Staff Writer Jason Ryer
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is an interesting free-to-play game for most modern consoles. It takes the concept of playing the card game and adds all the modern features of past variations of the franchise so than older players and current players can enjoy the game.
Under the hood, though, the game is unique because players can feel the wide array of depth the series has. Each new duel that I played has been a different theme or monster type. Some monster types are more popular than others, but Master Duel is really good at showcasing the appeal of the card game.
That being said, this game has an if it’s not broke don’t fix it quality.
In some decks players will face a lot of same old decks at times with Sky Strikers and Eldlich decks being the norm when the game first came out.
This can be a difficulty barrier for new players who don’t understand how the series works with how to spend the limited currency the game gives them.
Decks are sold at 500 gems while a Duel Pass, Master Duel’s version of a Fortnite Seasonal pass that lasts 60 days, is around 800 gems. The challenge in managing money before someone is put at a wall to pay real money in the game comes up fast. A set of 10 boosters out of a booster box pack is around $25 at 1,000 gems in game.
The problem at this point comes from building a good PVP (player versus player)
deck as players unlock booster boxes based on cards the player can get from the first three open sets. The extra boxes only stay around for 24 hours, which makes the grind for 1000 gems harder than just adding currency and buying more boosters.
This is a similar issue with the trading card game but boosters are open to buy at most stores.
Master Duel’s Banlist, a list of cards that cannot be used or have limited use, are based on the OCG, Original Card Game, versus the trading card game. That means a lot of cards are usable.
There are ways around this issue, but it’s a challenge to which players have to learn some modes that are inside the deck-builder mode.
The deck-builder mode allows for creating cards, but only if you have the right type of material which can be obtained through dueling or the Duel Pass.
Solo mode is another feature of the game, yet it is very limited. It gives the players a back story to the cards and allows the player to try the cards out.
Players get energy to do more parts of the story locked behind gates which allow for custom icons to be won in the game or full decks based around the monsters at hand. This is currently being expanded on in the game.
The main way to play the game is the seasonal tournaments that are ranked and give players gems and levels to the Duel
Pass. The tournaments are PVP 1 duels that can vary in the time it takes to complete the duels. Festivals have started up over the last few months with XYZ, Normal and rare, and Synchros getting featured for players to try loaner decks.
These are timed events and players can gain gems as well as custom XYZ and Synchro boosters to unlock cards selected for the event.
Legacy packages are another special type of booster pack that can also be acquired through seasonal tournaments, Solo mode and festivals. These are where more classic monsters from the anime are featured. The store does sell cards like Ash Blossom, Solemn Judgement and Lightning Storm as a 750 gem one-time purchase alongside 10 Master packs, the very basic booster box that has most of the older cards shuffled in it.
Lastly, the game allows for a spectator mode in which players can watch what appears to be recordings of other players playing the game so they can learn new tricks.
The game overall is growing and has not fully come into its own yet. The content is increasing but the pay-to-win wall at the moment is very high for new players.
Overall, Master Duel does a good job beyond the flaws of simulating a true Yu-Gi- Oh! experience.
A Konami ID will allow players to connect their account to multiple consoles like PC, mobile, Xbox, PlayStation and the Nintendo Switch with ease.
Grade: C+
