Tabletop Review: SINS: Rise of Wrath

SINS: Rise of Wrath

Cortadoo Games

2 Players

45+ Minutes

I feel like I say this at the beginning of every deckbuilder game review I write, but Sequential Planet really likes deckbuilders. The simple genre is always entertaining to us, and we love to find new games in the genre that introduce new mechanics that we haven’t seen before. SINS: Rise of Wrath is the first of seven planned SINS titles and is a rather unique deckbuilder

SINS is a compact deckbuilder that comes in a small package. Unsurprisingly, it is quick to learn and set up. Each player is dealt 10 Kosmos cards, which effectively act as the player’s starting deck. Those who are familiar with the genre will quickly recognize that this deck exists to help players build a stronger one. The Kosmos cards are relatively weak but vital to get an engine running. Each player will also be given a dominance card which allows players to keep track of victory points. The deck will be shuffled and five cards are set on the table face up to create the shop. Play will then begin.

So far, all of this is rather typical of a deckbuilder. A turn is conducted through a few phases. The first phase exists to tally up scores from the previous phase. If a certain condition is met, a winner is declared. Otherwise, play moves onto the buying phase. Players will spend currency to build a stronger deck during this phase. The player’s cards act as currency, and certain conditions must be met in order to acquire specific cards. Cards used for purchases are discarded.

The next phase is the attack phase. The turn player will play a card to attack their opponent with. The defending player may play a card with an effect to defend themselves, or they may pass. The attacker’s goal is to put together a play that results in damaging their opponent and giving them despair (Damage). If the first attack is blocked, the turn player may continue to play other attacking cards if they desire. After both players have decided they have had enough, the amount of despair that the defender player has accumulated will be calculated.

SINS’ main gimmick is forcing players to constantly deplete their own cards in order to get ahead. Players need to be mindful of the cards they discard and use for attacking and defending or they will put themselves in a bad spot. The constant mindfulness keeps SINS exciting, making the game into a constant contest of strategy. Like all games in the genre, building a strong and cohesive deck is one of the main ways to succeed in SINS. Still, knowing that your cards will constantly be discarded and commonly removed from the game will keep you on your ties.

Attacking the opponent will result in a random card from the attacker’s deck essentially being destroyed. A couple cards help the attacker to manipulate their deck prior to losing their card which gives the player a sense of control. Still, this is largely a luck-based affair and will turn off some players. The game’s destruction gimmick is both a strength and a weakness. The mechanic works well in SINS and the game is rather forgiving when it comes to losing and replenishing cards in your deck. Still, SINS features a little more luck than your typical deck builder, so if you aren’t a fan of luck-based games this one might not be for you.

SINS otherwise feels great to play. Cards combo off of each other extraordinarily well and SINS is one of the few deck builders I’ve run into that allows players to play tons of cards without being held back. Aggression can be punished later, making the game a constant match of wits between players. Knowing the right time to go for the big play will define a player’s success.

SINS features fantastic art with a dark and painted style. The spirits, monsters, and other character designs range from sensual to downright terrifying. The cards successfully embody the sins that they depict in terms of mechanics and art. Few deckbuilders look this good, but there aren’t too many card designs in this game, leaving a little bit to be desired.

SINS is a delight to play once players catch onto the mechanics. It’s easy to learn but its also easy to fall into the trap of overconfidence, exposing yourself and losing spectacularly. There is a bit too much luck at play, but players who can overlook this will find another enjoyable deckbuilder to add to the table.

Note: SINS is a series of decks that all utilize the same base rules but feature different cards. When choosing a deck, go for what has art that appeals to you.