MAG is an FPS MMO shooter for the PlayStation 3 developed by Zipper Interactive. The game was announced at Sony's E3 2008 press conference. Various subtitles were being considered for the game, including MAG: Shadow War, MAG: Zero, MAG: Global Assault and MAG: Final Hour. The game was released in North America on January 26, Europe on January 27, United Kingdom on January 29, and Australia and New Zealand on February 11, 2010.
Game changes can be found at Patch Updates.
Gameplay
The game utilizes a new server architecture to support online battles with up to 256 players, with users divided into 8-player squads, with 4 squads forming a platoon, and 4 platoons forming a company. Each squad is led by a player who has advanced through the game's ranking system. Character statistics and development also increase with frequent gameplay. The players most advanced in rank will be able to either direct the battle or participate directly in combat.
Game Types
- Main article: Game Type
Aside from the training mode (which changes for each faction), there are five separate game modes: Suppression, Sabotage, Acquisition, Interdiction and Domination.
Suppression
Suppression is a 64 player team deathmatch mode. All players are from a single PMC. It is intended for new players to practice and improve their skills before they are deployed in the Shadow War.
Note: As of 1.07, Suppression is no longer PMC-specific and all maps can be attacked by all PMCs.
Sabotage
Sabotage is played with 64 players. Teams are divided into four 8-man squads. The attacking team must secure and control two data uplink towers (objectives A and B) simultaneously. Doing so will unlock the data center (objective C) which must be destroyed by planting a bomb.
Note: As of 1.07, Sabotage is now PMC-netural, allowing for all PMCs to attack or defend any map.
Acquisition
Acquisition is played with 128 players. Teams are divided into two platoons. The attacking team must steal two prototype Escort Vehicles.
Interdiction
Interdiction is the newest game type as it was released on the 22, June as part of Zipper Interative's first non-free DLC pack for MAG. The game is played with 128. Teams are divided into two platoons. The aim is to capture and hold 3 neutral command points. This game type differs from the other game types in that neither team is officially attacking or defending at the start of the game.
Domination
Domination is played with 256 players. Teams are divided into four platoons. The game is divided into four sections. One for each platoon. First, the attacking team must secure and control two burnoff towers. Second, they must secure and control two cooling towers. Once the first two objectives are completed two lettered objectives are unlocked. The attacking team must control these lettered objectives to fill a damage bar. The more lettered objectives under the attacking team's control, the faster the damage bar fills.
Factions
The MAG story lines revolves around the actions of three private military contractors.
Storyline
- Main article: MAG Universe: Timeline
The year is 2025. The optimism and harmony of the 2010s were completely eradicated by 2020. A global crisis loomed. Food shortages sparked riots, currencies plummeted, fuel reserves dwindled, and oil-producing nations began to ration what remained. It is a dark future. Governments earmarked money for humanitarian efforts, overseas security, and intelligence services which, over time, found its way the coffers of a small group of Private Military Contractors/Corporations/Companies (PMCs). The private armies then began to recruit aggressively. Soldiers without a country, the contractors fight wars that never happened. This is the nature of the Shadow War, where the three biggest PMCs (Valor, Raven, and S.V.E.R.) are the focus. The three contractors all have their own style.
Valor
- Main article: Valor
Valor is based in Alaska, but their territory extends through the Americas. Their recruits are seasoned war veterans from the UK and the Americas.Valor has a classic military style. These guys are the classy "Heroes" of the three factions.
Raven
- Main article: Raven
Raven is based in Austria, and tend to recruit from Europe, including the UK, out of which Valor also recruits. However, anyone who studies Ravens recruiting information, such as maps, would realize that their personnel hail from as far as western Russia, into the middle east including countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.. They are the most technologically advanced faction, and their soldiers are trained with state-of-the-art equipment, but have little real combat experience.
S.V.E.R.
- Main article: SVER
S.V.E.R. is based in The Chechen Republic and recruit from The Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe, they have also been known to recruit from the UK. They are the opposite of Raven, with little in the way of technology and funding. But their ranks are comprised of soldiers who have been fighting in wars all their lives. Don't be misled, for they all have an equal chance of winning the Shadow War. Also, do not be deceived by their 'terrorist' looks, they are more like freedom fighters
Reception
- 7/10 at IGN
- 4 out of 5 at G4/ X-play
- 8/10 at GameSpot
MAG Websites
Trivia
- MAG stands for Massive Action Game, referring to its large 256 player matches.
- In the opening intro, in the part showcasing Raven, the weapon appearing on-screen, Mk2, is addressed as ATAC 2000 by the leader describing the weapon.
- At the end of the same intro, you can see the Zipper Interactive logo in the rocket.