Magic the Gathering [Xbox LIVE]

[Wrestlevania]

Picked this up yesterday (via xbox.com while I was in the office as a matter of fact; very nifty way to buy) and tried it this morning for an hour.

Seems very good - exceptionally good, actually - if a little clunky. But the 'clunk' comes from having never played it via buttons before, just on tabletops. And not for about a decade or more, at that. The interface is very clean though, and it's easy to move around, look at cards in more detail, perform interrupts and so on. I'm already looking forward to unlocking more cards and customising my deck.

Speaking of which; if, like me, your first thought was "oh gods, you're going to have to buy tonnes of DLC to get a decent selection of cards," you're in for a pleasant surprise. There's no DLC for the game--at least not yet. It's 800 MS Points, too, which seems cheap to me, and the game comes with hundreds of cards - across all 5 colours/types (Mountains, Forests, Swamps, etc.) - as standard, which is great!

Anyway, there's a review on EDGE's website with more detail. Anyone up for a game some time? If we get a few people maybe we could make it a weekly thing? That'd be fun I think.

[Nappi]

Sounds pretty awesome. Shame it isn't available on other platforms.

Does it only have cards from one set (or whatever they are called), by the way?

Also:

A quick perusal of the mtgsalvation.com forums informs me that a lot of people aren't happy because apparently when it says you can modify your deck, you can't actually subtract cards from it, so you're left with the original deck, plus whatever you want to add.

Is this true?

[toblix]

Does it only have cards from one set (or whatever they are called)

They're called cycles. Jesus.

[Patters]

Picked this up yesterday (via xbox.com while I was in the office as a matter of fact; very nifty way to buy) and tried it this morning for an hour.

Seems very good - exceptionally good, actually - if a little clunky. But the 'clunk' comes from having never played it via buttons before, just on tabletops. And not for about a decade or more, at that. The interface is very clean though, and it's easy to move around, look at cards in more detail, perform interrupts and so on. I'm already looking forward to unlocking more cards and customising my deck.

Speaking of which; if, like me, your first thought was "oh gods, you're going to have to buy tonnes of DLC to get a decent selection of cards," you're in for a pleasant surprise. There's no DLC for the game--at least not yet. It's 800 MS Points, too, which seems cheap to me, and the game comes with hundreds of cards - across all 5 colours/types (Mountains, Forests, Swamps, etc.) - as standard, which is great!

Anyway, there's a review on EDGE's website with more detail. Anyone up for a game some time? If we get a few people maybe we could make it a weekly thing? That'd be fun I think.

Had to get it really, enjoyed the card game when I was younger, plus 800 msp isn't a bad price.

EDIT: there will be dlc according to the games main menu.

Edited June 20, 2009 by Patters

[Azazello]

I played around a little with the game today, it seemed pretty straightforward control-wise. It even offers (a lot of) little hints for new players.

Also, it might just be me but I keep getting my ass kicked by the AI opponents in the campaign. I've played Magic for a while, but I've lost a few times just in the early stages.

[OssK]

They're called cycles. Jesus.

You don't have to say your name each time you say something...

[n0wak]

I'm completely disappointed in this game. I understand the rationale for it, making it more accessible for the home-console crowd, but not including ANY deck customization in a Magic the Gathering game is just plain retarded. That meta-game is half of the fun. Instead, you're stuck with a bunch of pre-designed decks with a few extra unlockable cards that you can add or remove. WHOOPDEEFUCKINGDOO. None of the available decks suit my play-style so I'm already starting to get bored. I've almost cleared the campaign, so what incentive is there for me to keep playing after this?

I think they really blew it on this. They had a relapsed Magic: the Gathering player coming back into the fold for the first time in 10 years, one with actual disposable income (something that I didn't have at the time I played), and they've just pissed that chance away. Maybe I'll try again in another 10 years.

TDOWN

On the other hand, it has me craving for a proper Video game CCG now: Culdcept, here I come.

[Nappi]

I'm completely disappointed in this game. I understand the rationale for it, making it more accessible for the home-console crowd, but not including ANY deck customization in a Magic the Gathering game is just plain retarded. That meta-game is half of the fun. Instead, you're stuck with a bunch of pre-designed decks with a few extra unlockable cards that you can add or remove. WHOOPDEEFUCKINGDOO.

WHAT?! That's just amazingly stupid of them!

