Info about Faeria:

Official game description:
With its unique living board, Faeria will challenge you with truly strategic card battles. Craft your deck, shape the battlefield, and fight for victory!
A strategy game like no other. Build exciting decks and shape the battlefield as you fight epic battles. Raise mountains, build forests, fill lakes, or harness the sands of the deserts. You choose your own path to victory.
Earn your collection through our simple and affordable DLC-based business model. Experience a card game without expensive micro-transactions. Whether through solo campaigns, draft mode, or PVP, all cards are earned through simply playing the game!
Enjoy 100+ hours of solo content, co-operative missions, and puzzles! Explore a vast array of challenges that reward you in return. Journey through the Oversky and defeat devious World Bosses - or even play enemy AI in draft mode!
Enter Pandora, Faeria's unique draft mode where your deck-building skills are put to the ultimate test. Choose to play against the AI or put your deck to the ultimate test in PVP. Earn rewards based on how well you do. It’s the perfect way to increase your collection, or just have fun!
Become a part of our thriving, supportive, and helpful community by joining our official Discord channel, subreddit, forums - or join The Hub! Years in the making, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more welcoming group of players.

Release date: Mar 8, 2017

Categories: Card Game, Deckbuilding, Hex-based Strategy, Turn-based Strategy, Collectible Card Game, Single-player Campaign, Online Multiplayer, Puzzle Solving

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory monetization evidence; summary: The review set is mixed: a substantial group says Faeria is fair, non-P2W, and generous with earnable cards. However, multiple detailed reviews confirm real-money booster packs and chests, paid DLC that locks exclusive competitive cards, and progression pressure that pushes spending. Because these are direct real-money monetization and paid-power claims, the evidence passes the Real Money Gate and supports a high predatory monetization score.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Tier 3: Instructional Wiki Dependency; summary: The primary wiki-tax evidence is instructional: users need external wikis, Google, or forums for builds, strategies, quest solutions, and mechanics. No review reports farming locations, drop rates, loot tables, inventory selling anxiety, or crafting requirement spreadsheets. An isolated alt-tab comment is positive and not a navigation or bug complaint. Under the strict priority rules, Tier 3 evidence sets the score.
- Proton/Linux: score 38; verdict: Mostly works, but isolated Linux-specific bugs; summary: Linux feedback is predominantly positive around the native build: several users report that it runs flawlessly on Debian, OpenSUSE, and other distributions. However, a minority report serious Linux-specific problems, including a game-breaking bug on Ubuntu/SteamOS, mouse input failure on Manjaro GNOME, cursor and tutorial bugs, and one blunt complaint about the Linux port. The overall evidence supports a mostly working native Linux version with isolated but real compatibility defects, so the score remains in the minor-to-moderate friction range rather than broken or unsupported.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: High friction and unstable on some SteamOS/Linux setups; summary: Faeria has native Linux support, and several users report it runs well on the small Steam Deck screen. However, the audit found significant technical friction: multiple reports of game-breaking bugs and frequent crashes on Ubuntu/SteamOS, cursor and mouse-input failures on some Linux setups, weak touchscreen support, battery drain during short portable sessions, and an always-online requirement. No external launcher or small-text issue was identified in the evidence.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $6.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews repeatedly reject full prices around $20-$25 as too expensive, while positive price comments cluster around discounted prices. One reviewer calls $12.50 well worth it, and another recommends waiting for a sale at about $6. The base game is often described as worthwhile on sale, so the community fair base-game range is best estimated at roughly $6-$15, with anything near $20 or above considered overpriced.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 70.0h
  - Story completion: 20.0h
  - Session length: 0.3h
  - Endgame: 100.0h
  - Reasoning: The review explicitly states that Faeria has over 70 hours of single-player content to complete, supporting gameCompletion at about 70 hours. A separate review describes a 20-hour single-player campaign, supporting storyCompletion at about 20 hours. Match-duration comments place a typical match around 15 minutes, so sessionLength is set to 0.25 hours. Another review says that after roughly 100 hours a player can build strong ladder decks, supporting endgame at about 100 hours.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Faeria often starts with a mandatory tutorial and early puzzle/mission friction, but many players report it clicks after the tutorial and first few matches as board-building and deck strategy open up. Others find it fun immediately or tire of it after the early hours due to grind, AI, or meta concerns.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After completing the tutorial and playing the first few matches, once the board-building and summoning mechanics are introduced.
