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. NickC.
    Jan 28, 2010
    10
    This is really incomparable to games like MW2. If you play call of duty style you will hate this game die a lot. If you at least attempt to work along with your teammates and form strategies it becomes one of the best experiences you can get from a FPS. Even if your not the best FPS player, you can still do decent and have fun in this game.
  2. BenM.
    Feb 3, 2010
    9
    MAG is not MW2. Let me repeat this again. MAG is NOT MW2! The comparisons need to stop, as the two games have different goals and styles, and only share guns and xp as common ground. I've run into more than enough people in-game complaining that MW2 did this or that better. One fellow was swearing and screaming because he couldn't climb up rocks, which apparently MW2 allowed. MAG is not MW2. Let me repeat this again. MAG is NOT MW2! The comparisons need to stop, as the two games have different goals and styles, and only share guns and xp as common ground. I've run into more than enough people in-game complaining that MW2 did this or that better. One fellow was swearing and screaming because he couldn't climb up rocks, which apparently MW2 allowed. But this isn't Modern Warfare 2. This is MAG. MAG is a team-based tactical online FPS. Emphasis on the team. You can choose to go solo, but you risk being the link that breaks the chain of command and sends your team to death at the hands of the opposing faction. Or not. It's entirely dependent on how skilled and connected your other teammates are. With a poor squad, you can leave open defenses long enough for the attackers to gain the footing they need for a push, jeopardizing your victory. But with a well-informed and cooperative team, you become part of the Shadow War, playing your part to bring victory to your faction. Everything comes together once you join a clan. It can be you and a few of your friends, or a larger community based on certain characteristics. But clans bring a cohesive, steady unit to the game, with the familiarity of the same squadmates. Learn how to play with your friends, and you can become an unstoppable fighting force, able to defend any objective and capture any control point. Being in a clan is not required, but the differences can make or break your impressions of the game. And teamwork is valuable, to both yourself and your squad. You're rewarded more xp for healing and reviving squad members (10 XP per revive), and completing FRAGO objectives that your Squad Leader set (double XP) than outright killing. Unlike any other online FPS out there, I almost never heard people ripping on one another based on (lack of) skill. Instead, I heard players calling out for medics, giving their location, and thanking the medics once they were revived! This is new, untread ground. And amazing too, considering the abrasive nature of online gaming. As much as I'd like to recommend MAG to any FPS fan, I can't tell you to get it if you want a game like Modern Warfare 2. I can suggest that you rent it, and hope that you'll approach it with a fresh set of eyes, not tainted by what MW2 is. But that is entirely up to you. And I hope you do give it a chance, since we need more fighters in the Shadow War.… Expand
  3. superste2201
    Mar 15, 2011
    10
    Purely amazing & currently the best fps in the market.

    MAG is an amazing unique fps, the 'domination' game mode is my personal favourite. This is the game mode with 256 players .However you do not feel lost. You know what your target is. Everything flows perfectly in this game. As with all the game modes. I highly recommend to anyone.
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. SamL
    Feb 2, 2010
    9
    This game rocks. No, it's not a normal FPS. So don't expect Call of Duty. Some people have said this game lacks variety. It's a war game. Does real war have capture the flag? No. If you want to play a game, play Call of Duty. If you want to experience a war game, play MAG.
  8. J.Frosty
    Jan 28, 2010
    10
    Very good FPS for people looking for a more team based shooter on a massive battle scale. If you like to run and gun then this game is not for you(EX. Halo,COD:MW1-2) I recommend this only for mature parties who are not afraid of teamwork,cooperation, and strategy. The graphics are fine, I have a 50" LED TV. The learning curve is steep, but once you get the hang of things you will find it Very good FPS for people looking for a more team based shooter on a massive battle scale. If you like to run and gun then this game is not for you(EX. Halo,COD:MW1-2) I recommend this only for mature parties who are not afraid of teamwork,cooperation, and strategy. The graphics are fine, I have a 50" LED TV. The learning curve is steep, but once you get the hang of things you will find it very hard to go back to run-n-gun fps titles… Expand
  9. WillG
    Feb 1, 2010
    10
    A truly brilliant online game. 128 v 128 is incredible. This game is nothing like MW2, it is a tactical shooter. It has a score of 78 on here, but that is ridiculous considering there were reviews released on the first day, before people had even reached the level required to play in a 128 v 128 match.
