Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 57 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 57
  3. Negative: 11 out of 57

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  1. ChezNate
    Jul 2, 2012
    3
    Tap your wallet, cast "weak iteration". I liked the last two offerings of the MTG series, and like the game in general. This year's offering is slowly turning this series into the Tiger Woods of arcade games. It takes out the content that was enjoyable in the previous offerings, adds new features that a boring/repetitve/broken and does nothing to address the failings of the previousTap your wallet, cast "weak iteration". I liked the last two offerings of the MTG series, and like the game in general. This year's offering is slowly turning this series into the Tiger Woods of arcade games. It takes out the content that was enjoyable in the previous offerings, adds new features that a boring/repetitve/broken and does nothing to address the failings of the previous iteration. Gone is most mutli-colored decks and artifact decks. They even have less decks available than in the previous game. The decks they do offer are fairly vanilla mono color decks (mostly) that harp on one trick and one trick only for making them usable. Dooming them against any deck that counters that trick. Plane chase is horrible. Repeat HORRIBLE. Even if you get your deck tuned up for playing well in this broken format, it still takes way to long to play a game. Every die roll, plane effect and plane change add tons of tedium to the game. Playing one duel for an hour just to have to play it again as the AI decides to join forces against you (which they almost ALWAYS do) is not frustrating, its broken. They never add a deck editor that is value adding, and they don't import decks from previous versions. You can't even tweak how many lands you get to put in your deck. Basically, each year this series takes a great concept and dumbs it down in hopes of suckering new players into buying real cards. If they wanted to truly showcase how good this game can be, they'd stop holding you back and let you experience the creativity and ingenuity that is the hallmark of this game. And they won't if we keep giving them money for brain-dead iterations. Vote with your wallet and abstain this year. Maybe they will hear us and make a better game next year.… Expand
  2. Zentriefugal
    Jun 25, 2012
    0
    In fact, that there is still no real deck customization there was no reason to bring up another version of this game. I bought all the pre versions but this time there is no need of it.
  3. Pecheckler
    Jun 21, 2012
    0
    There is still no deck customization. This alone changes the essence of what magic the gathering is, the possible strategies are just too limited without customization. Gameplay is predictable, not that that is unexpected. This doesn't hold a candle to magic the gathering online.
  4. LostDogsHG
    Aug 13, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Absolutely terrible. Honestly not trying to talk smack but IDK how anyone who played any of the older versions gave this a good review, my buddies are of the same opinion. If you have never played any of the older versions you might be ok with this one. I was so amped about 2013 b/c of how good 2012 was I didn't bother to read any of the reviews before purchasing (BIG MISTAKE) - not to mention there are very little players left on the older versions once the new ones come out. 2012 vastly superior (and without taking into account the glitches that plagued the first one, I even prefer original magic to this years edition). There are less decks - even with the remaining decks offered, everyone really sticks to about a core 4 decks, so everyone is playing the same decks in matches. There is a real lacking of strategic value left to playing these decks - it seems more like a matter of luck, hoping the other person doesn't stumble upon the major gimmicky card in their deck before you get yours. I don't want to go all day giving examples of the horribly gimmicky cards, but stuff like "make 6 copies of a creature already on the battlefield blah blah blah" the match is basically over for the most part when one of these insanely inane cards show up. Multi-colored decks not evident anymore. All the intriguing and diverse gaming methods from 2012 completely gone, very few of the older decks/cards that were popular and likeable were brought along for the ride. It seems like the creaters became addicted to the idea of making new cards/decks at whatever cost was necessary, whether it diminished overall game play or not. You don't have to make entirely new decks just for the sake of it - really obvious in their attempt to sell new decks rather than improving game play. Really the only thing it seems they improved upon was technical issues and the flow of gameplay (not having to press Y at every phase so it holds up the game, better able to view enchantments attached to creatures, etc.), but those were issues that they had largerly solved or improved upon in 2012 already. Lack of deck customization, gameplay and match execution very predictable, lot of repetition to each deck. Personally, I am a fan of the black deck - TERRIBLE now. If this is the path for improvement their planning on taking every year from now on, I am genuinely nervous about what 2014 might look like, bc it may result in me giving up on Magic on Xbox altogether. I went back to playing magic 2012 and started friending every person I saw on there to make sure I had players to face on a consistent basis. VERY big hassle, but thats how utterly disappointed I am and unsatisfied with Magic 2013 game play altogether.… Expand
  5. TheJoker
    Aug 21, 2012
    3
    Having played this for the first time in the 2012 version I was really excited to see this one released - never have I been so disappointed with a follow up! The new decks are too simple and even though they have 30 cards to unlock this is actually more of a hindrance than a help. Even the layout seems poorly designed, they have made some changes which are useful but general far lessHaving played this for the first time in the 2012 version I was really excited to see this one released - never have I been so disappointed with a follow up! The new decks are too simple and even though they have 30 cards to unlock this is actually more of a hindrance than a help. Even the layout seems poorly designed, they have made some changes which are useful but general far less favourable than the 2012 version. Poor effort I'm afraid… Expand
  6. Sinistar6
    Oct 16, 2012
    3
    I long for the days of Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds. The best part of the card game is making a deck and dueling. When I play I want to win or lose with the deck I created!!!!! And that ladies and gentleman is the problem with these digital portrayals of MTG, they take the most fun creative element of the card game out of the digital version. It is like playing Fantasy FootballI long for the days of Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds. The best part of the card game is making a deck and dueling. When I play I want to win or lose with the deck I created!!!!! And that ladies and gentleman is the problem with these digital portrayals of MTG, they take the most fun creative element of the card game out of the digital version. It is like playing Fantasy Football with no draft, cake without frosting, this feels like a free trial!!! Deck building is a key skill in MTG that this version just decides to completely overlook. And to finish my rant what is with them adding a new dynamic every 2 weeks, i long for the days of just trample and first strike... Whats next, how about "flamboyancy" where if your card has any pink on it it cant be blocked by anything masculine.… Expand
  7. Mikester7
    Nov 19, 2012
    4
    Some nice changes that were needed such as the whole land tap choice, but overall the decks are totally boring with frustrating cards. The bugs that plagued 2012 that would ruin one in three games still seem to be there which gives the hint that they really didn't care. Not overly surprising though, video game franchises that are on a yearly release pattern are always half assed. Lack ofSome nice changes that were needed such as the whole land tap choice, but overall the decks are totally boring with frustrating cards. The bugs that plagued 2012 that would ruin one in three games still seem to be there which gives the hint that they really didn't care. Not overly surprising though, video game franchises that are on a yearly release pattern are always half assed. Lack of deck customization is still a glaring flaw in 2013.… Expand
  8. Kriostyx
    Feb 2, 2014
    1
    I had never played MTG before in any form before this, but picked up the basics and nuances quite fast from this game and the normal campaign mode taught me important lessons about using the correct deck for each different duel.

