Ascension: Darkness Unleashed

Get ready to dive into the darkness with Ascension: Darkness Unleashed! This gem can be played as a standalone two-player game or can supercharge any other title in the Ascension series. The big new feature here is the "Dark Energy Shards," which work similarly to the "Energy Shards" from previous expansions: they give you an extra card and energy to activate your "Energize" cards. But the twist is that when one of these shards appears on the table, you can banish a card from your discard pile, giving your deck a strategic clean-up.

Additionally, Darkness Unleashed introduces brand-new "Energize" cards, including Heroes, Constructs, and Monsters that transform into more powerful versions of themselves. The "Transform" mechanic is awesome: if you meet the card's energy requirement, instead of using the original effect, you play the transformed version directly into your hand, ready to be used now and in the future. And don't worry, the game comes with double-sided transform cards (for those who use sleeves) and single-sided ones (for those who don't).

Some monsters, like "Erabus, the Exiled," also transform when you defeat them in the center row. In the end, Honor points consider the active version of the card in your deck. It's a fast-paced game with that deck-building flavor we love, ideal for those who enjoy fantasy and want an extra dose of strategy.