Tournament players give verdict on MAG

By Ellie Gibson Published 21 January, 2010

Eurogamers compare charms to MW2.

A quick survey of attendees at last night's MAG tournament revealed 9 out of 10 Eurogamer readers prefer the game to - gasp - Modern Warfare 2. And would in fact give it 9 out of 10.

"I got to play the MAG open beta and that was fascinating, it was completely different," said Sasha, a 37-year-old Londoner. "I was playing Modern Warfare 2 before that and this is just a cut above. I'm more of a person that's into chaos, bigger squads, bigger maps. I'm not a small map person."

So what scores would you give each game, Sasha? "Modern Warfare, for the twitch gaming, it's a 7/10. MAG, for the amount of strategy you can incorporate into the game - I'd give it 9/10."

Several readers suggested the quality of your MAG experience will depend on how good you are at teamwork. "This is the first time I've played it. It's a little bit confusing but I'm sure once I've got the whole communication thing and I learn to follow orders, it will be even better," said Alastair, 27, from Winchester.

Better than Modern Warfare 2, though? "Ooh, controversial... I think it could, possibly, given the size of the teams, the scale of the battles and the size of the environments. Yes, it has the potential to be better than Modern Warfare 2. It's a more drawn-out game, there are much more tactics involved... Hell, why not? Yes, it's better than Modern Warfare 2."

Scores? "Can't I give half-marks? Better round it up for MAG - 9 - and I'll go with an 8 for Modern Warfare."

"It was good fun and it's a a great team game," said 28-year-old Themis. "Everyone should play and stop playing Modern Warfare because that sucks."

But not everyone was so keen. "If you had a plan and a nice squad it could be better, but with strangers, I'm not sure how it stacks up against Modern Warfare 2," said 18 year-old Londoner Adi.

There's also a question mark over whether MAG will be able to win over a wider audience. Self-professed non-gamer Ciaran, 19, also from London, said he didn't know whether the game was good enough to make him buy a PS3. "It feels more like an Xboxy sort of game. But the fact you can play online with so many different people is cool, I like that."

MAG did manage to win over a few skeptics last night. "When they announced how many people would be able to play it, there were guffaws. Universally it was just laughed at, the idea you could get that many people playing a game and it would be enjoyable," said Colin, 37, another Londoner. "I think tonight's shown that it is, and it works, and it's good fun."

So would Colin be buying a copy himself? "No, because I'm getting it for free," he pointed out, to universal guffaws. "But yes, I'd tell my friends to buy it, definitely."

Look out for our official opinion in the Eurogamer review of MAG, coming soon.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • 52pickup #1 2 years ago

    I enjoyed the beta. This review of MAG is absolutely funny, have a look, some language though, so some caution applied.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qco8LGDRa54
    Edited by 52pickup at 21/01/10 @ 11:28

  • Murton #2 2 years ago

    You left out the most important bit, did the EG clan win?

    In my opinion, it's going to be between MAG and Bad Company 2 for best multiplayer FPS this year on PS3. COD is just too chaotic, there's not structure, just run and gun grenade spam, spawn die, spawn die, spawn kill kill die. I need an objective in order to properly enjoy multiplayer FPS now and COD just doesn't deliver that outside of Spec Ops.

  • reelbigkris #3 2 years ago

    It can not really be compared with Call of Duty though... It's like comparing Burnout to Forza... Mag is a welcome addition to the FPS genre however and i am quite looking forward to it.

  • carlitoswagon #4 2 years ago

    If it doesn't turn into a camping nightmare MAG will be crazy fun. In fact, if it doesn't turn into a complete clusterfuck it will be exceptional.
    Edited by carlitoswagon at 21/01/10 @ 11:42

  • zuljin #5 2 years ago

    I just simply couldn't get into it, but then I always preferred smaller teamed games, so I guess this was never really targetted at people like me. Then I also didn't get into MW2 multiplayer, so I'll just stick to BF2 for now!

  • cianchristopher #6 2 years ago

    Well, it's a PS3 exclusive so OF COURSE IT'LL BE GOOD!!!

    Aren't they all?

  • jambo74 #7 2 years ago

    'person that's into chaos'

    I prefer my team shooters to be less in to chaos and mor into actual gameplay

  • thedaveeyres #8 2 years ago

    Bit of a self-selecting sample though eh? :p

  • Mkwone #9 2 years ago

    Are we sure these people we not influenced in any way? :D

    Actually looking forward to it myself, whether it's better than MW or not isn't rearlly a factor for me i can't see why i can't enjoy both titles.

    Actually can i ask a question, seeing as everyone in the game was together how was communication? Was their a deathly silence in the room, was there a few vocal people or was everybody taken in by it and talking?
    Edited by Mkwone at 21/01/10 @ 12:00

  • Miths #10 2 years ago

    I'll wait for Bad Company 2. I tried the MAG beta, but it just seems to reliant on good squad communication to be truly enjoyable - and I prefer to just jump into random matches in online shooters, and without a mic (and usually the rest of the bunch on mute :)).

  • ThemisB #11 2 years ago

    Despite my (slightly drunken) comment I do actually enjoy MW2, sometimes (when I'm not being spawn killed, blown to bits by infinite noob tubes, sniped with akimbo shotties or having to face lag as well as annoying kids).

    I think a lot more people would enjoy MAG if they gave it a chance though, especially playing with the EG clan we plan on setting up.

