Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
- June 20, 2012
- Stainless Games
- 94h median play time
Another update to Stainless Game's Magic The Gathering simulator, 2013 offers new cards and an interesting new mode, but the tweaks and additions still fail to drastically alter the usual formula
Get on Steam"Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013" is a digital adaptation of the popular trading card game. It offers improved gameplay features, including new decks, opponents, and the ability to build custom decks. This edition also includes a revamped tutorial system for new players.
Reviews
- Great for learning the ropes before moving onto more modern titles.
- Fun way to play some Magic without microtransactions.
- Offers a nostalgic experience for long-time Magic: The Gathering fans.
- Limited deck customization options and reliance on pre-made decks.
- AI can be frustratingly predictable and often cheats.
- Game suffers from bugs and slow gameplay, making it less enjoyable.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the accessibility and helpful tutorials for newcomers, while others criticize the frequent timer issues, clunky mechanics, and slow pace that detract from the experience. The introduction of new deck configurations and the "planechase" multiplayer mode adds variety, but many feel that the overall execution is lacking, making it less engaging compared to playing the physical card game. Despite its potential for strategic depth, the gameplay often feels frustrating and overly reliant on luck, leading to a divided reception among players.
“Decks are fun with plenty of powerful cards (really love the Golgari and Jace decks), graphics are great, and gameplay is straightforward with lots of helpful tips.”
“It is a fantastic way to learn the basics of the mechanics, how a turn unfolds, and simple strategies in deck building.”
“Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 is easily Stainless Games’ best effort at providing an accessible yet challenging version of Magic to date, and the new decks and improved gameplay are satisfying enough to trump most concerns arising from the new Planechaser mode.”
“Horrible sound quality, extremely slow gameplay, clunky mechanics and user interface, and outright boring compared to playing the actual card game with real friends.”
“The stack mechanic and how it was handled means you have to wait a long time for multiple actions to happen and there is no way to make the process go faster.”
“Overall, a terrible MTG game that gives you crappy decks to play with poor mechanics and the most basic cards out there.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the stunning fantasy artwork, smooth animations, and sleek user interface. While some players noted issues with glitchy or outdated graphics, the overall visual presentation is considered a significant improvement over previous versions, enhancing the gameplay experience. The artwork, in particular, captivates players, making the game visually appealing despite its card game format.
“What drew me into the game in general was the artwork, and it still fascinates me how this simple but effective illustration style manages to make the action jump right off the table.”
“The graphics are excellent and smooth.”
“Excellent game, fantastic drawn artwork throughout and for such a cheap price it's hard to make any negative comments about it.”
“Just would be better with some HD graphics.”
“For me, what ruins it are the glitchy graphics.”
“The graphics are abysmal.”
- story22 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story mode offers an interesting progression through various planes, enhancing the gameplay experience, though it lacks depth and is often overshadowed by the presence of pay-to-unlock mechanics. While some players appreciate the added background and character development, many feel the storyline is underwhelming and not significantly different from previous iterations. Overall, the campaign is enjoyable but does not deliver a compelling narrative, leaving players wanting more substance.
“Fantastic game, fantastic storyline, fantastic characters, and absolutely fantastic multiplayer.”
“The campaign has a single-player storyline that's separate from the custom matches; don't expect a super great plot, but it's enjoyable.”
“There is some storytelling to go along with the campaign, which is nice; it adds a little extra to playing your matches along with background info on the planeswalkers you face.”
“The story takes you to several planes, which is a nice touch missing from the last game, but ultimately just amounts to you having a different background in the menu and a different looking picture in the corner of your screen during gameplay.”
“There is no story to speak of though.”
“Storyline wasn't all that great.”
- stability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent freezing, lag, and crashes, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some updates have improved certain aspects, the overall experience is marred by a clunky interface and poor controller support, leading to frustration among users. Despite these issues, a few players find the game enjoyable for its price, though it is generally considered less stable than its predecessor, 2012.
