Is it:

Rewarding game with depth based on fun properties like Marvel or DC.

Or,

Collectible trash from the old days of ccg's, but with nonsensical dice.

As someone who does not get into deck-building games, or collecting games, or any of that stuff, and who has really gotten into Dice Masters: it's certainly more of the former.

* The game is fun - but it's only about 60% skill and 40% luck. I usually don't like that much of a luck factor in my games.
* The dice alone are pretty neat.
* Getting booster packs emulates the fun of getting trading cards...that can also play a game!
* Big parts of it do not emulate the source material it's derived from well. For instance ,you will have multiple dice of a character in the field...blocking your opponent's multiple dice. It makes sense in the game, but sometimes what's going on really has nothing to do with superheroes.
* Any starter set has completely viable characters right out of the gate - it's a complete game before you bought any boosters.
* As a collecting game, it's super cheap. If you have a good FLGS the booster packs are a dollar each. Since it's already a viable game, you can get as many or as few as you want. There aren't 'necessary' cards, unless you want to be really deep into the tournament scene.
* Collecting boosters you don't find yourself with a tonne of unneeded dice and cards, because the way it's set up you can just about never have too many dice for the same characters.
* Rather than following the curve of similar games where every set is more and more powerful, the opposite is, over all, true. The earlier sets were a bit more powerful (so if you want to play at your FLGS you will be facing a line of idiots with the same game-breaking cards).
* However, every set has tamed but also fixed what was previously out of whack with the last, making an overall very cohesive and complete game, considering how extensive the details are.

I think the most fun to have with the game is if you're a fan of the characters, and remember collecting marvel trading cards in your youth - you can really get into ripping open a pack and finding someone neat. But, then you want to be able to play a game with them also. I think the best way to do this is to collect with someone else and divide your favourite characters between each other. It's not a game that penalises you for liking, and sticking to, certain characters. Very, very few of them are non-viable, and even so there's usually a way to compliment them in your team to make them viable.

I think that's about all I have to say about Dice Masters. The latest starter set: "Age of Ultron" is a really good one to start with, because it gives you all the basic Avengers.

Hope you have fun!

//Panjumanju

Thanks.

Aside from the booster pack element, which I had hoped had disappeared into history, my concern is that thematically it feels a bit too abstract - rolling dice.

I like theme in my games, and I don't get the same vibe with card games for instance.