The latest Hearthstone expansion, Murder at Castle Nathria, draws upon the lore of World of Warcraft, immersing players in the iconic setting of Castle Nathria. This expansion centers around the detective work of Murloc Holmes, who is tasked with solving the perplexing murder of Sire Denathrius.
As with previous expansions, Murder at Castle Nathria introduces 135 new cards for players to acquire. Notably, there is no card rotation this cycle, preserving established strategies in Standard play. The key additions are the new card types: Locations and Infuse. Location cards introduce effects that are placed directly onto the game board. These effects, which can be activated multiple times (subject to a cooldown), augment card interactions and strategic options. The Infuse mechanic enhances card power and effects as allied cards are destroyed, a concept familiar to players of the Shadowlands expansion in World of Warcraft.
The thematic concept behind Murder at Castle Nathria offers a refreshing and engaging experience. Players can collect ten different Legendary cards depicting potential “suspects,” including the fan-favorite Kel’Thuzad (available as a free reward for Amazon Prime subscribers). However, the absence of a dedicated solo game mode with a compelling narrative is a notable omission. A dedicated single-player campaign following the investigation into Sire Denathrius’s murder would have been a welcome addition. Instead, the expansion’s narrative remains a backdrop, albeit a well-executed one, for new Hearthstone cards with unique effects. The long-term impact of Location cards remains to be seen, but their permanent addition to the game suggests they will significantly influence ranked play strategies.
Overall, Hearthstone – Murder at Castle Nathria is a compelling expansion, especially for players focused on the meta and ranked competitive play. However, the lack of a dedicated solo adventure mode is a missed opportunity for players who enjoy single-player content.
Blizzard provided a review code for this assessment. The provision of review materials does not influence our editorial evaluations.