  10. TheoP
    Feb 2, 2010
    10
    This game has depth, and involves skill. If you enjoy Call of Duty, because of the reaction shooter gameplay, and the fact that you can be decent at it in 10 minutes, you will hate this. You have to put some serious hours into this game to get the most out of it. Once you understand the mechanics of the game, and play with friends in a coordinated way, you will start to enjoy this game This game has depth, and involves skill. If you enjoy Call of Duty, because of the reaction shooter gameplay, and the fact that you can be decent at it in 10 minutes, you will hate this. You have to put some serious hours into this game to get the most out of it. Once you understand the mechanics of the game, and play with friends in a coordinated way, you will start to enjoy this game greatly. A headset is nearly essential to get the most out of this game. The controls take a bit to get used to, but are more effective and can be more fun than other control schemes used by other shooters. This game is a love it/hate it game, and not everyone will like it. Unless you prefer going Rambo style, this game is brilliant, if you are willing to play the game properly. It has a few faults, but none of them really ruin the gameplay, which is better than any FPS I have ever played.… Expand
  11. JohnM.
    Jan 26, 2010
    9
    I have to say that this game is intense. It caters to the hardcore and the strategic mind. Play together or fail together is the only option. At the end of the day, the game has some flaws. However, with how many people are packed into the game it's hard not to begrudge them a little leeway. I refuse to judge this game on what some matches will be like but rather on the ones that the I have to say that this game is intense. It caters to the hardcore and the strategic mind. Play together or fail together is the only option. At the end of the day, the game has some flaws. However, with how many people are packed into the game it's hard not to begrudge them a little leeway. I refuse to judge this game on what some matches will be like but rather on the ones that the game is supposed to be like. And in that the game is amazing. This is not a twitch shooter, patience is required. You can not run in and kill everything and the amount of people in the game at one time makes for some hectic fighting sequences. This game is not for everyone...People who mostly play MW2 and KZ2, Halo and Gears, will have a bit of a learners curve. Some will get it right away, others will have to grow into it. This is an amazing game and as long as people learn how to play it...it should lead to some interesting moments.… Expand
  12. ClintonH.
    Jan 27, 2010
    9
    Great game. Not without some issues such as long spawn times, and some balancing issues with the weapons, but very fun.
  13. MysticStrummer
    Jan 27, 2010
    9
    Gotta love people who say it's tough to understand what to do in MAG. The game only puts the objective on your screen as a flashing icon at all times AND uses an AI voice to annouce what your objective is AND has mics implemented so you can ask one of your squad mates if you still can't figure it out. MAG is awesome. It doesn't reinvent the genre and it's not perfect, Gotta love people who say it's tough to understand what to do in MAG. The game only puts the objective on your screen as a flashing icon at all times AND uses an AI voice to annouce what your objective is AND has mics implemented so you can ask one of your squad mates if you still can't figure it out. MAG is awesome. It doesn't reinvent the genre and it's not perfect, but it puts you into a huge battle instead of a minor skirmish... without lag or framerate issues I might add. Any review less than an 8 is suspect in my opinion, and somewhere in the 8.5 to 9 range is where I would put it. Great fun.… Expand
  14. TonyP
    Jan 27, 2010
    2
    A prime example of Sony over-hyping your typical very below average shooter. Laggy controls on top of lackluster game types makes this game fail short of almost any shooter I have ever played. If you want large battles with actual teamwork, go play Battlefield 2. Also no one talks on this game. Mostly the PS3s fault but also the demographic of this game appeals to the people who lack the A prime example of Sony over-hyping your typical very below average shooter. Laggy controls on top of lackluster game types makes this game fail short of almost any shooter I have ever played. If you want large battles with actual teamwork, go play Battlefield 2. Also no one talks on this game. Mostly the PS3s fault but also the demographic of this game appeals to the people who lack the knowledge to hook up a blue-tooth device.… Expand
  15. IanV.
    Jan 27, 2010
    10
    I find this game incredibly engrossing and flat-out fun. The gameplay is strategic and deep. The graphics are amazing when considering all that's going on. Also, surprisingly, the communication among squadmates is pretty much unrivaled on the PS3. If you have this game, please get a microphone. While I'm Raven, I find it incredibly awesome that Perttu and Mikko of Apocalyptica I find this game incredibly engrossing and flat-out fun. The gameplay is strategic and deep. The graphics are amazing when considering all that's going on. Also, surprisingly, the communication among squadmates is pretty much unrivaled on the PS3. If you have this game, please get a microphone. While I'm Raven, I find it incredibly awesome that Perttu and Mikko of Apocalyptica wrote the score for the opening cinematic and soundtrack for S.V.E.R. I recommend this to everyone who is tired of the arcade trend set very well by Counter Strike and Call of Duty in favor of a squad-based, strategy shooter. It's great. :)… Expand