“All features work quite well, with a streamlined and bug-free interface.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
“I appreciate the consistent performance; it never lags or freezes during gameplay.”
“The interface is clunky and unresponsive, it has poor Xbox controller support, it constantly freezes, lags, and crashes. All the DLCs are pointless money grabbers, you are limited to a selection of generic and boring pre-made decks, and you can't make your own custom deck.”
“This game sucks more than the two previous ones. If you're a Magic fan, get it; if you're new, this is the worst one to start playing. The decks are not balanced and the machine freezes and glitches every time.”
“Decks are not as fun as 2012; they should have made this an expansion. The Planechase mode looks awesome (4 player vs), but the AI is so buggy that it's unplayable.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unfulfilling, particularly due to the limitations of premade decks and a cumbersome deck management system. While some enjoy the single-player experience, the process of unlocking cards through grinding is often described as boring and time-consuming, detracting from overall satisfaction. Many express a desire for a more engaging and rewarding approach to card unlocking.
“Grinding for unlocking cards is super boring.”
“The single player is enjoyable to play through but it can get kind of grindy to unlock everything.”
“If I'm going to be grinding a long game, I don't want to see every card taking 5-10 seconds to play.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting the phenomenal soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. It is described as both great and subtle, allowing it to remain engaging without becoming overwhelming. However, some users noted that the soundtrack's downloadable content is limited, featuring only six songs that are available online for free.
“The soundtrack is phenomenal, and the puzzles are great.”
“The graphics are very slick and smooth, the music is great and the sound effects are good too.”
“Pros: addictive gameplay, includes a tutorial for newer players, good soundtrack, and visuals.”
“You get foiled cards (meh), 5 wallpapers (they're bad), the 2nd comic (low-res pdf), and the soundtrack (6 songs that you can find online for free).”
“You get foiled cards (meh), 5 wallpapers (they're bad), the 2nd comic (low-res pdf), and the soundtrack (6 songs that you can find online for free).”
- replayability5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the enjoyable game modes and strategic depth that encourage repeated play, others find it limited compared to other titles in the series due to a lack of variety.
“There are some nice game modes and high replayability.”
“High replayability; fans of MTG will always come back and play a round or two with people they know, and the mere strategy involved in just this small card pool is still enough for anyone.”
“The replayability is great, and it's very enjoyable.”
“The problem is that the game lacks the variety of modes and replayability that characterize other games in the series.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's monetization model features minimal in-game advertisements primarily before and after matches, which players find generous compared to other titles. While some users appreciate the lack of microtransactions, others express frustration with slow animations and unnecessary character bios. Overall, expectations should be managed for a more enjoyable experience.
“A fun way to enjoy the game without the burden of microtransactions.”
“The monetization model is fair and allows for a great experience without spending extra.”
“I appreciate that I can play and enjoy the game without feeling pressured to make purchases.”
“So if you have low expectations, enjoy regular in-game advertising, slow irritating animations, and pointless emo character bios, then I'd recommend this game.”
“There are some minimal in-game ads (before and after games), but it's really very generous.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with users reporting excessively long load times—up to two minutes to reach the main menu—even when running on a fast desktop with an SSD. This poor performance detracts from the overall experience.
“It doesn't help that it's extraordinarily poorly optimized and takes like two minutes just to load everything and get to the main menu (and 30 seconds just to get from clicking on it in Steam to showing anything on screen), and that's running it off an SSD on a rather fast desktop.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally resonant, evoking nostalgia and warmth as it reminds them of their early experiences with the game, akin to rediscovering their first deck and reflecting on their growth as players.
“For a magic veteran, this game is a heartwarming blast from the past, like digging up your first ever deck and realizing you've been playing land cards wrong for decades.”
Critic Reviews
Magic The Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 Review
Another update to Stainless Game's Magic The Gathering simulator, 2013 offers new cards and an interesting new mode, but the tweaks and additions still fail to drastically alter the usual formula
75%Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 Review
90%XBLA Review - 'Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013'
90%
