Magic: The Gathering Arena

 PC
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 28, 2020
    100
    An excellent and faithful conversion of the iconic card game into a very welcoming computer free-to-play form. This is a hit. [Issue#300]
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  2. Vandal
    Dec 18, 2019
    90
    This is the definitive Magic experience on PC. It’s free-to-play, but it’s incredibly well balanced and lets us enjoy it without hassle. If you enjoy card-based games, give it a try.
  3. GameSpace
    Dec 6, 2019
    80
    Magic: The Gathering Arena is an excellent entry point into the twenty-six-year-old franchise for new players and lovable for veteran players as well. While it’s generally a very fun experience, it’s not without technical issues.
  5. Game Rant
    Nov 8, 2019
    90
    Magic Arena is easily the most accessible and user-friendly version of the classic strategy card game. As the platform grows, makes improvements, and adds additional sets over time, it is sure to continue to be one of the main ways that gamers experience Magic: The Gathering at both the casual and competitive levels.
  6. Games.cz
    Oct 23, 2019
    90
    A great adaptation of one of the best card games of all time. It’s fast, it’s accessible, it isn’t any less complex than the original. Are you bored of Hearthstone? Try Arena.
  7. IGN Italia
    Oct 10, 2019
    85
    MTG Arena is the best possible transposition of the historic card game. It's free (initially, at least) and it's wonderful, there's no reason to not try it. With its unique style, complicated and rewarding, it will charm any TCG lover.
  8. PCGamesN
    Oct 10, 2019
    80
    You can’t beat the feeling of playing Magic with cardboard in your hands. Still, Arena presents a slick realisation in digital form, and one that should suit both old hands and newcomers.
  9. Gameblog.fr
    Oct 10, 2019
    70
    MTG Arena is not yet perfect and it's probably why it is not essential to every player. It remains a very valuable help and will evolve anyway to become an essential card game developing its esport side. If you have not played it yet, do not hesitate to download it for knowledge, and if you are practicing Magic, you will play it one day or another.
  10. 3DJuegos
    Oct 8, 2019
    90
    The easy way to play and know about one of the greatest card games in history. Magic Arena takes the best from Magic: The Gathering and put in a nice and exemplar F2P experience.
  11. 4P.de
    Oct 7, 2019
    78
    While the mechanics scream for an award Arena suffers from aggressive monetarization and the missing Eternal formats.
  12. MMORPG.com
    Oct 7, 2019
    80
    Magic Arena is a stellar addition to the Magic: The Gathering family. It’s here to stay and the competitive landscape will likely be better for it overall as time goes on. While its monetization is a bit too aggressive for my liking, and the fact we really can’t have full control over what we do with our cards bugs me, it’s hands down the best digital Magic experience Wizards have implemented to date.
  13. Everyeye.it
    Oct 6, 2019
    85
    Magic keeps its hardcore nature intact, and you must always keep this in mind if you decide to approach the digital version, which maintains all the beauty of the original work.
  14. Multiplayer.it
    Oct 6, 2019
    80
    Magic: The Gathering Arena is the perfect digital version of the real Magic with all the pros and the cons. It's complex, very deep and extremely addictive but it requires to spend a lot of real money to be competitive.
  15. Wccftech
    Oct 3, 2019
    85
    Magic the Gathering is the grandfather of a lot of deckbuilding games, but its introduction to the digital marketplace feels fresh, exciting and well worth the (free) price tag.
  16. Game Informer
    Oct 2, 2019
    88
    If you’re looking to play Magic, there’s probably no better way than Magic: The Gathering Arena, and that says a lot. Wizards of the Coast seemed hesitant to move all-in on a digital product in the last decade, perhaps out of fear that it could cannibalize the gigantic paper audience, but Magic is finally where it needs to be in the digital space.
  17. PC Gamer
    Oct 2, 2019
    79
    Slick and generous, Magic: The Gathering Arena is finally the adaptation the CCG originator deserves.
  18. Game Revolution
    Oct 1, 2019
    90
    It’s an excellent entry point into the long-standing card game and a more complex alternative to titles like Hearthstone. Wizards has put its full support behind the product, matching release dates with paper sets and planning for the future. It seems like the perfect way to get back into Magic after a long time away, and it’s way cheaper than buying real boosters. Other TCGs have had their day, but it’s hard to see any of them surviving in this Arena going forward.
  19. GameStar
    Sep 27, 2019
    80
    There Magic Arena is with its fantastic game mechanics just front runner for me.
  20. Destructoid
    Sep 26, 2019
    85
    Magic: The Gathering Arena is an absolutely brilliant recreation of Magic only held back by Wizards of the Coast's monetization strategy and some unfinished business. With more of an open mind toward new modes of play (plus ways to keep your old cards relevant) and a better client, this could be the definitive way to play the best card game in the world for the foreseeable future.
  21. Jeuxvideo.com
    Oct 28, 2018
    80
    Magic the Gathering: Arena is a good free-to-play game, with enough content to feed any Magic lovers. It’s not as easy to play than many others trading cars games, but on the other hand, those games don’t have the same depth.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Kotaku
    Sep 27, 2019
    It’s impossible to predict what Magic Arena will mean for the paper card game’s future. That said, it’s easy to look around and see hype for the game snowballing alongside Arena’s release and the launch of Magic’s new esports league. For my part, Magic Arena’s pitch has finally gotten me hooked on a game I’ve been playing on and off for seven years. Its ease of play makes the average Magic game more of a ballet than a stop-and-start football match. As most of its clunkier aspects game melt away, the heart of a card game that has nearly three decades’ worth of staying power shines through.
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Oct 1, 2019
    The important questions are whether it replicates the fun of the tabletop game – at least for the rank and file of casual players like me – and whether it’s a good PC game. The answer to both is a resounding yes.

