Android: Netrunner

The return of the king. Prompted by Project Nisei’s very good fan-made starter set, System Gateway, I played my favourite card game again with fellow BLTGers. Six games were enough to remind me why I consider it the best CCG/LCG of all time.

The heart of the game, as I found it again in these sessions, is the decks. Every match begins with the choices made while building them and unfolds turn by turn, with the cards determining what each side can do and how it can answer the other.

The interaction lies precisely in that clash of decks. When you built both of them yourself and already know what they contain, part of the interest and surprise disappears; even so, the game still stands triumphantly and gives you a reason for one more game.

I am not especially optimistic that the pandemic will allow it to endure, but at least we will be able to keep playing it among ourselves, and that counts. If anyone has doubts about System Gateway — which I honestly find hard to believe — do not overthink it: press the button. It is absolutely worth it. I also picked up quite a few old Vs packs and built some nice, strange decks, but compared with Blue Sun there is no gameplay comparison. Methadone, at best.