If “The World of the Witcher” was enthralling to you, and if Gwent was one of your favorite features about “The Wild Hunt,” then this is the game for you! This unique take of moving the franchise to a different genre but keeping the same great storytelling will keep you coming back for more. The game feels and plays like a Witcher game in terms of its dynamic choices that creates a unique game to your playstyle. 

“Thronebreaker” takes the system that was created after “The Wild Hunt” for Gwent. You will not be building decks that revolve around spies, but rather they take the set of rules from the mobile app. The game offers challenging puzzle sequences that create specific rules for you to ponder and find the solution. The game’s cartoon look lends itself quite nicely to the flow of the game. You will explore a rather open map to capture the feeling of open-world exploration that “The Wild Hunt” delivered. While the map is large, it would be impossible for a game of this scale to capture that open-world experience.  

The game does have snags in its flow. The game tries to be too much like “The Wild Hunt” and lacks some creativity on its developers. The open world does offer you unique encounters, but the side quests fall flat on actual engaging content. The game seems to focus on its multiplayer content, with multiple chests in the campaign being rewards or cards for your multiplayer deck. This was my largest disappointment with the game. 

The morality of your choices, no matter how chivalrous, may have unintended consequences. The game offers an opportunity to practice the Christian teaching of Jus per bellum (“right to war”), put forward by Augustine. As hinted above, these choices may not be rewarded by the game, similarly to how our good works shall be rewarded in heaven and not met with material wealth.

Overall, the game plays nicely and will offer you many hours of Gwent! I would recommend this game, which is now available on Game Pass, for anyone who has free time during this quarantine! The game offers nice challenges that engage the mind and a story that entertains. I give the game a 4/5!