SiegeStorm: SiegeMode

The core idea is as familiar as it needs to be: I choose a faction, take its prebuilt deck and, if I want, tweak it a little before going out to beat up my opponent. It is a thematic, direct duel that does not waste time pretending to be anything else.

My deck is also my life total, so whoever runs out of cards first is left licking the ice cream. To play cards, I pay with other cards from my deck, so every choice carries a cost: I want that power now, but I do not want to push myself closer to decking out either.

The big twist is that the creatures I deploy advance along a line toward my opponent's castle, aiming to besiege it. That is where the direct interaction lies: I build my attack, combine abilities and combos, and try to apply pressure across the table before my opponent does the same to me.

With very nice abilities, satisfying combos and decks that deliver on theme, the game has very good gameplay without becoming heavy. Its 15–20 minute games and thoroughly decent learning curve make it easy to get to the table. For fans of the genre, I recommend it with my eyes closed.