Magic: Gathering has had many digital reports over the years. However, they all missed out on persuading the basic game in different ways – whether it was the lack of Duels or Magic: Gathering Online's special focus on hardcore players and the 1: 1 price for a physical model. Magic: The Gathering Zone, finally there is a Magic product that really embraces the digital age, which offers fun and competitive card combinations.
If you know the current general nature of the game (e.g. the last few years of the set), it's all here. While the presentation and composition is full of instruments and whistles – talking cards, modified calls, hot warfare effects for mythic card games – it's still a tablet game you know and love. Games play fast, in part by taking the human element in taxonomy tasks such as rolling bowls, placing and removing cards from cards, and cleaning tokens. The digital version of the game also allows for some special types that can't take place in a virtual environment. For example, Momir format allows you to call random creatures – a fun (and not competitive) way to enjoy digital format only.
Like all things Magic, it's about what to play and when. If you feel like you want to make a draft, you can start at any time, thinking you have the money. If you just want to come in and play, Arena does a great job at providing a bunch of free decks and cards. The model is not excessive, but if you want to have competitive positions, you will have to cash out. Cards receipt stays fine, but drafts and deals are locked after a large sum of cash or paid entries. This means that if you go into the game and take it seriously, you'll probably pay for it, but the cost feels reasonable.
Closed desk events, limited time events such as singleton (one copy of any card allowed), or special contests with various rules are always available and cycled, ensuring you have plenty of ideas to get involved every time you sign in. Card packs offer something more than a physical game: wild cards. You can drag and trade this card to any of your favorite rarity cards that go with it – a great boost when trying to find a deliciously mythic playset that isn't available in your competition deck.
However, you can't play or get cards in Magic's long history. If you want to play your favorite mold from Fallen Empires or snap a kobold army from Legends, get out of luck. The social aspects are noticeably diminished – you can poke fun with friends, but it's much easier to play against random opponents in ladder play. Arena also currently lacks some of its favorite social options, such as Commander / Old Dragon Highlander or Cube draft, but this is a lot of forgiveness.
If you want to play Magic, there's probably no better way than Magic: A gathering place, and that means a lot. Coastal Witches seems reluctant to move all-in to the digital product a decade ago, perhaps out of fear that it might convince viewers of the big paper, but Magic is ultimately where it needs to be in the digital space.
