TL;DR: For $10, this is a satisfying buy. Online multiplayer: There's 2, 3, or 4 machines free-for-all, or 2 players on one machines vs. 2 players on another. Easy to get into games; haven't encountered any networking troubles connecting to friends across continents. Control scheme is tough at first. No significant deck editing, but the prebuilts aren't bad.
I was a big fan of the 1997TL;DR: For $10, this is a satisfying buy. Online multiplayer: There's 2, 3, or 4 machines free-for-all, or 2 players on one machines vs. 2 players on another. Easy to get into games; haven't encountered any networking troubles connecting to friends across continents. Control scheme is tough at first. No significant deck editing, but the prebuilts aren't bad.
I was a big fan of the 1997 Duels of the Planeswalkers, so when this showed up on the PSN I was very excited. Unfortunately, this is not the same game as the 1997 PC software. It does not in any way resemble the older game beyond its affiliation with MTG cards. That said, the new Duels game is a fairly polished, entertaining way to dip back into the nostalgia of MTG cards without needing to buy, manage, and find like-minded opponents with real decks.
The new sanitized design is a lot different from the old game's. As dorky as they were, I enjoyed the adventure maps of the 1997 classic. You walked around the world with your deck of cards and fought battles by running into sprites. In the new Duels, the Campaign mode is simply a ladder of opponents you climb, one at a time, a la Mortal Kombat. Controlling MTG games with a controller includes a bit of a learning curve. The timing system especially keeps you on your toes. You only have a few seconds after each effect to cast counterspells or Giant Growth your attacker after blockers are declared. The first handful of games are extremely frustrating because you weren't able to employ your intended strategy just because of unfamiliarity with the controls and interface. After you catch on, though, the game is playable.
Other reviewers have already mentioned the deck editing in this game: You play with prebuilt decks, and only a very small amount of customization is available. Some ten or so decks appear to be available in the base purchase, with 3 more decks per expansion pack on the PSN. If you want to play "real" MTG, this will disappoint you. However, if you just want to play casually, the prebuilt stuff is a relief, because it means the game is just pick-up-and-go. Decks feel fairly balanced; it's as easy to lose as win against the campaign AI, and you'll probably restart some matches when you aren't drawing what you want. I only wish there was a "random" deck choice option in multiplayer to make matches feel a little more like drafting.
Finally, in regards to multiplayer, I was relieved to find that matchmaking is painless. I never had trouble inviting friends to games, even ones behind routers, which is a big difference from trouble I've had on some other PSN titles. 3- and 4-player matches are possible, too, with 3 or 4 machines, and there is a "Two-Headed Giant" match in which 2 players on each of two machines compete online.… Expand
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