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Mandatory, hand-holdy tutorial and interspersed puzzles; Tutorial withholds key mechanics and interrupts gameplay; Steep learning curve for beginners; Early AI opponents can get perfect card order and starter decks struggle; Boss and co-op content is gated; Low multiplayer population can cause long queues
  - Unlock drivers: Completing the tutorial and introductory missions, when board mechanics are introduced; Playing the first two or three matches; Fast early progression and generous rewards for deck building; Accessible modes such as Pandora drafting and PvE for new players
  - Conditions: Tolerance for mandatory tutorial and puzzle pacing; Preference for solo/co-op/PvE versus multiplayer; Matchmaking population and queue times; Attitude toward grinding for cards and free-to-play progression; Tolerance for shifting meta and balance changes; Willingness to pay for DLC or gated boss/co-op content; Experience with collectible card games; beginners face a steeper curve; Patience with opponents' turn length
- Player Archetypes:
  - Strategic CCG Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering a deep, low-RNG board-based card game and testing skill in constructed competition.
    - Playstyle: Builds constructed decks, manages terrain and resources, analyzes the meta, and plays ranked or competitive matches.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Hearthstone; Magic: The Gathering; Star Trek CCG; LOTR TCG; Scrolls
  - Solo PvE Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying varied solo adventures, puzzles, and low-pressure practice while steadily building a collection.
    - Playstyle: Plays campaigns, puzzle challenges, co-op bosses, and occasional casual matches instead of focusing on ranked PvP.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: casual player
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Budget Collection Builder (buy)
    - Motivation: Building a broad collection and competitive decks without heavy spending or excessive grinding.
    - Playstyle: Completes daily quests, earns chests and gold, crafts cards, and uses budget or draft modes to grow a collection.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: free to play players
    - Reference games: Hearthstone
  - Disillusioned Ladder Competitor (no buy)
    - Motivation: Competing on the ladder and in high-level play, but only if matchmaking, population, and balance support it.
    - Playstyle: Queues for ranked or Pandora modes, tracks meta decks, and expects fair competitive matches against a healthy player base.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: competitive focused players
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Abundant single-player content (weight 0.38): Players highlight the game's extensive single-player content, providing many hours of solo enjoyment.
- Beautiful art style (weight 0.3): The game's art style and aesthetic are frequently praised as beautiful and appealing.
- Unique card game praised (weight 0.26): Many players describe the game as a unique and enjoyable card game with well-made mechanics.
- Overall excellence (weight 0.24): Many reviewers consider the game excellent, beautiful, and high quality.
- Interesting mechanics (weight 0.21): The game's mechanics and gameplay are described as interesting, creative, and strategic.
- Unique board-card hybrid (weight 0.18): The combination of card game and board strategy elements is seen as innovative and successful.
- Engaging pastime (weight 0.13): Players find the game gripping and a great way to pass time.
- High fun factor (weight 0.11): The game is consistently described as fun and enjoyable.
- Solid base game (weight 0.1): The core gameplay is considered fun and solid.
- Variety of game modes (weight 0.1): The game offers many different modes, adding variety and replayability.
- Strategic deck building (weight 0.1): Players appreciate the strategic depth from mixing factions and building diverse decks.
- Balanced and fun gameplay (weight 0.1): The game is considered balanced and enjoyable to play.
- Comparable to Magic: The Gathering (weight 0.09): The game has a similar feel to Magic: The Gathering and is enjoyed by fans of that game.

Common complaints:
- Game abandoned by developers (weight 0.42): Players widely report that the game is no longer updated or supported, with development ceasing around 2021. Many describe it as forsaken, abandoned, or abandonware, and note that no new content is planned.
- Small and declining playerbase (weight 0.39): The player population is consistently described as very low, shrinking, and sometimes virtually nonexistent. This affects all aspects of multiplayer and community engagement.
- Matchmaking difficulties due to low population (weight 0.25): Finding matches takes a long time, ranging from a few minutes to over 10 minutes, and sometimes fails entirely. This is directly attributed to the small player base and affects both casual and ranked modes.
