We analyze Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, now available for consoles and Steam. This free to play is Konami’s bet for Yu-Gi-Oh! in 2022. Is it a good game?
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel arrived on PC ( Steam ) and consoles ( PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch ) on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, without prior notice. We already told you about it in our preview , and now we tell you what we thought after having played it in depth. Just below we give you all the keys to the new free to play game of Yu-Gi-Oh! from Konami for 2022 :
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel: Konami’s bet in the medium and long term
We play a Duel against the AI
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is Konami’s spearhead when it comes to video games in this saga, not only for the year 2022, but also for the medium and long term. Following in the footsteps of another of his recent great successes (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links), Master Duel has been conceived as a free to play title and game as a service . In other words, it is a title that will be updated over time with new content .
For those new: Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is a card video game based on the TCG/OCG , that is, the physical version of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game. We have over 10,000 different cards , and the list will be updated over time. For those not so new: in Master Duel there are some curious changes with respect to the TCG. For example, the banlist is that of the OCG , so it can shock us to see players using multiple copies of “C” Maxx, for example.
Powerful cards from the recent meta, such as Apollousa, Arch of the Goddess are also present in the game
As we mentioned in our preview, Master Duel is divided into two aspects: Solo mode and online multiplayer mode . It is a Duel simulator pure and simple; nothing in story mode as they do have, for example, Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution and Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! . In single player mode, we have several scenarios centered around different archetypes and card families . As a curiosity, they have a couple of scenes that tell us something more about the background and lore of each of these families. The games themselves are very basic tutorialswhere we are only shown a couple of archetype strategies, and run. The general tutorials are pretty basic too , especially considering the state of the Yu-Gi-Oh! in the middle of 2022. In other words: Master Duel is intended for experienced Yu-Gi-Oh! players; new players can find it very difficult even when playing against the AI.
The title is free to play, but, as usual, it has micropayments . We can buy gems (the virtual currency of the game) with real money, obtain them by playing and winning Ranked Duels, or by completing certain scenarios in Solo mode, or by completing certain milestones in the form of limited-time missions and permanent missions. With these gems we buy card packs and aesthetic elements such as boards, companions (pets that cheer us up in Duels), player images, card sleeves and more. The game’s economy system has seemed solvent to us , although, as usually happens in this type of product, we do not recommend spending an excessive amount of real moneybecause the changing metagame can make a powerful Deck worthless next month because either there’s a new one dominating the competitive scene, or ours has been invalidated because several of its cards have been limited or banned.
We get new cards at random by buying them with gems, the virtual currency of Master Duel
Regarding the system for obtaining new cards , it has its lights and its shadows. To begin with, we can create the cards we want if we have the fragments corresponding to their rarity (Normal, Rare, Super Rare or Ultra Rare). These fragments are obtained by “destroying” cards that we have ; In this way we can undo cards that do not interest us and acquire the ones we want. This is a positive aspect because it gives us an alternative to obtaining them simply by opening envelopes . We can also get new cards and decks by opening packs with free tickets, completing Solo mode scenarios, or participating and winning ranked Duels.
On the other hand , the way we have for new booster packs to appear has seemed terribly confusing to us ; For starters, we have a few booster packs in the Shop; opening several of these envelopes unlocks for a limited time packs of secret envelopes of cards related to those we have obtained with this first opening. Indeed, this is a FOMO ( fear of missing out ) strategy that we did not like at all.
The card creation system allows us to obtain the ones we want in exchange for the corresponding fragments
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel joins the recent trend of dividing the game into Seasons and Season Passes . The Master Duel pass, simply called Duel Pass , allows us to obtain additional rewards as we level up .
The first season pass, for example, allows us to obtain card fragments, gems, and a couple of cosmetic items in the form of an El Shaddoll Construct wallpaper and a companion of the mythical Pot of Greed. The Duel Pass itself is free, but the Gold version requires an outlay of gems . As an additional method of financing, it does not seem bad to us.
