You ever imagine what would happen if artists could battle it out on a grid using the sheer force of their creativity? No?
Well, Re;ACT: The Arts of War makes you wonder why you didn’t. This game, with its anime-inspired visuals and card-driven combat, sends you into the universe of magical artists who duel with their craft, be it calligraphy, painting, or even summoning fish through dance. Yes, fish.
This little beauty, published by Brotherminggames, is a two-player game that usually lasts for about 30 minutes. Think of it as chess meets anime but with its own special twist. If you’re into games like Heroes of Timeline, you’ll feel right at home here.
First Impressions of Re;ACT
Everything just looked so neat and tidy, and also flood us with the components, even way too much. The rulebook made sense (mostly), the pieces were really well made, and each artist came with their own special set of tools that made us hungry to try them out.
Now, if you’re thinking of going all-in, the deluxe edition is where it’s at. We’ve played with both versions, and those acrylic standees are a total game changer! Instead of cardboard tokens, you get these gorgeous clear standees for all characters and their summons. They catch the light just right and make the whole battlefield feel more alive. Plus, those premium stitched playmats that replace the cardboard boards are incredible, so smooth you can use them as mouse pads.
While the standard version is solid, the deluxe edition comes in this beast of a box that can hold up to 22 characters. We’ve got the deluxe version, which contains the normal components, too, and honestly, while the regular version is perfectly fine, there’s something special about throwing down those acrylic standees on a premium playmat. It just hits different, you know?
The gameplay revolves around the “React Chain,” where players take turns playing cards, first with Intentions to make a move, then with Reactions to counter or boost actions. It’s a beautiful dance of strategy and timing. Think of it as if chess and a trading card game had a brainy baby but with way cooler visuals.
Our Adventures in Artistry
Our first match-up was Calligrapher versus Dancer, and oh boy…
Goce (calligrapher) is drawing magical symbols that come to life, while Vincenzo (dancer) is literally summoning fish through dance moves. The Calligrapher kept trying to set up these awesome combo attacks, while the Dancer just wouldn’t sit still, leaving these little scale tokens everywhere like a trail of breadcrumbs.
At one point, we were sure that Goce won. The Calligrapher had lined up a perfect chain-inked summons ready to strike. But just before the chain resolved, the Dancer swapped places with one of their fish, leaving us attacking empty air, “A mystical ink dragon dissolved into nothingness as Vincenzo’s eyes gleamed with triumph, his dance moves leaving a trail of sparkling energy in the air.”
It was infuriating in the best way possible. That moment right there was Re;ACT in a nutshell. You think you’ve figured it all out, and then… nope! It’s all about outsmarting your opponent and laughing (or crying) at the chaos that follows.
Re;ACT’s Asymmetry at Its Finest
What makes Re;ACT really special is how different each artist feels about playing. The Painter, for example, doesn’t even use cards like the others. Instead, she rolls dice to power her abilities. Her brushes and palettes become like a tiny army on the board and playing with her feels like solving a puzzle that keeps changing at every turn.
Then there’s the Sculptor, who floods the board with clay constructs. They’re slow, but they block and bash their way to dominance. In the deluxe version, these clay constructs look particularly impressive with their translucent acrylic standees catching the light. We had this one game where they completely took over the board. Sure, they move like molasses, but watching them slowly box in the Dancer until they couldn’t even summon a single fish was like watching a masterclass in board control. Also his creature looks cute.
And don’t get us started on the Tagger, who teleports across the board using graffiti murals. This character is like a street artist who turned urban chaos into a tactic. Every move felt like a mind game, with traps and misdirection galore. And if you managed to snag the Kickstarter Collector’s Edition, you’ve got even more variety with the exclusive Storyteller character and the DJ expansion, adding their own unique flavors to the mix.
Writing this section feels like talking about some artificial video game, but this is even better than video games.
The Masterpiece Mechanic Is a Work of Genius
Here’s what makes this game really special. The Masterpiece system isn’t just about winning. It’s also how you keep track of getting hurt! Every time someone lands a hit on you, you have to flip one of your Masterpiece cards face-down. Don’t worry, though, these flipped cards still count towards completing your art piece, which is pretty neat.
The board has five spots that both players share for their Masterpiece cards. You can use your turn to either add a new card or mess with your opponent’s cards. It’s like playing chess while working on an art project, so you’ve got to think about both!
