MAG

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Jan 26, 2010
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 573 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 442 out of 573
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 573
  3. Negative: 73 out of 573
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  1. HuevoAlce
    Jun 26, 2022
    6
    There was so much promise demonstrated in this game. It was a great idea executed adequately. It's a damn shame Zipper Interactive was shut down. This certainly deserved a sequel.
  2. Zewy
    Jun 17, 2022
    10
    Best MMO FPS there was!
    3 Teams battles with 256 players
    Great music and action!
  3. alirezaporshe
    Mar 22, 2022
    10
    its really sad that zipper interactive closed/ mag and socom servers are down since 2014... its sad and i had very good memories of this game.i played this game over 10 years ago and its still the defination of a perfect online game. not cod not battlfield not any other games fill this game for me
    and i have NO IDEA WHY SONY AINT DO ANYTHING FOR REMASTERING THIS MASTERPICE OR MAKING A    its really sad that zipper interactive closed/ mag and socom servers are down since 2014... its sad and i had very good memories of this game.i played this game over 10 years ago and its still the defination of a perfect online game. not cod not battlfield not any other games fill this game for me
    and i have NO IDEA WHY SONY AINT DO ANYTHING FOR REMASTERING THIS MASTERPICE OR MAKING A MAG2??????????????????????    … Expand
  4. Jivice
    Oct 7, 2021
    10
    I'm never motivated to write Metacritic reviews but this game truly has a special place in my heart. To get it out of the way, I don't think MAG is perfect even though I'm giving it a 1, but I don't believe any game is perfect and MAG is easily the best shooter I have EVER played, to this day, and ive pretty much played them all. Honestly this game just came out too early and was too aheadI'm never motivated to write Metacritic reviews but this game truly has a special place in my heart. To get it out of the way, I don't think MAG is perfect even though I'm giving it a 1, but I don't believe any game is perfect and MAG is easily the best shooter I have EVER played, to this day, and ive pretty much played them all. Honestly this game just came out too early and was too ahead of its time, I really think having a Freemium Planetside 2 model would have given it the legs it needed to stick around.

    MAG's biggest problems were lack of polish and art style, but boy did it make up for those in spades with everything else. The gun control was extremely tight, the netcode and servers were amazing for a 256 player landscape once the initial kinks were worked out, the factions were extremely well designed with unique identities, and there was lots of continuing support and content. I've sunk more hours into this game than any other shooter, and even make than RPG's like Skyrim. Which brings me to their best feature...

    The actual game design. Holy HELL was it good. The entire command system and squad system was SO WELL DESIGNED that it's actually an insult we haven't seen it in Planetside, battlefield, or other scale games. The objective bonus, officer powers, chat system either to your subordinates or your fellow leaders, was all seamless and efficient. The game modes were very well designed to give the more tactical thinking side a big advantage, and make you feel as if you were actually executing an operation rather than just running around shooting people. The game's environment had weight, if that makes sense.

    The skill tree was also fantastic. Rather than arbitrary class systems, MAG let you design your class around your playstyle. Things were balanced with a credits system and speed system. So if you wanted to have high health and a heavy sniper rifle or LMG, you were gonna walk like a Juggernaut. Conversely if you wanted to zip around and run and gun with a stealth jammer, you were a two shot kill. You could be a demolitions medic, a stealth sniper, a shock assault, whatever you wanted. The class system was designed in an RPG style but still had some traditional shooter level unlock elements, but it was SO well designed and games haven't brought that back since, choosing to give everyone the same health and minimal speed differences, or basing speed entirely on weapon and not overall gear.

    MAG is the most criminally underrated video game I've ever been lucky enough to play, and I truly hope that one day someone realizes the vast amount of potential and at least brings back a spiritual successor. The game was not a failure, it sold 1 million copies and plenty of DLC. Maybe one day, we will be able to play it again.    … Expand
  5. Garheon
    Jun 26, 2019
    10
    Best Game Ever Made!!!..

