Review: Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers

[Pumpkin_Eater]

I've got to strongly disagree with the part about keeping experienced players happy. First off, the decks. You don't have a whole lot of customization ability, and on top of that some (especially the Chandra deck) are pathetically weak compared to the others. The game play itself gets unwieldy when you try to time things like an experienced player would, ie regenerating your troll ascetic right before damage is dealt, or casting instants during your opponent's end phase because the stop time window during those times is narrow. Challenge mode was interesting, but like you said, very limited.

For an experienced player Magic Workstation is a better option for online play. It's free, has every card in the game, and phase progression is done manually, so you're never at odds with a timer. All of that being said, there's still one big incentive to buy Duel of the Planeswalkers and that's the Garruk Wildspeaker that you get along with it.

 

[Susan Arendt]

I've got to strongly disagree with the part about keeping experienced players happy. First off, the decks. You don't have a whole lot of customization ability, and on top of that some (especially the Chandra deck) are pathetically weak compared to the others. The game play itself gets unwieldy when you try to time things like an experienced player would, ie regenerating your troll ascetic right before damage is dealt, or casting instants during your opponent's end phase because the stop time window during those times is narrow. Challenge mode was interesting, but like you said, very limited.

For an experienced player Magic Workstation is a better option for online play. It's free, has every card in the game, and phase progression is done manually, so you're never at odds with a timer. All of that being said, there's still one big incentive to buy Duel of the Planeswalkers and that's the Garruk Wildspeaker that you get along with it.

Excellent info, thanks for sharing that.

 

[toapat]

You know it possible to play MTG without draining your coffers, for one thing you could just buy one of the premaid decks. Or you could one of the spare decks of whoever your play MTG with because I don't know any regular players who don't have more then one deck. Though that last statement belittles the first statement...

note that only a small number of premade decks were ever worth playing with, and you cant get them anymore unless someone puts an unopened one on Ebay

Unless I was very lucky and just happened to run into all the cool premade decks I can't really agree with that. Sure they aren't to be worth much in say a tournment but for the purposes of playing among ones friends they seem sufficent, assuming ones friends decks aren't at tournment level.

you mean non-retarded level? almost all of the premade decks lack the flexibility required of the decks you find in high school TCG clubs. the premade decks are ballenced against only the premades, not the tournament or even mid level decks.

 

[HentMas]

this game seems stupid, i can play with the core decks in "Magic: The Gathering On-Line" for free, and if i want to, i can even buy more cards on-line...

they should add that to the game if they want to have more players, because paying for a "tutorial" (because thats what it is) doesn´t seem too good in my oppinion.

 

[Tuniki]

usually if you find someone who is actually into MTG they'll be more than willing to and already have a deck you can borrow for purposes of learning, at least that's how it was with me, and that's how it was with my friend who I introduced to the game.

I just wish it was easier to get my hands on the cards.

 

[Susan Arendt]

usually if you find someone who is actually into MTG they'll be more than willing to and already have a deck you can borrow for purposes of learning, at least that's how it was with me, and that's how it was with my friend who I introduced to the game.

I just wish it was easier to get my hands on the cards.

Yeah, the one guy who offered to teach me how to play just wanted to show off how clever he was. He crushed me over and over again without ever explaining why or how he was doing what he was doing. Complete tool.

This isn't the best choice for established Magic players -- it's definitely for newbies and more casual fans.

 

[herio]

i just rather play any of the yu-gi-oh ds games
1 i think there all most eave single card the game has now a days
2 the monsters come out of the cards and stuff more graphics

i think if i was Magic the Gathering should of look at toughs games next time

 

[Fex Worldwide]

One dragon, for example, has a special ability that allows it to deal a certain amount of damage to your opponent based on the number of lands you choose to tap. Great ability, except I never found a way to actually use it. Either it didn't get programmed in, or the way to use it is so well-hidden and counterintuitive that I couldn't find it after several minutes of searching. Either way, it cost me a match.

The Flameblast Dragon's ability is programmed in, and although it's not the most intuitive thing to use, it does work. You use it like all the other activated abilities of creatures - select the creature, press A to zoom in on their card, then press A again to activate the ability.

The difficult thing about it is knowing when you can activate it. The card 'whenever Flameblast Dragon attacks...' what this means is that you have to activate the ability after you've declared attackers (by approving your selection of attackers) but before the blocking stage of combat. Basically what you have to do is this: Attack with the dragon, press Y to approve the attackers, then immediately press X (pauses the game so you can do something) and activate the dragon's ability.

It sound complicated, but once you realise where in the turn you're allowed to use the ability it's pretty straightforward.

