Even if you are not a gamer, chances are, you’ve heard of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. This juggernaut has been played for decades and seems to show no sign of slowing down. Thanks to the collectible nature of the game, Magic is one of the main sources of income for many local gaming stores. Which brings us to one of the issues with being a Magic player, the cost. Those constant booster pack purchases aren’t cheap. But lucky for us, there is an alternative.

Allegiance: A Realm Divided

Our newest Game of the Week is a godsend for budget conscious CCG players. Allegiance: A Realm Divided is the first game published from Underground Games and, let me tell you, it’s quite an amazing package. From the art to the components, the production quality in Allegiance is nothing short of spectacular. Although all that glitter wouldn’t matter if the game play couldn’t hold up, which it absolutely does.

What is the Game?

Allegiance: A Realm Divided is a dueling card game where each player’s goal is to reduce their opponent’s life to zero. Unlike other similar dueling game, player’s in Allegiance also get to control a unique hero, each with their own powers and special cards. During the game, players will recruit troops, play actions cards, unlock hero powers, and use them all for a wide variety of effects. The game play is easy to learn, and should feel pretty familiar to veteran Magic players.  With all the unique characters, Allegiance also contains a good amount of variety and replay value, so it will definitely have you coming back for more.\

Why Should You Play It?

Allegiance: A Realm Divided brings you all the things you’ve come to know and love about a dueling card game, yet everything is in one self-contained package. There is no need to buy booster packs, hunt for rare cards, or even engage in deck building. Both players share a deck of action cards and common/elite troops. Yet even with these shared decks, Allegiance still provides enough variety through the use of its hero boards. Every hero feels completely unique and really approaches the game in its own way. I could spend a lot longer talking about all the good things with Allegiance: A Realm Divided, but suffice to say, the game is great and should be on the radar for any fan of the genre.

2-4 PLAYERS • AGES 10+ • 30-60 MINUTES • $65