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Dark Souls: The Card Game box art

Dark Souls: The Card Game

Game ID: GID0085458
Game Info
Year
2018
Collection
Rating
Mechanic profile
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Vibe profile
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Description

Dark Souls: The Card Game is a cooperative deck evolution card game for 1-4 players. Players must explore the Encounters around them, defeating a myriad of enemies to gain Souls and Treasure.

They must use these to evolve and adapt their deck to better fight their enemies. When the players are ready, they must challenge the powerful bosses that lie within.

The players must walk a narrow path, however, since their decks allow them to attack their enemies, but also represent their health. Decks are only refreshed when the players rest at the bonfire, so players must defeat their enemies while husbanding their strength for the greater challenges ahead.

Thinking quickly and adapting to the enemy’s attacks is key for survival. A misstep can be fatal, but the rewards of success are great. Adapt your deck, evolve your strategy, and prepare to die.

—description from the publisher

Description

Dark Souls: The Card Game is a cooperative deck evolution card game for 1-4 players. Players must explore the Encounters around them, defeating a myriad of enemies to gain Souls and Treasure.

They must use these to evolve and adapt their deck to better fight their enemies. When the players are ready, they must challenge the powerful bosses that lie within.

The players must walk a narrow path, however, since their decks allow them to attack their enemies, but also represent their health. Decks are only refreshed when the players rest at the bonfire, so players must defeat their enemies while husbanding their strength for the greater challenges ahead.

Thinking quickly and adapting to the enemy’s attacks is key for survival. A misstep can be fatal, but the rewards of success are great. Adapt your deck, evolve your strategy, and prepare to die.

—description from the publisher

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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 3
This page: 3
Sentiment: pos 2 · mix 1 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Showing 1–3 of 3
Video CUHdv4XI6Sg TableTop Wolf Discussion at 17:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 7084 · mention_pk 20992
TableTop Wolf - Dark Souls: The Card Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 17:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • tight combat
  • boss encounters
Cons
  • not as good as other favorites
  • could be replaced by other titles
Thematic elements
  • boss-battler deck-building
  • Dark fantasy world
  • lore-driven
Comparison games
  • Nemesis
  • The Thing
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • boss battler — Tough boss encounters with high challenge.
  • deck-building — Build a deck to fight bosses and explore.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's a great entry level worker placement game for families
  • Blitzball's amazing
  • I would give this one a good solid eight or nine out of ten
  • Final Girl is a great game
  • I think this is a fine serviceable drafting game
  • the thing is basically my version of Nemesis in all honesty it is an all-in-one box game
  • it's just fine
  • it's okay
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GU3ONxUJIOc AzureDeath | Solo Board Gaming Top List at 10:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5527 · mention_pk 16426
AzureDeath | Solo Board Gaming - Dark Souls: The Card Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 10:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Strong DS IP flavor and aesthetic
  • Tight, tactile deck construction with interesting upgrade paths
  • Enjoyable boss and encounter design
Cons
  • Some players find solo play less satisfying without a party
  • Not as dice-focused as many RPG systems
Thematic elements
  • Dungeon crawler with brutal, strategic card-driven combat
  • Dark fantasy world inspired by the video game franchise
  • Campaign-like with variable missions through cards
Comparison games
  • Dark Souls (board game, if compared to other IP adaptations)
  • Bloodborne: The Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Deck-based combat — Combat relies on deck management rather than dice.
  • Progression through loot and upgrades — Loot cards and stamina/gear cards modify decks for future runs.
  • Two-character base play — Best experienced with two characters; one is possible but less optimal.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • This game is amazing at creating an emerging narrative.
  • I voted this number one adventuring game this year.
  • Emerging narratives are just fantastic in Explor It.
  • The lore, the art, the setting—the Gothic vibe here is unmatched.
  • You can play solo without a DM and still have a deep experience.
  • This is one of the best dungeon crawlers you can buy today.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -9S3ptTDoRo AzureDeath | Solo Board Gaming Top List at 21:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4993 · mention_pk 14847
AzureDeath | Solo Board Gaming - Dark Souls: The Card Game video thumbnail
Click to watch at 21:34 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Strong translation of Souls combat into a card framework
  • Fast to play with satisfying boss encounters
Cons
  • Deck-building can be opaque for new players
  • Some may prefer more narrative depth
Thematic elements
  • Brutal, methodical combat with deck construction
  • Dark Souls universe translated to card game
  • Dark, ominous dungeon crawling with minimal dice
Comparison games
  • Bloodborne: The Board Game
  • Resident Evil 2: The Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Deck construction as health and equipment — Your character is represented by a deck that grows and shrinks with damage
  • Stamina-based action economy — Restricted actions require colored stamina cards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's such a bizarre game
  • this is one of the best translations from video game IPs into board game form
  • it's basically like Star Wars themed XCOM
  • the closest thing you'll get to a first person shooter in board game form
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
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