Spectromancer follows the same turn-based structure of other CCGs, though in an abbreviated form. Some sort of sound effect accompanies most spells, though other than that, there's little else going on. It isn't annoying, but I don't think anyone would blame you if you wanted to crank on iTunes or something in the background while playing. Background music plays on a constant loop in the background. Spell effects are a little flashier cards like "Wrath of God" or "Lighting Bolt" fly from your deck and produce some neat effects while dealing damage. (If you've played Culdcept, you know what I mean).
Disappointing, somewhat, but any other method would either slow the flow of gameplay or look cheesy. The art style is consistent across all cards and for the most part looks good.Ĭard battles are little more than the two shuffling around and overlapping each other. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but I've played enough computer-based CCGs to know that sometimes this is a major issue. Cards are big and, once you know them, you can easily identify them just by the picture.
Spectromancer opts for the first choice and it was a good one. When it comes to CCG visuals, there are two approaches: either use the flat, 2D card art or try to bring the cards into a 3D world. Although Spectromancer doesn't quite scratch my CCG-playing itch, it is still a fun and addictive game. I'm a big fan of Collectable Card Games (CCG), so the chance to play one with ties to Magic: The Gathering creators was an opportunity I couldn't resist.