Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers

 PC
User Score
4.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 53 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 53
  3. Negative: 24 out of 53

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  1. Hircus
    Dec 10, 2010
    0
    Might be an entertaining game for someone with no experience with tabletop Magic. For an actual Magic player however, a terrible disappointment - the interface is limiting, the game rules are dumbed down, and worst of all you can't even edit your deck. The experience was not unlike buying something sold as a chess set and finding the package actually contains a checkers set with half theMight be an entertaining game for someone with no experience with tabletop Magic. For an actual Magic player however, a terrible disappointment - the interface is limiting, the game rules are dumbed down, and worst of all you can't even edit your deck. The experience was not unlike buying something sold as a chess set and finding the package actually contains a checkers set with half the pieces missing. It's hard to imagine why Wizards of the Coast ever greenlighted this travesty.… Expand
  2. Tonoman
    Nov 24, 2010
    1
    I like the overall idea of the game, but I prefer original card version. No deck editing, that's really annoying, if you could change some cards at will, several decks will become very useful.
    Multiplayer is a real pain, game crashes and needs to synchronize very often, you can buy expansions but cannot buy individual cards. You cannot pick what lands to tap, and most of the time the AI    I like the overall idea of the game, but I prefer original card version. No deck editing, that's really annoying, if you could change some cards at will, several decks will become very useful.
    Multiplayer is a real pain, game crashes and needs to synchronize very often, you can buy expansions but cannot buy individual cards. You cannot pick what lands to tap, and most of the time the AI makes stupid decisions on what lands to tap, you need to figure out how AI is going to pick them, in order to guess in which order cast spells. The general idea is good but it lack several features, I'd rather prefer the card version.    … Expand
  3. suneater
    Mar 3, 2013
    2
    No deck editing, low rez stretched out, and a short campaign. The base game comes with only 11 challenges, 3 of which were unlocks. Multiplayer is clunky and has no mute function. This is a skeleton of what real Magic is like playing and not worth picking up for anyone. M:TG Online came out many years before this and is superior in every way.
  4. Seiseki
    Oct 17, 2010
    6
    A really fun and rewarding experience when it works, but horribly frustrating when it doesn't.
    In general I've had loads of fun with this game, but some of the bugs and broken mechanics makes it really frustrating at times.
    The best thing about it is the local coop against AI and playing online, why you can't play coop online beats me, that would instantly raise the score of the game    A really fun and rewarding experience when it works, but horribly frustrating when it doesn't.
    In general I've had loads of fun with this game, but some of the bugs and broken mechanics makes it really frustrating at times.

    The best thing about it is the local coop against AI and playing online, why you can't play coop online beats me, that would instantly raise the score of the game in my book.
    Playing with a friend on the same PC using kb+mouse and a controller works great though, I even wish I had 2 controllers because using the controller is much more comfortable and speeds up the game, kb+mouse controls aren't as innovative and clicking and dragging takes longer than using the controller.

    The bugs and broken mechanics really brings this game down though.
    There's a bug in multiplayer online where the game freezes for both players when you use an artifact ability or sometimes when you sacrifice a creature which makes artifact abilities unusable.
    There's also the issue of wrong mana being used, which lost me a game once when I needed mana of a specific color and the game tapped the wrong land for me. Being able to choose which mana to tap should have been included from the start as an option for advanced users, or just a specific key you press when playing a card.

    Then there is the issue with time limit on your moves online, most often you will not have time to think and act if an opponent attacks with too many creatures at the same time, and it can be really hard to tell which creatures are blocking each other, even with just a few creatures attacking. With more than 10 on each side it becomes almost impossible..

    There has also been a lot of people bashing on the lack of deck-building, which I think is valid from their standpoint, but it's more of a relief for me.
    As a former Magic-nut I used to spend loads of cash building decks, getting boosters and looking up cards online to get the perfect fit for my deck, but that was years ago. I recently decided to get back into magic and play with a few close friends but with one rule, pre-made decks only.
    Building decks and tweaking them is too time consuming and way too expensive.

