Clutchtime: Basketball Deckbuilder

Maybe the most impressive thing about Clutchtime is that you don’t need to be a basketball fan to enjoy the game. I’m sure that would help, but really, as long as you like deckbuilders, you should definitely give this one a chance to see how broad and varied the genre can be.

Clutchtime: Basketball Deckbuilder is a novel concept, translating basketball into a deckbuilding card game rather elegantly. The gameplay isn't the issue, but using difficulty to gatekeep entire game modes is. To put it in basketball terms: they've dunked the ball but have been called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim and taunting us players.

Clutchtime: Basketball Deckbuilder is a fun card collecting game that is easy to digest in small doses but never as gripping as heavyweights of the genre.

Clutchtime: Basketball Deckbuilder is one of the most creative takes on this style of game that I’ve seen over the last few years. I can easily imagine getting lost in it with how it smartly threw me off the notion of playing a mere card game by having it be themed around a sport that is anything but turn-based such as basketball. And still, by having it be reliant on the highs and lows of the actual sports is what makes it special. Having the potential to turn around a near-impossible win with a miraculous comeback through a combination of lucky draws and careful planning is an exciting prospect that doesn’t take much effort, while proving extremely rewarding when it all comes together.