This is my first video game review, I put a lot of thought into it but its not perfect, no I don't expect rose petals to shower from the ceiling but if you are going to criticize it atleast explain why and be helpful about it (aka constructive criticism).
The review is kind of long so I divided the bulk of explaining the game into a spoiler tag,and then made more sections using spoiler tags, the review is in another spoiler tag.
Lastly I didn't compare this game to MW2 much for a good reason, they are very different games with different pros and cons, I wasn't making a "MW2 vs MAG" comparison, naturally if you compare this directly to MW2 one will win, most likely MW2.
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MachoFern Reviews MAG
The review is kind of long so I divided the bulk of explaining the game into a spoiler tag,and then made more sections using spoiler tags, the review is in another spoiler tag.
Lastly I didn't compare this game to MW2 much for a good reason, they are very different games with different pros and cons, I wasn't making a "MW2 vs MAG" comparison, naturally if you compare this directly to MW2 one will win, most likely MW2.
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MachoFern Reviews MAG
1.The Game
MAG is an PS3 exclusive, online only FPS developed by Zipper Interactive [http://www.zipperint.com/], creators of the SOCOM series. The games selling point is not the combat, or maps, but the fact that it can support up to 256 players in one server, and before you ask "does it lag?",no. Ratings-wise (for the 2 of you who care), the ESRB rated it Teen.
MAG is an PS3 exclusive, online only FPS developed by Zipper Interactive [http://www.zipperint.com/], creators of the SOCOM series. The games selling point is not the combat, or maps, but the fact that it can support up to 256 players in one server, and before you ask "does it lag?",no. Ratings-wise (for the 2 of you who care), the ESRB rated it Teen.
2.The Story
The year is 2025, a law is enact where every country's army must stay inside its own borders. To maintain military dominance they hire PMCs (private military corporations), the 3 major of these being the guerrilla-tactics SVER (pronounced sever) whose guns are held together with duct tape, the high-tech Raven with advanced equipment, but with the least battle experience, and finally the traditional military style Valor with battle tested and reliable equipment, the story goes deeper with each having its own back story and CEO but you'll have to go to The Mag Website [http://www.mag.com/gate.html ] to see more.
The year is 2025, a law is enact where every country's army must stay inside its own borders. To maintain military dominance they hire PMCs (private military corporations), the 3 major of these being the guerrilla-tactics SVER (pronounced sever) whose guns are held together with duct tape, the high-tech Raven with advanced equipment, but with the least battle experience, and finally the traditional military style Valor with battle tested and reliable equipment, the story goes deeper with each having its own back story and CEO but you'll have to go to The Mag Website [http://www.mag.com/gate.html ] to see more.
3.Gameplay
3-A. Game Modes
MAG has several game modes, most of which involve capturing control points, however only one has the 256 players, as you level up you unlock more game modes with bigger player counts (don't worry the biggest is unlocked at level 8) , in addition there is a training mode and a dlc pack with an extra game mode, that is vehicle based. There however is a backstory to each game mode, which is a nice touch, for example in one you are destroying the enemies fuel reserves. Each faction has one map per game mode, which you will attack if you are on an opposing faction, or defend if you aren't (you don't choose, it is randomly chosen). The "Interdiction" DLC pack has "neutral maps" which means Raven can fight SVER on the Valor map and any combination. Bigger maps are divided into a section for each platoon (of 32 players) so you won't see 2 huge armies clashing over one control point.
3-B. Weapons And Upgrades
Instead of unlocking guns and attachments as you progress you invest points in a skill tree fashion. Every time you level up you gain one point to spend in one of the 9 branches, which range from Assault Rifles, to Light Machine Guns to Field Support. In addition there are attachments (sights) and "passive bonuses" in each branch that apply all the time, such as a faster reload time or being able to sprint for extended periods of time without having to stop and walk. Not all items cost the same (sights are 2, guns are from 3-5, passive bonuses range from 1-5) so you will have to invest your points wisely in order to become the soldier you want. This glamor is broken like an ice pick in the eye socket by "Respec" points which you gain over time by simply playing. With enough respec points you can respec (re-specialize) your character and re-apply all skill points you've gained so far, it isn't necessarily bad but it's a consequence free way to try out something new if your current soldier isn't working. You can also only carry a certain amount of items, and each piece of armor, weapon, and equipment costs a different amount and you have a limit, so you can't be a heavy armor field support with a light machine gun and frags.