- Forced online connection for single-player (weight 0.18): The game requires a constant internet connection even for single-player modes, preventing offline play. This is a major complaint as it means progress and access will be lost when servers eventually shut down.
- Game considered dead (weight 0.17): Many reviewers bluntly state that the game is dead, with few people playing and no hope for revival. This sentiment often ties into the lack of updates and low player count.
- Pay-to-play with microtransactions (weight 0.15): The game changed from free-to-play to paid, yet still includes pay-to-win monetization. Some cards require real money purchases, and the price is considered high by many reviewers.
- Server connection and stability issues (weight 0.14): Recent months have seen an inability to connect to servers, frequent disconnections during matches, and crashes during ranked play leading to automatic losses. Matchmaking itself also crashes in the current version.
- DLC required to use certain cards (weight 0.13): Players report that cards from DLCs cannot be used unless the DLC is purchased, and some powerful cards are locked behind DLC, creating imbalance. The description is also misleading about this requirement.
- Poor value for money (weight 0.08): Many players feel the game is not worth the full price or the cost of DLC, especially given its abandoned state and low player count. Some explicitly advise against buying it.
- Steep learning curve (weight 0.08): The game has a steep and treacherous learning curve, with specific modes like Cloud Peak being particularly hard to learn. This can be frustrating for new players.
- Bad AI and cheating (weight 0.08): The enemy AI is considered poor, and it often cheats by drawing overly powerful cards or preventing the player from drawing. This creates unfair and frustrating gameplay.
- Card balance issues (weight 0.08): Overpowered legendary cards can single-handedly win games, and overall card balance is considered way out of whack. Some balance was never done properly.
- Lack of voice lines and translations (weight 0.07): Only a few cards have voice lines when played, and some content remains untranslated. This reduces polish and immersion for players.
- Unskippable and online tutorial (weight 0.05): The tutorial is unskippable, lasts about an hour, and cannot be played offline, forcing players through a lengthy introduction with no freedom.
- Slow XP and leveling (weight 0.05): Experience gain is extremely low, making leveling very slow; players report taking an hour to not even reach level 2. This progression system feels unrewarding.
- Tedious pack opening (weight 0.05): Opening card packs requires revealing each card one by one, with many clicks per pack, which becomes very tedious when opening multiple packs.
- Not enjoyable for co-op (weight 0.04): Reviewers mention that the game is not a good fit for cooperative play and is not an enjoyable co-op experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Tactical deckbuilder core gameplay (weight 0.49): The game is primarily a tactical deck-building card game where players construct decks and engage in strategic card battles. Deck-building is central, with many deck types and strategic design choices.
- Card game with board (weight 0.44): Beyond cards, the game features a dynamic board that adds spatial strategy. Players interact with the board, placing cards and units on a grid.
- Single-player campaign and modes (weight 0.32): A robust single-player experience is available, including a campaign, puzzles, missions, and challenges. Solo play is fully supported without requiring DLC.
- Multiple game modes (weight 0.23): Various modes are offered, including multiplayer, ranked, co-op, and single-player. This provides variety and caters to different playstyles.
- Chess and MTG blend (weight 0.21): The game combines elements of chess-like board strategy with Magic: The Gathering-style card gameplay. It is often described as a mix of chess and MTG.
- Ranked ladder and matchmaking (weight 0.21): An online ranked ladder with matchmaking is available, providing competitive play against real opponents. Servers are populated for ranked matches.
- Online multiplayer and PvP (weight 0.2): The game features online multiplayer with matchmaking, supporting PvP battles. It is primarily a multiplayer game with competitive aspects.
- Collectible card system (weight 0.18): Cards are collected through gameplay, packs, and progression. There is a card pool to build from, with DLC adding more cards.
- Hybrid of card and board (weight 0.17): The game merges card game mechanics with board game elements like terrain placement and resource collection. Players build the board as they play.
- Progression unlocks cards (weight 0.11): Progression through playing unlocks additional cards, allowing players to earn cards without buying packs. All cards are earnable in-game.
- AI opponents for practice (weight 0.11): AI opponents are available for practice and solo battles. This helps players learn mechanics and test decks.
