MAG Open Beta Impressions

First impressions mean a lot and after spending a half hour or so with the MAG open beta and let me tell you, it’s not worth the 1.8GB download.

I get what it’s trying to do. In fact, I think the tri-faction, character creation and somewhat persistent nature of the online play is awesome. But what MAG fails to do is establishing the basics; the feel and look of the game just doesn’t measure up to the competition of today. Hell, I would go as far as to say that feel of the gunplay doesn’t even measure up to 2003’s Call of Duty. I’m playing Call of Duty: Classic right now and that game — that six year old game — has more reload animations than MAG.

The gunplay just doesn’t feel right either. It works, I can mow down people, but it doesn’t feel remotely satisfying or modern. Going back to Call of Duty: Classic and its inventory selection of grenades is understandable, but doing that in a 2009 modern day shooter? I don’t understand it. And why do these grenades sound like firecrackers?

It just isn’t right and that’s how I feel about MAG as a whole. It has a lot of great ideas, but when even the basics don’t feel right, what’s the point? Thanks for offering the beta, Sony. Now I know I can safely pass on MAG.