While many hack and slash fans are currently waiting for information and the release of Diablo 4, a promising competitor is flying under the radar: Magic: Legends. MyMMO author Benedict Grothaus is sure: You are missing out.
Big ARPG blockbusters like Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 are certainly highlights that genre fans are eagerly anticipating. Even I, someone who isn’t deeply involved in theorycrafting the best builds or the race for the highest Greater Rift, am quite looking forward to the new titles.
Especially Diablo 4 is a game that, in my opinion, cannot come soon enough. The Diablo series has always had a special place in my heart. The dark atmosphere and storytelling are simply unique. Diablo 4 will even be really brutal with beheadings and flaming enemies. Finally some morbid fun again.
Even the new head of Diablo 4 finds the artworks creepy, calling them “nightmare fuel”. That’s exactly what I’m excited about! I don’t know much about Diablo 4 yet, but I’m already sure it will be really great.
However, it will still take a while until we can play Diablo 4 for the first time. A release in 2021 is possible, but by no means guaranteed. And so far, Blizzard has been quite tight-lipped about information.
Amid all the buzz around Diablo 4 and also the temporary mobile solution Diablo Immortal, there is indeed an ARPG that I personally believe could become real competition: Magic: Legends. I’m looking forward to the title even a little more.
Magic: Legends – a competitor for Diablo 4?
What is Magic: Legends? Magic: Legends is an action RPG from publisher Perfect World (Torchlight II, Remnant, Star Trek Online) set in the world of the legendary card game Magic: The Gathering.
Magic: Legends was originally supposed to be a full-fledged MMORPG, but the decision was ultimately made for a different genre. I don’t find that bad; better a really good ARPG than a half-hearted MMORPG, even though developer Cryptic Studios has already shown with Star Trek Online that they can definitely do it.
Nonetheless, I think that Magic: Legends could be really successful as a hack and slash because it approaches the genre quite differently than its competitors. And it really feels like Magic, just somehow in Diablo.
Interesting and unique features
What makes Magic: Legends so good? At PAX East 2020 in Boston, I was able to play Magic: Legends and already believed that it would be competition for Diablo 4. Among other things, the unique features are the reason:
- the builds consist of card decks that are drawn in random order, determining the available skills
- this leads to the classes being played with completely different decks and supported with special abilities
- the decks themselves determine how I play – attack spells, summons, or control spells? Everything is included
All of this leads to Magic: Legends feeling like I’m playing with my Magic deck in an ARPG. The different cards and colors offer dozens of possibilities to express myself and create my own “class.”
Magic is indeed the most complex game in the world and Magic: Legends promises to adopt at least part of that, but at least so far, it doesn’t feel overwhelming to me.
This is what the first gameplay looks like: I unfortunately haven’t been able to record my own gameplay yet. However, there are about 30 minutes of gameplay in an official developer video that we have embedded here for you:
What about multiplayer? Magic: Legends will be playable in co-op with up to three players and offer social hubs, somewhat similar to Path of Exile. However, it will not be a full-fledged MMO.
PC, PS5, Xbox Series X? Release information
For which platforms is Magic: Legends being released? So far, Magic: Legends has been announced for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. In the interview, Principal Lead Designer Adam Hetenyi unfortunately could not provide any information about a release for the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. So far, there is no information on that either.
When is it coming? A release for PC is set to come in 2020. However, it might be delayed somewhat due to the current corona crisis. Cryptic Studios assures that the safety of employees and their families is currently the top priority. Development on Magic: Legends will continue for as long as needed, but there are currently no reports of delays.
The release for PS4 and Xbox One is not until 2021. There will be a beta before that. You can find information about it in our collection article:
That’s why Magic: Legends is my tip
With the details above, I wanted to briefly outline what makes Magic: Legends so special for me. My tip is because of a particular advantage it has over Diablo 4: It is the absolute “underdog.”
At the moment, hardly anyone expects much from Magic: Legends and many fans of the genre probably don’t even have it on their radar. But that’s the point: because you pay so little attention to it, it could really surprise you positively at release.
With Diablo 4, I’m sure it will be a huge hit, as long as no massive mistakes are made. However, Magic: Legends can’t go wrong. Hits like the newly released Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem show that the genre has great potential.
In the best case, it will be a success story like Path of Exile was at the time. In the worst case, it will be a niche game for core fans, Magic enthusiasts, and hack and slash freaks seeking variety.
Among the nine new hack and slash games coming in 2020, Magic: Legends is my absolute favorite, and it should be yours too!
