Bloodborne: The Card Game Review (Tabletop)

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For this Bloodborne: The Card Game Review several Hunters will enter the Chalice Dungeon, but only one will be able to escape the victor. Round after round you’ll face off against brutal creatures bent on destroying you. It will require cunning decisions and careful timing to avoid death.

Bloodborne: The Card Game Review Pros:

  • Lush art on the cards, Nailing the look of every enemy and boss from the game.
  • Excellent box, Yep the box is getting a mention! It has all been divided up for easy storage but also makes playing the game easier, Housing the Blood echoes, Cards, and counters.
  • Big rule book that explains everything well and is very comprehensive.
  • Decent Blood echo counters.
  • Captures the Bloodborne feel. You are always up against, The threat of losing everything, It is just so well-paced and executed.
  • Excellent Blood echo system. You keep hold of Blood echoes from doing damage to the enemy, But if you die then you lose all of them. The only way to keep them is to bank them in the Hunters Dream.
  • Hunters Dream is a card you play where once there you replenish your health, Upgrade weapons, and bank any unbanked Blood echoes. What I am saying is it acts just like it does in the video game.
  • Clever combat system. Players can discuss what they are going to play but at no point are you obliged to do as you say. You need to play whatever it takes to make you get the most Blood echoes from the enemy or preserve your progress. All the while remembering that if you don’t kill the enemy in one round, He/she will escape meaning you miss out on Blood echoes and trophies.
  • Dying is not game over, Instead, you respawn at Hunters Dream and get limited help.
  • Earn upgrades for your weapons. They say upgrades but in actual fact it is just a case of collecting more item/weapon cards. You can only have 7 in your hand at one time so you always need to be alert and plan ahead.
  • Surprisingly addictive game.
  • The dungeon deck is comprised of 7 random monsters and 3 random bosses. You can pick the main boss of the dungeon if you wish.
  • 3-5 players but to be honest going full throttle 5 players is the best way to experience the game.
  • The game is clever as it sounds like a co-op card battler but is actually a game all about deceit and lies as you play to look after yourself.
  • Wide variety of items and weapons from blood vials to threaded canes to Molotov bombs. Each card is unique and has a huge bearing on the game and the players within it.
  • It is really easy to learn and teaching it to new players is a breeze.
  • Trophies- Collect trophies by killing enemies and bosses to earn bonus blood echoes at the end of the game.
  • The main boss has a modifier on it that is always active and really changes the game up. One example is every time a monster escapes, You put another monster into the dungeon deck.
  • The high-quality player card that has your 3 trophy counters, Unbanked and banked Blood echoes, and a handy round breakdown cheat sheet.

Bloodborne: The Card Game Review Cons:

  • Flimsy cheap feeling cards.
  • Cardboard pieces are easily scagged, Mostly done when trying to get the trophy tokens out of the box.
  • Needs more cards, especially on the upgrades. I mean it has a good selection already but it is more a case of there being a load of duplicates.
  • Slow starter at the beginning especially in the smaller games.

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CMON Website.

The Numbers:
  • Build Quality
  • Fun Factor
  • Learnability
4.3

Summary

I had serious doubts that a card game could convey the brutality and danger that the Bloodborne video game provides. I am glad to say that they have actually done a really good job at nailing it. I mean they add the danger with the random dungeon decks, The boss modifiers really mix it up and it just all works together. The blood echoes system is solid, Collect/earn them from attacking enemies and try and stay alive long enough to get back to Hunters Dream and bank them. The Bloodborne side of the game like I say is not in doubt, Its been so well executed. Now onto the game part, You work as a team but to be honest it has a large slice of deceit and lies meaning you need to look after yourself. You dont actually know what your fellow hunters are going to do until its too late. For that it is a game that is never the same, The whole package is solidfun, So easy to learn which is a constant bug bear I mean you get a game you want only to spend days learning the rules. Here its all laid out nice and clearly and you are up and running within minutes. In conclusion this is an excellent game that nails the Bloodborne experience. Now all we need is some expansions!

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!