  16. JustinC.
    Jan 28, 2010
    3
    256 players is the draw, to bad they didn't supply a good shooter to back up the large numbers that can play this... got me a trade in I guess. Should have came to Metacritic earlier before buying to learn up on it :(
  17. MattM.
    Jan 28, 2010
    9
    This game is amazing. If you're a COD fanboy, who likes to run and gun and be a one man team, please DO NOT buy MAG. MAG relies on each player knowing what their job is, and having the ability to get it done. Teamwork is key. To everyone complaining about long spawn times... God forbid you get punished for dying! Soldiers spawn in waves, so you could wait up to 20 seconds to respawn, This game is amazing. If you're a COD fanboy, who likes to run and gun and be a one man team, please DO NOT buy MAG. MAG relies on each player knowing what their job is, and having the ability to get it done. Teamwork is key. To everyone complaining about long spawn times... God forbid you get punished for dying! Soldiers spawn in waves, so you could wait up to 20 seconds to respawn, but you may end up re-spawning instantly. As for the graphics, of course they're not as good as a game like MW2, but MW2 doesn't have 256 players running around on the map. All in all, I highly recommend this game, and wish people would stop trashing it based on ridiculous expectations and things that are beyond the developers' control (such as players not working as a team)… Expand
  18. SethB.
    Jan 29, 2010
    2
    Zipper Interactive shows their true colors with this garbage. I have not seen such a bug infested game since Quake 2 was released and the multi-player didn
  19. WhiteTiger
    Feb 1, 2010
    1
    HAZE 2!!! Its a freak game, poor graphics and the sound is terrible... 256 players this is not the way of good game!!
  20. MattN.
    Feb 1, 2010
    9
    This is my favorite shooter since battlefield 1943. Finally a game the requires be to work together for the benefit of all instead of lone wolfing it like most games. The gameplay isn't that complicated just think cod with no lag and a hit detection system that actually works. The game has only been out for a little less than a week and i have easily poured over 20 hours into this This is my favorite shooter since battlefield 1943. Finally a game the requires be to work together for the benefit of all instead of lone wolfing it like most games. The gameplay isn't that complicated just think cod with no lag and a hit detection system that actually works. The game has only been out for a little less than a week and i have easily poured over 20 hours into this game. My only complaint over this game is the fact that their are some respawn issues, but I hear that if you play with the internet plugged directly into the PS3. Heres hoping they get the few glitches in the game fixed.… Expand
  21. GregL
    Feb 2, 2010
    9
    This game is way better than the ratings it has received. I have been around awhile, all COD's, socoms, battlefields...yada, yada. This game actually pulled me away form CODMW2 and I thought that this would never happen. Yes It does take some getting used to but the whole teamwork concept was what I was after. Most people do work together, the weapons are cool, aim is true. I believe This game is way better than the ratings it has received. I have been around awhile, all COD's, socoms, battlefields...yada, yada. This game actually pulled me away form CODMW2 and I thought that this would never happen. Yes It does take some getting used to but the whole teamwork concept was what I was after. Most people do work together, the weapons are cool, aim is true. I believe all these ratings are skewed because they were not basing this on the game on hand but the beta. I an surely attest that this game deserves at least a 9, is fun to play and you won't put it down for a long time.… Expand
  22. DanielT.
    Jan 27, 2010
    2
    Kinda disappointing. sure it has the capability for lots of players playing at once, but its no executed correctly. kinda frantic, kinda confusing, but not a whole lot of fun. rent first before even considering buying.
