7 cert, Wizards of the Coast, Playstation Network (also Xbox Live, PC) **
The existence of
Magic: The Gathering(or
MTG) as a modern videogame is baffling. This is a fantasy adventure based on a role-playing card game from the 1990s. So, after a gorgeously illustrated opening that tells of war, magic and fantasy, you enter your first battle . . . in which you take turns exchanging cards with your enemy. Instead of axe-swinging and swordplay, there are lots of instructions and onscreen text. Different cards and creatures have different powers, and so it goes, like a super-complicated variation on
Top Trumps."Centaur Courser deals 3 damage to Sorin" is a typical quote. The graphics are elegant and it's nicely constructed (and a popular franchise), but
MTGis very, very niche.
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