The new Hearthstone adventure is really good, but it plays with the feelings of the users to earn money. Cortyn from MeinMMO finds that pretty sneaky.
To be honest, I don’t expect much from a Hearthstone adventure. For me, an adventure also always has something to do with a cool story, and that has been rather rare to never the case in Hearthstone. But with “The Hellfire Trial” things changed. No matter how I twist and turn it, the free adventure was really good.
The story in 17 chapters is really well done. It is about the researcher Aranna Starseeker, who stands in the shadow of her sister. She explores the shattered world and encounters a Naga in danger. She finds out something about the threat of the strange “Rust Legion” and sets out to defeat it. In doing so, she meets new characters, who are “Outsiders.” Not only does the Naga join, but also a Sporegar, an Orc, and even a female Broken – something that hasn’t even been seen in World of Warcraft before.
Great Characters and a Great Story
All these characters are lovable and interesting, although they speak only a few sentences. In almost every fight, they make one comment or another, so they quickly grow on you. In this case, they are more than just simple cards; they are actual characters and “heroes” you can rely on in times of need. I probably can’t even count on my fingers how often the little Sporegar has saved me with his mushrooms.
But it’s not just the story itself; it’s also the way it’s presented. Every step of the adventure is commented on by Illidan, who usually speaks in rhymes. Aranna and the other important characters rhyme most of the time too. Although the rhymes are sometimes so bad or unclean that my German teacher would have torn me apart for them back in the day, it somehow adds to the “trash charm” of the adventure.
By the time Aranna and Illidan start rhyming together in the best “Team Rocket” style, I can’t help but grin. When the two start trash-talking about their siblings, the humor reaches its peak. They complain about Druids, and Illidan notes that he was trapped for 10,000 years while his brother has been taking “a nap.”
Yes, the Hellfire Trial was really, really good.
And now comes the big “but.”
The Campaign is a Sales Pitch
The whole story is essentially just a massive advertisement for the new heroine in the shop. Because simultaneously with the release of the Hellfire Trial, you can also buy Aranna Starseeker in the shop – along with 20 of the latest card packs and a card back for €20.
Sure, the offer is quite fair. Even if you don’t want the heroine Aranna Starseeker, €20 for 20 card packs from Ruins of the Shattered World is a pretty good deal – compared to the regular 15 packs for €20.
Nevertheless, I can’t shake the unpleasant feeling that Blizzard is playing with my affection for the characters. Over 17 missions, I got to know Aranna, experienced her story. I was there as she made and lost friends and listened for a long time to her funny rhymes.
This approach reminds me of those typical Asian gacha games, where anime fans are lured in with their “best girl.” Those who want the whole story about their personal favorite character usually have to pay a lot of real money. It feels quite similar now with Aranna, even though the “loot box” factor is obviously missing. Thank goodness for that.
After playing the campaign with her, I don’t want to play Illidan in ranked mode anymore, but only Aranna.
But maybe that’s just my personal problem. I definitely see myself throwing €20 at the problem – and that bothers me quite a bit.
But what do you think?