3-C. Dying And Spawning
If your enemy knocks you down you will begin "bleeding out", during which any team mate with the ability can revive you. Bleeding out takes a long time to fully empty and kill you, however you can choose to give up hope at any second, you can also completely die if an enemy uses your lifeless body (which is easily recognizable by you thrashing about) as a bullet sponge, or if some guy with an larger gun than yours finishes emptying his clip in you on your way down, headshots are also lethal. Spawn times are not instant, groups spawn in 20 second intervals, which can be raised to a max of 30 or lowered to 10 via an ability high-ranking leaders of both teams have, therefore you may have to wait 20 seconds, or only 5 if depending on how close the group is to spawning.
3-D. Leadership
At the level of 15 anyone can opt. to be a leader of an 8 man squad, many other many also be going for the position so you're not guaranteed to get the role. If you do manage to get the part you can order the soldiers in your squad around. To promote following orders if you follow your orders every action you do in that area will receive a FRAGO (fragmentary objective) bonus of twice the exp. Each role also has the ability to call in special abilities such as mortar strikes and sensor sweeps, along with special bonuses for being near the leader, for example people near their squad leader will be more resistant to poison gas grenades. I don't know exactly how Platoon Leader (4 squads) or Commander (every player on your team) works, however you gain leadership points twoards the next role by up by leading your team to victory, also I heard having a microphone increases the rate. In addition smaller game modes may not have a Commander option.
3-E. Going Veteran
Similar to the prestige option in MW2, once you reach level 60 you can go veteran, which resets all of your skill investments, sets you to level 1 and allows you to choose a new faction, or go veteran in the same faction if you choose. You will receive a 10% experience point increase (which does not stack) from there on, and stars under your username depending on how many times you've gone veteran.
3-A. Game Modes
MAG has several game modes, most of which involve capturing control points, however only one has the 256 players, as you level up you unlock more game modes with bigger player counts (don't worry the biggest is unlocked at level 8) , in addition there is a training mode and a dlc pack with an extra game mode, that is vehicle based. There however is a backstory to each game mode, which is a nice touch, for example in one you are destroying the enemies fuel reserves. Each faction has one map per game mode, which you will attack if you are on an opposing faction, or defend if you aren't (you don't choose, it is randomly chosen). The "Interdiction" DLC pack has "neutral maps" which means Raven can fight SVER on the Valor map and any combination. Bigger maps are divided into a section for each platoon (of 32 players) so you won't see 2 huge armies clashing over one control point.
3-B. Weapons And Upgrades
Instead of unlocking guns and attachments as you progress you invest points in a skill tree fashion. Every time you level up you gain one point to spend in one of the 9 branches, which range from Assault Rifles, to Light Machine Guns to Field Support. In addition there are attachments (sights) and "passive bonuses" in each branch that apply all the time, such as a faster reload time or being able to sprint for extended periods of time without having to stop and walk. Not all items cost the same (sights are 2, guns are from 3-5, passive bonuses range from 1-5) so you will have to invest your points wisely in order to become the soldier you want. This glamor is broken like an ice pick in the eye socket by "Respec" points which you gain over time by simply playing. With enough respec points you can respec (re-specialize) your character and re-apply all skill points you've gained so far, it isn't necessarily bad but it's a consequence free way to try out something new if your current soldier isn't working. You can also only carry a certain amount of items, and each piece of armor, weapon, and equipment costs a different amount and you have a limit, so you can't be a heavy armor field support with a light machine gun and frags.
