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Shadow Era
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Shadow Era is a free-to-play online collectible card game (CCG) that can be played in PC and Mac web browsers (and on the iPhone, iPad or Android mobile platforms). Kids can play against computer opponents, or challenge other players online. The game is free to play, but players can gain an advantage by spending real money to expand their decks with the best cards. There is some highly stylized violence such as when a player uses a sword card and it then slices an opponent's card. Occasional blood splatters may appear. Female characters on the cards can appear in suggestive outfits. This review was based on the PC web browser version.
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What's it about?
SHADOW ERA's bare bones fantasy story plays second fiddle to its gameplay, which is a variation on other popular card games like Magic: The Gathering with a few intriguing twists. Foremost is the ability to "sacrifice" unwanted cards and turn them into resources that increase the number of cards you can play per turn. Opponents take turns placing or discarding cards from their decks and attacking until the health of one player's Hero card is reduced to zero. Some cards attack while others grant support bonuses, and the types of cards a player is allowed to carry depends on the class and race of the Hero card that is selected at the beginning of the game. (Additional hero cards and starter packs of cards can be purchased separately.)
Is it any good?
Shadow Era is a compelling and well-balanced card game that will appeal to gamers who enjoy collectible card games and the strategy they involve. The game is cross-platform, meaning players can access their deck from any supported device, and play against opponents on different devices -- the only catch being that said device must be connected to the Internet. Shadow Era could use better in-game tutorials instead of driving players to online help files to learn the game's nuances, but overall it's fairly easy to pick up and play.
It's quite possible to enjoy the game without spending real-world money, and players can still build a respectable deck by spending the in-game coins instead of the premium currency. However, earning coins is a much, much slower process that will require a very hefty time investment that not all players might be willing to make.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how collectible card games encourage players to keep paying to build the strongest deck. Is it fair that the person who spends the most money can be the most successful player? Is this a form of marketing to kids?
Families can also talk about the advantages and disadvantages of digital card games vs. physical card game that use real cards. Which do you prefer?
Game details
- Platforms: Mac, Windows
- Price: Free
- Pricing structure: Free
- Available online? Available online
- Developer: Wulven Game Studios
- Release date: February 24, 2011
- Genre: Strategy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy
- ESRB rating: NR
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.