Draw glimmers of Disney characters, adding to the lore of Lorcana with magical ink!
I swore I wouldn’t write about a TCG in a board game review, but alas, Lorcana has been hyped worldwide, and I figured it was my due diligence to write my review. In my eyes, nothing will replace Magic the Gathering, and Lorcana has its fair share of downsides in comparison. That being said, in my first week of playing, I did enjoy it. Today, I will focus on why this game has captured my attention so soon.
In the world of Lorcana, you are an Illumineer sorcerer (or “inkcaster”) drawing characters called glimmers into existence in your storybook. You are writing a treasury of characters and songs to tell a tale better than your opponents. The first player to achieve 20 lore points is the winner!
You can use up to two inks out of the six possible colors, each with character traits unlike the others: Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Steel. Inks provide different play styles that will suit your fancy. Familiar characters will be seen across ink types, so don’t fear; you will have a chance to play with your favorites!
Let’s dive into what makes Lorcana: The First Chapter so captivating and fun to play!
Mechanics & Categories: Card, Family, Duel, Hand management, Deck building
EXCEPTIONAL ART
The fact of the matter here is that this is Disney we are talking about. No one in their right mind can say that their artwork and animation are not spectacular. With the budget Disney has, it would be impossible for any story not to shine. With an extensive collection of artists, the goal was to blend tradition with a modern storybook.
The linework allows artists to capture the essence of the character from their animation origins. At the same time, vibrant colors and gradients give more of a modern feel to make the character “come alive.” Using digital painting techniques, some of the backgrounds for these characters are absolutely stunning. Fairytale and whimsical brush strokes genuinely make this game breathtaking.
The graphic design layout of each card is clear and concise, and the card's abilities are written in an area that feels like parchment; you are literally writing the story with ink. Each ink color is vibrant and appealing, no matter which colors you choose to play. Lastly, the sparkling glitter coming off the right side with icons indicating lore value is a homage to Tinkerbell and the fairy dust we know so well.
TIMELESS STORY
Not everyone is a Disney-lover or grew up on Disney, but I am confident everyone has watched at least one classic, such as Lion King. It is hard not to enjoy playing with cards of your favorite characters growing up. Simba and Stitch are some of my favorites and appear quite often in the First Chapter. This excited me, and I look forward to building a pure Lion King deck. Unfortunately, the product sold out so quickly that I don’t have enough cards to make the deck right now.
The First Chapter encompasses some stories I did not expect, such as The Emperor’s New Groove. This is a favorite of mine, and being able to play with both classic and newer characters is intriguing. The younger generations might not have seen some of the classics, so the decision to add in some newer movies was a smart choice.
Not only are you getting a single version of each character, but you are seeing them at different parts in their own tale. There is young Simba knowing he will become king, and then when he actually becomes king. It feels great to reminisce on the entire story by watching these characters evolve as you play the game.
FOR ALL AGES
The rules in this game are much simpler than that of Magic. It’s pretty clear that they want younger kids to be dabbling in Lorcana. However, that doesn’t stop adults! Whether you are a parent trying to learn the game to play with your child or a competitive TCG player addict like myself, you will want to try out the newest TCG on the market!
No complex timing concerns exist for this first set release, as you can only play cards on your turn. This makes the game much more welcoming for children and those coming from a board game background. There are many cards, so it may be overwhelming at first, but just like other games, you will eventually know what all the cards do if you play with or against them often enough.
Each turn, you can play a card face down as ink (i.e., currency), play a card from your hand by paying the right amount of ink, and then decide to challenge an opposing character or earn some lore points with your character. The complexity lies in the final decision. To gain lore or challenge a character, you must tap yours. Only tapped characters can be challenged. Players must assess the risks and rewards of putting their characters into vulnerable positions. The gameplay experience will feel better with evenly-matched players.
PERFECT FOR TRAVEL
One of TCG's best traits is that you can bring the game anywhere. People often make several decks so they can pick and choose which deck to bring with them or buy interesting storage options (e.g., Quiver) to bring more than one conveniently! If players want to trade cards, they can buy whatever binder they want and carry it in a backpack.
More often than not, you just want to bring a deck or two wherever you go if you plan on having some downtime. You can play side by side in the airplane if you want! Who knows how often my husband and I have done this with Magic. All you need is a small-sized playspace that can adequately hold all the character cards and ink you play. You can often stack cards on top of each other to make space.
Final Comments
Lorcana feels perfect for Disney lovers and kids alike…if you have the money. Some cards naturally become more valuable than others. This could make it difficult for children to play and parents to afford. The starter deck’s MSRP is reasonably priced, around $18, and is a fair way to play as a family. Local game stores also offer introductory events with reasonable prices to learn how to play the game. Otherwise, if you want to be competitive, learn Lorcana at your own risk.
I write board game reviews, so if I look at this game from that perspective, the starter decks are the way to add a game to your collection. If you love Disney and strategy card games but don’t want to become super involved, these decks have felt balanced and have different play styles involved. If you want to get a quick match in while dinner is in the oven, or you want a game you can play with your children, Lorcana is an excellent choice.
The beauty of a game like this is that you can buy many variant products to dive in as much or as little as you want. Maybe the game doesn’t have as much in-depth strategy or interactions as you hoped, but Lorcana is a fun game that makes it hard not to sing along when you draw song cards!
Similar To: Magic: the Gathering, Radlands, Hearthstone, Flesh and Blood
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Publisher: Ravensburger
Game(s) Pictured: Lorcana
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