    Epic Gameplay, skill tree, Great Factions, Proxy Chat, Fantastic Community and friends, 128 vs 128 players in 2010? lol... i miss the great clan battles and playind with my old mates...

    MAG Community deserves a new MAG Remastered!!! **** Sony!
  6. E_T
    Aug 30, 2015
    10
    The Best massively multiplayer game I ever played. None of other didn't give me such experience as MAG. And I'm still waiting it on PS4.

    P.S.: S.V.E.R. RULES!!!
  7. emlugo123
    Feb 23, 2015
    6
    Love the idea of 256 player battles and it really works. However the respawn system is tedious and quite annoying as it takes a long time to respawn..
  8. X-Abrupto
    May 8, 2014
    9
    So, yeah, MAG is dead. Its servers have been down for a lil' while already so why am I wasting my time typing a review for a game nobody will be able to play? Because MAG was a pioneering, underestimated FPS and it deserves at least a few minutes of my time, for posterity.

    Since this game is now dead, I'll write a review but I'll also add my little story concerning the game and why it    So, yeah, MAG is dead. Its servers have been down for a lil' while already so why am I wasting my time typing a review for a game nobody will be able to play? Because MAG was a pioneering, underestimated FPS and it deserves at least a few minutes of my time, for posterity.

    Since this game is now dead, I'll write a review but I'll also add my little story concerning the game and why it ultimately failed to find its way in the very tight and ruthless FPS market which is almost under the complete grasp of two gigantic franchises, Battlefield and Call of Duty.

    I got the beta of MAG before its release. I immediately fell in love with a few aspects of the game. The first one was the whole teamwork concept. We're still in the prehistoric age of online gaming. Most players who play shooter games will toss aside the whole teamwork aspect, going in like Rambo. Well, MAG forced you to work with other players in order to achieve victory. That wasn't new for the genre, but the fact that you had squads and platoons, the vast use of headsets and the respawn which had a countdown so that you could reappear with your squadmates all encouraged and enforced teamwork.

    The second thing that really got me interested was the overall difficulty of the game which was due to its realism. Once again, teamwork was essential here if you wanted to survive. Also, you had to aim at the right body area to kill someone effectively. Most shooter games sure will make you deal more damage with head shots, but many will allow you to kill someone with a single sniper bullet in the foot and that's something I always hated - it removed the realism I was looking for.

    MAG was not an ordinary shooter. Heck, I'm not even sure you could see it as a FPS because it was so different from the other FPS at the time. The main reason for this was the vast amount of players who would kill each other in each and every game. With over 200 players simutaneously, this game was more of a war simulation than a video game to me.

    Another thing I loved was the fact that the game didn't really reward you for killing people. Sure, you'd get experience for kills, but in order to win, you had to destroy or conquer objectives which forced you to come up with strategies. You couldn't camp in this game and be part of the victory effort at the same time.

    When the game was released, it faced some harsh criticism. The thing is, many so-called pro reviewers played the beta and hypocritically wrote their review on the real game that they barely played. I've noticed a trend in pro video game reviews ( especially with IGN ) where they want to release their review ASAP ( to get the upper hand against other video game websites ) and they will often base themselves on betas... So yeah that's my opinion for the early and bad reviews of MAG.

    The critics of this game hurt its sells for sure but MAG wasn't perfect either. There were 3 factions in this game and one called SVER was overpowered for a very, very long time. Not only were the weapons better but the maps were strategically easier to defend as a SVER whilst the RAVEN faction was the complete opposite.

    The whole idea of factions was terrible. It split players in 3. If a friend chose to join VALOR and you were in SVER, you couldn't play with him, you were forced to play against him. They should've given up on factions and focused on clans instead.

    Zipper put a lot of effort into improving their game based on the gaming community. I have to give credit to them, because I think they spent a lot of time ( and money ) on patching it up. In the end, they kinda got rid of part of the faction problem by allowing, example, RAVEN players to defend maps of SVER. They did their best to recalibrate overpowered guns - unfortunately, to the point of nerfing some of them.