  23. MikeS.
    Jan 27, 2010
    10
    MAG is the future of online FPSs... and it's available now! Honestly, this is a great game... plain and simple. Some will complain, "It's not like MW2," and "this isn't like any online shooter I've played before!" EXACTLY! This is MAG, it's own beast and the benchmark for online games to come period. It works as promised. It's beautiful to behold. Check this MAG is the future of online FPSs... and it's available now! Honestly, this is a great game... plain and simple. Some will complain, "It's not like MW2," and "this isn't like any online shooter I've played before!" EXACTLY! This is MAG, it's own beast and the benchmark for online games to come period. It works as promised. It's beautiful to behold. Check this game out if the idea of the FPS genre being sent back to the drawing board excites you! Be prepared for a ton of imitators.… Expand
  24. AlexS.
    Jan 31, 2010
    9
    I think most game journalists missed something when they essentially dismissed MAG. It's exactly what I've been looking for. MW2 is too fast and twitch based. Op Flash is just broken. MAG is the perfect combo, it supports any play style and encourages tactics. And looks great, runs at a solid framerate and sounds great. Other than a few distance drawing issues with graphics, I think most game journalists missed something when they essentially dismissed MAG. It's exactly what I've been looking for. MW2 is too fast and twitch based. Op Flash is just broken. MAG is the perfect combo, it supports any play style and encourages tactics. And looks great, runs at a solid framerate and sounds great. Other than a few distance drawing issues with graphics, it's as solid as it needs to be. Most underrated game of 2010, calling it now.… Expand
  25. TimS.
    Jan 31, 2010
    10
    Love it or hate it I love it. Cant wait for DLC or whatever else Zipper has in store. Been playing since beta, and even though not much has changed beyond that I would gladly buy it again. I think it is one of the best games I own. Lot of 360 fans automatically hate it because it is not COD and it is not on their system. I will get more hours out of this than anything else on my system.
  26. gobbybobby
    Sep 9, 2010
    10
    MAG is a great game that has really got better over the years. Its a shame Day 1 reviews seal the fate of a game as reviews would have been better. Mag is a great team based game where you can play in games with up to 255 other people. Once you have given it some time you can lead, talk to, and do game changing things as the person in charge of the 127 others on your team. The peopleMAG is a great game that has really got better over the years. Its a shame Day 1 reviews seal the fate of a game as reviews would have been better. Mag is a great team based game where you can play in games with up to 255 other people. Once you have given it some time you can lead, talk to, and do game changing things as the person in charge of the 127 others on your team. The people saying it is confusing have got it all wrong! I advice watching a youtube video explaining each game mode, especially if you want to be a squad leader for the first time. With double XP for 1 hour of play each day, and bonus XP for going in via a scrtain playlist leveling up does not take half as long as some of the reviews state. The game is well worth a buy and I would say a Must if you own a PS3. It is soon to get a massive update making things a bit better. There are still some bugs, this one here ''but the game forgets to re-spawn you. So, for the remainder of this 20 min round you walk around unable to respawn'' Is easy to get around, just press start then R3 to ''kill yourself'' and then you respawn. No big deal it does not happen often. The best thing about MAG is the scale. The domination game mode in which 128 players must either attack of defend a Fuel depo is the best, The game lasts a full 30 mins and is very fun. Balance was an issue at launch, but with updates this has been changed. If you are looking for a FPS, with scale, and not just ''kill people to win'' this is the one for you (tho there is a game mode 32 players VS 32 players)… Expand
  27. Zeph
    Mar 27, 2011
    9
    This game is probably one of the greatest FPS games out there. It is very different in strategy than CoD. Success relies on how effective you work together, and that is one of the greatest things that you can get in a FPS game. The one issue I have about the game is... it has the stupidest and most retarded music I have EVER heard in a war game.
  28. Plymco_Pilgrim
    Nov 19, 2010
    10
    Excellent Game.

    If you are the type of gamer that is easily bored by the small nature and lack of tactics in many of today's online shooters than this game is for you. You have medics, objectives, large battles with 128 players PER TEAM, and the maps make it so you ahve to use tactics. It also takes a while to level all the way up and earn credits to buy all the guns and gear.    Excellent Game.

    If you are the type of gamer that is easily bored by the small nature and lack of tactics in many of today's online shooters than this game is for you.

    You have medics, objectives, large battles with 128 players PER TEAM, and the maps make it so you ahve to use tactics.

    It also takes a while to level all the way up and earn credits to buy all the guns and gear. I personally loved warhawk due to the length of time it took to be a general...now mag doesn't take nearly that long but its longer than your average shooter.

    I would suggest this to any gamer who is looking for a unique and addictive online experience out of a shooter.    … Expand
  29. 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.
  30. Celestics
    Feb 3, 2011
    9
    Frankly, MAG is an FPS game unlike many others in the world today. What takes me by surprise is the reality of the battles and the intuitive style of gameplay. The main aspect of the MAG is its emphasis on the team rather than the individual, and I say this truly adds to the gameâ
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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.
    Read full review
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