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[Llyranor]

What the freak, man? There's no online co-op campaign (only local). There isn't even online co-op Two-Headed Giant (only you + guest on same box vs other online players).

What the crap is this?

 

[NovemberMike]

it would be fun that's what it would be.

I really wish I could do something like Skullclamp affinity that can kill a player turn 4-5 easily or Tolarian Academy combo that can pull off turn 1 wins.

Or even just a real sligh deck. Just something thats a bit more consistent than this shit.

 

[sonicmj1]

I like playing Magic, even without the customization and stuff. So I went and purchased the game.

It's pretty good. It plays well. The AI will fall for anything, probably because it's made to punish new players for obvious bad plays, and not to detect traps from experienced people.

I've unlocked all the mono-colored decks at this point. At least judging by the experience of playing against the computer, the black deck is the clear frontrunner of those options. There's a reason you get it last. While I could breeze past most of my other opponents, the black deck matches always gave me headaches, due to the copious discard and large number of very powerful threats.

One slightly annoying thing emerges from the way phases are set up. Playing the blue deck, I had a Boomerang and countermagic in my hand, and only two mana available. I was facing down a large creature. My opponent had enough mana open to replay the creature if I bounced it on his turn. In a normal duel, there's a phase at the end of the player's turn where only instants can be played, so I could have bounced it then and had all my mana open on my turn. But in this game, that phase doesn't exist. As a result, I had to wait until my turn to bounce him, which left me less mana available to do other things. Kinda annoying.

It's going to take a while to unlock all the cards for each deck. You have to complete a ton of matches to get them. Considering how slow the games are, I don't know if I'll have the patience.

I liked the challenge mode. The puzzles weren't super-hard, but they were clever, and forced you to really consider the whole board. I'd love to see more released, and it wouldn't be difficult to add extras.

Once I get the decks and build up the cards for them, I'll try heading online, and see how the game goes.

 

[Quixzlizx]

One slightly annoying thing emerges from the way phases are set up. Playing the blue deck, I had a Boomerang and countermagic in my hand, and only two mana available. I was facing down a large creature. My opponent had enough mana open to replay the creature if I bounced it on his turn. In a normal duel, there's a phase at the end of the player's turn where only instants can be played, so I could have bounced it then and had all my mana open on my turn. But in this game, that phase doesn't exist. As a result, I had to wait until my turn to bounce him, which left me less mana available to do other things. Kinda annoying.

How could they not include this? Has this phase been taken out of the game in recent years?

 

[XiaNaphryz]

I heard that the foil rare you get as a gift for snagging this will likely be worth well more than the price of the game download - is that accurate?

 

[sonicmj1]

How could they not include this? Has this phase been taken out of the game in recent years?

Well, in this XBLA game, they tried to streamline things a lot. Both players act simultaneously in all phases, for instance, instead of people passing priority. The upkeep and end step got lost in the shuffle.

It's disappointing here, but I can assure you that the end step and upkeep are alive and well in paper Magic and MTGO.

 

[ElyrionX]

I never played much MtG when I was younger but I've always been itching to play some in the past couple of years. I just don't have any friends that are into these sort of things so this XBLA thing is a godsend.

Also, since I never really got into the game, I don't know a lot of the basic strategies. It was really fun to see how some decks are seemingly powerful at first, only to get destroyed later on by a different type of deck.

 

[PantherLotus]

Is there a way to get this without XBLA?

 

[Deleted member 10571]

I never played much MtG when I was younger but I've always been itching to play some in the past couple of years. I just don't have any friends that are into these sort of things so this XBLA thing is a godsend.

Also, since I never really got into the game, I don't know a lot of the basic strategies. It was really fun to see how some decks are seemingly powerful at first, only to get destroyed later on by a different type of deck.

This describes my opinion almost perfectly

At first I was all like "hell, I LOVE the red deck!", then "well, the white one is pretty awesome, too" and now I can't wait to get my hands on the black and mixed decks.

