Legends of Runeterra is a brilliantly designed online trading card game. Most importantly, LoR innovates game mechanics with a back-and-forth format that objectively make this game more tactical (but maybe less beginner-friendly) than its peers (like Hearthstone). With most actions that a player takes, the opponent has an option to respond, which often results in chains of actions with sometimes incredible comebacks/upsets. The artwork and animations are stellar, and the universe the game takes place in is advantaged by a rich legacy lore due to the producer's other products like League of Legends and Arcane. The game offers an incredible and near-endless PvE experience in addition to PvP: in fact, PvP has sadly taken a back-seat in the last couple years but is by no means dead as matches only take minutes to find. The future is difficult to predict and I hope that PvP will grow more as my heart will always be in PvP gameplay. Perhaps the most admirable quality of this game is its refusal to be "pay-to-win" as free cards and resources are given generously and consistently so that any player looking to play competitively can do so free of financial cost if they desire, at least for PvP. And that is something Hearthstone cannot boast.
