Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015

 PC
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 25
  3. Negative: 5 out of 25
  1. CD-Action
    Oct 22, 2014
    70
    Duels of the Planeswalkers is an invaluable tool for learning how to play Magic: The Gathering. [10/2014, p.64]
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  2. Softpedia
    Aug 6, 2014
    70
    Magic 2015 provides a neat and polished experience for those who are new to the entire concept, but unfortunately does not have enough of its big brother’s allure to warrant attention from more serious Planeswalkers.
  3. Digitally Downloaded
    Jul 23, 2014
    70
    Magic 2015 is still the best way to bring a new player to this old game and the deck building is a great deal of fun, but those who have played the last couple of releases may feel somewhat underwhelmed by this iteration.
  5. Cheat Code Central
    Jul 22, 2014
    68
    Though it's still fun to battle opponents without having to fray my cards, dish out game night snacks, or use up gas to go where the in-person action is, I'll likely return to my Magic 2014 stock, and hope next year's entry provides more sustenance.
  6. Multiplayer.it
    Aug 8, 2014
    60
    Magic 2015 is the worse edition of Duels of the Planeswalker. It has too many limitations and it's nearly a trap that force players to spend their money.
  7. Eurogamer Italy
    Aug 3, 2014
    60
    This should have been the comeback year for Magic, but the game lacks in personality even with the nice arrival of the deck builder. The experience is obviously aimed to players that are new to the genre, and even for them there's something better somewhere else.
  8. GameSpot
    Jul 31, 2014
    60
    Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015 gives players what they've wanted for a long time by implementing deckbuilding, but it doesn't excuse the bare-bones package and needless extra monetization.
  9. GameStar
    Jul 29, 2014
    59
    One step forward, lots of steps back - and the magic is gone.
  10. Everyeye.it
    Aug 6, 2014
    55
    This year the in-game purchase are too invasive, and the deck building feature is still limited.
  11. SpazioGames
    Jul 30, 2014
    55
    Unbalanced difficulty, heavy grinding and micro-transactions: only the quality of the cards and the unique concept can save Magic 2015: Duels of the Planeswalkers from the brink of a total failure.
  12. Games Master UK
    Aug 24, 2014
    52
    A horrific payment structure undermines an excellent card battler. [Oct 2014, p.71]
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  13. games(TM)
    Sep 16, 2014
    50
    The poor AI becomes increasingly apparent and even more of a chore upon completing the campaign. [Issue#152, p.114]
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  14. Ragequit.gr
    Aug 4, 2014
    50
    Eventually the motto "Hunt Bigger Game" for Magic 2015 should be changed to "Hunt for Money". Stay away from this game.
  15. Gameplanet
    Jul 22, 2014
    50
    Magic 2015 is a step backwards for the Planeswalkers series, and could potentially prove a costly misstep for Stainless Games given the recent, celebrated arrival of Blizzard in the CCG genre.
  16. Game Revolution
    Jul 21, 2014
    50
    Wizards of the Coast needs to learn about loss aversion and the concept of not fixing something that ain't broken.

Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
3.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 127 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 127
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 127
  3. Negative: 89 out of 127
  1. orctown-troll
    Aug 7, 2014
    0
    Do not buy this game. It is a sorry excuse for a sequel that has bare bones features compared to the previous installments, is riddled withDo not buy this game. It is a sorry excuse for a sequel that has bare bones features compared to the previous installments, is riddled with almost mandatory microtransactions if you actually want to build a deck that has any strategical chance against the campaign opponents and the cheating/sabotaging AI is back worse than ever.

    Let's go through this point by point. The sealed format is gone, Two headed Giant is gone and the puzzle challenges are gone. Instead there is *only* the campaign mode where you fight duels against decks that have massively superior cards than you, that you can never have unless you buy the "premium booster packs" on top of... you know... *buying the game with your hard earned money*. The AI has the magical ability of without fault always drawing the exact card it needs to win, while you get shafted by either only land or no land cards at all. I have beaten both 2013 and 2014 campaigns and the revenge campaign of 2013 so cheating is nothing new for the AI in this series but man... the AI not only cheats like a motherfu*ker but uses game-breakingly strong cards that you can never, ever gain. So going through the game becomes an exercise in "let's hit the restart button until we give up in disgust". This on the easiest difficulty. Even the "help AI" has been sabotaged against you and it constantly tells you to make moves that are simply suicidal and *always without fail* automatically tries to choose the absolute worst way to use your mana. Even if you have the patience to grind through the "explore realm" levels to get all the possible cards you can, you still eventually run into a planeswalker there as well, who will without fail decimate you by cheating and prevent you from gaining even the weak pointless cards you could get from exploring the realms. Ajani, for example trumps your progress in one of these "explore" nodes and is absolutely impossible to beat, unless the game shows mercy and decides to eventually sometime in the year 2989 give you a duel that is actually possible to win. Ajani has a deck that, if drawn perfectly, is unbeatable by any combination of cards you can muster up. And as we have already established, the AI almost always chooses to draw a perfect card for every situation and beat you. The same thing happens with most other opponents, especially planeswalkers like Jace and Liliana. So that is the game designer's idea of "fun". Impossible cheating AI duels that transform the game from a game of Magic into a game of "hit the restart button 960 000 times and smash your head against the wall and then *maybe* you can progress to the next opponent and repeat the process".

    This game is nothing more than a stripped down sham to try and force people to pay free-to-play microtransactions by causing aggravation and frustration. Do not waste your money on this crap. It's not even a game, it is a joke. The designer's clearly wanted to show a middle finger to every Magic player in the world, new or old, and try to prove that they can get the cash they want by putting out any insulting bullsh*t they want.    … Full Review »
  2. guinevere2
    Jul 17, 2014
    0
    Money grabbing pure pay-to-win sham with online store and DLC releasing at the launch day. Even "complete bundle" edition does not include allMoney grabbing pure pay-to-win sham with online store and DLC releasing at the launch day. Even "complete bundle" edition does not include all cards - the best have to be bought separately. You get the picture… Full Review »
  3. evilglenn3000
    Jul 17, 2014
    2
    Look this is really important, DO NOT SPEND MONEY in this game, you gain literally nothing by doing so. Now on to the game itself, well theyLook this is really important, DO NOT SPEND MONEY in this game, you gain literally nothing by doing so. Now on to the game itself, well they flattened the story and although the range of cards is decent enough there is NO way to earn them all by playing the game. Sorry wizards you straight failed us this time.… Full Review »
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