Magic the Gathering 2014: Duels of the Plainswalkers (or just Magic 2014 from here on in) is the fourth game in the digital series of Wizards Of The Coast‘s popular collectible card game. Part RPG, part puzzler and part turn-based strategy, this iteration of the game is very similar to previous titles. It’s understandable why — and frankly, didn’t need to change; new rules are added, some are taken out to match the newly released physical cards… and, best of all, slivers are back!
This instalment of Magic 2014 is incredibly user-friendly and helpful to new players with one of the easiest to follow tutorials I’ve seen. A fellow wizard walks you through the varied stages of the game turn, the multitude of different card rules and even a sampling of some of the more advanced rule combinations. Some of the new combinations are mind boggling and I was schooled on more than one occasion by a filthy rude AI player.
Having been playing the card game myself since the mid 90’s I’m ecstatic to see the way a video game has embraced what made a non-digital game good… and moreover, not messed with it, wantonly adding fluff here and there. The money I sunk into these as a kid was borderline ridiculous, and now, I can spend a mere $10 on this game and end up with way more . You can duel against an AI player, so you can play without a partner. Best yet, if you do collect the physical card game, there are a few promo codes you can use for limited edition cards as well.
The game starts with you having access to 2 of the 10 pre-built decks. You can unlock additional cards for these decks by beating the challenges and Plainswalker duels in the campaign. I’d expect to see more added through DLC over time, as well. Because there are no real custom decks, playing online is actually fair; pre-made decks get to go up against one another (with the exception of only the additional cards you’ll unlock for each, of course). You can use your Sealed Booster decks too, but again, to keep things fair, they’ll only work against others with sealed decks.
Aside from the usual campaign of predetermined challenges and the occasional Plainswalkers duel, Magic 2014 also includes a Sealed game mode where you are given 5 booster packs which contain 14 random cards from the new core card set. You’ll be given 70 cards and must build a 40 card deck to duel 6 opponents. If successful, you’ll unlock a further 3 booster packs to edit and upgrade your decks. Although it’s a short game mode, you can start it again and get 5 new packs to have another go., All these cards can also be used in the online multiplayer side of the game where you can duel up to 3 other players in all on all, 1v1 or 2v2 games. or two verses two games. In the 2v2games, your cards will benefit or be condemned by what your partner plays so these games can become incredibly strategic and fun.
Another gem of a game mode is the challenges – in short, these were incredible! Although there is only 10 in total and only took me maybe an hour to complete, the mode is great. You get placed in a game at a predetermined turn with overwhelming odds or no mana or creatures, and you have to win the game. You’ll have to rely solely on combinations of cards and be up with game rules, so it’s a great way for newer players to learn the game and to start thinking outside of the box to develop strategies and become a better player
Magic 2014 is available on all formats including Apple and Android devices. For the meagre sum of $10, it provides a ton of enjoyment without smashing your wallet. Even if you’ve been scared off of previous versions, it’s still worth a crack!
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