    The main flaw with this game was not the number of players ( I've rarely seen a laggy game despite playing with people from Japan, Australia, France, Brazil, etc. etc. ), but the size of the maps. They made the maps so huge that even if there were tens and tens of players, you would sometime have to run for an extended period of time before you actually encountered an enemy. All they had to do was to keep the same number of players but reduce the maps. This would've led to more action and less dull moments, especially after you respawned.

    This game was not only a pioneer in the number of players ( I'm sure this will be a norm in the upcoming years ), but also in the whole military hierarchy department. Squad leaders, platoon leaders and officers in command were ordinary players like you and me who had more experience than others and were given some extra power to influence the course of the battle. Once you were one of those, you could really tell that a good leader in this game was often the reason for a victory or a defeat. Battfield 4 recently implemented a similar concept in their game so I think people have noticed the potential of leaders in FPS games.    … Expand
  9. Cerberus0
    Jan 15, 2014
    7
    DO NOT BUY! Servers are shutting down the end of january. Plus the game is pretty dead as is, only 1 mode is played and you usually have to wait over 5 minutes for a game. The fact that I'm seeing this game everywhere in retail for a rly good price is kinda sad. This game will probably be sold as a used game even after the servers are down....and this game is absolutely nothing without itsDO NOT BUY! Servers are shutting down the end of january. Plus the game is pretty dead as is, only 1 mode is played and you usually have to wait over 5 minutes for a game. The fact that I'm seeing this game everywhere in retail for a rly good price is kinda sad. This game will probably be sold as a used game even after the servers are down....and this game is absolutely nothing without its servers. This is why fps belong on the pc. Consoles are such money whores it's not even funny. They have this unspoken rule of being the cheaper to play model. Well they aren't. Stores make their money from console games. People return them and they resell them. In comparison you can't return a pc game or trade it in to a large vendor etc.

    The game? So I started playing this in 2012. This is probably the best fps console game for clans. Basically this is for alot of reasons, but one in particular.

    After you die you go into a dying state, and can be revived to full health with the click of a button by a teammate that is even 10m away from you! you can literally be killed....be rezed...be killed.....be rezed....etc etc...in a never ending loop.
    It makes for some interesting gameplay. When you are in this dying state the enemy has to shoot your remaining health to 0...and this usually amounts to more than half a clip from an assault rifle. It takes about a whole clip to kill some1 with heavy armour and 120 health....then you have to reload...and then empty another 12 rounds into the corpse to prevent any nearby enemies from reviving the guy you just killed. It rly doesn't matter how many kills you get in the game, what matters is how many you "finish off" after you kill them. As you might imagine an army of 2 is many times stronger than an army of 1. This is rly a team game and staying with your squad and team is how you win the matches.

    ALot of good cool things about this title though. in sabotage (the only game type with people in it right now) you spawn from an aircraft and parachute in after you succeed in the first 2 objectives. While parachuting in the enemy can shoot and kill you before you even make it to the ground. I like this. I like that a team is rewarded for playing well together. Spawn protection is a rly stupid thing in fps imo. That said, the defending team is always given spawn protection....and so are the attackers up until the final objective. If you run too far into the enemy zone you just die. So I mean..what I'm saying hardly applies to even 1/4 of your gametime.

    Other thoughts: there's 3 factions. you have to pay extra money to unlock more than 1 character profile (lol). I mean this prevents people from just going back and forth between factions (which I get makes sense), but....whatever give them money and you get an edge. 2-3 of the gametypes (it was 2 I think) were locked and you had to buy. They made one of them free a year or 2 ago...so there's 1 locked gametype you have to pay for still....which noone is playing (at all) so is a waste of money. Hell this entire game is a waste of money if you are reading this. You have till about the end of January before your rental expires. Then all you are gonna be left with is a basic basic basic 1 minute training mode.

