subject: Preview of MAG: The Potential for Greatness or Disaster [print this page] Before I start, let me say that MAG has the potential to be the biggest hit of the current generation games, but it also has the potential to be a giant flop. The game's potential will not just depend on the developers, but on the players as well.
In the near future, the need for state-funded armies has been negated by the use of PMC's. These mercenary armies are better funded, better trained, and better armed than any national army could be. Three have risen to the top, and they are the battle-hardened Valor, the sleek and clean Raven, and the gang-like S.V.E.R.. These three giants battle for contracts, and for wealth. As a new recruit in the world of MAG, you choose one of these three factions to dedicate yourself to, and then get to work fighting the Shadow War in one of three game modes.
Sabotage is a 32 vs 32 player mission that requires the attacking team to secure two computer terminals (objectives A and B) in order to gain access to the last objective which needs to be destoyed by planting a demo charge on it.
Acquisition is a 64 vs 64 player mission that requires the attacking team to punch their way deep into the defending team's base and acquire two prototype transport vehicles and deliver them to the evac location which is back where the attackers originate from.
Domination is a 128 vs 128 player mode that requires EACH attacking platoon to capture TWO pairs of towers followed by a pair of computer control panels located inside a building complex. There are 3 stages to the attack.
There is another game mode, Suppression, which is just traditional Team Deathmatch, but it has no bearing on the Shadow War whatsoever, and is more of a break from the real battles.
The graphics of MAG may not be up to par against games like Modern Warfare 2, and I didn't really expect them to be from the start. The graphics are almost equal to that of SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, if that's any real indication. The sound has a few issues in the BETA version, such as non-directional medic calls and no distance fade on said calls for a medic, but we can expect these problems to be resolved before the games gets a retail release.
Graphics and sound aside, MAG is shaping up beautifully. Playing through many of the Domination games and (even more) Acquisition rounds, I have yet to see any lags or server problems. I understand, however, that the BETA only has around 9,000 people (or more) playing at once. Still, to have a room with 256 people in it and have no lags is seriously impressive to me.
The character models and weapons have the right kind of "weight" to them as the players move. The controls are, for the most part, executed quite well, although it does take a few times to get used to cycling weapons. I, on the other hand, had a serious issue with tossing grenades. The grenades cannot be cooked, and one can NOT adjust the throwing power - a serious oversight, in my opinion.
The command structure is amazing and executed near-perfectly, but your experience with it will depend on the squad you're with. And therein lies the most serious problem that could befall MAG. If you have nothing but people without mics on your team, you'll almost surely lose. Likewise, if all you have on your side are people that refuse to play "for the team," your defeat is almost certain.
If your team, however, has good communication skills and people who understand this game is in no way just about kills, then you have a fighting chance when pitted against the same.
It is very easy to get overwhelmed at times in terms of the scale of what's all going on around you. Smoke billows from the other side of the map when an asset is destroyed and the ground rumbles from bombs being dropped. Luckily, Zipper's Tactical Map shows every bit of information you would need to determine your next course of action.
There is another level of complexity that's found in few FPS games in that each player has the potential to be different depending on the skills they choose. Every level awards another skill point to spend, and more decisions: " Do I want to be more of a boon for my team and pick Medic skills? Do I want to be able to run farther? How about a new weapon?" It's this deep level of customization, where the RPG aspect comes into play.
Unfortunately for some, I don't believe MAG has any kind of single player experience other than the training exercises, so that means you'll be in for some rough battles against other players, and no predictable bots to boost your experience on.
Altogether, I believe MAG will be a great seller from Sony, granted that Zipper Interactive can manage to get the little issues fixed. The game is scheduled for release in North America on January 26, 2010.
Preview of MAG: The Potential for Greatness or Disaster
By: gamepodunk
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