Chat with Call of Duty card game creator Ben Cichoski

While there were a number of video games available at New York Comic Con, one game stood out as the most fun thing we played at the show floor. It was a Call of Duty game, yes -- but it wasn't a video game. The Call of Duty card game is a nice surprise, especially for someone that's grown tired of the repetitive (and expensive!) CCG market.

You can read Stephen Totilo's excellent write-up at MTV Multiplayer to understand how the game is played -- but needless to say, this is an easy game to pick up and understand. It's a bit daunting at first, especially with its radically different design. The "real time" card engine forced players to be quick of mind, as a constant barrage of attacks can overwhelm the opponent, and lead to victory. Players can continue drawing and using cards until one of two cards is played: Pause and Nightfall. Pause cards will simply don players a special power, such as laying a mine, or throwing a grenade. However, Nightfall is where all your actions are tallied up, and casualties can accumulate.

In order to recreate the chaotic feel of the Call of Duty games, the card game is designed to make players throw down as many cards down as possible. However, no card takes effect until Nightfall. For example, I may have a soldier at risk of dying, as a Fire card is thrown on him. However, if I get a Move card, I can move him out of the way. If by Nightfall, the soldier is clear of any fatal cards, he'll survive for the next bout. It's a fascinating concept that forces very quick, strategic use of each card.

While this is technically a CCG, the "collectivity" of the Call of Duty card game is rather subdued. You'll never need to buy more powerful cards to defeat opponents, and you'll never feel like your Starter deck is inadequate. Rather, everything you need is included in the two-player pack, which will likely retail for $30 later this year. This will certainly attract gamers that have been scared off to the genre's over-reliance on tobacco-esque addiction.

Based on our experiences, we'd classify the Call of Duty card game more as a board game than a traditional CCG. The game is pick-up-and-play, with no complicated numbers, and no need to buy more powerful cards. We're so enamored with this game, in fact, that we wouldn't be surprised if this outclasses Treyarch's attempt at Call of Duty 5 later this year.