    I didn't play this game with a clan...or with a buddy or whatever. So take my score however you want to take it.
    Also in each game type the wins per faction are tallied up and the winning faction gets an ingame passive reward. However these rewards are just for show. Were talking 5% increases in leadership range (rofl...useless) and 5% less cooldown on artillery (more rofl). It's a joke rly. If they made them worth something maybe I would take pride in every game I won or thought for a moment that it made a difference if we won or lost a match.

    Other gripes: Heavy machine guns suck in this game big time. game winning strategies sometimes amount to grenade spamming the enemy position so they stay dead when they die and can't be rez'd over and over.

    Oh and 1 more thing. If you want to know why your lovely game is so dead look no further than the community of clans. You do not want to be on a team with clan members on it. If you are, chances are they are going to be jerks and kick you either right before the match is over or half way in or right away. They either do this to make room for another clan member or because they are jerks. Either way they end up being jerks since when you are kicked you lose all exp and money from the match. The kicking system: if 4 members on the squad vote yes you are gone! It is rly easy to get kicked. I mean this is great for kicking team killers and guys abusing their mic. But typically you will have 4 members of the same clan in your squad, and they can boot you anytime they want to. There's no repercussion for kicking an innocent player. So maybe clans should ponder that for a while when they complain that "everyone is a cod or bf noob, that's why there are no players left".    … Expand
  10. DoomDash
    Dec 23, 2013
    10
    This is the best shooter you never played, or didn't give a chance. The objective system and game encouraged team play from all 128 players per team in ways no other FPS has yet to achieve. Is it the most polished game? Nope. Does it have more depth and fun factor than any other FPS in modern times? Absolutely. I could spend all day describing how well an effective squad team commanderThis is the best shooter you never played, or didn't give a chance. The objective system and game encouraged team play from all 128 players per team in ways no other FPS has yet to achieve. Is it the most polished game? Nope. Does it have more depth and fun factor than any other FPS in modern times? Absolutely. I could spend all day describing how well an effective squad team commander can change the entire course of the game. I've tried to replace this game with Planetside 2, BF3, and BF4, but nothing stacks up. I do play BF4 a lot but I find myself just wishing MAG looked that good.… Expand
  11. B_Dawg
    Oct 15, 2013
    10
    Quite an adventure, one of the most addicting FPS games in my life. It all started 2 years ago when I saw the trial on the PS store, with the only limit not being able to go over level 10 yet able to play all the game modes and having access to gear to be useful to the team. But that didn't stop me and my brother from putting in over 400+ hours each. So many good and bad memories, fromQuite an adventure, one of the most addicting FPS games in my life. It all started 2 years ago when I saw the trial on the PS store, with the only limit not being able to go over level 10 yet able to play all the game modes and having access to gear to be useful to the team. But that didn't stop me and my brother from putting in over 400+ hours each. So many good and bad memories, from taking MVP awards as a Level 10 trial player, helping your team win, doing those massive killstreaks in tight spots, reviving your team, raging at teammates for not killing that guy or not reviving you, so many different scenarios. Sure, the game was flawed with one faction being better than the other, often hard to get into a certain game mode, but that wasn't such a big deal. Teamwork was crucial, if you're a high level player, don't come to the battlefield without that medical kit or we'll be pissed off at you, don't camp either. Making strategies was also necessary to gain the upper hand. Some of the most satisfying moments in the game were when you developed a strategy that worked wonders for your team (Interdiction :D), taking that 1st place MVP award despite having inferior weaponry thanks to skills and teamwork, knowing that staying out of the battle and repairing assets sometimes was more useful than shooting bullets at the enemy. In my eyes the best FPS ever. Sadly, Sony fired the developers and are shutting down servers in January. Although, on PS4 we will be getting Planetside 2, which might be the spiritual successor to MAG.… Expand
