Magic Duels: Origins

Release Date: July 8, 2015

Puzzle, fantasy, free-to-play, card games, Magic: The Gathering, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet

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Steam

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A video game adaptation of the Magic: Origins card game from Wizards of the Coast, developed by Stainless Game. Unlike the earlier digital renditions of Magic: The Gathering, the game is available as a free-to-play title and developed mostly through free updates.

Magic Duels: Origins is the sequel to Magic 2015: Duels of the Planeswalkers, which was released for the PC in 2014. The title is the sixth installment of the series of electronic adaptations of the extremely popular card game – Magic: The Gathering. The newest production features some major changes, including the transition to the free-to-play business model. The developers from the Wizards of the Coast company have decided to gradually expand the PC version of their product through complimentary updates.

The title of the cycle’s next installment has changed, due to the release of a new, identically named, card bundle, which took place roughly at the same time as the release of the video game in question. Magic Origins, the previously mentioned card pack, is a set containing 272 new cards and acts as an introduction to a brand new storyline in the world of Magic: The Gathering; however, this does not stand for a complete renewal of the universe – the fans will immediately recognize that the heroes of this new story are the five notorious Planeswalkers: Gideon Jura, Jace Beleren, Liliana Vess, Chandra Nalaar and Nissa Revane. With their newest expansion, the developers wanted to tell the story behind these characters and explain how they rose to power.

When it comes to the basic gameplay mechanics, Magic Duels: Origins does not differ from the previous installments of the series; however, the creators have made some changes to the available game modes. The return of the Two-Headed Giant mode, where the skirmishes consist out of four players playing against each other in two teams (2v2) with a shared HP pool, could prove to be the most important novelty for the fans of the cycle; apart from that, a new, dynamic mission system has been implemented into the production. The system features weekly challenges for the entire community, as well as individual players. The developers have prepared a fresh tutorial called Skill Quest; the Deck Builder tool has also been updated and now offers complex advice on picking optimal cards for your deck. In addition to all of the previously mentioned changes, Magic Duels: Origins contains the standard Solo Battle mode, where you can battle against the AI, and various forms of multiplayer skirmishes played versus other users.

Last updated on August 14, 2015

Videos and Screens

[1:25] Magic Duels: Origins trailer

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