Gods Unchained - first impressions, interesting game mechanics, and sample gameplay.

Gods Unchained is a free to play TCG that boasts of "true game asset ownership" via NFT. It is still in its beta phase but the game is very much playable and introduces new gameplay elements as well as traditional TCG mechanics. 

I have started playing TCG with Magic the Gathering and the defunct Upper Deck's World of Warcraft card game (which I think was the precursor to Hearthstone which I am still playing) so figuring out the game mechanics was fairly easy. 

What makes this game interesting is the concept of non-linear mana release per round via "locks" which means higher tiered cards will have to wait a bit longer to be used. 1-3 bonus mana crystals are awarded at the start of the game (you can unlock just one at a time per round) which I suspect helps out in game balancing. 

A common problem with most TCGs is you sometimes run out of cheap cards to put into play mid-game or you desperately want to block the opposing team's attack with a frontline character (GU's version of Taunt cards in Hearthstone). This is where the Favor/Sanctum mechanic comes into play. The game has a card shop called the "Sanctum" on the side (plainly displayed and is accessible by both players) where you can exchange "Favors" for cards during your turn. Favors are accumulated when you damage the opponent's god (among other things). The opponent will be able to see what you have bought and the card taken will be replaced with another low tiered card.

Overall a very fun and interesting game with the added promise of owning game assets that you can eventually trade as NFTs in a blockchain. It may be a bit daunting for people not familiar with crypto wallets and assets but definitely worth checking out. I'll definitely keep an eye on this game's development. Check out the gameplay here or watch the embedded clip below.