  12. rjfoxtrot
    Mar 22, 2013
    7
    Some people say MAG stands for Massive Action Game. They are absolutely right! This game is massive. In some modes, there can be as many as 256 players playing together. The action part is spot on too. Many times I found myself in the middle of a huge battle and couldn't decide where to go, because every direction looked dangerous. There are some things it could work on though. One thingSome people say MAG stands for Massive Action Game. They are absolutely right! This game is massive. In some modes, there can be as many as 256 players playing together. The action part is spot on too. Many times I found myself in the middle of a huge battle and couldn't decide where to go, because every direction looked dangerous. There are some things it could work on though. One thing is it can take as many as 20 minutes to join a game. The only other thing I can complain about is you can't choose which map to play at. The network chooses for you, which can be really annoying because I once played on the same map 8 times in a row! While it's no where near a perfect game, MAG is an excellent substitute to CoD and Battlefield.… Expand
  13. Greenfox
    Feb 1, 2013
    8
    This game could have been great, but it relies too much on team-work. For example, many times you have to defend or secure an area. If your fellow squad members ignore you or don't have a mic, you can't win. You find out fast that trying to lock down an area by yourself when 12 people are attacking is impossible. This along with the fact that half of the people playing are around 12This game could have been great, but it relies too much on team-work. For example, many times you have to defend or secure an area. If your fellow squad members ignore you or don't have a mic, you can't win. You find out fast that trying to lock down an area by yourself when 12 people are attacking is impossible. This along with the fact that half of the people playing are around 12 years old and simply try to kill people, makes winning difficult. In order to enjoy playing this game, you need friends to play with you.… Expand
  14. gregthreet
    Dec 22, 2012
    7
    MAG works well and is fun even to today. The shooting is solid and the graphics are also looking good. This is even more impressive when you consider that you can download the game for £0.00. When it comes to the multiplayer game experience its your standard FPS, this means that it depends on who you're playing against and what map you are on. Thus it must be a 7. As it ticks all theMAG works well and is fun even to today. The shooting is solid and the graphics are also looking good. This is even more impressive when you consider that you can download the game for £0.00. When it comes to the multiplayer game experience its your standard FPS, this means that it depends on who you're playing against and what map you are on. Thus it must be a 7. As it ticks all the right boxes. But relies on its community to remain a fighting chance against other FPS.… Expand
  15. karmasleeper
    Aug 14, 2012
    4
    What disappoints me most about MAG is how the PS3 hardware is incapable of coping with the 256 player game modes MAG boasts. Game maps are larger than normal but not terribly so, but large enough to separate the players into different hotspots during the 256 player modes. Teams of 128 are split into different segments so initially the game feels like a 32 vs 32 game. As the game modeWhat disappoints me most about MAG is how the PS3 hardware is incapable of coping with the 256 player game modes MAG boasts. Game maps are larger than normal but not terribly so, but large enough to separate the players into different hotspots during the 256 player modes. Teams of 128 are split into different segments so initially the game feels like a 32 vs 32 game. As the game mode progresses, more players meet in flashpoints and the framerate tanks under the pressure. My PS3 locked up numerous times during the 256 player game modes, even after cleaning the dust out of it. Because the controls are so sloppy and wonky, people seem to mostly nade spam in the hopes of downing the newbs who blindly rush into the meat grinder. The weapon variety is stale and you'll find yourself grinding for in game currency to get better guns of which there are only a couple meager improvements. You'll also struggle to keep up as you grind for XP to invest in enough skills to increase your survivability and make the game playable. Coordination is essential in this game, and yet so few people have mics. The game had ambition, I'll give it that, but it utterly fails in execution.… Expand
