Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Zipper Interactive
Platform: PlayStation 3
Genre: Online First-Person Shooter
MSRP: $59.99 US
ESRB: Rated T
Release Date: January 26, 2010
Those looking for a lone one-man army experience should skip this game altogether because MAG is an online-only first-person shooter with tactical warfare in mind. That means you will feel like you’re part of a team once you log on to the servers and pick a side and with so many players on the field at once it is clear that there’s no room for individual Achievement-hogging in a game that supports up to 256 players.
Of course, there’s some lag issues that pop up frequently but it doesn’t get too bad considering the large scale battles with so many players lighting up the various battlegrounds. MAG makes SOCOM Confrontation look like a Tupperware party in comparison and in this game you earn your stripes by doing and not just being there. That means you are rewarded for contributing to the objective-based battles whether you pick the Raven side, the Valor folk or become a member of the more guerilla-like S.V.E.R.
Unfortunately, like all online-only matches, not everyone is on the same page in terms of tactics and there are more than enough goofballs that ruin the experience by getting in the way rather than helping out. I can’t count how many times myself and a number of players who thought about carrying out the missions tactically get killed because some cowboy comes running into the line of fire and get in the way of the objective. We don’t mind if you play for the fun of it but do you have to ruin it for those who want to play to win?
"I seriously think we made a wrong turn."
The mission objectives aren’t anything new to those online shooter fans and the action gets repetitive really quickly to the point that you won’t be playing this game for very long stretches of time. MAG is the kind of game you do want to play if you’re a hardcore online multiplayer fan but if you’re just a casual player you will find that MAG doesn’t do anything particularly new.
Rent this game and enjoy it over a long holiday weekend and if you’re a dedicated fan it might be worth the purchase price but don’t expect to be blown away by a unique multiplayer experience even though the impressive number of players on the field do add to a really fun time.
GAME FRONTLINE RATING
Gameplay: 7.5
Graphics: 7.0
Sound: 8.0
Appeal: 7.5
Overall: 7.5
