For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of tactics games the best way to describe it is essentially a video game version of a miniatures game. The player begins by creating a planeswalker and choosing a color of magic. Using the 40-card preconstructed deck you're given you can play spells and summon creatures to reduce your enemies life total to 0 (sound familiar?!). On each planeswalker's turn they receive an amount of mana to cast spells from their hand before ending their turn with either passing, attacking a unit, or moving. Creatures cast also become figures on the grid which have their own turn order based on that creature's initiative value. Creatures can move, attack planeswalkers or other creatures, defend, or use activated abilities on their turns. Certain mechanics have been altered to fit the tactics system (i.e. unblockable creatures cannot be attacked by other creatures and can move through terrain unhindered). Enchantments and other spells work in a fairly similar fashion to the card game although most require your planeswalker to be in a certain distance from the spells target.
Now probably the best thing is that decks in this game are fully customizable. Since the mana system is kind of automatic, you don't seem to get mana-screwed but since you don't have the choice to play lands at your discretion you could have a creature in your hand for U but only have B in your pool. Other than that the game translates very well. any person with a knowledge of the card game will be able to learn this very quickly, although mastery is based entirely on your ability to adapt your strategies to a fully 3-dimensional environment.
There are several modes such as a single player campaign, casual 1 vs. 1 games against real opponents, and tournament play.
The campaigns feature a condition for winning an usually yield experience and a card, gold, or both. They also follow a story that progresses you from your humble beginnings as a fledgling planeswalker to becoming something a truly epic spell casting badass.
Probably the strangest aspect is that your planeswalker can actually level up. As you gain experience you can actually earn talent points by leveling which you can use to enhance your spells of certain colors or effect your game overall. For instance one talent in the blue tree gives your rogue creatures a chance to gain an extra 1 initiative when cast, with 4% per trait to a total of 5.
You can also participate in player vs. player matches and tournaments which can raise your player rank and net you more gold or other prizes such as cards or "booster packs". The player vs. player aspect is very competitive so its recommended that you stick to the tutorials and campaigns til you get the swing of things (unless your that kind of "baptism by fire" kind of guy).
Booster packs containing random cards to add to your deck can also be obtained through SOE's online store by using "Sony Cash". This "SC" can also be used to purchase single cards, additional campaigns, or other random things. The gold obtained in the game can be used on the games "auction house" for purchasing single cards from other players in a bidding system. I haven't purchased any yet so I can't say for sure how many cards they contain but I'd assume it would be around the 15 area as they cost as much as actual booster packs of Magic. Personally though I think I'm just going to stick to buying from the AH with gold as I for one would much rather have real cards!
Now I do have to say the game doesn't feel rushed at all and if you're a fan a fan of the card game the free.99 price tag warrants it a shot.
Hit up http://www.magicthegatheringtactics.com/ for the client download or screenshots!
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