What I didn't recall from my few Magic card games in my long forgotten past: there are so many cards directly dealing with the players life points. White pumps my life up with all these angels and artifacts, black does the same a bit less _but_ lowers the life of my opponent. Also throwing in "you can't do shit" spells right at the beginning of my enemys phase ist insane fun!

edit: Lotus: no.

 

[PantherLotus]

Can I get on XBLA for free?

 

[bistromathics]

I sent Patrick Buckland an email asking why the deck building/modification was not put into this game

his answer:

"Yes, you hit the nail on the head when you suggest that the lack of card removal was for reasons of deck balance. To be honest, I also felt the same way as you originally (being also a jaded old Magic player!), and fought against the decision during the design phase with Wizards. However they were adamant that the Live arena must not be dominated by players with the sort of mindsets that dominate the Pro tour. They wanted all players to have the fun of adding unlocked cards to their decks, without the ability to create killer decks that upset the balance online.

As Wizards of the Coast do seem to know a thing or two about Magic, let’s face it, they’re probably right!"

source: credible website

 

[AstroLad]

almost through the campaign; just been using the green deck. even though i'm not a big magic fan i was still really annoyed at first that they took out all deck customization whatsoever but i've just been taking the game on its own merits and it's pretty fun as a self-contained experience. i do wish there was a button to skip the timer though.

 

[danmaku]

I tried the demo, and it was surprisingly fun even with all its shortcomings. The interface is well designed, graphics are good and the game... well, it's Magic so it can't be bad. Unfortunatly they chose a very very basic approach to Magic, which is great for beginners (even better than the Portal set, or whatever it was called), but with so few cards and options it will quickly get boring. But this is pushing me towards MTGOnline, so they probably hit the spot

 

[MirageDwarf]

Is there a way to get this without XBLA?

What you mean by "without XBLA"? XBLA doesn't require to download any special software or something. You don't have to get XBLA. It is always there.

Can I get on XBLA for free?

You can buy anything on Live with silver account.

 

[Gowans]

I played this a bit before work this morning.

As a first timer chipping away at the campaign with the green deck learning and unlocking cards.

BUT JESUS CHRIST that bitch with the green deck, I got savaged. Rats stealing my cards, resurrection cards, vampire cards & a bunch of flying stuff GAH!!!!!

can't wait to get back and play more, I will crack the bitch.

 

[Spire]

Yeah, this has me itching to get back into MTGO. From what I'm reading it's still buggy as hell, leagues won't be available until 2010, and the UI overhaul is still a long way off. Regardless I've got the itch again and M10 comes out next month with some big rule changes. It sounds about as good a time as any to get back into the game.

 

[Deleted member 10571]

Oh GOD I tried anything in that third trial against Garrok. No idea how to do this, so if anyone has a hint..

Awesome Game, though.

 

[itxaka]

I played this a bit before work this morning.

As a first timer chipping away at the campaign with the green deck learning and unlocking cards.

BUT JESUS CHRIST that bitch with the green deck, I got savaged. Rats stealing my cards, resurrection cards, vampire cards & a bunch of flying stuff GAH!!!!!

can't wait to get back and play more, I will crack the bitch.

You mean the black deck bitch rigth?

She is horrible, I hate her. On the other hand,I want that deck.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I just hope they quickly announce what their DLC plans are. It is obvious they plan to do something due to the download option in the main menu of the game.

They definitely have my money lined up for them.

 

[Ledsen]

Is this kind of like real fighters being concerned about playing Virtua Fighter and not being able to actually punch someone?

It kind of makes me feel like an idiot for really enjoying the game and being legitimately excited when I unlock a card. Apparently they're all lame and I don't know what I'm missing?

No, it's like getting a set of LEGO where all of the pieces are glued together.

 

[Gowans]

You mean the black deck bitch rigth?

She is horrible, I hate her. On the other hand,I want that deck.

Yeah! I got battered in three games this against her this morning, I was totally destroyed I will make her my bitch tonight though.

 

[Woo-Fu]

Is this kind of like real fighters being concerned about playing Virtua Fighter and not being able to actually punch someone?

It kind of makes me feel like an idiot for really enjoying the game and being legitimately excited when I unlock a card. Apparently they're all lame and I don't know what I'm missing?

