Deck Heroes - ICG.COM

This review of Deck Heroes was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 16 December 2014.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Deck Heroes contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

This review focuses on levels: 1-5.

App description

Deck Heroes is an RPG card-playing app that takes place within a fantasy medieval world of creatures and heroes. The objective is to battle for survival by assembling, evolving and enhancing hundreds of creature and hero cards, each with distinct abilities, powers and levels of health. There are limited skills needed, but an understanding of strategy and problem solving may be useful.

Reviewers comments

When the app begins, players are instructed to select a character – there is a well-dressed man on the left hand side, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and leather armour; as well as an attractive blonde-haired woman on the right hand side, who is wearing a very low-cut blouse that also displays her midriff. After confirming their selection, players are instructed to travel to the Explorer’s Gate, as the Creator’s emissary is waiting for them. The screen contains a large map with multiple locations on it (such as the Bazaar, Colosseum, Secret Region, etc). After clicking on, and arriving at, the Mysterious Ruins, players are told that they must battle another attractive woman. She is also scantily dressed in minimal clothing, whilst wearing small amounts of what appear to be battle armour. Players engage in ‘battle’ by clicking on cards with certain levels of health and attack. The cards are then visibly seen to flip as they attack, and the opponent’s cards appear to take damage (this is seen as the cards bleed droplets of blood, additionally shuddering and having their numeric health value decrease with each hit). Once an opponent’s card is defeated, it disappears from view. When the ‘rage gauge’ is full, the player’s central card will release a very powerful attack – this takes time before recharging. At the end of a battle, players are met with a pop-up screen stating ‘You win!’, as well as measures of how much gold and experience they have gained. Upon winning a battle, players obtain a ‘new creature’ in the form of another card. Creatures unlock new skills when they reach level 5 and 10.

It is additionally possible to enhance or evolve creatures in order to make them more powerful. The ability to evolve characters unlocks at level 30, whilst it is possible to enhance creatures early within the game (this upgrades their skills by levelling them up). Essences or unwanted creatures can be sacrificed to enhance other creatures – others are used as materials in order to create more powerful cards.

Players gradually find out more about the storyline through the text – there are four factions of different species that are at war with one another. In the missions, players are questioned as to whether they ‘are seeking death’, and instructed to ‘fight without fear!’ as they head into battle. Players are also told that strategic placement of their creatures is key to victory, in regards to paying attention to the amount of health each creature has left, and their amount of fighting capacity.

In App purchasing

Yes: It is possible to purchase in-app currency in the form of blue gems within this app. These may be purchased in packages of 70 blue gems for $0.99, 360 blue gems for $4.99, 750 blue gems for $9.99, 1550 blue gems for $19.99, 4000 blue gems for $49.99, and 8200 blue gems for $99.99. In addition to this, it is possible to purchase crowns also. Players may buy a 3-day star crown for $1.99, a 7-day star crown for $2.99, or a 30-day star crown for $5.99.

Online information

The app contains a ‘Live Chat’ button – once clicked, this takes players to an internet browser where they may submit an ‘Issue’. This appears to be to assist with technical support issues, as opposed to communicating with other online members. However, it is also possible to fight with other players online within similar battles.

Gambling

No gambling content found during the review.

Advertising and product placement

‘Tapjoy’ is a feature within the app that allows players to earn in-game currency via watching advertisements for existing apps and games. Different numbers of gems are offered for different videos. In addition to this, some request that players download other apps and reach a certain set level within the game, before being able to earn a considerable number of gems. 

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

The female character who players act as through the game is very stereotypically attractive – she is blonde, has large breasts, and is wearing what appears to be tight leather clothing. She is displaying part of her midriff. The other female characters are presented in very similar lights, and are seen to be wearing very little clothing and are posed in quite sexually provocative stances. Male characters appear to be presented as strong, authoritative and are consistently fully clothed in heavy-looking armour.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

N/A.

Other

N/A.

Got a suggestion?

You can contact us if you have suggestions of other children's apps to review.