This message brought to you on behalf of Magic geeks everywhere.

Now if only someone could teach the game how to use Giant Growths, then things might get a bit interesting.

 

[Kross]

Is that Opposition I spy in the second to leftmost upper pile there? Favourite card ever, that.

Possibly. I love me some Urza's cycle.

I'd have to say my favorite card overall is False Profit [http://sales.starcitygames.com/carddisplay.php?product=7399], which I have abused in some very evil protection from everything + Opalescence [http://sales.starcitygames.com/cardsearch.php?singlesearch=Opalescence] + Sacrifice [http://sales.starcitygames.com/carddisplay.php?product=9482] + other fun combos decks.

I eventually gathered 4 False Profits (one a foil), and it was good.

 

[hypothetical fact]

I own this and Yu Gi Oh Stardust accelerator for the DS. MTG has two decks for each colour and quickly gets old as you can only unlock 16 or so cards for the deck and the majority are doubles. Yu Gi Oh on the other hand has over 2800 cards and since you buy the cards with the points you win, you also don't suffer a hole in your pocket.

 

[mordrean]

i play with black decks only and i usually use rats =)

 

[henrebotha]

I don't see why people think MtG is expensive to get into. I live in a third world country where everything costs a gazillion times what it does in America, and even I could play the game - on a jobless high school kid's allowance, no less. Buying a starter deck in your preferred colour(s), plus one of those 100-card packs (that basically consist of a few booster packs plus a bunch of basic lands) is a fantastic and affordable way to get started, and from there you can probably trade to get some basic cards you need.

I still have my goblin deck (Siege-Gang Commanders everywhere ) and I've been trying to convince my girlfriend to learn the game... No luck so far.

Anyway, cool to see that Wizards are making Magic easier and more accessible to pick up.

 

[tootle]

Also, I love that the "ranked" matches have no disincentive for people who quit early outside of the Live rep system (of which I am apparently 50% aggressive and 50% quit early, when I have never quit early and have no idea how you can be negatively aggressive from Magic)

Ever played against a wizard deck? If not, they sit there for half the game doing nothing but counters and tapping your creatures then slam you with 20 1/1 wizards when you're all tapped out. Less aggressive and more defensive, with really only one attack in the entire game. This is probably the extreme end but blues often favour this strategy of waiting it out then for one decisive blow (look up Mermaid decks for another good example) as opposed to a red Burn deck.

 

[toapat]

mm, a 2 headed giant mode (2v2) but no grand melee (1v1v1v1)
I have a few friends to simply play the game without the console and game.

i will stick with my own made elf deck for now.
perhaps download content will make me buy it.

DLC (although honestly, its just going to make the Black/green elf deck go from overpowered to broken) for this game will hit the marketplace around october 4th, while you need 4 consoles for grand melee, as the programmers are smart enough to make it impossible to have 2 competing players know eachother's hands

 

[toapat]

I don't see why people think MtG is expensive to get into. I live in a third world country where everything costs a gazillion times what it does in America, and even I could play the game - on a jobless high school kid's allowance, no less. Buying a starter deck in your preferred colour(s), plus one of those 100-card packs (that basically consist of a few booster packs plus a bunch of basic lands) is a fantastic and affordable way to get started, and from there you can probably trade to get some basic cards you need.

I still have my goblin deck (Siege-Gang Commanders everywhere ) and I've been trying to convince my girlfriend to learn the game... No luck so far.

Anyway, cool to see that Wizards are making Magic easier and more accessible to pick up.

the fat packs are 120 cards, 72 if you exclude lands. the only thing is you are basically guaranteed to get a Mythic Rare. next month for $20 you can replace all your lands with beautiful full card mural versions

 

[Necrith]

mm, a 2 headed giant mode (2v2) but no grand melee (1v1v1v1)
I have a few friends to simply play the game without the console and game.

i will stick with my own made elf deck for now.
perhaps download content will make me buy it.

DLC (although honestly, its just going to make the Black/green elf deck go from overpowered to broken) for this game will hit the marketplace around october 4th, while you need 4 consoles for grand melee, as the programmers are smart enough to make it impossible to have 2 competing players know eachother's hands

that is true, going into a online match sounds like a fun way to solve that.

 

[knight of zendikar]

Im just getting back into magic after about 4 years and so many people have said that magic is on a decline and yeah the playerbase isnt as big but i think that the creativity in set design is just getting better.

 

[Aumichan]

Isn't the whole point of the game to play with outer people.
Like playing DnD alone isn't much fun.

 

[Godhead]

Another console only game It would be nice if they made it for PC or at least psp.

I actually just bought this off steam.