Battleforge is an interesting concept - an online massively multiplayer real time strategy (RTS) game mixed with card collecting. Set in a fantasy, Tolkien-like world, players battle each other with armies that are defined by the cards they have collected.

The installation can be a bit lengthy, and the game client is also a little unstable. Once ready to go, for any match you have to make a deck of 20 playing cards that define what you take into the game. Each card requires power and magical orbs to work, so these are the resources you'll manage as you play.

To spawn, say archers, all you have to do is click the card, and then choose where you want them to appear on screen. Battleforge resources can be placed on screen near friendly buildings or units, not just anywhere! Still, this makes a change from the usual RTS standard of new resources appearing from a factory or a base. In Battleforge, you can spawn reinforcements right into the center of a battle near your own units. This makes it quite a fast paced game.

Battleforge has a story mode, though multiplayer is much more fun. The story is pretty standard fantasy, and not at all original, while computer controlled enemies are simply not as interesting as human adversaries. Multiplayer is therefore much more fun, although it can be frustrating playing against people who have much better cards than you, as there us little you can do when facing a more powerful foe.

Battleforge looks great, and has high production values. If you enjoy the card collection, and are willing to invest lots of time into it, Battleforge will be a rewarding multiplayer game.