Obsession. The word I can best use to describe my current love affair with Android: Netrunner. I was lucky enough to have a copy snatched up at GenCon and have played somewhere around 50 games since then.
Each game has been a pleasure to play and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.
Android: Netrunner is the new entry in Fantasy Flight's successful Living Card Game (LCG) stable.
That means it is not collectible and won't completely annihilate your wallet if you decide to give it a try. So after playing tons of games and getting involved in some organized play on the local level, I feel ready to sing its praises.
So jack in and stay awhile. This will probably be a long one.
System Prep
Let me start by saying that I vowed (on more than one occasion) that I would NEVER get into another card game. Like most teenage boys growing up in the late 90's, I was served a steady does of Magic the Gathering and threw most of my money at booster packs and boxes. The collectible model has always left a somewhat bad taste in my mouth. Spending hundreds of dollars on a "competitive" deck due to the inflated cost that a rarity system brings was never something I could bring myself to do.
Enter the LCG. The Living Card Games have no rarity system. They are sold in "Core Sets" that have a fixed distribution model for the cards. You know what you are getting when you buy it. Small expansion packs are sold that also have fixed distribution, this time having a full playset of the new cards (in the case of Netrunner 3x of each). What the LCG preserves is the deck-building backbone that makes up a successful CCG.
Some opponents of the LCG model say that the fixed distribution makes for too much Net-Decking. Net-Decking being where you go online and steal a deck list. The fixed pool of cards makes this easier to do since you don't have to hunt rares to copy a tournament-winning deck. My experience has been that having easier access to everything means a bigger player base and more accessibility to those just getting into the game. It also immediately creates a meta scene. I've had some of the best gamer/meta banter I've had in years concerning Netrunner decks and strategies.
So immediately my CCG woes were put to rest. I dabbled in Call of Cthulhu and A Game of Thrones but with no real local scene and the inability to convince my friends (or truthfully, myself) to buy in I didn't get much past the Core Set.
Android: Netrunner was different. I had the pleasure of having two of the most aggressive and sneaky Gen Con Ninja-Shoppers grab me a Core Set. This made even more impressive by the fact that Netrunner sold out within 10 minutes of the Convention hall opening. In other words, our first data steal was a success.
The Core set retails for $40 but can be found at many online retailers for as cheap as $25. You get a lot of play out of just the one set. More than enough to learn the game with a friend. In fact, buying multiple sets is only necessary if your deck ideas require more than one copy of some of the one-off cards that come in the Core. Basically, if you want to get a little more competitive.
Initial Install
When I finally got Netrunner in my hands, I threw together the sample starting decks and was tearing up netspace in no time.
For those of you that don't know, Netrunner is an asymmetrical game. One player is playing as the Runner (of which there are 3 factions) and is trying to build up their rig of hardware and software while stealing Agendas from the Corporation. The Corporation (4 factions here) is trying to score their agendas before the Runner has a chance to steal them. The first player to have 7 points worth of Agendas is the winner.
It's worth noting that there is a second win condition for each side as well. The Corporation can kill/flatline the runner through dealing damage (some of the Corporation factions are very good at this) and the Runner can win if the Corporation's deck runs dry (currently this is extremely rare).
I love the asymmetrical style of play. It gives each side a different style and the factions within each side spice things up some more. The Runner is aggressive. They need to build a rig and try and bulldoze through the Corp's defenses before they have a change to set up much in the way of defense. The Corporation needs to try and hold off the Runner through clever use/placement of defenses and/or traps until they can execute a victory.
All of this makes Netrunner a really active and engaging game for the players on both sides. The main reason for this is that almost ALL of the Corporations cards are played Face-Down until they are activated. So a bluffing element is added to the game. Does the corporation have a Trap in that server or is it an Agenda? Do I have the right Ice Breakers to get through all 3 layers of ICE protected that Remote Server?
This part of the game is by far my favorite aspect. In some CCG's the strategy stops at deck building. You painstakingly put together the most efficient deck possible and then when you finally get to the table the cards play themselves. In Netrunner, the Players have to the play their deck. Each action must be weighed against all of the other options available to the player. You have to call the Corp's bluffs and read your opponent.
All of this has made each and every game exciting and fun.
Incremental Updates
At the time of this writing, I can see myself being an Android: Netrunner player for quite some time. After tons of games I am still having a great time. I've found a great group that is running an open league at Cat & Mouse Game Store. If you find yourself in Chicago be sure to check the place out. It's probably the most friendly store I have had the pleasure to set foot in.
I'm eagerly awaiting the first of the Data Packs (60 card expansion packs) to come out. I can't wait to participate in the future seasons of the League and any local tournaments that might offered up in the future as well.
What does this mean for you, dear reader? It means my coverage of Android: Netrunner will continue. I am going to start to post some articles about card previews and my experiences at local events. I welcome you to follow along and I sincerely hope that Netrunner is a game you try out for yourself.
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