  16. Capn_KA
    Mar 29, 2012
    6
    Bought this game as a sub for Battlefield 3 as I don't own a PS3 copy of BF3.. Honestly? It would've been an awesome concept and execution.. If it were the year 2003. As it stands, you have archaic gameplay wrapped around a great concept. Graphics being dated? Don't mind. Gameplay being that dated? Game breaker. The game was released in 2010 with gameplay flaws not seen in theBought this game as a sub for Battlefield 3 as I don't own a PS3 copy of BF3.. Honestly? It would've been an awesome concept and execution.. If it were the year 2003. As it stands, you have archaic gameplay wrapped around a great concept. Graphics being dated? Don't mind. Gameplay being that dated? Game breaker. The game was released in 2010 with gameplay flaws not seen in the genre since half a decade before. ANY war shooter that allows players to run directly INTO gunfire and knife the attacker before the ASSAULT RIFLE rounds take them down is awfully dated at best, terribad at worst. If you're a sucker for big battles, RENT this game and try it out. Do NOT make the mistake of BUYING this game based on this or ANY review.… Expand
  17. Maia_BR
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    I play almost everyday, two years now. Whem you start the game you will be killed a lot. But give it a time and pratice. Humans are not stupid as bots.
  18. Killpilla
    Jan 12, 2012
    10
    I'm giving this game a 10 because it is unlike ANY other game out there and in a good way. It may take some getting use to but what game doesn't if your not use to it and finally someone who realizes they can sacrific some grafics for better game play. This game is AWESOME and requires teamwork and really takes things to a whole other level!
  19. Inuit_Dude
    Jan 5, 2012
    5
    this game is pretty solid when it comes to the graphics and game play but i did not like it because it is just to hard to play. unless you are a game wizard and can pick up anygame and instantly be good at it you will struggle with this. it is so hard to become good at it because no matter what class you are as soon as you step out into the open you get picked of by a sniper you havethis game is pretty solid when it comes to the graphics and game play but i did not like it because it is just to hard to play. unless you are a game wizard and can pick up anygame and instantly be good at it you will struggle with this. it is so hard to become good at it because no matter what class you are as soon as you step out into the open you get picked of by a sniper you have almost no health in this game that a stray bullet can and will kill you. as well there is a big emphasis on team play in this game that no one seems to get because unless you use the mic that came with the game there is no way to comunicate with your teammates therefore making the team element disapear since no one uses thier mics there is usually a small group of about 5 people using a mic that will stick together and play the game properly but other than that and when you need to defend a spot (which results in everyone camping around the objective anyway) the teamwork element gets compleatly thrown out the window. i wish there was a story line as well as online play but im trading this in because it is just to hard to play and get good… Expand
  20. Unknown22
    Dec 28, 2011
    7
    This game is pretty good, but it was a bit boring. Still it is better than playing mw3, and black ops. I thought this game was garbage at first, but i wasn't. It was so much fun.
  21. Dabuten_09
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    Mag is a great multiplayer shooter. definitely one of my favorites.
    256 players? or my God. above no lag, dedicated servers (not as in other more important, they have lousy servers, ahem ahem cod ...)