3-C. Dying And Spawning
If your enemy knocks you down you will begin "bleeding out", during which any team mate with the ability can revive you. Bleeding out takes a long time to fully empty and kill you, however you can choose to give up hope at any second, you can also completely die if an enemy uses your lifeless body (which is easily recognizable by you thrashing about) as a bullet sponge, or if some guy with an larger gun than yours finishes emptying his clip in you on your way down, headshots are also lethal. Spawn times are not instant, groups spawn in 20 second intervals, which can be raised to a max of 30 or lowered to 10 via an ability high-ranking leaders of both teams have, therefore you may have to wait 20 seconds, or only 5 if depending on how close the group is to spawning.
3-D. Leadership
At the level of 15 anyone can opt. to be a leader of an 8 man squad, many other many also be going for the position so you're not guaranteed to get the role. If you do manage to get the part you can order the soldiers in your squad around. To promote following orders if you follow your orders every action you do in that area will receive a FRAGO (fragmentary objective) bonus of twice the exp. Each role also has the ability to call in special abilities such as mortar strikes and sensor sweeps, along with special bonuses for being near the leader, for example people near their squad leader will be more resistant to poison gas grenades. I don't know exactly how Platoon Leader (4 squads) or Commander (every player on your team) works, however you gain leadership points twoards the next role by up by leading your team to victory, also I heard having a microphone increases the rate. In addition smaller game modes may not have a Commander option.
3-E. Going Veteran
Similar to the prestige option in MW2, once you reach level 60 you can go veteran, which resets all of your skill investments, sets you to level 1 and allows you to choose a new faction, or go veteran in the same faction if you choose. You will receive a 10% experience point increase (which does not stack) from there on, and stars under your username depending on how many times you've gone veteran.
Firstly MAG isn't for everyone, you can't go commando like in MW2, if you want to win you have to actually work as a team or you will lose. Secondly you will die, and die a lot ,(it still counts as a death if you start to bleed out even if a teammate revives you), its a simple fact of the game, however it is not as aggravating as it is in MW2, and kills are all the more sweet. Naturally not everyone is going to like this, or the spawn timer (explained in "Game Overview" in section 3-C).
The graphics are also not the greatest ,they suffer a bit due to having to render so many players, however they are decent, imagine slightly better than Counter-Strike Source, not really bad nor HD, somewhere in the middle. If you don't let it bug you it will be fine.
SVER seems slightly more powerful than Raven and Valor, both in maps and in weaponry. Attacking a SVER map can be very frustrating, sometimes you will not even penetrate their first line of defense. I recently switched to SVER and found killing people much easier.
In addition don't expect 123 players clashing together at one moment, in bigger game modes the map is divided into a section for each platoon, some may not even be penetrating their defense, while another may of captured both of their control points. Therefore everyone will contribute, you are not limited and can switch over to other sides from the center, however you will have to run even farther than usual, did I mention that? Often you will end up running for minutes to get to the action.
2 smaller issues is the fact that you can often see enemy arrows representing them through smokescreens, and the grenade indicator has an insanely large range, plus as a teammate throws a grenade it will appear on your screen, causing unnecessary paranoia.
Wait a second, my train of thought took a wrong turn, I was supposed to be making a good review of the game, time to talk about positives.
If you can overlook the previously mentioned faults of the game, you will find MAG a thrilling ride. The story is a little generic but its just a backdrop for the awesomeness that is MAG. The gameplay is thrilling when your not running to get back to your objectives, and each major object in the game has a major aspect you can destroy or repair. If you destroy the defenders mortar battery (by placing C4 on it in a CS fashion) you hinder their ability to call in mortar strikes, destroy their anti-air to parachute in or spawn on helicopters. Defending? disarm that bomb, is it already destroyed? grab a repair kit and get on it. This provides a feeling of accomplishment when you affect the battle in such a way, and an awesome experience working to affecting them.