- Hex grid tactical combat (weight 0.11): Combat takes place on a hexagonal grid where players build land and move creatures. Turn sequencing and unit movement add tactical depth.

Performance notes:
- Frequent server connection failures (weight 0.21): Players often cannot connect to servers, experiencing repeated disconnections and offline mode. Issues persist even with VPNs, and error messages require restarts.
- Server instability causes lag and crashes (weight 0.13): Servers frequently lag, crash, or become unreachable, affecting both online and single-player modes. This leads to lost matches and prevents access to the main menu.
- Runs smoothly on Steam Deck (weight 0.06): Some players report that the game runs perfectly and smoothly on Steam Deck, with minimal lag in menus.
- Matchmaking takes too long or fails (weight 0.05): Players report matchmaking queues lasting three to four minutes without finding a match, and crashes during ranked games causing disconnections.
- Game hangs on loading screens (weight 0.05): The game frequently hangs on the 'checking content' screen at startup and loops the starting video, preventing access to content.
- Crashes in most game modes (weight 0.03): The game crashes in almost every mode other than competitive, indicating widespread stability issues.
- Slow loading times (weight 0.03): Loading is very slow, especially the first load, which negatively impacts the overall experience.
- Lack of optimization (weight 0.03): Players note a constant lack of optimization, contributing to performance and stability problems.
- Resolution compatibility issues (weight 0.03): The game does not work at 3400x1440 resolution, causing display problems for some users.

Recommendations:
- Great for card game fans (weight 0.35): Many reviewers highly recommend the game to fans of card games, especially those who enjoy deckbuilding and strategic play. It is described as a solid choice for both competitive and casual card game enthusiasts.
- Good for casual and simple play (weight 0.26): Reviewers recommend the game for those seeking a simpler strategic card game or a casual deckbuilding experience. It is also noted as not pay-to-win and free-to-play friendly.
- Strongly recommended overall (weight 0.23): Reviewers frequently give strong recommendations to try the game and promote it to friends. The overall sentiment is very positive.
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.2): Multiple reviewers suggest that the game is worth purchasing, especially at a discounted price. Some recommend waiting for a sale before buying.
- Great for strategy and tactics fans (weight 0.18): The game is highly recommended for fans of strategy, tactical board games, and collectible card games. It appeals to those who enjoy deep strategic gameplay.
- DLC and expansions recommended (weight 0.13): Reviewers recommend buying the DLC and expansions, particularly when on sale, as they add fun and value to the game.
- Worth it for single-player (weight 0.13): The game offers substantial single-player content that justifies the purchase even for those who never play multiplayer. Some recommend buying on sale specifically for the single-player mode.
- Worth the money generally (weight 0.13): Several reviewers feel the game is worth every cent and deserves more recognition. It is considered a worthwhile investment for fans of the genre.
- Appeals to Magic and Hearthstone fans (weight 0.12): Fans of Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone, and similar CCGs will likely enjoy this game. It is often compared to a mix of chess and Magic.
- Not worth buying anymore (weight 0.1): A few reviewers state that the game is no longer worth the money and advise saving your money. One mentions refunding the game.
- Unique mechanics and art (weight 0.05): Reviewers praise the game's unique mechanics and adorable art, making it a standout for CCG fans.
- Not recommended for co-op (weight 0.05): A couple of reviewers explicitly do not recommend the game for those seeking a cooperative experience. It is not designed for co-op play.
- Not worth your time (weight 0.04): A few reviewers state the game is not worth putting time into. This is a minority opinion.

Other player notes:
- Favorable comparison to Hearthstone (weight 0.37): Reviewers frequently compare the game favorably to Hearthstone, describing it as more fun, strategic, and less money-grubbing.
- Expansions and DLC available (weight 0.34): The game offers multiple expansions and DLC for purchase, which add new mechanics and cards, and are sold separately or in bundles.
- Formerly free, now paid (weight 0.32): The game was previously free-to-play but has since transitioned to a buy-to-play model, requiring purchase of the base game.
- Small playerbase and community (weight 0.19): The game has a small but dedicated playerbase, with many noting a low population that affects matchmaking and overall community size.
