Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond is announced to be the sequel to the card game Shadowverse. It will be available in the summer of 2024 on PC and mobile platforms.
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond Card Game Announced for a Summer 2024 Release
Fans of the collectible card game genre who are still in mourning over the end of the development of Gwent might have something to look forward to coming in 2024. Developers Cygames has just announced over the weekend Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond. This will be a direct sequel to their prior title, Shadowverse.
Will this free-to-play card game be worth your while? What do we know so far? More after the jump!
Into the Shadowlands
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond will be a competitive online collectible card game like its older brother Shadowverse. A one-and-a-half-minute-long trailer showcased just some of what we can expect. If you’re not a fan of anime-inspired graphics, you can safely turn away right now as the entire game feels like an anime in the best ways possible.
The New Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond Features
Of course, most of the game’s existing essence will remain the same. It looks as if the developers will retain the game’s core mechanics and card types and carry them over into Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond. But this wouldn’t be a sequel without some new cards to play with, mechanics to learn, or strategies to exploit.
The first of which is called “Super Evolution”, an enhanced version of the original game’s Evolution mechanic. Cards can be evolved by the fourth turn, but Super Evolution can be triggered on the sixth turn onwards. They will also use the new SEP (Super Evolution Points) which is in turn an upgraded form of EP (Evolution Points). Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond will have much higher EP limits, making the ebb and flow of this resource much more dynamic, and much more intense.
Our next new mechanic to watch out for are cards with Super Evolve Abilities. These are super powerful game-changing effects that trigger whenever a follower card is Super Evolved. Bonus points if that card also has an Evolve effect, as Super Evolution will trigger both Evolve and Super Evolve effects.
Class is in Session
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond will feature classes just like its predecessor. A player’s choice of main class will essentially determine the main “faction” or type of card that you may stuff into your deck. Think the colors of Mana in Magic: the Gathering, Faction in Gwent, or even the Hero in Hearthstone. Players can construct decks with cards of their chosen class, plus any neutral cards.
There will be 7 different classes, 8 if you count “Neutral”. These will be Forestcraft, Swordcraft, Runecraft, Dragoncraft, Abysscraft, Havencraft, and Portalcraft. One notable difference here between the original is that the new Abysscraft replaces the existing Shadowcraft and Bloodcraft classes, taking on elements from both disciplines instead. Each class will have its distinct playstyle. For example, Swordcraft will thrive on follower vs follower combat, or Runecraft will focus on direct damage spells.
Each class will also have a poster child or main “character” that will represent that class. Dreizehn is the Portalcraft leader who is making her debut in the main storyline of Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond. She is joined by Lovesign of the Forestcraft class. More leaders will be announced at a later date.
A Shadow World
The developers wanted to create a physical world-space in which players can have avatars running around dueling people, instead of just matching together in fights purely from an in-game menu. This new Metaverse will allow players to see physical representations of their foes, as they will be made up of customized 3D avatars. Expect costumes, appearances, emotes, and other wardrobe enhancements to come out of the game’s monetization system.
Lobbies will be exclusive areas where people can meet up and find people to challenge. Alternatively, entire guilds can hang out here while flexing that rare card they just fished out of a pack just recently. Eventually, customizable player rooms and housing will make their way into the game, giving you even more freedom of expression.
Other features are also being considered that will make this even more of a life-sim than before. Ever wanted to go fishing in the Shadowverse universe? How about a round or two of Mahjong? Or even organize your dance troupe? For some reason, Cygames will allow you to do just that! These aren’t just random activities being added in just for the sake of it, however. The developers will make everything you do eventually tie into your card battles somehow. Perhaps rewards from these activities will reward you with currency to buy new cards.
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond in the Summer
Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond will be released sometime in 2024. We do know that it will be free-to-play, and will be available on PC and mobile (iOS and Android) platforms. Sadly, no console version has been announced just yet.
In other news, check outWarhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 Launch Confirmed for September 2024, andBook of Travels Invites Players to Test Out New Combat System.
