(Note: Cryptozoic Entertainment provided a copy of this game for review.)
I’ve been a big fan of Cryptozoic Entertainment’s DC Deck Building Game and I was thrilled when they announced that the second installment of their Rival’s line would be a Green Lantern vs. Sinestro game. The new game comes out this month and The Blog of Oa was fortunate to receive a review copy in advance of its release.
For those who’ve never played a deck building game, the main mechanic comes from all players starting with the same small deck of basic cards and using the point values on their cards each turn to acquire better cards and build their own customized deck. In this game each player takes on the role of either Hal Jordan or Sinestro, building decks which allow each player to defeat versions of their opponent. Defeat all three versions and you’re declared the winner. Alternatively, if the end of the game is triggered through exhausting the card supply, the player who’s deck contains the highest total victory points is declared the winner.
What Cryptozoic gets right with their deck building games is capturing the essence of the mythology. In this game they introduce hard light constructs which is not only very thematic but adds an element to the decision making when buying cards to add to your deck. The 98 cards in the game are made up of characters, locations and equipment which is very familiar to Green Lantern fans and Cryptozoic has done a fantastic job in choosing some of the best artwork from the modern Green Lantern era to put on the cards.
Another thing that Cryptozoic does well is in making sure that each game in the Deck Building series has some integration with the rest of the series. For example, you can combine this set with the other Rivals game, Batman vs. the Joker, and turn this into a four player tag team brawl. The game also pairs well with their Confrontations set in the same manner. Cryptozoic also includes a divider and randomizer card that allows people who’ve purchased their Multiverse Box Expansion to store this game alongside others in the series.
That said, as a Green Lantern fan who also loves gaming this one is a no brainer for me. If you’ve played other games in the DC Deck Building series you’ll find this very familiar since it uses the same Cerberus game engine as the rest of the series. For those dipping their toes into the deck building game genre, this game is easy to learn despite the complex synergy that can arise depending on how you build your deck. For those who’d like to see the game in action, check out our video review above or by visiting our YouTube channel. Of the handful of Green Lantern themed games that have been released Rivals: Green Lantern vs. Sinestro does the best job of balancing the Green Lantern theme with solid gameplay and I highly recommend it.
The Blog of Oa is happy to partner with Cryptozoic Entertainment to give away a free copy of their upcoming game, Rivals: Green Lantern Vs. Sinestro. Between October 3, 2018 and October 10, 2018 you can enter for a chance to win a free copy of the game, a $20 value. To enter the giveaway just enter below, or go to this link. The winner will have their name posted here shortly after the entry window closes.