    the graphics, though people criticize them, are not so bad, when you get used to and you can play is a pass play. you can shoot hours and hours playing and not be tired. is perfect for    Mag is a great multiplayer shooter. definitely one of my favorites.
    256 players? or my God. above no lag, dedicated servers (not as in other more important, they have lousy servers, ahem ahem cod ...)
    the graphics, though people criticize them, are not so bad, when you get used to and you can play is a pass play.
    you can shoot hours and hours playing and not be tired.
    is perfect for playing with friends or clans. no doubt a bomb.
    shame that as I always say ... these games that innovate, go unnoticed, because of other games that are more successful, though more bad ...
    People who innovate, to me the best game developers.    … Expand
  22. Xiphus200
    Oct 27, 2011
    9
    Even after a year MAG still remains my favorite shooter on console, I love the focus on squad based infantry combat. With a minimum of 64 players each match (before ragequits) each round in MAG feels more like a full scale assault instead of a 8v8 airsoft arena.
  23. horne242
    Oct 10, 2011
    7
    I really wanted to love MAG. As in, by now I've devoted a great deal of time to progression and unlocking, just to get a real insight into all three factions. the good news is, its a deep game, progression of sorts is never ending, with a (potentially) constantly evolving conflict. the key word there is potential, and that's where the cracks start to show. MAG felt more like a proof ofI really wanted to love MAG. As in, by now I've devoted a great deal of time to progression and unlocking, just to get a real insight into all three factions. the good news is, its a deep game, progression of sorts is never ending, with a (potentially) constantly evolving conflict. the key word there is potential, and that's where the cracks start to show. MAG felt more like a proof of concept, a taste of something grander in a stale genre. I just hope lessons are learned for the next installment as the combination of 50%+ sniper teams, exploitable spawn points and dart control system make this a hard game to truly enjoy...… Expand
  24. rmdashrf
    Sep 26, 2011
    8
    This was a fantastic experiment in large-scale FPS action. It shines in rewarding team coordination, and in capturing the scale of its largest battles. A fundamental flaw that was never addressed was that MAG locked a player into a faction (one of three), and gave every incentive for the most competitive to gather together in one of them. There was no balancing mechanism, and so SVERThis was a fantastic experiment in large-scale FPS action. It shines in rewarding team coordination, and in capturing the scale of its largest battles. A fundamental flaw that was never addressed was that MAG locked a player into a faction (one of three), and gave every incentive for the most competitive to gather together in one of them. There was no balancing mechanism, and so SVER became, and remained, the "easy mode" for MAG. The oft cited map and weapon inequity issues are minimal or nonexistent; the fundamentals of this game are excellent, and if they'd added a real incentive to balance factions I would still be playing it.… Expand
  25. The_Schnelks
    Aug 29, 2011
    8
    Overall MAG is a much better game now than when it was first released. I got it at launch and I would have initially given it a 6.5. Now I would give it an 8-9. Don't read any of the initial reviews from the release. The game is totally different from then. The skill tree is huge, with so many skills that even with 70 points (level 70, highest level) with each skill worth 1 point, youOverall MAG is a much better game now than when it was first released. I got it at launch and I would have initially given it a 6.5. Now I would give it an 8-9. Don't read any of the initial reviews from the release. The game is totally different from then. The skill tree is huge, with so many skills that even with 70 points (level 70, highest level) with each skill worth 1 point, you can't get them all. There is now a currency system that allows buying weapons, equipment, accessories, uniforms, etc. Maps are much more balanced now that any faction can attack or defend any map in any game type. There are 5 game types, with two game types available as DLC. One is free, the other is 4.99. Both are worth it, but they don't normally have high traffic.

