Thread: Magic: The Gathering - Tactics - PC Review

Some of you guys may be familiar with the concept of Magic: The Gathering, I mean it's a game that's been around ever since August 1993. Those good days when people still knew who Humphrey Bogart is, cigarettes were the coolest thing in the world and everyone knew about Zelda. On the other hand there's also the possibility that you've never heard of it, being too much of indoorzy fan or simply being a person that dislikes TCGs. If that's the case, then: Fear not, my brethren! The lovely people over at Sony have created yet another extension to Wizards' original idea.

Magic: The Gathering - Tactics is the 3D turn-based strategy version of the TCG, it was released on the 18th of January, 2011, but a F2P copy of it has just recently been released on Steam. The game has already had a few expansions, which added more quests and some new sweet cards to it. Anyway, as far as turn-based strategy games go, Sony have done a really good job with optimizing and 'balancing' the game as much as that's possible. Obviously some of the original abilities (Flying, First Strike, Trample, Haste, if you don't remember these ask Akroma) work in a completely different way than in the actual TCG, mainly because the action is happening on a board divided by green squares which are used to move your units around.

When it comes to gameplay M:tG - Tactics doesn't differ or step down to any other turn-based strategy game. It's pretty straight forward - move, position, hit, wait for your next turn. You can take control of each one of your 'figures', also known as creatures and you can even move around with your Planeswalker, which has the devastating power to blow things up with his/her 5 Attack Points (translated to the TCG that would equal to 0.5 Attack on a normal creature). The units you'll govern are all famous creatures from the card game, so every player that has played the TCG will feel at home when he sees the 3D version of Serra Angel.

Which brings me to my next point - the game's visual presentation. Overall the graphics appear to be pretty edgy and the environment and structure details could use some upgrading, but obviously SOE focused more on releasing a strategy game that's fun to play rather than a one that's good to look at (hands up if you remember Magic: The Gathering - Battlegrounds). And as much as I hate to admit it, they did a good job with making a game that really is fun to play around with.



Unfortunately, those of you that thought they could get a free ride for something, which can replace their Heroes VI, or maybe merge a game like Heroes with the charm of M:tG, will be disappointed. The game is not really free, the version available on Steam is more like a demo. Basically, you start off with 5 decks each made out of 40 cards and earn some cards along the way, but if you truly wish to be able to compete in the online rankings and play with your favourite cards at your disposal you would have to spend some money on buying the booster packs available in-game.

One of the things that the game lacks big time though is a decent story or even a good way to present the current one, it's sloppy, inconclusive and it uses all the cheesy badguy words that we're all so sick of - "The world will feel my wrath!". Really? Where exactly shall we feel it, Mr. BadAngryGuy? Every writer that gives his characters such quotes should really feel some wrath so that he can go back to the proper way of creating a good persona.

Overall, the title is something that I would definitely recommend for someone that is a sucker for the M:tG universe or someone that really wants to get into it. Otherwise, I would still encourage you to go check the start out, but be cautions before you decide to start spending your money on booster packs, since once you begin, there is no end (that comes from personal experience).

And for those of you that have tried the game out, which colour do you prefer and what is your favourite card that's currently available in the game? Leave comments and question below, I'll make sure to be swift with the answers! Lokie off.

The game is running for PC and PS3.