Might & Magic: Duel of Champions for iPhone

A free online strategy game reminiscent of Magic: The Gathering

Might & Magic: Duel of Champions is a multiplayer strategy game for iPad based on a deck of cards. Recalling the famous game Magic:  The Gathering, the game is played with several decks of cards that you use in parts, in order to defeat your human opponents and get the best possible ranking.

Excellence in originality

Based on the universe of the Might & Magic: Duel of Champions lets you choose between three factions in the early part of the game: Haven (medieval humans), Inferno (evil creatures), and Necropolis (the living dead). Each faction has its own strengths and weaknesses, and you have to know your capabilities and those of your opponent to win games.

Like all card games, Might & Magic: Duel of Champions is played in turns, and asks you to dispose of the creatures on the playground while casting spells and drawing new cards. While the basic game lacks originality, it's very addictive due to the strategic opportunities and Ubisoft's efforts to balance different maps and factions.

A simple and perfectible interface

Might & Magic: Duel of Champions lets you first get used to the game by playing solo before launching into the deep end of competitive multiplayer mode. A tutorial introduction and a campaign are included as well, to learn the game at a reasonable pace. The heart of Might & Magic: Duel of Champions is multiplayer mode: if you find yourself getting addicted, we guarantee that you'll be hooked for a good, long time!

Might & Magic: Duel of Champions is a card game, and the interface seems straightforward and doesn't offer a lot of complicated options. We were disappointed by the lack of graphic embellishments: even if the game window is elegantly designed, it's sorely lacking in animation or even a bit of fancy graphics that would give the game more personality.

Unfortunately, the interface has some glitches, and we sometimes cursed the lack of clear controls (especially when it came to looking more closely at the maps in our hand). There are no serious graphic glitches to report, but hopefully the menus will be updated and modernized in a future version.

A significant potential for addiction that could be costly

As with its main inspiration Magic: the Gathering, Might & Magic: Duel of Champions is based on the construction of your deck of cards and on the acquisition of new cards to fully customize your strategy. This kind of game system is rich and exciting, but it unfortunately has a price.

While Might & Magic: Duel of Champions is a free game, players who want to compete in online games may quickly find themselves spending money to acquire new maps... It's possible to play without spending a dime, but be aware that the majority of players go way beyond free!

Our verdict: an addictive game that's playable over the long term

Might & Magic: Duel of Champions has its weak points, especially with regard to its graphic design, which feels almost too clean. But the game has tremendous potential fun that's revealed with each game, and it'll likely become a classic online game for those who play often and "just for a little game between friends"...