    And then the "revenge campaign" happened. It is reasonable to feel that in order to actually beat this game, you have to go through the Revenge Campaign as    I had never played MTG before in any form before this, but picked up the basics and nuances quite fast from this game and the normal campaign mode taught me important lessons about using the correct deck for each different duel.

    And then the "revenge campaign" happened.

    It is reasonable to feel that in order to actually beat this game, you have to go through the Revenge Campaign as well. It is basically a rerun of all the duels from the normal campaign but harder. Unfortunately they went way overboard with how much the AI cheats. It is true that in order to create challenging duels in a mainly luck-based card game one has to stack the deck a little bit in the AI's favor, but they just didn't know when to stop. What they ended up coding into this game was a solution where the AI doesn't actually use a deck, but simply runs an algorithm that has a 19/20 chance to pull from the bit-space (or in other words from a pool of 60 cards or so) the exact card/cards to win the duel, while taking into consideration what you have on the board or in your hand and even in your library. Your card draws are either random or simply useless by design no matter how well you have built your deck to a specific duel. You really can't do much if you draw 10 land cards in a row and nothing else. When all this cheating AI business comes apparent, the game stops being about skill, tactics, preparation or the choosing of deck. It is simply about having the patience to hit "play again" dozens of times until the AI finally decides that this is the one moment out of fifty when it does not rig the game into 100% win. I'm sorry, that is terrible game design, because unbeatable duels means that this is not a game most of the time. Only a frustrating product of terrible coding. Of course one can beat this game, but as I said : It has nothing to do with skill, the game simply finally let's you win after 50 retries if you *then* know what you're doing. Every other fight the game just wastes your time and patience.

    A terrible game. Challenging would be fun. Unbeatable cheating AI in 49/50 cases of some duels (Odric and Krenko for example on Revenge Campaign) is just a failure in coding. Do. Not. Buy. This.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

56
#56 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
83
#83 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Aug 18, 2012
    70
    Another fun installment, but it's all starting to feel a little too predictable. [Issue#88, p.82]
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Aug 12, 2012
    80
    A better way to learn how to play. [Sept 2012, p.102]
  3. Impulsegamer
    Jul 25, 2012
    78
    With that being said, the game is good, it is very good and would be a perfect start to a player's introduction into a cards battle game, and the world of Magic the Gathering. It has plenty of challenges to throw at experienced players and enough here to teach newbies to defend themselves in deck combat.
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