Cardfight Vanguard G: Stride to Victory

Cardfight Vanguard G: Stride to Victory is one of those games where you think you've crossed the realm of obscure 3DS games. While there are plenty of them, the series is a title based on a relatively popular anime. It's something I've never heard of, but the premise of a franchise about a card game intrigues me. So what's this handheld battler all about?

Considering Cardfight Vanguard G: Stride to Victory was a Japan-only release, it's easier to tell by being aligned with the anime. But there are a lot of narratives, some dramatic dialogue scenes, and, most importantly, some intense-looking card-battling action. Given the popularity of trading card games in the virtual sphere, it could be a decent offering without prior lore knowledge.

Settling Scores with Cards

Before playing the game, I had to look up Cardfight Vanguard G's premise to understand the series' basics. Otherwise, I'd need help following along. The plot syncs with the anime, where Chrono, a careless teenager, discovers a Vanguard deck and becomes an enthusiast of this ethereal card game. The ultimate goal is to become the regional champion of the game, but you'll face plenty of obstacles in between.

Mechanically, Cardfight Vanguard G: Stride to Victory is enjoyable. If you're not Japanese-speaking, it'll take a little trial and error to figure out the menus, controls, and which cards to use. But the flash, colorful visuals of building decks and placing cards into the arena present more appeal than frustrations. Despite players probably needing to understand what's going on for a while, the experience is surprisingly immersive.

Players will place cards, each with different abilities, attack points, and powers, where each turn, you'll pull out a new card that faces off with one the opponent has pulled out. You'll know how well you're doing in between turns with a cutscene of your foe getting angry or hilariously arrogant. But you'll get the gist of this card battle as the basics are simple enough.

However, you could get more out of Cardfight Vanguard G: Stride to Victory if you understood the franchise and Japanese. However, it's not to say that the game has something to offer. Many players can find this card game mechanically sound and at least enjoy the visual intensity throughout the combat.

It Doesn't Matter How You Win

Cardfight Vanguard G: Stride to Victory feels like an angrier, more fast-paced version of GWENT The Witcher Card Game, whose deck-drawing and line-based attacks are vaguely similar. Players may inevitably get frustrated when effective building decks get complicated if they need help understanding what more elite cards do. Still, the visual thrill of the game can keep you immersed for a while.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Fast-paced turn-based combat
• Visually appealing battles broken by cutscenes to create a story
• Relatively easy-to-understand mechanics

Cons:

• The game is only available in Japanese
• Deck-building is tough without language knowledge
• Players won't get the most out of the rich narrative