In serious competition, it suffers from the same drawback as the real world version of the game - players with deep pockets can buy themselves more powerful decks.
The online version of the famous fantasy trading card game Magic the Gathering. The gameplay can be dreadfully tedious due to lag and because you must manually pass through each phase of each turn. Nevertheless, this program is a useful tool for improving your skill at Magic, and I think that every card ever printed on cardboard is also available in this game. I occasionally play the Pauper format, which is fun and very inexpensive.
A very fun game with some loose ends that need tying. For the ten dollar activation cost, I'm given nearly 1000 cards, many designed to be used in their pre-made decks. However, the gameplay itself took some adjusting to, since the program isn't exactly intuitive. A quick trip to the new user guide on the Wizards' forum fixes that. Another complaint is the New Player section of casual games, which clearly has a lot of people who are neither new to MTG or MTGO. This makes it a hassle to find balanced games at times. All in all, worth the $10, but a bit demanding if you don't plan on spending more.
It won't replace the fun of facing off one-on-one with your friends, and those bluffing techniques you've perfected are all but useless, but when your friends are unavailable or you're hit with a bout of insomnia, MtGO is your best alternative.
It's because of its accessible nature that Magic Online is undoubtedly the best software representation of Magic: The Gathering released thus far--quite possibly surpassing the physical card game in many respects.
I'm quite impressed that they managed to make a computer version that actually follows all the arcane rules. Still, I can't see myself buying any more cards beyond the ones I already have.
This is a game meant for reasonable experienced players that know how to play magic. For people that like myself are a long standing Magic player that wants to play online against other people.
When you start out, you get a bumper starting pack which contains quite a few basic cards, with nearly the entire back catalog of cards available to buy in singles in their virtual formats via external trading sites, or if you want you can buy credits to spend in the shop ingame to buy packs of randoms.
You have a collection screen that is filterable where you can view all your cards which is easy to sort through to build your own decks...
There are various places you can play these decks against others, in tournaments online where you can win cards and player points, There is a cost to enter these tournaments however which can cost you upwards of £30 in some cases
There are other areas where you can play against other people for free in the usual 1v1 / commander and free for all 3way and 4way multiplayer.
First thing you will notice is how bad the actual client looks, it looks like it was designed and programmed in the 1990's. The way the screen is represented reminds me of Windows 95.
Not only does the client look bad, but it also doesn't function properly, with constant issues with the shuffler performing exceedingly unusual behavior that leads you be at the mercy of it when you play
The shuffler which according to the very lackluster support is 'working as intended' but for any player that has played Paper magic knows it doesn't resemble a real work shuffle one bit. In fact your win will be dictated by whether the shuffler 'decides' you can play or not.
To worsen this issue the game goes down at least once a week for 'server maintenance' that lasts several hours each time.
The issues with this game doesn't end there however, just like all online games this game suffers from its fair share of Trolls and Griefers. The trouble is there are so many of them online on mtgo that you will be hard pushed to find a game that isn't ruined by some idiot pulling an infinite loop or an instant win card. or just sat there with a deck full of counters, no intention of winning just simple there to make your life miserable.
Games should be played for fun, simply put Magic the Gathering Online is about as much fun as putting your appendages through a cheese grater.
AVOID AT ALL COST!
Buggy as hell, a lot of the time you will lose games for all the bugs. The interface is archaic the cards and events are super expensive and the overall experience is simply frustating and not fun. Seriously, stay away from this thing
Log in, ready to play. Wow a set of draft tournaments specifically for new players. Wait, they don't teach you anything about draft or how to choose cards, oh and there is a timer, choose fast.
Now make a deck from those cards you chose in a hurry....
Now lose every game because,
1. You can't make a winning deck from those cards.
2. The other players, NOT NEW, they just have New Player Points to spend and want some cards.
3. There is nothing about the game targeted to new players, or casual play.
Ok lets try a casual game.
Get beat in a hurry.
Make a new deck.
Get beat again.
Try a new format.
Ok you are on round 4 and may have the advantage.
...Your opponent quits because his go to starter move didn't happen.
One more chance....
Commander, i spent an hour or 2 making a 100 card deck.
... Opponent quits on round 4 because you sent his commander back to his hand.
You go into chat to call him out, and let other players know he is a poor sport.
There is no method of leaving feedback on a player.
Oh you can't say anything negative in chat about another player's behavior because it is "harassment."!!!
... the reason being, that there is no proof to offer, even tho I can watch a replay of the game in questions, i just cant let other players watch it, because then the "poor sport" opponent would feel "harassed".
So what do I do now??? I go download Hearthstone and forget I ever played this pile of garbage whose only goal is to bleed it's playerbase of cash.
This game is a complete failure compared to the physical game. its completely set up to soak every dollar from you for nothing tangible in the end. Trading is useless because cards are so devalued. Every draft is set up with "Random" input yet somehow its nearly impossible to go 3-0 because every time you are conveniently mana screwed when it comes down to the last match. Its comical. I don't recommend purchasing or supporting this money pit. If you have the option get into the actual card game at a local gaming shop. You'll enjoy the experience a hundred fold more than this garbage.
SummaryIn the Magic Online game, you will be able to purchase digital cards and trade them with other players, build and customize your decks and organize your card collection right on the PC. A wide range of game rooms will allow players of different levels to find just the right environment for them, from casual pick-up games to highly compet...