New anime card game is flying on Steam, but the reviews are abysmal

The only thing than worse than not being played is being played and everyone complaining you're crammed with microtransactions. Admittedly, that's not quite how Oscar Wilde put it but a similar sentiment must be going through the heads of the developers of Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond. Despite boasting over 100,000 concurrent players, this Hearthstone-style CCG is racking up some seriously awful reviews on Steam.

Digital card game Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond is a follow-up to the original Shadowverse CCG, which proved so popular it spawned its own anime series. However, this entry's release has been seriously rocky to say the least, and we're not talking about the technical issues that plague some launches.

This anime-styled title has no shortage of players; at the time of writing, it Steam concurrent player count has hit 101,454. But it's rated Overwhelmingly Negative on Steam, with serious criticism levelled at the game's microtransactions.

Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond is free-to-play, so it's reasonable to expect some microtransactions. But this game's microtransactions aren't merely cosmetic, they're hooked into gameplay, with players calling it out for being 'pay to win' from the start.

"It's pretty hard to craft a solid deck for ranked without spending a good chunk of money." says one reviewer. Others echo this sentiment, some less politely than others.

"Extremely fun game and successor to Shadowverse but the horrible anti-consumer practices ruin it," says a second review. "Can't even build a proper budget deck for ONE class with that expensive 500 rupees per pack and stupid vial system," remarks another.

Of the 8,003 reviews, the vast majority are negative. Does that mean the game is doomed unless developer and publisher Cygames, Inc. shakes things up? Not necessarily.

That first Steam review also states they've spent $200 on Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, which is a significant amount of money. It may be that the game is already turning a serious profit, despite its negative reviews. We'll have to wait and see what if any action Cygames, Inc take.

Love Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond's anime aesthetic? We've rounded up the best anime games and the best free PC games.

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