    I cannot say I would be against the ability to fully customize a deck, or even partly.
    But at the moment I feel that pre-made decks are a relief, since they are somewhat balanced, or at least I hope they are.
    And I don't have to spend loads of time theory crafting which cards to put in my deck, or be afraid of playing an opponent because they might have a really good deck with some crazy combos.    … Expand
  5. SoBo
    Nov 4, 2010
    3
    I really love magic, but this is bad joke:( No deck modification, very problematic multiplayer, quite good graphics, but horribly optimized.
    If you want to learn MtG than this is good choice, but if you played MtG before you will be as disappointed as me:(
  6. Nafun
    Dec 13, 2010
    2
    This game isn't a magic: the gathering simulator. This game is where magic players go when they die if they've been bad.

    There is no deck customization. The decks make precons look cutting edge. The only "deck customization" is through unlocking "sideboard" cards (great way to misinform new players by calling it a sideboard). You can remove the "sideboard" cards, but you can't    This game isn't a magic: the gathering simulator. This game is where magic players go when they die if they've been bad.

    There is no deck customization. The decks make precons look cutting edge. The only "deck customization" is through unlocking "sideboard" cards (great way to misinform new players by calling it a sideboard). You can remove the "sideboard" cards, but you can't remove other cards to make room for it, so they just keep making your deck bigger (and adding more land). You can keep your deck smaller by removing the sideboard cards, but since they're all way better than the garbage they give you by default it's pointless. You just end up with 80 card decks with like 35 mana sources. The game would be playable in this form, as just sort of a "how magic used to be when I started playing" simulator, except for one thing. The game seems to pick and choose what rules it obeys. It tends to do things like instantly go to your attack phase if you cast anything during your main phase, and skip your 2nd main phase, or not let you cast after blockers are declared. If you're anything like me, within 20 minutes you'll find yourself screaming at the game.

    This game would have been much better if they'd taken the old 1997 MTG pc game and made a windows 7 port.    … Expand
  7. CrestedCrane
    Sep 30, 2010
    0
    I'm going to have to add to the hate on account of the locked-deck system. This was a waste of time and money; it never occurred to me to check whether Wizards had included one of Magic's most basic and defining features before buying this on Steam. They had custom deckbuilding in a game released in 1998; I can only conclude that this thing was a money-grab, and I pity anyone who bought itI'm going to have to add to the hate on account of the locked-deck system. This was a waste of time and money; it never occurred to me to check whether Wizards had included one of Magic's most basic and defining features before buying this on Steam. They had custom deckbuilding in a game released in 1998; I can only conclude that this thing was a money-grab, and I pity anyone who bought it when it was new.

    Adding insult to injury, several of the constructed decks are _really_ bad, with no option to remove the junk cards; and the AI -- at the highest difficulty level -- makes amateurish mistakes, especially about timing. I appreciate that a good AI for a game like Magic is hard, but the quality of the AI is by no means adequate to make up for the huge, gaping hole where the deckbuilding is supposed to be.

    This is coming from an individual who's played in maybe five Magic tournaments total (one sealed-deck, the rest booster draft), and is by _no_ means an expert at the game.    … Expand
  8. Aardvarkk
    Aug 13, 2010
    0
    I found this game very disappointing and I don't recommend it. As much as I enjoy the MtG series this one fell far short of my expectations, which weren't that high to begin with. My wants are fairly simple, but this game does not live up to even those. If you want to read a up-to-date list of the legitimate gripes you can go here for themI found this game very disappointing and I don't recommend it. As much as I enjoy the MtG series this one fell far short of my expectations, which weren't that high to begin with. My wants are fairly simple, but this game does not live up to even those. If you want to read a up-to-date list of the legitimate gripes you can go here for them http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310625… Expand
  9. e_k
    Aug 28, 2010
    3
    Summary: If you've played real Magic before (either online or with real cards), avoid this game. When I saw a Player v AI Magic, I was interested. I played the 1997 version from microprose, and even though the graphics were lackluster , the gameplay wasn't bad. It was interesting being able to play around with any deck you wanted (no limit on what cards you used). It also had a 'campaign'Summary: If you've played real Magic before (either online or with real cards), avoid this game. When I saw a Player v AI Magic, I was interested. I played the 1997 version from microprose, and even though the graphics were lackluster , the gameplay wasn't bad. It was interesting being able to play around with any deck you wanted (no limit on what cards you used). It also had a 'campaign' mode where you wandered the lands, fighting opponents, and collecting and buying cards.

