The open beta forMagic: Legendslaunched yesterday on PC, and its potential for a promising start has already devolved into a laundry list of player complaints. One of the biggest criticisms concerns the game’s currency system, which contains no less than 13 different resources to keep track of. Even thoughMagic: Legendswas not designed to be an experience centered on card play, many players are voicing frustrations that the game takes establishedstrategy elements ofMagic: The Gatheringand fails to properly represent them.
Magic: Legendsis an action RPG game that mixes deck-building fromMagic: The Gatheringwith exploration and combat similar to theDiabloseries. Right now theMagic: Legendsopen betaoffers a choice between five different classes based on different mana types inMagic: The Gathering, and these classes each have different combat abilities to give them unique playstyles. Developer Cryptic Studios has succeeded with action RPG games likeNeverwinterin the past, but right now many player complaints are depictingMagic: Legendsas an unpolished waste of money, even for beta standards.
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Among the list of complaints are those directed at the performance issues in the game. Switching betweencharacter class options inMagic: Legendswhen choosing which one to go with results in choppy frame rates, and cutscenes also struggle with frame rate issues. AlthoughMagic: Legendsis still in its beta state, many players feel right now that the game’s performance should be better, especially with all of the monetization options already present.
Magic: Legendsis free-to-play, but gamers already looking to drop some money into the game for optional classes or booster packs feel the monetization system borders on the predatory. Booster packs are only $3.00 a piece, but several players believe buying a ton of them is the only reliable way to get the Dimir Assassin optional class. While the Dimir Assassin class can be purchased through in-game Zen currency, it apparently takes a pretty long time to grind for the necessary currency to do so.Magic: Legendsalso encourages players to spend money via two different season passes, starter packs, and alternative mission rewards.
Less popular frustrations have been poor writing and an underwhelming tutorial, but it seems these complaints are compounded when players feel the developers want them to buy into a game early with so many issues. It’s still early on in the open beta, but Cryptic Studios already has plenty of player responses toMagic: Legendsto work through.Magic: Legends’place in theMagictimeline comes with plenty of possibilitiesfor players to explore a creative story as they join up with friends, but an over-emphasis on pay-to-win mechanics early on could halt the game before it ever gets going.
Magic Legendsreleases in 2021 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. An open beta is available on PC now.