The parts that are missing are the parts that would make you play the game for more than a week.

It is like Diablo, but you can only play warrior and all your skill points are chosen for you.
It is like Master of Orion with 1 pre-built ship design in each class.
It is like Mass Effect without any decisions.

Sure, you can still have a lot of fun playing, particularly if you're new to the experience, but what makes the game worth playing weeks, months, even years later has been stripped out.

Presumably they'll add those elements back in with pay DLC or they intend to push people towards MTGO.

 

[Stumpokapow]

No, it's like getting a set of LEGO where all of the pieces are glued together.

correction; a set of LEGO where 2/3rds of the pieces are glued together.

 

[NIN90]

Ah, the days when I rocked my local comic shop with my super awesome Death Cloud Control deck! Those were the days!

 

[webrunner]

No, it's like getting a set of LEGO where all of the pieces are glued together.

So it's like getting a set of action figures?

The parts that are missing are the parts that would make you play the game for more than a week.

It is like Diablo, but you can only play warrior and all your skill points are chosen for you.
It is like Master of Orion with 1 pre-built ship design in each class.
It is like Mass Effect without any decisions.

Sure, you can still have a lot of fun playing, particularly if you're new to the experience, but what makes the game worth playing weeks, months, even years later has been stripped out.

Presumably they'll add those elements back in with pay DLC or they intend to push people towards MTGO.

Re diablo: You can pick your class (deck) but not your skills.

 

[George Claw M.D.]

As a seasoned vet, who was first exposed to MTG with Unlimited, and played tournament Type 2, booster draft, and sealed deck from Mirage through Onslaught, this game sounds horrible for MTG veterans. But I guess we aren't the target audience, anyway. For $10, I suppose it was wishful thinking to get anything close to MTGO.

Now, I don't see a problem with WoTC targeting a new audience, with this game. A small cardbase is fine. Less special mechanics, e.g., phasing, banding, affinity, is fine. Limiting these things can help keep new players from being overwhelmed. What isn't fine, however, are changes to the basic gameplay, e.g., auto-land-tapping, no instants during end step(apparently).

Here's a simple example, where manual selection of lands to tap can be important. Say you're holding a Serra Angel(2 white, 3 colorless mana) and a Counterspell(2 blue mana). You have 5 Plains and 2 Islands untapped. You play Serra Angel, but the game auto-taps one or both of your Islands for colorless mana. Now, your Counterspell is useless until your next untap step.

As for no instants during the end phase, I hope sonicmj1 just overlooked how to do so, even if it means setting a "stop" marker during end phase, a la Microprose's original Duels of the Planeswalkers PC game. Otherwise, I think this was a very stupid decision.

This game doesn't deserve to share the same name of its much greater predecessor.

Also, for those saying, "Stop complaining. It's only $10. Blah. Blah. Blah." You don't know WoTC. Prepare for microtransaction rape, as WoTC trickles out updates to make the game not even half-as-good as its decade-old predecessor.

 

[Blue Geezer]

As a seasoned vet, who was first exposed to MTG with Unlimited, and played tournament Type 2, booster draft, and sealed deck from Mirage through Onslaught, this game sounds horrible for MTG veterans. But I guess we aren't the target audience, anyway. For $10, I suppose it was wishful thinking to get anything close to MTGO.

Now, I don't see a problem with WoTC targeting a new audience, with this game. A small cardbase is fine. Less special mechanics, e.g., phasing, banding, affinity, is fine. Limiting these things can help keep new players from being overwhelmed. What isn't fine, however, are changes to the basic gameplay, e.g., auto-land-tapping, no instants during end step(apparently).

Here's a simple example, where manual selection of lands to tap can be important. Say you're holding a Serra Angel(2 white, 3 colorless mana) and a Counterspell(2 blue mana). You have 5 Plains and 2 Islands untapped. You play Serra Angel, but the game auto-taps one or both of your Islands for colorless mana. Now, your Counterspell is useless until your next untap step.