The really cool part? Once you finish your masterpiece (by getting three matching cards), your artist will be powered up with special abilities. But here’s the catch, you only get to use these super moves once before going back to normal. We learned this the hard way when we wasted our powered-up move at the wrong time! Even after you power down, you can still keep building your Masterpiece for another power-up later.
The Good, the Great, and the “Needs Work”
Look, we’ve played a bunch of matches now, and we’ve figured out what really works and what could be better.
So what the best part? Every Artist feels different, also every artist has its own difficulti, some are easy, some medium… you can see those things in the back of the box that you sort out the artists.
The Calligrapher, for example, is fantastic at controlling the board with ink summons, but if you can’t get them set up early, you’re in trouble. Then there’s the Dancer, which is super quick and tricky with those fish summons, but they need to plan their scale tokens carefully, or they’ll run out of moves.
A problem for us was the rulebook. While learning how to play, we were pretty confused for some time. This doesn’t mean that the game is bad, it’s great, but for the complexity it has it can be a bit more detailed about the stuff in the rulebook.
Also, each turn starts with a chance to work on your Masterpiece, and we learned that choosing when to do this is super important. Sometimes, it’s smarter to block your opponent from finishing their art piece rather than rushing to complete your own, especially if they’re close to powering up! Your opponent from finishing their art piece rather than rushing to complete your own, especially if they’re close to powering up!
Standard vs. Deluxe: Worth the Upgrade?
Look, we get it. Is the deluxe version worth the extra cash? Here’s our take: if you’re planning to go deep into Re;ACT, go for it. The bigger box alone is clutch, it’s got room for 22 characters, so you won’t need to worry about storage when expansions drop. The premium stitched playmats are a massive upgrade from the cardboard boards – they lay flat, look pro, and feel amazing to play on.
Can’t go without the acrylic standees, they’re great! feels like playing irl Yu-Gi-Og while summoning these creatures.
Also, we didn’t mention the boxes that come with the deluxe version, so you can sort out the elements of every artist. It’s very simple to construct the boxes. Here’s a video on how to make the box:
And if you managed to snag the Kickstarter Collector’s Edition? Even better. That exclusive Storyteller character and the DJ expansion add some serious spice to the mix. Plus, that artbook? Eye candy for anyone who digs the game’s aesthetic.
If not so deep into the game and not looking forward to playing it too much, also not interested in the lore, then give it a pass.
Also, we didn’t mention that with the deluxe comes the Collector’s Edition Artbook, like the art is super cool and modern. Love seeing all the rough sketches and early ideas for the characters. Pretty crazy how the Dancer almost had birds instead of fish.
Few Words on Replayability
We’ve introduced Re;ACT to quite a few gaming groups now, and it’s fun. That said, each artist only has four cards in their deck, so you’ll get to know their tricks pretty quickly. That’s not a bad thing. It means you can focus on getting better at using what you have rather than being overwhelmed with options. And if you’ve got the Collector’s Edition, those extra characters (DJ and Storyteller) really spice things up when you’re ready to explore new strategies. But still, with the normal version, you have enough characters, and it takes time to get bored of them.
Final Thoughts on Re;ACT
After spending countless hours with Re;ACT (and losing way too many times to Dancer), we can confidently say this game has earned its spot in our regular rotation. Whether you go for the standard or deluxe version really depends on how much you love pretty components. The base game is solid on its own and was lots of fun and competitive.
It reminds us a lot of Onitama, another brilliant Japanese-style chess game, especially in how it handles movement and strategy. But where Onitama is zen-like and methodical, Re;ACT is like its caffeinated cousin who just discovered anime.
For newcomers, we highly recommend starting with the Calligrapher. Yes, we know we complained about her earlier, but she’s actually perfect for learning the React Chain mechanics. Just don’t do what we did and try to take on an experienced Tagger player on your first go… That was a humbling experience.
If you’re coming from other tactical games like Magic: The Gathering or even chess, you’ll find familiar concepts here, but they’re implemented in fresh ways. The positioning matters like in chess, but the React Chain adds that layer of “will they, won’t they” tension that keeps you on your toes. And unlike many card games where you can get mana-screwed or deck-blocked, Re;ACT’s focused character decks mean you’re always in the game.
Sure, it’s not perfect. The occasional rule hiccup and longer matches can test your patience. But for us, the moments of clever outplays and unexpected reversals more than made up for it. Plus, that deluxe box has plenty of room for future expansions – imagine a whole roster of new artists joining the fray!
So, grab a friend, pick an artist, and let the battle of creativity begin. Just watch out for the fish – they look even more dangerous in acrylic!
