from a family-friendly quality content guarantor to a money-hungry street vendor following the takeover by Activision. For this reason, the originally highly recommendable collectible card deck builder in the Warcraft-world has become a frustration generator for me, where you are always left behind as a non-paying customer.

Other entries in the Warcraft -series

Soundtrack

World of Warcraft (2004)

Soundtrack

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (2014)

Because, as is usual in games of this type, you won't make any headway - at least competitively - if you don't spend enough time or money in the loot boxes in the hope of randomly obtaining the game-deciding legendary card or farming enough essences to be able to craft it. Once you have finally put together your meta deck, the matches quickly degenerate into routine boredom. And because the next season with its new mechanics makes the valuable cards obsolete and they are also removed from the ranked card pool, the spiral starts all over again.

Some people may happily surrender to this pull, but I've become annoyed when games are obviously only interested in stealing as much money and life time from me as possible. Hearthstone is really fun with its entertaining gameplay! But when you're matched over and over again with cracks who - pardon the expression - nip any spirit of experimentation in the bud with their imbalanced strategies, even I lose interest. I'm left with the memories of various in-person seminars in the back row during my time at university - and the soundtrack.

The score

Ha, what a transition, he did it again! The OST was created by Jason Hayes and Peter McConnell, of whom Hayes at least has a pretty good feel for the sound world of the Warcraft franchise thanks to his involvement in various scores: the nine tracks feel like they were pulled directly from WoW, giving Hearthstone a sense of belonging to this cosmos. Thusly, fans of the MMO will feel right at home, but non-experts should also have fun.

Besonders schön, vermutlich weil häufig gehört, finde ich das schmissige Pull Up a ChairPeter McConnell5, bei dem wir zum Spielstart akustisch den Schankraum betreten. Die gedämpfte Geräuschkulisse brandet auf, als sich die Tür öffnet. Lachen und Johlen quellen heraus. Eine Stimme begrüßt uns mit den Worten: „It’s good to you see you again! Pull up a chair by the hearth!“ Es beginnt ein Zusammenspiel aus Gitarre und Fidel, während sich im Spiel das Hauptmenü öffnet. Das Hauptmotiv erklingt, das später von einer Flöte übernommen und im Solo weitergedudelt wird.

This storytelling really does create a very homely feeling, as if we had just landed in a medieval/fantasy game. The jolly music should therefore be enough to provide any game master of a pen & paper game with atmospheric background music for the taproom. Far removed from any epic, guitars, flutes and strings play the leading roles in the OST, which at times evokes Irish/Celtic vibes (Tricks of the TradePeter McConnell3) and at other times exudes Mediterranean flair (Two Rogues, One MarkPeter McConnell3). It's all very relaxed, very harmonious and also a little mischievous. I think it's good!