As for no instants during the end phase, I hope sonicmj1 just overlooked how to do so, even if it means setting a "stop" marker during end phase, a la Microprose's original Duels of the Planeswalkers PC game. Otherwise, I think this was a very stupid decision.

This game doesn't deserve to share the same name of its much greater predecessor.

Also, for those saying, "Stop complaining. It's only $10. Blah. Blah. Blah." You don't know WoTC. Prepare for microtransaction rape, as WoTC trickles out updates to make the game not even half-as-good as its decade-old predecessor.

To resolve issues with two and three colour decks when paying for colourless costs, the game has to work out what land to tap for you. To do this, it looks at your hand and your activated abilities and tries to leave as many things still playable as possible for you—but it can't always get it right. If tapping a Forest would still let you play card A, but tapping a Plains would let you play card B, which does it do? It can't read your mind, but in most situations it will tap your lands as well as you would.

tbh its designed to be a more simplified version of the game that gets people into MTG which hopefully leads people on to the real game.

and you are wrong WotC would like to see people move away from this onto MTGO or the paper game where they would make far more money then from this.

 

[Rekwest]

DL now i can't wait.

 

[REV 09]

as someone who dabbled in MTG a decade ago, I had a blast playing this last night. It brought back so many memories. Sure, it may be a stripped down version, but it's fine for me...there's still plenty of strategy available with the decks that it gives you. The challenge mode proves that.

 

[Nheco]

Magic without full customization isn't magic. But I'm a Wizards of Cost biach, so I'll buy it.

 

[Kifimbo]

as someone who dabbled in MTG a decade ago, I had a blast playing this last night. It brought back so many memories. Sure, it may be a stripped down version, but it's fine for me...there's still plenty of strategy available with the decks that it gives you. The challenge mode proves that.

That's my conclusion. People who stopped playing several years ago or new players won't be bothered too much by this stripped down version. Especially since it's the price of about 3 booster packs. Active players will probably hate it.

 

[Flib]

I love Magic, but I know no one who plays anymore and MGO was driving me crazy. I was disappointed with the customization options, but as I won a game last night with the green trample deck, doing 27 damage and killing the white deck woman in one turn, I realized that this game is just really fucking fun.

I will buy the fuck out of dlc for this.

 

[Dunlop]

That's my conclusion. People who stopped playing several years ago or new players won't be bothered too much by this stripped down version. Especially since it's the price of about 3 booster packs. Active players will probably hate it.

That about sums it up. I had a lot of fun playing it and would buy it in a heartbeat if my LIVE was not expiring next week. I'll pick it up when I renew LIVE after the summer if there is still an active community playing and hopefully some DLC

 

[XiaNaphryz]

That about sums it up. I had a lot of fun playing it and would buy it in a heartbeat if my LIVE was not expiring next week. I'll pick it up when I renew LIVE after the summer if there is still an active community playing and hopefully some DLC

Pick it up anyway, so that when you do go back online you'll have unlocked some cards and decks playing through single player.

And on a random aside, when I first started playing using the basic green deck, that damn first white deck straight weenied me to death with small flyers as I had no defense for them and all my massive combat damage would also end up getting negated and eventually my creatures were picked off due to first strike. :lol

So I swapped to the red deck and demolished her.

 

[Dunlop]

Stainless Games has always stated its intention to balance depth with accessibility and its workings in how to best streamline the experience to XBLA are well reasoned. The result is an experience just close enough to the tabletop game to please serious players, for a fraction of the cost. If the game develops a strong community, and Wizards of the Coast offer additional cards and decks via downloadable content, 360’s CCG gap could be covered for years to come. [8]

http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/review-magic-the-gathering-duels-of-the-planeswalkers

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

I heard that the foil rare you get as a gift for snagging this will likely be worth well more than the price of the game download - is that accurate?

See for yourself.

 

[webrunner]

It's surprising that they dont have the Planeswalker cards in the decks, given how
a) the game is centered around the planeswalkers
and b) you get a real planeswalker card from buying it.

 

[Kifimbo]

Speaking of that card...I can't use it, since I live in a province where the government is protecting us from these dangerous prizes and contests.

