Magic Duels: Origins (iPhone) review

Magic Duels: Origins (iPhone) review

Wizards of the Coast has managed, after several failed attempts in the past, bringing its longtime trading card game to countless new audiences thanks to its numerous digital incarnations. It is an achievement, especially considering that much of the target audience of Magic: The Gathering is exactly the same year after year, taking the rate of entry of new players somewhat reduced. In its search for balance -Wizards of the Coast (WotC) is aware that it has to keep the goose that laid the golden eggs in the operation, Magic: The Gathering of the complicated decision to resume in part, their faces complex and vast universe, developing a new mythology for the respectable, and thus facilitate the introduction to the game in many areas. Magic Duels: Origins is the digital adaptation of this new era for the trading card game.
Duels in the multiverse
The structure of Duels Magic: Origins is exactly the same as previous editions. Wizards of the Coast is aware of the success they have these digital versions-in iOS almost always one of the most downloaded games for several consecutive weeks, and the sensations that follows the title in its boot, is very similar to that emanating from its predecessors, which thank all the fans, about all those approaching for the first time Magic. If something works, why change it too much?
Its inception and story pretext, however, is quite different Magic. The Gathering is characterized by a universe and a huge mythology growing and expansion after expansion cycle after cycle. Its conglomerate multiverse, plans and realities is now almost incomprehensible, and everywhere we turn characters and exotic places that change from year to year. Faced with such fantastic gibberish, Wizards of the Coast has decided to set foot wall, and simplify the timelines, motivations, and worlds that come into play in this release. This does not mean, by any means, that we are facing a total reset or the decades of previous game are removed, but it is a hierarchy in a more clear and simple way for those new players who want to jump into the world of letters.
For starters, Magic Duels: Origins have five of the Planeswalkers, each with its own campaign and its own battles against the inhabitants of the different worlds of the universe of Magic Magic Duels. Origins has an introduction-in full Castilian, it clarifies the role of these powerful, able to manipulate the elements of reality at will and travel from one reality to another with the blink of an eye.
Once we made contact with the history, which is not as convoluted as in previous attempts to Wizards of the Coast, we start with the tutorial therefore that we propose various skill missions. The most skilled players will a priori, full, since we are talking about such basic concepts as inherent to the game, but bear in mind that with each success in these boundaries will get rewards in the form of coins, an essential element to advance and unlock content in the game.
A great opportunity to learn to play Magic
Ability missions, which are framed within the story mode, used to learn to attack, use the reserves of mana to summon creatures and spells-as well as learn the cost of each card put at stake, or the operation and development of shifts. Some of the phases or skill missions and meetings within the campaign mode is very tedious, we recognize, but once we solve the pitfall that mean, especially if you've played before Magic, begin to glimpse the possibilities of this new Magic Duels. Origen, who seems more inclined to grant free the player must not forget that the way history has always been a mere entertainment base, in which unlock achievements, letters and coins decks and this version, to get new contents with which to unleash our tactics and ideas in the battle mode. In a way, and in general terms, Magic Duels: Origins has always served as a kind of sandbox or training table when testing strategies, decks or cards in particular.
The battle is an ideal way to meet the demands of the most experienced players the IA here often demanding, despite offering a range of possibilities too random way broadest. That is, the battle mode is particularly suitable for those users who want to Magic subjected to a series of stress tests their brand new deck, or simply wants to enjoy an occasional game to the card game and its new expansion.
Multiplayer also offers possibilities paths in which remember, you can also win virtually amounts of gold as one on one duels, or the popular Two-Headed Giant, one of the game systems in Magic's players claimed by edition after year. By the way, as often happens in Duels of the Planeswalkers, more complex game modes remain, as Commander, Modern or Legacy, which are still waiting to make a triumphant appearance at some future edition. For now, these are left out of the app again waiting in the future, Wizards of the Coast decide them through.
A parameter that had been the common and constant complaining of the large players in previous versions and editions, was the rhythm Magic. The Gathering is a game that can be very fast or very slow brainy and depending on the time, the player or strategy, and the fact is that the versions of the app had failed to find the exact spot in this regard solvency Magic Duels. Origins is a more comfortable and convenient game, prone to conform to our style of play, allowing finalize our opponents faster and frantic than in past editions manner. It may not be an overwhelming difference and can go undetected for more than one, but the player and user of Magic: The Gathering more experienced, so appreciated.
As usual, but better
Magic Duels: Origins is, in form and content, very similar to the previous digital trading card game from Wizards of the Coast, but as I mentioned, appears to have tried to find the balance in several places, making it a more complete title and challenging, and above all, fair. We are talking about a free application, but it offers all its content available through unlocking playable form, which can access a huge number of cards, decks and packages without spending a penny of our portfolio despite this, It is the option for those who want to buy virtual money through in-app-microtransactions.
Another aspect that seems to have refined at several points, is the assistant Duels Magic deck construction. Origins offers a better wizard, more intuitive, we can help you find the exact point necessary to make sweeping and more powerful our deck or set of letters, recommending new acquisitions or combinations. The player always has the last word, and we can build the deck at will, but it is curious as the builder often helps and guides us quite intelligently. Yes, we miss a search engine text or keywords, even specific types of skill, but the wizard has improved greatly from one year to the next Magic Duels. Origins offers all the content of the new edition, which in number results in a huge number of virtual cards and decks constructed as factory.
It's a shame that Wizards of the Coast left out of the equation so many expansions and mythical letters, and although some do act-say untouchable appearance there, year after year, you may want more the older catalog cards and decks those present in the basic collection. In any case, it seems that Magic Duels: Origins will receive constant updates with new packages and bundles time to time, so we can still cling to the miracle.
Technical section
Magic Duels: Origins is sponsored by a controversy in relation to compatible devices Wizards of the Coast has maintained the aesthetics and the interface of previous editions, making some visual settings, while retaining almost the same.. Icons, animations, and the quality and resolution of text and images of artwork remains superb, and the truth is that it is a real pleasure to enjoy such a well designed app for the touch screen.
But, incomprehensibly, the app has outpaced tablets and more than capable of handling phone a game of this nature as the iPad 3 or iPhone 5, even producing strange very specific performance problems, yes in recent terminals as iPhone 5S or mini iPad 3. Yet understand the reason for this bias compatibility, and wish, that as in the case of Jurassic World: The Game , in a future update the iPad and iPhone that are added Magic Duels left behind.

Concluding remarks
Magic Duels: Origins is the sign that Wizards of the Coast has in its hands a far more refined game, making every effort to attract new audiences to its mechanical. It is a very accessible app. In this edition, even it seems simplify the context and mythology to get the players' understanding of the history surrounding the trading card game, also an improvement in the deck construction assistant, much more intuitive than usual. But Magic Duels: Origins, still dragging some small problems.
The first is that still offer too much experienced player, although you can find better challenges that the version of the previous year, and has more tactical freedom, continue to feel orphaned. The second is the decision not to include more cards, decks and extensions, or even more typical game modes for veterans. Finally, we have to emphasize the strange and controversial decision to exclude devices like the iPad 3 or iPhone 5 on the list of compatible systems with the app.
Magic Duels: Origins is an app that provides everything good board game in a thoughtful and better presented touch version, which surely, will shuttle to publicize the benefits of the card game is an institution throughout the world decades after its release. The game is available on iOS, and soon will be release on PC, Xbox One and PS4.