‘LOGOS DIVINÆ ’ Is Interesting and Informative, but Also Lets You Play Go Fish and Follow It up With a Tarot Reading (Review)

When I was approached to review LOGOS DIVINÆ, the first thing I noticed was the developer of the card game calling it “The Occult Classic”. A cute play on words, I was immediately intrigued and mystified about the supposed “precursor” to the modern card game. While unsure if LOGOS DIVINÆ was meant to be a stand-alone card game, a Trading Card Game, or what it may have been, I was eager to learn more. And learn, I did. I learned how to play some of my favorite games with a new twist. I learned how to read Tarot — and what the power of mythology held for me. But most importantly, I learned that I’ll likely never need to invest in another deck of cards again.

So, Outside of the Name, What Makes ‘Logos Divinæ’ Special? What Makes It ‘An Occult Classic’?

LOGOS DIVINÆ is, affectionately, a jack of all trades. It pulls from the halls of history, from mythology, and the occult to provide some of the most beautiful playing cards I’ve ever had the privilege of witnessing. Hand-painted artwork by Colin Snyder brings every card to life, with detailed and haunting precision. But, the thing that surprised me the most about LOGOS DIVINÆ wasn’t the artwork itself. Rather, it was the subject of each of the cards. Pulling from a variety of myths and legends, each card represents a particular deity, a creature, or a being of sorts. Before diving into the rules of LOGOS DIVINÆ, I wanted to examine each of the cards.

On every card, a variety of symbology awaited. There were the typical faces of a playing card. Referred to as “French Suits”: the familiar Clubs, Hearts, Spades, and Diamonds. However, there were also the Latin Suits: Bastoni (Wands), Coppe (Cups), Spade (Swords), and Denari (Disks). But, digging even deeper, Ranks, Pips, Numens, Zodiacs, and even Theonyms are on each of these cards. Visually busy, but also visually attractive, I slowly began to unravel the mystery of LOGOS DIVINÆ. LOGOS DIVINÆ wasn’t just a card game, but rather, it was every card game. Nothing was off the table, from War to “Go Myth”, a riff on Go Fish explained in-depth in the Second Edition handbook.

This could be a simple deck of cards if you want it to be. It could be far more, too. While it may be marketed as a “precursor” to the modern card game, it offers far more than your typical deck of cards.

 

Logos Divinæ Is a Jack of All Trades and the Master of All.

After sitting down, I decided that it may be time to page through the Second Edition handbook and discover what this was all about. A brief introduction of Myths and Logos led me into a whirlwind of information. The Major Numina, Minor Mumina, the Zodiac, and just about everything in between. Starting off my journey into this world was slightly overwhelming, until I finally realized what LOGOS DIVINÆ was. It wasn’t just a chance to play some of my favorite card games with people I loved. It was a chance to connect with my inner self, my true self.

The Second Edition Handbook that comes with LOGOS DIVINÆ is a tome of knowledge. Not only just for those curious about things such as Tarot or learning a few new card games. But for those intrigued about the history of the Arcane. Major and Minor Arcana are explained in extreme depth, offering plenty of detailed information. But most importantly, how everything is represented. From Judeo-Christian beliefs to those found in Ancient Greece, everybody is represented fairly, beautifully, and is incredibly well-researched.

I think that’s what shocked me the most when it comes to LOGOS DIVINÆ. The extreme devotion to the craft and how beautifully everything is portrayed. From the art to the layout, to everything including the Handbook, LOGOS DIVINÆ screams passion. You can tell that Colin Snyder cares about every portion of this project. It’s a wildly ambitious venture that hits the mark without fail, sacrificing nothing along the way in the pursuit of making something that holds eternal value.

‘Logos Divinæ’ Truly Does Have the Makings of an Occult Classic After all

A deck of playing cards may be one of the most common household items imaginable. No matter where you go, you’ll always be able to find some. LOGOS DIVINÆ, on the other hand, feels almost like an heirloom. Something you could pass down through the generations, not only for spiritual enlightenment, or a chance to explore your true self. But because the artwork is timeless, the rules for your favorite games can continue to grow and change, and this could be the deck to make it happen. Do you love Gin Rummy? Try Djinn Rummy out, and see how you like it. The possibilities of what you can do here are legitimately endless, as the world of card games continues to evolve.

At first, I was confused about what LOGOS DIVINÆ could really do differently over a standard deck of cards. But it’s informative, teaching me about different Deities and Gods that I may not have known about. It taught me about Tarot — that the fate of the world was something I could attempt to control. Most importantly of all, it’s just simple fun when you want it to be. You don’t need to learn anything new if you don’t want to. This system is as simple or in-depth as you’d like. That’s the true magic of LOGOS DIVINÆ.

Verdict: Best In Its Class

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LOGOS DIVINÆ is live now on Kickstarter. A copy of this card game was sent out for the sake of review.