Ariokan Windows game

Legends of Runeterra alternatives: Ariokan vs LoR

Are you looking for fun alternatives to Legends of Runeterra? Or are you just curious and want to increase your strategy card game knowledge? In any case, you've come to the right place.

The world of digital collectible card games is constantly evolving, with new games vying for players' attention and loyalty. In this article, we'll compare two digital card games: the popular Legends of Runeterra and the rising star Ariokan. Both games fall under the turn-based strategy game niche within card games and offer immersive gameplay, appearing similar games at a first glance. However, they are very very different: LoR took the path of trying to incrementally improve digital card games, doing a good job so far, and Ariokan trying to deploy the digitalization to its full potential by placing the players at the center and fostering user generated content. So, let's explore the world of digital collectible card games and discover which game will stand out.

About Legends of Runeterra

Legends of Runeterra (LoR) is a digital collectible card game within the family of League of Legends and developed by Riot Games. The game has received praise for its design, narrative, balanced gameplay, fair monetization model, and generous free-to-play system where it is relatively easy to collect cards. The game features a unique region system, where cards are divided into regions based on their thematic affiliation. Each region has its own playstyle, mechanics, and champions that reflect the region's theme. Iconic champions are indeed one of the unique aspects of Legends of Runeterra. These special cards have powerful abilities and represent characters from the League of Legends universe. Each champion has a unique level-up condition that, when fulfilled, upgrades their abilities and transforms them into a more powerful version of themselves. It's important to note that the game's meta is influenced by Riot Games, who decide when to push updates. This motivates players to consistently update their decks, develop their champion cards, and experiment with new strategies upon the release of updates, new champions, and more generally speaking new challenges. However, it also means they have to deal with the annoyance whenever an update gets delayed, causing frustration. Lately, Riot games announced that they will slowly fade PvP in favor of focusing more on PvE, pushing away all those fans who were interested in the game for its player vs player mode.

What is Ariokan? Is it a collectible card game?

Ariokan, on the other hand, is a relatively new digital strategy card game that offers unique features. As we speak, available just on pc, the game is in closed beta and free-to-play. Unlike most digital card games, Ariokan aims to democratize card games by empowering players to shape the game as they want. In Ariokan, various factions live, each one has its own style, strategy and unique characters such as Gods, representing the opponent’s health, and Legends coming with their unique abilities. The mix of all these make matches special and provide the players with unique advantages when in battle.

Create your own balanced cards

One of Ariokan’s core features is that you as a player can create your own balanced cards and add them immediately to your deck, this system lends a unique depth to the game, ensuring that every match is different. Creating in-game balanced cards is exclusive to Ariokan and cannot be found in any other major card game. It is made possible by an in-game card editor that enables players to create their dream cards. However, the card's strength is directly proportional to its "mana" cost. In other words, players have the freedom to create powerful cards, there are no limitations but those that prevent the creation of an unstoppable "I win" card. As you might already understand, this feature adds an exciting level of unpredictability to the gameplay, as players can unlock unique card synergies and take advantage of always a new way to win a battle, also against meta decks. In short, Ariokan has an always evolving meta and copying a meta deck will not be enough anymore to win the opponent. On top of it, recently Ariokan’s developers released a feature that empowers Ariokan players to create their own custom modes, customizing the Ariokan's match rules when challenging friends.

Comparing the games: Ariokan vs Legends of Runeterra

As said, Ariokan and LoR are similar games. But they are also not.

The first point goes without saying: Legends of Runeterra (LoR) is a well-crafted, polished collectible card game and Ariokan instead is still in closed beta.

When it comes to LoR, generally speaking, one of the game's most impressive features is its balanced gameplay, where skill and strategy take the center stage. Unlike other digital collectible card games, LoR offers a fair monetization model, where players can earn cards and rewards through gameplay. This means that players without significant investment can still build top-tier decks and compete at a high level. The game also features a variety of game modes, such as ranked, casual, expeditions, and labs, providing players with endless in-game activities. LoR has a large and active player base, making it easy to find an opponent to compete against whenever you want. Though, Legends of Runeterra is not the right game anymore for who’s looking to deep dive into a player vs player game.

Ariokan offers a unique experience compared to other digital collectible card games. It doesn’t have champions but it has Gods, Legends, and a growing card pool that encourages limitless creativity. In Ariokan, when you play, skill and strategy are important, just like in LoR, but here they are taken to the next level. Players can create new cards anytime, ensuring the game's continuous growth. The mana system is user-friendly, providing a seamless experience compared to most card games, one example could be Magic: The Gathering. Moreover, the current free-to-play model is generous, giving players enough resources to jump right into the game without spending a penny.

Currently in closed beta, Ariokan doesn't have as many standard game modes as LoR. However, the developers have them on their roadmap. On the other hand, the custom game mode allows players to customize the battle rules, bridging the gap with the missing standard game modes for now.

Lastly, Legends of Runeterra (LoR) offers an exclusive cards pool sourced from the League of Legends universe. This ensures that fans of the universe can immerse themselves in their beloved characters, champions, and lore. Ariokan is a card game that grants players the creative freedom to explore endless possibilities, drawing inspiration from any source to create whatever they desire. But this game's allure extends beyond just card creation. It allows players to weave captivating stories, enriched with customizable artwork and lore. This unique feature sets it apart from other games, presenting challenging opponents and unrivaled combos. Amidst the excitement, players can also delve into captivating user-generated lore and stories, further enhancing the immersive experience of the card game. Get ready for a journey like no other!

Is Ariokan a Real Alternative to LoR?

If you are looking to be an early adopter and to contribute to a growing collectible card game, and you are not bothered by the polishing happening on the run, then yes: Ariokan should be on the top of your “card games to try” list. If you are up for the challenge of a continuously evolving meta, ready to not always fight against the same decks, then you should give it a chance.

The players community is growing, at this stage the devs are engaging daily with the players, collecting feedback and feature requests. Last but not least, now that the game is in closed beta players that get the game will get it for free forever, the game being for free is not so sure for who will come at a later stage.

If you instead are looking for a finished and polished game, and you are a fan of PvE maybe LoR is the best option for you, at least for the time being. As said, sadly enough, Riot Games declared that PvP will fade out and therefore it shouldn’t be the game you try if that mode is the one you are looking for. In case you are a fan of playing vs other players then it would be better if you look for similar games, maybe not Ariokan if it doesn’t fit what you are looking for but neither LoR and its champion will satisfy you anymore.