Stainless Games. We (The Herocast) ran into these guys at PAX East and the only thing running through my mind was how their game had me lose to a friend of mine due to the horrible game mechanics. It really is hard to get over. Killed because of horrible card management tools and a brutally limiting timer. I was re-assured by the people at the booth that the issue had been handled and that they even added the new Archenemy mode based around its card game counterpart that was released back in June 2010. So a fixed combat system and a new mode based around a side game my local nerd-out store claims is awesome, and all this for $9.99. Sounds like there is a catch.
The Grand Paradox
My key issue with this series of games so far is the lack of intricate customization, but this is one of those moments where the reality of the situation consistently reminds me of the impossibility of true intricate customization. I’m not going to claim to be the most in-depth MtG player. I consider my recent stint into the realm of type 2 play and draft play to be a passing thing that overcame a group of excessively bored friends, but the thing that made this re-entry into the realm of Wizards of the Coast was the potential for great deck creation. The ability to build and tune a deck to a place I enjoy and use it in friendly competition. That competition I speak of never left my circle of friends. Apparently tri-state area life is so boring that the local Magic gamers all decided to dump hundreds of dollars into world-level type 2 tournament decks, and I even found out that they do this after every new release. Not my ‘ish honestly.
Before I go to far into this, again, the love I had for MtG was deck building. This was taken almost completely out of Duels of the Planeswalkers. Both in the current game and the prior. So far I have come to several of what I feel are logical conclusions as to why this is the case. 1 – The fact that players will spend hundreds on their decks in real life to play the same local people over and over. What if they were told they could just buy a game for 10 bucks and play people all over the world? Say goodbye to your storefront sales. 2 – MtG online exists. I would probably like that game much more than this for what I like to do, but I would spend as much to play the on-computer game and would find myself deck-less in a face to face battle during conventions or just at general nerd gathering spots. 3 – This game needed to be approachable from multiple directions. If some one was to purchase the Duels of the Planeswalkers without knowing how to play the game at all, they would have found themselves at a loss with what to build and why. The ability to sit down and play in a comfortable environment is paramount in a game that exists entirely around the “luck-of-the-draw” game mechanic. 4 – Full control = massive repetition.
I feel that when given absolute reign over what cards your deck has the average person will shoot for the tier 0 tournament decks. One of the things I hate about MtG as a whole is the limited individuality that comes from high tier play. The limiting and supposed balancing of a handful of decks at release coupled with the eventual release of more decks through DLC allows you to play a fairly expanded amount of styles without fear of being destroyed in turn 3 by an indestructible super monster.
Does It Translate?
Well… ya. Though there wasn’t a need for a story it was nice. The game mechanics are all there and modified to be forgiving when it comes to decision making. So far I wasn’t forced into a 30ish on 30ish creature brawl so I’m not too sure on how their card management system is, but in terms of visual ques and such the game feels spot on for letting the user understand how everything in the Wizards of the Coast universe is supposed to work. Several of the major known play-styles are built in, too, so active players won’t feel completely side lined. White weenies, vampires, ramp, burn, leviathan, artifact engines. So many ways to play and if this release is anything like the last, expect a handful of new decks to enter the fray. Hopefully I’ll get to see my sacrifice deck, or even my discard harass deck in play.
The Planes Live On
So in the end if your looking for a casual game to pass the time, or even if your thinking of getting into the physical card game I feel that this is a great way to go, and honestly the price is right. The only fault that has this game close to circling the drain in my opinion was the horrible “Best played on Alienware” logo that popped up in the beginning. What kind of joke is that? Alienware? The slightly more powerful Dell? What makes this game run best on that and not my system, which runs Witcher 2 at near full quality? Or is it more that Alienware finds that the best it has in its box of tricks is the ability to play a not so graphically intensive card game? Thin ice gentlemen. Thin ice.
What? NO SCORE?
It’s becoming a tradition around here at the good ‘ol HH to not put scores in anymore.
Its more about getting people to actually read stuff. We know its not “conductive” to common
online practices, but we’re trying to be a little unconventional. So, if you haven’t yet,
scroll on up and read over whether or not you should be dropping some money on this game.
-This has been a public service announcement from the Herocast