    The gameplay is good, lag is non existent. My only gripe would be that SVER seems to have markedly better players. At first I had attributed this to map imbalance, but with the changes this can't be true anymore. The other PMCs (Raven and Valor) seem to have less skilled players and playing with them can be frustrating. The developer has no control over who/how many join which faction. I think that many of the reviewers here started with Raven or Valor, struggled hard, and gave up. Those that stick around will find a game that has good team based gameplay with plenty of skills, weapons, and maps to stay interested. Just be aware, if you join Raven or Valor, be prepared to be challenged. I've played with all three, and am finally with SVER after playing through the other two. SVER wins most matches, and dominates some. If you think you have what it takes, play Raven or Valor, join up with friends and prepare for the largest maps and games ever. Just be aware that its not COD Black Ops with smaller maps and more intense close action. With this many people, you are going to get killed sometime by the fact that you are outnumbered. COD Blops is a game where you can definitely succeed on your own. In MAG, even if you are not communicating (no headset) you can still follow squad objectives to help the team and score more XP. If you start out, with no skills, and try to run in guns blazing all the time you will get frustrated. I don't think all gamers really even want to play team based games, they just want high kills and to "pwn". For those that want more, try MAG. At the price the game is at now, you don't have much to lose.    … Expand
  26. NomaDz
    Aug 10, 2011
    1
    Zipper and Sony Sell this game on PSN in Europe, Australia and Asia. Shame they closed ALL Servers OUT SIDE OF THE USA. Until around June last year I might have given MAG an 8/10, Shame Sony and Zipper Doesn't care to provide the same equal service to those which bought the game in their own countries OUTSIDE of USA to find themselves forced to play on U.S servers with an Average ofZipper and Sony Sell this game on PSN in Europe, Australia and Asia. Shame they closed ALL Servers OUT SIDE OF THE USA. Until around June last year I might have given MAG an 8/10, Shame Sony and Zipper Doesn't care to provide the same equal service to those which bought the game in their own countries OUTSIDE of USA to find themselves forced to play on U.S servers with an Average of 200>300+ ms PING! Futhermore Zipper NEVER Commented on this fact on their Official Forums, likewise about the Euro Servers for Socom 4, These DEVS should understand how important it is to have a Dedicated server on a Regional/Local level especially due to the fact that this game is an ONLINE ONLY FPS. Therefore to provide European Players without the same service as US players is ridiculously. FPS games and high pings just don't mix. It's bad enough with P2P games but this game without Dedicated servers in Europe and Australia just takes the piss.… Expand
  27. pre_-cision-_
    Aug 6, 2011
    8
    Having played the MAG beta to much I never purchased this game at launch. Well here I am now and well this game is really underrated still to this day. However the only good gamemode in this game is the 256 domination matches hence the reason you would want to buy this game to begin wtih for the large scale warfare. Im being serious tho, every other gamemode is complete crap.
  28. godWhisperer
    May 20, 2011
    10
    after the psn outage i came back to this masterpiece and was moved to write a review on metacritic. other online fps are momentarily cool and exciting but MAG will always be the best. the depth of customization is staggering, and it's awe-inspiring to start off a domination match and see all your teammates piling out onto the battlefield. just so cool. the whole thing is cool- an ongoingafter the psn outage i came back to this masterpiece and was moved to write a review on metacritic. other online fps are momentarily cool and exciting but MAG will always be the best. the depth of customization is staggering, and it's awe-inspiring to start off a domination match and see all your teammates piling out onto the battlefield. just so cool. the whole thing is cool- an ongoing war for contracts between factions that stay with you so you really want your team to win. it's amazing to me that this game never took off as it's the most fun you can have with a military shooter. i could go on and on but you can read many of the other reviews here to see all the ways that MAG is the best.… Expand
  29. flonig23
    May 12, 2011
    10
    1000 hours. enough said...
  30. chrism7
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    MAG is a great game with a very steep learning curve. Most will give up because they find it too difficult at a low level and will go back to cod. Those that stay and learn the game will find out how amazing MAG really is. Clans are a really good way to learn the game and level up quickly. Don't play this game solo!

    Valor Coalition
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Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Best PS3 Game of 2010
8
#8 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2010
91
#91 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 83 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 83
  3. Negative: 0 out of 83
  1. Destructoid
    80
    Massive Action Game delivers on the promise of its name. It's certainly massive, and there is more than enough action to go around. MAG's biggest draw, however, is that it's perfect for both hardcore multiplayer FPS fans and newcomers alike.
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  2. TheSixthAxis
    80
    The challenge of branding MAG with a number (much smaller than its trademarked 256 and between 1 and 10) to denote its quality is akin to rating World of Warcraft after a weekend of gold-farming, long before the full majesty of the game has blossomed and shown its true potential. The best we can do is rate our early impressions, undoubtedly influenced by the game’s prospects for the future.
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  3. Meristation
    80
    256 players in the same battlefield is clearly a new step beyond what console online gaming was offering. Spectacular in its size, MAG allows at the same time a deep approach for the hardcore FPS lovers, and also an easier gameplay appealing for those more casual action gamers. The lack of any non-online mode can limit its influence, and the visuals are not over the top, but in the end, MAG achieves success delivering the closest experience to fighting on a living battlefield.
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