Magic 2014 Expansion Review

Stainless Games really threw down the gauntlet with this year’s Duels of the Plansewalkers. The downloadable series, based on Wizard’s iconic trading card game, has always been good, yet 2014 managed to take it just that little bit further.

This was mainly thanks to a new game mode, dubbed Sealed Play. Here, players could attain the full Magic: The Gathering experience both in and out of battles, building their very own decks from scratch and upgrading them with booster packs. However, with only a cluster of missions to wade through,  it was perhaps not as deep as some would have liked, yet hopefully marks where the series is heading.

Since launch, Stainless has released an expansion for Magic 2014 which is now available to download on all platforms. Sadly, this add-on doesn’t expand the newly added Sealed Play mode but there’s definitely plenty to get your teeth stuck into.

The first thing to note is that this new expansion isn’t exactly beginner friendly. The six new campaign levels present players with a slew of dangerous opponents, each with their own advanced decks, guarding the realms of Alara, Kamigawa, and Ravnica.

Defeating the very first of these new foes requires more than just a pinch of luck and succinct knowledge of the game’s mechanics. Their decks are built towards ultra-specific game styles, to the point where their turn-to-turn actions almost feel scripted. One enemy, for example, immediately plays an enchantment, granting them an instant win if they ever have twenty or more creatures under their control. Another combines a conventional damage-heavy approach with a few rare (and questionably overpowered) cards, leaving players to think long and hard between every move.

Even the expansion’s basic cards come tagged with a new set of rules, bringing both fresh dynamics and more complexity to the table. One ability that kept cropping up was Exalted, empowering solo attacking cards with +1/+1 for every card under that player’s control that shared the same ability. These new rules certainly add room for tactical depth yet some of the cards are cluttered with too much text and suffer from overlapping.

This shouldn’t be a problem for advanced, or even intermediate, players however. Having recently picked up the actual, paper-based trading card game, there was a moment of surprise when I found my virtual opponent mimicking the same tactics as one of my regular, real-life adversaries. No doubt it is this particular school of summoners who will fully appreciate the expansion and its 280 unique cards.

Outside of the campaign levels are a string of new challenges. As in 2014’s original release, these are bitesize chunks of gameplay which pit players in a very specific scenario. Using everything you’ve learned, you’ll need to combine certain actions at certain times to overcome these challenges. They’re rewarding, sure, though can also prove frustrating. Other little knick knacks include new character portraits/avatars and a collection of DLC trophies.

At a glance, the new expansion doesn’t have much to offer. Relegated to its own section of the game menu, it isn’t until after a few matches that you begin to appreciate exactly what you are getting from the DLC. Each card in Magic: The Gathering has its own purpose and the potential to instantly change the tide of a match. Therefore, in adding 280 new ones, Stainless has opened the door to a wealth of turnaround situations, even if they appeal more to veteran players.

Overall, it makes for a solid addition, yet one that isn’t perhaps targeted in the right place. New decks and challenges are always a good thing but when you consider how much content is already on offer, the added expense becomes hard to justify. Still, if you’re looking to take your M:TG experience just that little step further, this is exactly what you need.