GWENT: The Witcher Card Game has finally arrived on iOS, a whole year almost to the day after its initial launch on PC, and around 10 months since its December 2018 console launch. It might have taken its sweet time …
GWENT: The Witcher Card Game has finally arrived on iOS, a whole year almost to the day after its initial launch on PC, and around 10 months since its December 2018 console launch. It might have taken its sweet time coming to mobile, but it’s definitely a case of better late than never, as we’d argue that the touch-based platform is the best fit for it.
It’s a direct port of the PC and console versions and it runs as smooth as butter (at least on iPad Pro), so you don’t have to worry about receiving a lesser experience. In fact, on iPad you’re not missing out on anything, as the screen size is more than big enough to fit everything in comfortably.
We’d actually argue that it’s the best experience, and that’s all thanks to the touch controls. It just feels much more natural to slide your cards around the screen than it does using a mouse. It’s more tactile, and it feels like you’re playing an actual game of cards – particularly given the fact that you can play anywhere, and aren’t limited to your, admittedly very comfortable, PC chair or sofa.
We also didn’t experience any connectivity issues – nor did we struggle to find a match against an online opponent. Within a matter of seconds, we managed to get stuck straight into a game, even in the middle of the day. It probably helps that GWENT reportedly features cross play between iOS and PC, as well as your progress carrying over between both platforms. That’s another bonus for mobile.
In case you don’t know what GWENT is, it’s a standalone version of the hugely popular card game that first made an appearance in The Witcher 3. It plays similarly to the likes of Hearthstone or Elder Scrolls: Legends, though with its own ruleset.
Each match is a two or three round affair, depending on whether or not a tiebreaker is necessary. You play online against a real opponent (offline against the AI is available too) and each of you brings their own deck into the game. You can select a predetermined starter deck or create your own, depending on your preference.
At the beginning of each round, you and your opponent receive three cards, and can swap two or three of them back into your deck for a chance at another card at random. Once you’re satisfied, the game begins. You’ll then take it in turns, playing a single card each turn, and possibly triggering special effects to allow for further actions. You also have a special ability that either has a certain number of uses or is subject to a cool-down after each use.
Much like in its genre competitors, there are numerous different deck archetypes to play as, and each brings something new to the table. Northern Allies, for example, relies on boosting cards for special effects while Monsters is all about consuming and destroying your own deck for numerous benefits. You can also create your own deck, of course, if you don’t fancy playing as one of the archetypes and want to mix things up a bit.
Overall, those who love GWENT already should absolutely grab it on mobile – particularly if you’re a PC player, as you can just pick up where you left off and play the same account on the go. Newcomers should also check it out, as mobile is the best platform for it – particularly if you have an iPad and can take advantage of the larger screen.