    This game, however, fixes you to one of several pre-set decks, doesn't let you edit these decks (aside from adding certain 'unlocked' cards in our out, doesn't let you pick how many, and which, lands appear in your deck, and doesn't even let you pick which lands to tap when casting a spell! The 'campaign' consists of beating a handful of computer AIs.

    It's a highly nerfed 'Magic', and-unless you are picking it up just to learn the rules of Magic-I recommend avoiding it.    … Expand
  10. quakemazer
    Oct 1, 2010
    1
    NO DECK EDITING! Had I known this, I wouldn't have bought this travesty. For what it is: using noob decks that I could destroy with basic cards, it is very good. For any player who has played in the past, avoid this garbage.
  11. Ir0nExpress
    Sep 3, 2010
    8
    There's a lot of hate for this game for the locked system, where decks are fixed with a set amount of cards which you cannot subtract. Each deck gives you a certain amount of unlockable cards that you may add to the deck as you defeat AI opponents. If you compare it to the outside, sure it's highly nerfed version of the game, but if you look at it from a stand alone game perspective orThere's a lot of hate for this game for the locked system, where decks are fixed with a set amount of cards which you cannot subtract. Each deck gives you a certain amount of unlockable cards that you may add to the deck as you defeat AI opponents. If you compare it to the outside, sure it's highly nerfed version of the game, but if you look at it from a stand alone game perspective or even from a challenge point of view, it's a fun and challenging game, you'll be using your brain because you're not mowing your opponents down by the size of your wallet. The depending on the A.I. setting you choose, the AI will not be a pushover. Both sides are balanced and depending which deck you choose, You may steamroll them, get steamrolled or its a fair fight. The decks are all fairly balanced, there's the annoying overpowered elf deck of course, but even that has it's weak points. :P

    The game also has some challenge scenarios where you must defeat the opponent in one turn, but those are usually fairly simple until the last few ones, which get a little trickier but nothing drastic.

