Magic: The Gathering Arena Reviews
Slick and generous, Magic: The Gathering Arena is finally the adaptation the CCG originator deserves.
Fans of Magic: The Gathering finally have a digital product they can be excited for, with free decks and a constant flow of cards creating an enticing free-to-play experience
Magic Arena’s pitch has finally gotten me hooked on a game I’ve been playing on and off for seven years. Its ease of play makes the average Magic game more of a ballet than a stop-and-start football match. As most of its clunkier aspects game melt away, the heart of a card game that has nearly three decades’ worth of staying power shines through.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is an absolutely brilliant recreation of Magic only held back by Wizards of the Coast's monetization strategy and some unfinished business. With more of an open mind toward new modes of play (plus ways to keep your old cards relevant) and a better client, this could be the definitive way to play the best card game in the world for the foreseeable future.
After a year in beta, Magic: The Gathering Arena has worked out all of its problems. It's an excellent entry point into the long-standing card game and a more complex alternative to titles like Hearthstone.
MTG Arena is the best possible transposition of the historic card game. It's free (initially, at least) and it's wonderful, there's no reason to not try it. With its unique style, complicated and rewarding, it will charm any TCG lover.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you enjoy the tabletop CCG then, mate, you need to play MtG: Arena.
Magic Arena brings the iconic card game into the modern era with a digital adaptation that finally matches the quality of the paper version.
Wilds of Eldraine is a fantastic set, both for veterans and new players. The main set is fun to draft while being friendly to new players. The mechanics offer gameplay that keeps the set dynamic and lively. Matches of Wilds of Eldraine were always moving forward without becoming a slow stalemate. The "enchanting tales" offer bonus value to players while also supporting the flavor and mechanics of the main set. In contrast, the commander decks offer decent value to players looking for an entry point into commander, but aren't anything special from previous commander offerings.
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan is a complex set with a lot of keywords and abilities on cards making it complex. Despite this, Lost Caverns of Ixalan is a lot of fun to play in Limited. Lost Caverns of Ixalan rewards players through rich drafting and deep gameplay. The artwork for this set is as always stunning. In addition to that, the Commander decks offer good value and gameplay, and I hope that this trend continues for the Commander decks. I can recommend Lost Caverns of Ixalan to anyone looking to dive into some Magic: The Gathering games.
If you're considering learning Magic: The Gathering, I recommend the Starter Kit 2023. While it feels like some corners have been cut, the overall product does a serviceable job of teaching new players the game. I'd like the included rules to be more tailored to the Starter Kit, but the games inside are a good showcase of what Magic can be. There is fun to be had within this kit. As for the claim, "The best way to learn to play." I don't think it quite lives up to that. The best way to learn to play Magic is still with a friend who knows the game, but the Starter Kit is still a decent way to get started too.
If someone told me that Murders at Karlov Manor was their favorite or least favorite set, I would understand why. I'm strangely medium on the set. The artwork and the setting are top notch. There's a lot of smart design decisions inside and I absolutely enjoyed my time with it. It's just… the more MKM I experienced, the less I liked face-down creatures. If the only thing you read is this summary, I implore you to try MKM as you might find the opposite. The core idea of unknown information within Magic: The Gathering has always been a unique offering. Wizards of the Coast are experts at crafting their games and Murders at Karlov Manor is not bad. It's just not my thing.
Whether you're a fan of Fallout or Magic: The Gathering I think there is something for you to love with these four decks. For the experienced players, there are new mechanics that are powerful and interesting. For Fallout fans there's some of the most amazing Fallout artwork I've ever seen. I truly appreciate the care Wizards takes with their Universes Beyond products and I hope this continues. Despite the decks having a few design hiccups, they are fun to play and I personally love them as a pod being played together. Overall, I absolutely recommend these decks for any fan of Fallout or Magic: The Gathering.
Magic the Gathering is the grandfather of a lot of deckbuilding games, but its introduction to the digital marketplace feels fresh, exciting and well worth the (free) price tag
Magic Arena is a stellar addition to the Magic: The Gathering family. It’s here to stay and the competitive landscape will likely be better for it overall as time goes on.
MTG Arena is not yet perfect and it's probably why it is not essential to every player. It remains a very valuable help and will evolve anyway to become an essential card game developping its esport side. If you have not played it yet, do not hesitate to download it for knowledge, and if you are practicing Magic, you will play it one day or another.
Review in French | Read full review
You can't beat the feeling of playing Magic with cardboard in your hands. Still, Arena presents a slick realisation in digital form, and one that should suit both old hands and newcomers.Will Freeman
Phyrexia: Everything Will Become One is an incredibly solid and coherent set. The cards are artistically ambitious and playfully satisfying; the mechanics are deep and lend themselves to a variety of interpretations and situations that, provided you do not claim to climb the classics of world tournaments, guarantee the Wizards of The Coast Trading Card Game an enviable freshness, which at the moment is not found in the main competitors on the market.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Advance of the Machines represents the apotheosis of card collecting and fanservice for longtime fans of Magic: The Gathering.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth is a mammoth product, which challenges the very concept of cardgame in scope and size.
Review in Italian | Read full review