I think the deck customization was more like two thirds of the fun for me with both the actual card game and the old PC game whose name I can't remember anymore. It was probably something like Magic: The Gathering.

[Patters]

I'm completely disappointed in this game. I understand the rationale for it, making it more accessible for the home-console crowd, but not including ANY deck customization in a Magic the Gathering game is just plain retarded. That meta-game is half of the fun. Instead, you're stuck with a bunch of pre-designed decks with a few extra unlockable cards that you can add or remove. WHOOPDEEFUCKINGDOO. None of the available decks suit my play-style so I'm already starting to get bored. I've almost cleared the campaign, so what incentive is there for me to keep playing after this?

I think they really blew it on this. They had a relapsed Magic: the Gathering player coming back into the fold for the first time in 10 years, one with actual disposable income (something that I didn't have at the time I played), and they've just pissed that chance away. Maybe I'll try again in another 10 years.

TDOWN

On the other hand, it has me craving for a proper Video game CCG now: Culdcept, here I come.

I sort of agree, especially as Pokémon Trading Card Game did it in 98 (for Japan). I hope they include it as a dlc, I would probably pay up to 400 points for it. I wish it had Broodstar in though.

EDIT:

WHAT?! That's just amazingly stupid of them!

I think the deck customization was more like two thirds of the fun for me with both the actual card game and the old PC game whose name I can't remember anymore. It was probably something like Magic: The Gathering.

Magic: the Gathering Online

[Nappi]

Magic: the Gathering Online

No. It was actually a MicroProse game called Magic: the Gathering.

[Wrestlevania]

not including ANY deck customization in a Magic the Gathering game is just plain retarded

Oh fuck...

I'm stunned. That seems just so incredibly stupid, not to mention almost entirely pointless.

I agree; this almost kills the game outright for me now. I was known for having a very odd, unorthodox black deck, with a couple of blue and red cards mixed in. Not being able to recreate that is crushing.

I'm sure there'll be a petition about this, or maybe you still need to unlock this option as part of the campaign..?

[n0wak]

I'm sure there'll be a petition about this, or maybe you still need to unlock this option as part of the campaign..?

I've completed the campaign

[Freezerr]

So is this worth getting if I've never played Magic the Gathering before, but am kind of interested in it? Or should I pass? I was going to get this based on EDGE's review, but it sounds like making your own deck is a core part of the game.

[n0wak]

So is this worth getting if I've never played Magic the Gathering before, but am kind of interested in it? Or should I pass? I was going to get this based on EDGE's review, but it sounds like making your own deck is a core part of the game.

I'd say probably yes. I'm still playing it to an extent and want to do some of the co-op stuff, but it's not a game that'll have legs since the default decks are all kinda lame in their own ways. BUT, if you haven't played Magic, it is a pretty good introduction to the game and its potential. Once you do get it, what cards work well together and what strategies require what actions, then you're just going to crave the real, deck-building metagame that it requires. I guess in that sense the game does what Wizards would probably like it to do.

But having been in that Magic scene, long long ago, I really don't want to go back and want to have a nice standalone game that I can play on my own. I'd have gladly paid for DLC expansions if they let me build my own decks, but since they don't, it's a decent $5 game that I'll be done with in a few days and never go back to.

(And yes, I am aware of Magic: TG Online, but that's a whole other beast)

[Patters]

I'd say probably yes. I'm still playing it to an extent and want to do some of the co-op stuff, but it's not a game that'll have legs since the default decks are all kinda lame in their own ways. BUT, if you haven't played Magic, it is a pretty good introduction to the game and its potential. Once you do get it, what cards work well together and what strategies require what actions, then you're just going to crave the real, deck-building metagame that it requires. I guess in that sense the game does what Wizards would probably like it to do.

But having been in that Magic scene, long long ago, I really don't want to go back and want to have a nice standalone game that I can play on my own. I'd have gladly paid for DLC expansions if they let me build my own decks, but since they don't, it's a decent $5 game that I'll be done with in a few days and never go back to.

(And yes, I am aware of Magic: TG Online, but that's a whole other beast)

I pretty much agree. The challenges are fantastic though. MTGO is really expensive I believe.

[n0wak]

I pretty much agree. The challenges are fantastic though. MTGO is really expensive I believe.

Yeah, I kinda wish they had more of those. The last one was a bitch to get right.

[Twilo]

Before I start I would like to disclose something (I admit that I disclose this with significant relish):

I am a shit-hot Magic player.