If the teamwork aspect sounds good to you then rejoice, there are some great moments when you and your squad are working together, and it's really fun when everyone is working together for the greater good of the battle. Its even greater when people are using mics.
It's rather hard to name anymore pros of this game, naming cons is so much easier. To truly see how awesome this game is I suggest you rent the game or head on over to YouTube. Trust me, its an awesome experience.
Lastly some people are spreading rumors that the game is dead, it is far from it, it takes only a minute or so to get into a full server of even the biggest game type (it works in a queue fashion, once enough players from 2 factions have enough, the game begins). I've only had it for a week but according to more veteran players the player base has been cut severely since the games release,but there are still many players. The upcoming Call Of Duty and Medal Of Honor will take a chunk from it, but I imagine there will be players for quite a while to come. So yes its dying, but like a diseased cat it will stay alive for a while.
Would I suggest this game? No, I love it but like I said earlier, it's not for everyone, I suggest you look more into the game or rent it before you buy it, watch some gameplay videos and read more reviews before you make a decision, if it seems like the game for you, go for it.
If you don't like the game after you buy it, it still makes a decent paperweight.
The graphics are also not the greatest ,they suffer a bit due to having to render so many players, however they are decent, imagine slightly better than Counter-Strike Source, not really bad nor HD, somewhere in the middle. If you don't let it bug you it will be fine.
SVER seems slightly more powerful than Raven and Valor, both in maps and in weaponry. Attacking a SVER map can be very frustrating, sometimes you will not even penetrate their first line of defense. I recently switched to SVER and found killing people much easier.
In addition don't expect 123 players clashing together at one moment, in bigger game modes the map is divided into a section for each platoon, some may not even be penetrating their defense, while another may of captured both of their control points. Therefore everyone will contribute, you are not limited and can switch over to other sides from the center, however you will have to run even farther than usual, did I mention that? Often you will end up running for minutes to get to the action.
2 smaller issues is the fact that you can often see enemy arrows representing them through smokescreens, and the grenade indicator has an insanely large range, plus as a teammate throws a grenade it will appear on your screen, causing unnecessary paranoia.
Wait a second, my train of thought took a wrong turn, I was supposed to be making a good review of the game, time to talk about positives.
If you can overlook the previously mentioned faults of the game, you will find MAG a thrilling ride. The story is a little generic but its just a backdrop for the awesomeness that is MAG. The gameplay is thrilling when your not running to get back to your objectives, and each major object in the game has a major aspect you can destroy or repair. If you destroy the defenders mortar battery (by placing C4 on it in a CS fashion) you hinder their ability to call in mortar strikes, destroy their anti-air to parachute in or spawn on helicopters. Defending? disarm that bomb, is it already destroyed? grab a repair kit and get on it. This provides a feeling of accomplishment when you affect the battle in such a way, and an awesome experience working to affecting them.
If the teamwork aspect sounds good to you then rejoice, there are some great moments when you and your squad are working together, and it's really fun when everyone is working together for the greater good of the battle. Its even greater when people are using mics.
It's rather hard to name anymore pros of this game, naming cons is so much easier. To truly see how awesome this game is I suggest you rent the game or head on over to YouTube. Trust me, its an awesome experience.
Lastly some people are spreading rumors that the game is dead, it is far from it, it takes only a minute or so to get into a full server of even the biggest game type (it works in a queue fashion, once enough players from 2 factions have enough, the game begins). I've only had it for a week but according to more veteran players the player base has been cut severely since the games release,but there are still many players. The upcoming Call Of Duty and Medal Of Honor will take a chunk from it, but I imagine there will be players for quite a while to come. So yes its dying, but like a diseased cat it will stay alive for a while.
Would I suggest this game? No, I love it but like I said earlier, it's not for everyone, I suggest you look more into the game or rent it before you buy it, watch some gameplay videos and read more reviews before you make a decision, if it seems like the game for you, go for it.
If you don't like the game after you buy it, it still makes a decent paperweight.