In a market saturated with online and paper Trading Card Games (TCGs) and Collectible Card Games (CCGs), it is a refreshing change of pace to see something as original and well made as Genesis: Battle of Champions. Creator Assad Quraishi describes the game as a Tactical Collectible Card Game, which borrows basic concepts from other games and adds in tactical components through the addition of a 5x6 board known as the arena.
Speaking at the 2019 Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (EGLX) in Toronto, Assad was passionate about the game and stated that he finds great success in expanding awareness of Genesis at gaming conventions. He describes how many players find the core concepts to be more akin to video games than traditional games like Magic: The Gathering. This is apparent in Genesis right from the outset in the design of the combat, and by making the player the focus of the action on the board.
At its core, this similarity to video games lies in making the player feel directly involved in the battlefield. Rather than be some omnipotent presence that summons and commands others to fight for them, players take control of a Champion and use them directly in battle. Each Champion has its own unique stats, range of attack, and abilities. In some ways the initial feeling one gets when playing and watching a match is similar to the World of Warcraft TCG from 2005, but Genesis goes far deeper with its gameplay design.
Another fundamental difference between Genesis and most other card games is its innovative use of resources. Assad described how counter-intuitive it always feels in other games to be an all-powerful character in a fictional world, but for each player to begin with no resources. As such, players in Genesis begin with all their resources at the ready and then choose how to portion out their abilities in a strategic manner.
This twist on the old formula leads to some fantastic gameplay, is balanced between all parties, and removes those few instances in other TCGs where one simply does not draw the resources to actively play a game.
One of the long-term plans for the game is to work hard in developing a local, grassroots community of players. Assad spoke often of this desire, which is a great initiative for creating networks of equally passionate player. Genesis launched in 2018 and has since seen steady growth in its player base.
To continue with this goal of building the community of players, Genesis will have a Championship Tournament on November 16 in Brantford, Ontario. This is a great place to meet other players and anyone is free to partake in either the championship competition or partake in a booster draft or a secondary constructed tournament. Each match should bring fierce gameplay as players compete for a $1,000 first-place prize.
For now, the game remains a grassroots affair, with Eastern Canada seeing most of the action. Hopefully in the future we will see it expand, as the core gameplay is fantastic, and the creator is clearly all in on making it the best experience it can be for new and veteran card-game players alike. Check out the video below for a brief introduction to the gameplay and check out the rest of their channel for matches that have commentary added to learn more about the game.
Source: Genesis: Battle of Champions