    At $10, you get 6 or 7 decks (maybe more, I've bought the 2 expansions which ups it to 14 decks total) and as most of you guys knows, $10 will not buy you 7 decks in the real world and $20 will not buy you 14 decks. They also have two expansion packs at $5 a piece and .99 packs to unlock the ingame decks if you're lazy. Those who want to reminiscence about playing the game without reminding yourself how much you spent on Magic The Gathering Online or the thousands (Yes I've spent that much over time) in real life, or hell, just to use to learn and get into the real game...pick it up, it's $10 bucks.    … Expand
  12. 9r33n
    Mar 29, 2023
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. terrible bugs ... sometimes my spells and creatures cause no damage to the enemy, there's no deck editing ... terrible AI ... overpowered decks, it is like magic for dummies don't get me wrong, this could be a great game but the developers took some terrible project decisions… Expand
  13. meotheleo
    May 6, 2011
    0
    The doubtful shuffle mechanism has made Magic: The Gathering into Land: the Gathering - Duels of the pushovers. This game content Bugs, Glitches, Freezing, Cheating, ....whatever turn you to be frustrated.
    It may be suitable for real saint. Ok. that's enough. honestly, it sucks.
  14. bricky
    Jan 7, 2011
    7
    everyone that wants to buy this game for customisation and creativity with your decks, dont... Do not even look at this game and go play magic the gathering: online, or whatever its called. i bought this game and thoroughly enjoyed it for what it is, a card game with locked decks, a useless story and probably horrible AI for more experienced players seen as i beat it pretty easily and thiseveryone that wants to buy this game for customisation and creativity with your decks, dont... Do not even look at this game and go play magic the gathering: online, or whatever its called. i bought this game and thoroughly enjoyed it for what it is, a card game with locked decks, a useless story and probably horrible AI for more experienced players seen as i beat it pretty easily and this is the first time iv ever played a card game. but what the heck right? i had a damn good time while it lasted and i picked it up for $2.50 so im happy… Expand
  15. GromphBaenre
    Mar 14, 2011
    3
    I hated it. Echoing everyone else: no deck editing is an insult to magic players. Not to mention the bugs... this game is impossible to play. you cant even stop at the phase you want, the computer skips your actions. When i bought it i thought that maybe it was a new and improved version of the '97 game. and why wouldnt i? the old game was awesome then. and more than 10 years later theyI hated it. Echoing everyone else: no deck editing is an insult to magic players. Not to mention the bugs... this game is impossible to play. you cant even stop at the phase you want, the computer skips your actions. When i bought it i thought that maybe it was a new and improved version of the '97 game. and why wouldnt i? the old game was awesome then. and more than 10 years later they make something worse on every aspect, except graphics, which are not very good anyway. A complete waste of money. It made me feel like an idiot. i was tricked into buying this crap.… Expand
  16. Heben2
    Nov 17, 2011
    3
    I found the game full of bugs and limited. You cannot edit decks, only add or not add new cards you win. The decks are very unbalanced and few are interesting. You cannot make the gamephase very fast, as the 'fine' animations must be played out, which I find irritating. Why not make it simpler, with more edibility and possibility for a faster gameplay. Also, you cannot chose what mana toI found the game full of bugs and limited. You cannot edit decks, only add or not add new cards you win. The decks are very unbalanced and few are interesting. You cannot make the gamephase very fast, as the 'fine' animations must be played out, which I find irritating. Why not make it simpler, with more edibility and possibility for a faster gameplay. Also, you cannot chose what mana to use in combat, which renders some combos impossible, to your frustration. I played it a bit for a while, but found it so boring as you're set in a fixed position with no possibility to get something new out of the game (new decks, combos) and not to mention the bugged Two-headed giant is not playable, that I quit playing it. Do not buy it. Do not buy the 2012 edition either, it is not that different from this at all. I just don't understand how you can sell a game that has broken features and not fix it before you make a new game to sell.....… Expand
  17. Tornkool
    Apr 22, 2011
    0
    This game is complete **** No control on tapping your own lands? WTF........ And extremely limited deck card shifting ability. I would not recomend this game to anyone. COMPLETE TRASH
  18. bgoss
    Jun 15, 2011
    9
    This game made all the necessary changes to become a fun video game BASED on the tabletop card game. It is my belief that the developers did not want game to be consumed with buying extra card packs and trying to make a huge collection and build the best deck.

    Instead they have successfully equalized the playing field and adapted it for newcomers and light players. This is not for the    This game made all the necessary changes to become a fun video game BASED on the tabletop card game. It is my belief that the developers did not want game to be consumed with buying extra card packs and trying to make a huge collection and build the best deck.

    Instead they have successfully equalized the playing field and adapted it for newcomers and light players. This is not for the hardcore Magic enthusiast, it is for the casual strategic gamer or someone experimenting with the genre or franchise.

    With that frame of reference, this game lives up to its goals: sharing the love of card game with people that don't want to soak a ton of money and time into it. It's highly enjoyable, competitive, and still maintains a strong taste of the original. But just a taste.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. PC Gamer UK
    43
    Disappointment. [Sept 2010, p.103]
  2. IGN
    75
    It offers plenty of help for newcomers to learn the setup, and the additional cards you unlock as you play through the campaign means there are plenty of reason to keep plugging away against opponents.
    Read full review
  3. Gamervision
    75
    While online multiplayer is fun and the presentation is spot on, much of the enjoyment and skill in MtG is in deck-building , an omission that truly hurts the overall experience.
    Read full review
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