I will try to find a way to use the code, but if I can't, I might give it.

 

[Dunlop]

Speaking of that card...I can't use it, since I live in a province where the government is protecting us from these dangerous prizes and contests.

I will try to find a way to use the code, but if I can't, I might give it.

wait..what? I'm in Quebec (assuming that is what you are talking about) If I pick up the game, I cannot get the card?!?!?!?

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Speaking of that card...I can't use it, since I live in a province where the government is protecting us from these dangerous prizes and contests.

I will try to find a way to use the code, but if I can't, I might give it.

Can I have your code since the game did not generate mine? Somehow it screwed up.

 

[Kifimbo]

wait..what? I'm in Quebec (assuming that is what you are talking about) If I pick up the game, I cannot get the card?!?!?!?

Yes...excluding Quebec, Puerto Rico and some other places.

Who Will We Reward?
It’s easy for you to receive a Gift. First, you must be eligible. To be eligible you must be (i) a person who has received an in-game communication, containing a URL and redemption code, regarding the Campaign directly from Wizards (ii) who is a resident of the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), Australia, New Zealand, or Singapore

http://www.wizards.com/magic/digital/duelsoftheplaneswalkers.aspx?x=mtg/digital/dotp/terms

 

[Dunlop]

Yes...excluding Quebec, Puerto Rico and some other places.




http://www.wizards.com/magic/digital/duelsoftheplaneswalkers.aspx?x=mtg/digital/dotp/terms

lol, the card was going to get me to pick up the game...maybe I'll get the code and trade for some LIVE time

f-ing Quebec....

 

[Deunnero]

RE: Cards no ship to Quebec

Has anyone tried yet? If it doesn't work, just get it shipped to Ottawa ... of course I live just across the river so it's fine for me.

Maybe we could work something out? PM me.

 

[Gowans]

Beat the bitch with the black deck on my first try after coming back from work. Got well lucky with two Blackwood armours on a elefant making it's attack 15 YES!!!

 

[Dunlop]

RE: Cards no ship to Quebec

Has anyone tried yet? If it doesn't work, just get it shipped to Ottawa ... of course I live just across the river so it's fine for me.

Maybe we could work something out? PM me.

that would be cool,

2 of my buddies picked the game up..which means I am screwed and will have to buy also

Any tricks for cheaper MS points? I never buy off of LIVE, it's $20 CAD + tax for 1400. Now I get why people bitched about the left over 600....

I'll still hold off on LIVE until I can find a deal, but as mentioned, at least this lets me build up the decks

 

[Mockingbird]

I think the biggest rule change is the Legend rule, all thanks to my favorite card Akroma: The Angle of Wrath

I kinda hate/like the new rule.

God damn! That card is too good. What's Haste? Is it no summoning sickness?

 

[NIN90]

God damn! That card is too good. What's Haste? Is it no summoning sickness?

Yeah, Haste means no summoning sickness.

And Akroma isn't actually a very good card. You'll rarely have 8 mana available in a duel.

 

[mjc]

I played for hours last night and I had a great time with it, very fun. I used to collect the cards back when it first started but I never really played too much.

 

[jedimike]

This was an awesome investment. I have played MtGO for many years and I have an extensive collection of digital cards. That being said, I find I get as much joy in the XBLA game as I do in MtGO. For me, the thrill was always playing an not in collecting or building decks... I was always irritated by that part and most of my decks (as most players) were just itterations of popular decks using the cards I had available.

The XBLA game keeps the games competitive, but still has the elements of luck (drawing 8 lands in a row) and deception (attacking with green with a losing creature but holding a card in your hand and sparing just enough mana to make your opponent think you're going to throw down a +3/+3 instant).

So overall, I'm happy with the decks and play of the game. I do wish it was a bit faster. Transition between phases can take too long... and even sometimes too fast when your mind is busy strategizing.

 

[Spirit of Jazz]

The cheating A.I. is starting to make the unlocking joyless. Odd how the A.I. always has enough manna yet never draws 8 land cards in a row, yet I always seem to get screwed on my draws.