CD Projekt Red has recently launched closed beta for "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game." We were fortunate enough to get a beta key for it, and here are our initial impressions.

Gameplay

"Gwent" starts off with a simple tutorial on how to play the card game. It will be quite familiar for those who have spent countless of hours playing the minigame in "The Witcher," with a few tweaks and changes.

For example, some cards can lower the opponent's card strength, essentially "attacking" the enemy's card "hit points." Reducing the enemy cards strength to zero will remove that card from play, which can break the enemy's strategy.

There are also more special effect cards in the standalone "Gwent" game than in the minigame.

It may get quite confusing for those who have never played Gwent at some point in their lives, but it can get quite addicting once you get the hang of it.

In-Game Economy And Keg Prices

"Gwent" card packs are quite expensive as it stands now, costing around $1.50 per Keg (It gets cheaper as you buy more.) One keg guarantees you either a Rare, Epic or Legendary card. You can earn kegs by winning matches as well, and you can also exchange ores for kegs.

So is it pay to win? Yes and no. Most players can just buy a lot of kegs and gain access to gold cards early in the game, but at the end of the day, building a good deck and mastering it is more important.

We should keep in mind though that the game is still in closed beta, and prices may either drop or increase depending on people's feedback.

Graphics

This is a CD Projekt RED game, so graphics wise, it does not disappoint. The card artworks look really beautiful, and the unique sound effects also add to the overall feel of the game.

Online Matching

Casual play will match you with another online player, and it did not take a long time for me to find an opponent. (Although he got disconnected a few seconds after the start of the first round, giving me an easy win.)

What's Missing?

I'm personally excited for the single player content of "Gwent" more than its online aspect, but this feature is not included in the closed beta version of the game yet. The Nilfgaardian deck is also noticeably absent from the faction lineup, although expect this to be added during open beta.

Overall, "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game" looks like a fun, addictive game, and just like the minigame in "The Witcher," you'll find yourself playing for hours on end.