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best PC Game of 2018
27
#27 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
2.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 209
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 209
  3. Negative: 147 out of 209
  1. Mercestes
    Apr 13, 2019
    0
    Let me preface this by saying, I can't rank this game low enough.

    A wise woman once said, "this one does not bring joy" and that pretty    Let me preface this by saying, I can't rank this game low enough.

    A wise woman once said, "this one does not bring joy" and that pretty much sums up the MtG Arena experience. If in turn 1 you see a forest and a Llanowar Elf in turn 1, you're pretty much guaranteed to see a Gigantosaurus by turn 5. Every deck has an answer to Carnage Tyrant, or you lose. If you spend any coins whatsoever on any of the constructed drafts, you're guaranteed to see a Teferi deny deck. Eventually you just start seeing the same half-dozen decks or so and the turn by turn plays get pretty predictable. Always the same over-powered cards in the same turn order over and over again.

    Meanwhile over here I can't get a dual-mana deck to line up to save my life.

    The entire culture of MtG Arena is toxic. If you deck starts to win, expect to suffer troll-stalling forever. Want to know exactly what MTG Arena is about, just search for "mtg admin bans arena player"

    If you can perform any action whatsoever (valid or not) you have to click "next' non-stop through each and every phase, except in the very few instances it makes since to actually do something, then the game doesn't pause and just skips right on by you.

    I log in and do my weekly quests for cards because I clearly have no will power and I make poor life choices. Don't make the same mistakes I did.

    "But there is no hacking in MTG Arena!!!" That may or may not be true, but the statistical probability of decks in excess of 200 cards always managing to drop a land every turn *AND* curve out their creature drops every time I come against one when I have to concede out of a quarter of my matches because I can't get more than 2 manas out of 3 mulligans (and I run 20 lands + 8 mana searches) is *pretty* bad. Just sayin'.

    If you ever doubt there is hacking in MTG: Arena, just pay gold to play a game.    … Full Review »
  2. JotnarGiant
    Feb 24, 2019
    0
    This is pay-to-win garbage that gets really boring really fast. The interface is way too clunky, and sometimes you literally have to spend 10This is pay-to-win garbage that gets really boring really fast. The interface is way too clunky, and sometimes you literally have to spend 10 minutes clicking 'accept' on every little thing your opponent does. Although this game is 'free' to play, I wouldn't bother wasting your time, and definitely would never pay a dime for it.… Full Review »
  3. Misanthropist73
    Mar 19, 2019
    0
    The game uses a Fixed-Number-Generator. Meaning if you make a powerful deck, you'll only see other powerful decks, which defeats the wholeThe game uses a Fixed-Number-Generator. Meaning if you make a powerful deck, you'll only see other powerful decks, which defeats the whole purpose of competing. The Wizards of the Coast run this game like Sociopaths.… Full Review »
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