Magic: The Gathering Online

 PC
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. Computer Games Magazine
    90
    An addictive game that's quick to play, easy to learn, delightfully detailed, and almost infinitely replayable. [Oct 2002, p.72]
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  2. GameZone
    85
    Graphically I was disappointed. I was hoping for a little animation.
  3. Gamers' Temple
    85
    In serious competition, it suffers from the same drawback as the real world version of the game - players with deep pockets can buy themselves more powerful decks.
  5. GameSpy
    79
    It won't replace the fun of facing off one-on-one with your friends, and those bluffing techniques you've perfected are all but useless, but when your friends are unavailable or you're hit with a bout of insomnia, MtGO is your best alternative.
  6. PC Gamer
    78
    Its aesthetics need more polish - and it needs to offer more help for newcomers. [Sept 2002, p.64]
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  7. GameSpot
    78
    It's because of its accessible nature that Magic Online is undoubtedly the best software representation of Magic: The Gathering released thus far--quite possibly surpassing the physical card game in many respects.
  8. IGN
    75
    It's fun and really true to the series. Having said that, I probably won't play it too much longer, mostly because it just whet my appetite for some face-to-face play.
  9. Game Revolution
    67
    I'm quite impressed that they managed to make a computer version that actually follows all the arcane rules. Still, I can't see myself buying any more cards beyond the ones I already have.
  10. Computer Gaming World
    40
    The brilliant game design endures, like a sweet-smelling rose atop a giant mountain of dung. [Oct 2002, p.106]
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Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Best PC Game of 2002
30
#30 Most Discussed PC Game of 2002
16
#16 Most Shared PC Game of 2002

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 41
  3. Negative: 17 out of 41
  1. Bainshie
    Sep 9, 2012
    0
    Avoid like the plague.

    Where do you start for something this bad? Lets start with the gameplay. Gameplay is like most TCG. Meaning it's    Avoid like the plague.

    Where do you start for something this bad? Lets start with the gameplay. Gameplay is like most TCG. Meaning it's bad, very bad. Balance among decks are often decided to be 'balanced' due to the flawed rock paper scissors ideas that so many games fall into. This means that 90% of games will be decided as soon as you start. If you have the counter to something, you win. If not you lose. The other 10% is decided by the luck of the draw, with both players not counting on skill, but luck to pull them through.

    This creates decidedly uninspiring gameplay, with both losses and wins feeling equally empty and pointless

    Then you have the price. Cards that are worth anything are often more expensive then their physical counterparts, thanks to the infection of bots in the trading. Even then, a second tier pauper (Commons only) deck will cost you anywhere from $15- up to $100. Standard decks cost anywhere from $70-$500. A deck is made up of 75 virtual cards. That isn't including the $30 a pop events, or the super expensive stuff (There are single virtual cards that sell for over $200).

    And last but not least, the entire client is just.... bad. Those of you lucky enough to be alive during the 90's, would remember the amount of crapware that came out around that time. Games like Snakes and ladders badly drawn, programmed and shoved onto CD's to fill up whatever magazine or cereal it was trying to entice you to buy. This game looks and feels exactly like those. Trading is possibly the worst system in any game ever, the entire UI looks like some prealpha rubbish created by a 3 year old on crack, and the thing is generally slow and confusing to use.

    As a final nail in the coffin, is the retarded moderation, the only game, including stuff designed for 3 year olds' which censors out the word 'piss'. The entire censorship and over zelous moderators smells of a bunch of 5 year old girls who haven't grown up enough to realize that people might say and do 'Boo boo's'.

    Actually, scratch that thought. Most 5 year old girls would be insulted to be compared to these guys.

    In conclusion, there is nothing good about this game, nothing, It's a place for fat nerds to high five each other because they spent waaaay too much money on what is basically a lottery with priddy pictures.

    Avoid at all costs.    … Full Review »
  2. YSS
    Nov 10, 2012
    0
    For those of you who have fond memories of playing MTG, and wanted a way to get back into the game.... RUN AWAY NOW.

    The current MTG meta    For those of you who have fond memories of playing MTG, and wanted a way to get back into the game.... RUN AWAY NOW.

    The current MTG meta has become less about skill, and more about 'How deep can you dig into your wallet'. Thanks to the money grabbing attempts of late, decks have gone up in price, and the entire experience feels like YGO.

    Sadly MTG is no longer the bastion of fair good TCG's    … Full Review »
  3. SteveA.
    Dec 19, 2007
    1
    I only gave this game a 1 as it is really the only option as far as online collectible card gaming goes. The game itself is great, everything I only gave this game a 1 as it is really the only option as far as online collectible card gaming goes. The game itself is great, everything else is atrocious. The server goes down constantly as it cannot support more than about 2500 people at a time. Release events rarely occur because lag becomes worse and worse as more users log on around release time. The user interface is at best unintuitive and in some areas downright confusing. We've been promised version 3.0 for the past two years and it has been consistently delayed. Accounts can be banned without review and without prior notice on the part of the player, and whole collections erased.… Full Review »
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