Master duel has a Season Pass system with which we get rewards as we level up
Obviously, the main course of Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is the online multiplayer Duels , either ranked or against a friend. Playing with friends, we can create rooms in which to play against them, with some customization in the rules, or we can be spectators of a Duel between members of the room.
On the other hand, in Matched Duels is where the real heart of the game is, and its reason for being. We can fight against players from all over the world and from any platform ; Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel boasts crossplay and shared progress on different devices, this being one of its strongest points. That is, we can play against players who play on a system other than ours, and we can keep our progress (cards, Decks, unlocked accessories…) between different systems, since everything is linked to our Konami account.
We play an even Duel; Blue Eyes mirror match
Regarding the Duels themselves, the fact that there is crossplay practically ensures that there are rivals to play against since it does not limit the player base to those of a single platform. From what we have been able to prove, once we have given it to search for a game, in just ten seconds it pairs us with an opponent .
Ranked Duels are another story. People don’t mess around with little girls ; this is another of the reasons why we comment that Master Duel is intended as a translation of the card game to the video game format . Novice players will have a hard time as they just won’t understand what’s going on with successive combos, Quick Effects, Synchro Summons, XYZ, Pendulum and Link. The meta seems to be similar to that of the TCG , as we’ve seen quite a few Tri-Brigade, Dogmatika, and Sky Fighter users in our online matches. And as we mentioned above, the fact that the banlist used is that of the OCG is curious and can lead to new plays and competitive decks unknown in the West.
Deck building is an essential part of Master Duel
Konami plans to keep the game going for the long term, with content to go along with new TCG / OCG releases . This bet aims to unify all Yu-Gi-Oh! in the same ecosystem. If the game works out for them, time will tell, although the mere fact that they try it is appreciated, especially when there have been free and unofficial alternatives like YGO Pro for many years.
Master Duel’s interface is clean, although it can also be improved ; Even with the Duel Log active, it’s sometimes unclear what your opponent is doing unless you have in-depth knowledge of the game. The artistic section , on the other hand, is tremendous ; To the original assets of the game (different boards, pets and others) are added the official arts of the more than 10,000 cards ; some Monsters have special animations when they are summoned, and we can enjoy all this in 4K. Master Duel boasts of being the first title in the series with native 4K resolution on compatible systems.
Master Duel builds on the more than 20-year history of the Yu-Gi-Oh! to make an overwhelming artistic section your own
The soundtrack , on the other hand, is a real marvel . We have varied and quality compositions that liven up the duels, and dynamic music (the chords and rhythms change depending on whether we are winning, losing, whether an emblematic Monster has been summoned that can turn the game around…) . Such is the level that some of these themes will remind us of other relatively recent titles also famous for their music, such as Octopath Traveler .
Finally, to curl the curl, and in case it has not been clear despite the captures that are in all this text, the game is in a complete Castilian . The translation of the cards is the same as that of the TCG , which does not prevent some of the game’s menus from seeing some mistake (“you are the second starter”).
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is fully translated into Spanish
Taking into account all the pros and cons of Master Duel, the balance is very positive . Konami has taken great care to create a unified platform for Yu-Gi-Oh! players. It is the most complete title in the saga to date, and it has prospects to become the best if it receives the right support.
CONCLUSION
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has arrived in the context of COVID: face-to-face card game events have suffered, so an official video game of this type makes more sense than ever. Konami intends Master Duel to be a unique ecosystem and the official platform through which to conduct Remote Duels. It’s not perfect, but the initial version released in January 2022 is not only fairly creditworthy, it’s also a must-stop for every Yu-Gi-Oh! that is worth Also, the fact that it is a service game gives it room for improvement.
THE BEST
- It’s the Yu-Gi-Oh! most complete to date
- Cross-play and shared progress between devices
- Free to play; completely free game
- You will receive more content over time
- The possibility of creating the cards we want
- Artistic section and sublime soundtrack
WORST
- It is not a game suitable for beginners; the tutorials are insufficient
- Improvable interface
- The envelope opening system is confusing
8
Very good
Game of remarkable finish that we will enjoy and remember. A good buy, highly recommended for lovers of the genre. It is well cared for on all levels.