  • muscleblade #12 2 years ago

    @cianchristopher

    Yeah Haze was incredible.

    edit: This sounds good though. A Halo beater - i dont think so. Time will show.
    Edited by muscleblade at 21/01/10 @ 12:07

  • Doctor_What #13 2 years ago

    "Well, it's a PS3 exclusive so OF COURSE IT'LL BE GOOD!!!"

    Recently, they have been mostly pretty good actually, yes.

  • bodypopper #14 2 years ago

    I'm sure all comments are genuine but it's a bit hard to take this article seriously with a huge ad for MAG wrapped around it.
    The game wasn't for me (it feels like Battlefield with Reistance 2-level graphics) but I forsee an Operation Flashpoint 2/Modern Warfare 2 situation where folks buy MAG to fill the time while waiting for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 to come out.
    I think I know which game will do better in the long run though. MW2 doesn't compare as it's more pick up and play than either game is likely to be and is its own thing.
    Edited by bodypopper at 21/01/10 @ 12:38

  • macmurphy #15 2 years ago

    I'm not normally a jealous person but this, Little Big Planet and Unchartered give me PS3 envy.

  • KDR_11k #16 2 years ago

    I don't think MW2's MP is that hard to beat honestly, what it has going for it is mostly the constant unlocking and new stuff, the actual gameplay is pretty meh. Fun if you don't take it seriously but if you're expecting any kind of fair, competitive game you're going to be disappointed.

  • Progguitarist #17 2 years ago

    Oh look, its Cianchristopher!

  • SINNERBOY #18 2 years ago

    MAG is the future of fps games.

  • Moonprince #19 2 years ago

    BC2 is ace, doubt there'll be a better fps this year

  • M_of_the_sys #20 2 years ago

    I'm pre-ordering this in the next couple of days. Hugely enjoyed the beta.

    BFBC2 felt a bit too clunky for me and there wasn't much team work going on. Will defo give it another try if I get the chance though.

  • UKwoods #21 2 years ago

    I've never rated COD that highly. It's way too easy to kill, and it favours campers. People with balls who want to play just get mowed down.

  • Frenzie #22 2 years ago

    Great PR article.

  • valli #23 2 years ago

    You must have played a different version of MAG or you were all intoxicated. Or both. :)

  • knightmt #24 2 years ago

    I did not like Bad Company one it was a poor version of Battlefield. The next one looks amazing hope it has some strategy.
    Modern Warfare 2 is an amazing game, though the story is bit random, it is very responsive, I have not tried the mp because I am a coward. Are the maps in mp as small as thoughs in Special Ops.
    MAG is very simple game and I hope that allows a lot of people to play it, the numbers allow a massive variety of gameplay, people who want structure have got it, people who want to pick up and play have got it.

  • SlapLaB #25 2 years ago

    cianchristopher -19...
    -20 now
    :-)))

  • butler` #26 2 years ago

    it'll be 3/10 or 9/10 depending on who you're playing with

  • leafmulch #27 2 years ago

    I thought it was fairly weak on the immersion/control/feel side. If you can enjoy it despite of its shortcomings and due more to its strengths then power to you. I don't think I'll be ones of those lucky people. From my experience on the open BETA I'd only award it 9 for effort and about 6 for playability.

  • chessboxer #28 2 years ago

    I prefered both MAG and BC2 to MW2. BC2 still needs to sort out the draw distance though. Surprisingly the draw distance was pretty damn good in MAG (considering how big the maps are and the high number of players).

  • seanthejackal #29 2 years ago

    i loved the beta best fps ive played in ages there was just so much in it, can only imagine the amount of stuff in the full game.

  • dllord #30 2 years ago

    I'm defo buying this game next week!

  • rc94 #31 2 years ago

    LOL Themis!

  • dfish #32 2 years ago

    the fact they've designed this game for 256 players right from the start seems to show rather than just going with convention and increasing the player count. good work zipper.

  • Peew971 #33 2 years ago

    Well it was a tournament so of course they liked it! It was played as supposed to with people working for the team and using headsets!
    Wait until they play it online with useless gamers who either:
    a) Only care about their personal stats, not the team
    b) Don't have/use a headset
    c) Use a headset to sing, whistle, swear, fart, complain that the game is shit, etc.

  • XBoxDragon #34 2 years ago

    Using headsets? not so much of that.. everything was so loud you couldn't hear a bloody thing over the headsets.
    Edited by XBoxDragon at 21/01/10 @ 20:17

  • davisorle #35 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • jambo74 #36 2 years ago

    Is there any Scuds in MAG?

    I Want Scud MAG.

  • Jonny5Alive7 #37 2 years ago

    I don't want to sound like a MW2 fanboy but I think the people quoted are a tad bias considering they were all attending a big MAG fest.

  • Gammerz #38 2 years ago

    'Self-professed non-gamer Ciaran, 19, also from London, said he didn't know whether the game was good enough to make him buy a PS3. "It feels more like an Xboxy sort of game." '

    ???!!!
    Edited by Gammerz at 22/01/10 @ 12:25

  • jambo74 #39 2 years ago

    MAG's LAG

  • Rrylia #40 2 years ago

    My worry when I tried that Beta of this was that it does seem to be very reliant on good communication - I would hope only those who somehow "prove" they can communicate effectively etc are promoted to squad leaders and such - not just people with high kill scores from camping! My other worry is that unfortunately I can only speak English - my friend and I really struggled as our entire alliance was French, German and Polish with one guy who was American with no mic. We muted pretty much everyone as we couldn't understand a word they were saying - I'm not sure if there is a way to issue "default" commands like in OpFlash2 but the designers need to consider this hurdle, as if I was playing alone it really wouldn't be very enjoyable.