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/gpbar09/welcome#3a ("The Irishman")

What I love about this (XBLA) game:

Every match feels like a limited game, it is very good exercise for your skills when it comes to attacking, blocking etc. I like to play a game now and then against the computer because it has the basic instinct as far as punishing bad attacks or bad blocks go.

It's probably the best way to introduce new players to the game (it looks very pretty and it seems simpler than magic really is). This is the main reason for this game existing. WotC are using this as promotional tool. Sales could turn it into a platform in its own right (I would approve of that).

The weak points for this game:

Point 1: Deck Customzation is very weak.

I mean seriously weak. You can unlock cards for a deck (cool feature) but you can't remove cards FROM a deck to make room (uncool). What ends up happening (I played through the game with the "Elspeth" deck which I heartily recommend as it's available from an early stage and is actually a very nice dec) is you add some very strong cards (Paladin En-Vec etc) but can't cut the weak cards (Goldmeadnow Moth, Holy Day). You end up with an 80-card deck which is definitely not recommended as far as "real" magic goes.

On the other hand, if there was better customization here, I think they'd be simultaneously eating into the "XBLA" community (people who grab the game to see what it's like) and the modo(magic online) community (people who could just go onto magic online to try out "real" decks). I can appreciate the decision here and in some ways I approve of it. Magic is too complicated for an XBLA game, (and Stainsteel did a fantastic job of bridging the gap). I truly hope this games generates some fans because I have a vested interest in the game expanding.

The other big pooint I have issue with is how the game taps your lands for mana and assigns damage. The approach they had for this game was that the AI would manage the tapping of lands for mana, and the assignation of combat damage after blocks. I don't think I've ever seen the game do this properly; as an illustration:

I have a Grizzly bear, a Pacifism and a Wooly Thoctar in my hand (1G ceature, 1W Aura and WGR Creature in hand)

I have 2 plains, 1 mountains and 2 forests

I cast Pacifism (1W aura)

The game taps 1 Plains and 1 Mountain to pay for the Pacifism,

In a "real" game, most players would use the one mountain for the Wooly Thoctar, not fot the "1 colourless" cost. This seems very odd to me, I don't get why the AI behaves like this.

This being so, I would still recommend a purchase. This is the closest to playing magic against a computer i've ever seen, and the prospect of 2HG (the multiplayer 2-on-2- variant) play is astounnding. With more cards in the pool and a real deck-builder I can only see this getting better. With more sets an more cards (there are thousands in the "real" game) I can see this game getting as deep as they want it to go.

;

The Challenges; I hope WotC never reads this, but the challenges are brilliant and I look forward to more games in this series.

Edited June 22, 2009 by Twilo

[Freezerr]

I'd say probably yes. I'm still playing it to an extent and want to do some of the co-op stuff, but it's not a game that'll have legs since the default decks are all kinda lame in their own ways. BUT, if you haven't played Magic, it is a pretty good introduction to the game and its potential. Once you do get it, what cards work well together and what strategies require what actions, then you're just going to crave the real, deck-building metagame that it requires. I guess in that sense the game does what Wizards would probably like it to do.

But having been in that Magic scene, long long ago, I really don't want to go back and want to have a nice standalone game that I can play on my own. I'd have gladly paid for DLC expansions if they let me build my own decks, but since they don't, it's a decent $5 game that I'll be done with in a few days and never go back to.

(And yes, I am aware of Magic: TG Online, but that's a whole other beast)

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll pick it up sometime soon.

[Patters]

for some reason the promo code for the exclusive card is giving me a free deck of mtg cards, which is a little weird, is it not?

[Wrestlevania]

for some reason the promo code for the exclusive card is giving me a free deck of mtg cards, which is a little weird, is it not?

Yeah, I noticed that too. Thought it was just going to be a chromium card, but no: complete deck it says, plus the special card.

I collect limited stuff like that, but the nearest comic shop offering them is the other side of Bristol from me. So I've still not got mine yet.

[Patters]

Yeah, I noticed that too. Thought it was just going to be a chromium card, but no: complete deck it says, plus the special card.

I collect limited stuff like that, but the nearest comic shop offering them is the other side of Bristol from me. So I've still not got mine yet.

I'm likely to pick mine up on saturday, the geek shop (which is really weird) in Manchester is offering it so I might as well.

[Wrestlevania]

The annoying thing is I can see the Bristol branch of Forbidden Planet from my desk.

But they're not participating!