The flagship license of the 2000s, the Yu-Gi-Oh! has been available in all its forms and is now distributed in more than 80 countries and available in 9 languages. Series of animations, video games and of course, collectible card games in which you can compete in “Monster duels”. Particularly active, the community has been able to compete in various championships around the world and the enthusiasm for this very strategic card game is still present.
It’s DU-DUDU-DUEL time!
Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel is the latest game released by Konami. Forged in the same vein as the online TCGs of the moment, this is a free to play playable on almost all media: PC, consoles and mobiles. The game will support cross-play and cross-progression. In fact, you can resume your progress where you left off on any other format. In any case, Konami seems to want to restore its letters of nobility to the franchise by pleasing both early players and beginners.
 |
 |
Based on the main TCG rules (Trading Card Game, version published on European and American markets) and OCG (Original Card Game, this is the Asian version) Yu Gi Oh Master Duel promises us more than 10,000 cards to unlock, covering two decades of history.
In principle, aficionados will not be disoriented. However, a little basic reminder for newbies seems necessary. In the TCG Yu Gi Oh !, Duelists face off in a duel using a 40- to 60-card deck. In the basic rules, each player begins his fight with 8000 points of life. Throughout the duel, players use different cards to gradually reduce their opponent’s health points. And when a player lowers his opponent’s life to 0, he wins. Among the cards available, we find 3 main categories which are Monster, Magic and Trap cards. Combined together and used strategically, the game can quickly turn in favor of the more tactical of the two duelists.
We tested the Solo mode, our verdict
For this preview, we were able to get our hands on Solo mode, which is a kind of big training session allowing new players to learn Master Duel with confidence. The tutorial, as the name suggests, is an essential first step for any beginner duelist. Thus, there are clear and simple guides, allowing to acquire the basic rules of the game, the way of playing and of training. Basically, you will learn to differentiate and play the Monster, Magic and Trap cards allowing you to attack and destroy your opponent’s life points. However, this first step will not be enough to win against a more experienced player.
This is why the dueling strategy is an essential part to deepen your newly acquired knowledge. She teaches more advanced techniques with informative explanations, allowing players to use these strategies in duels against opponents or the AI. To summarize, it allows you to obtain knowledge on attack and defense positions until the fusion summon of monsters from your additional deck (the Extra Deck, for regulars)
You will also be able to play campaigns with story missions. Be careful though, we are not talking about a scenario with a developed lore. Do not expect to play Yami Yugi against Seto Kaiba for example. Here, the objective is to complete the mission using a deck preconfigured for the occasion.. Each campaign has an introductory mission to help players understand the gameplay mechanics of the deck made available for the game. After which, you can then play in a duel against the AI, using the decks composed of cards relating to the objectives of the campaign and applying everything you have acquired so far. As you win, you will unlock other missions as well as rewards. At the end of each campaign and once the objectives are accomplished, sequences will complete the story behind the pre-established deck. Similar to the single player content, players will unlock rewards for playing and completing the Tutorial and Duel Strategy missions. These rewards will help you have new cards or customize your accessories, including your companions, playmats, protections and more.
A first episode in 4K on new-gen and PC
Obviously, the very essence of a TCG like Yu-Gi-Oh is to face a real opponent. Between friends or in front of an illustrious stranger. You can either use a deck offered by the game, or show your tactical skills and create a deck based on the cards you unlock. Enough to promise long duels in perspective. Konami will give the possibility to invite several people in the game in order to follow the fight. Likewise, you will be able to attend duels of other players since a friend list should be available. Also, if the ground rules don’t suit you, you can change them up to a point.
Visually, Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel will not be original and takes up the main aspects of what we are used to seeing with Hearthstone or the most recent Legends of Runeterra. A living games table whose skins you can modify according to your tastes. Don’t worry though, it’s quite pretty and fun to play. 4K will even be available for PC gamers.
For the moment, Konami does not allow us to reveal much more but we can already tell you that Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel reassured us as much as the European champions and vice-world champion present during the preview. A good omen then …
No precise date has been given to date but Konami announces to us availability for this winter. We can therefore reasonably aim for the month of February 2022 at the latest. It will come out on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and iOS and Android mobiles.