- Compared to Magic: The Gathering (weight 0.15): The game is often compared to Magic: The Gathering, with reviewers noting similarities and differences in gameplay and deck-building.
- Game considered dead or dying (weight 0.14): Some reviewers describe the game as dead or dying due to a shrinking and inactive playerbase.
- Plenty of single-player content (weight 0.08): Reviewers highlight that the game offers a large amount of solo content, providing substantial single-player experience.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.17): The game has been abandoned by its developers with no updates since 2021, leaving it nearly dead with a tiny playerbase and long matchmaking times. It shifted from a free-to-play model to a paid one with grindy card acquisition and pay-to-win elements, and its design became unbalanced and less fun over time.
- Frustration (weight 0.16): Frequent server disconnections and connection errors make the game unplayable, especially since it requires an online connection even for single-player content. Unfair AI advantages in single-player modes, unbalanced matchmaking, and slow progression create further obstacles, while long queue times due to a small playerbase add to the annoyance.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): The unique combination of card gameplay with a hex board and land-building mechanics provides deep strategic fun. Players appreciate the deckbuilding, varied modes, and beautiful art and music, which together create an engaging and rewarding experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): The game offers a fair free-to-play or pay-to-play model with easy card acquisition, deep strategic gameplay, and a rewarding single-player experience. Players find the mechanics satisfying and appreciate the lack of pay-to-win elements.
- Admiration (weight 0.07): The game is praised for its unique and innovative mechanics, deep strategic gameplay, and exceptional art and music. Many consider it a masterpiece and one of the best card games, with brilliant design and high-quality presentation.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players value the fair monetization model, generous card collection system, and the absence of microtransactions. They also appreciate the deep tactical gameplay, the variety of modes, and the responsiveness of the developers to support inquiries.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.04): The game's unique blend of board and card mechanics, strategic depth, and engaging gameplay generate strong enthusiasm. Players are excited about the deckbuilding, the adventure mode, and the overall experience, often considering it superior to other card games.
- Sadness (weight 0.03): The game was abandoned by its developer and is now dead with a low player count, despite its potential to compete with major card games. Players mourn the loss of what was once a great CCG and wish it had received more support and attention.
- Fun (weight 0.02): The strategic board gameplay, polished mechanics, and dynamic board concept make the game enjoyable. Players have fun experimenting with deckbuilding and land strategy, and the variety of modes keeps the experience engaging.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Issues such as unfair enemy card access in missions, dumb AI teammates, and luck-based world boss stages cause annoyance. Frequent disconnections, slow XP gain, and incomplete translations further irritate players.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): The game becomes tedious due to slow ramp-up, repetitive AI battles, and a solved meta with no new content. Players find solo missions trivially simple and the gameplay lacks tension, leading to boredom after collecting all cards.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): The gameplay mix exceeded expectations, turning out to be more fun than anticipated. Players are also surprised that the game is not more popular despite its quality and uniqueness.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): The game pulls players in with varied strategies, daily quests, and deep strategic decision-making. The progressive difficulty and unique board-building mechanics keep players engrossed from the first minutes.
- Anger (weight 0.02): The AI cheats with extra resources, the business model changed to require paid expansions while still forcing grinding, and developers abandoned the game leaving cheaters dominant. Server crashes and gated card crafting further infuriate players.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Players are excited by the satisfying turn sequencing, win music, and the variety of game modes. The strategic gameplay, rewarding draft format, and adrenaline rush from winning against opponents or puzzles generate high excitement.
- Concern (weight 0.02): Players worry about the declining playerbase, lack of new content, and the possibility of servers shutting down. The high DLC count and price barrier may further reduce the playerbase, leading to longer queue times.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): The game is described as both dead and alive, which confuses players. Incomplete translations and strange draft mode also contribute to confusion about the game's state and mechanics.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players deeply love the mix of card and board game mechanics, the art, and the balanced design. The deep and complex gameplay, hexagonal board, and land building make the game a favorite.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players hope the game will be developed again and receive more updates and players. They wish the developers would show love for the game and release new DLC in the future.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): The unique and engaging matches make players want to play another round constantly. The deep strategy and Pandora game mode keep players hooked after just a few matches.}