Bigger is always better, right? Throughout the history of gaming we players have been bombarded with claims of more ‘bits’, better definition, bigger capacity discs, and it appears now it’s multiplayer’s time to shine; as MAG boasts (a very impressive) 256 player multiplayer only gaming package.

As the comparison would otherwise be looming over the review’s shoulder like a creepy uncle, let us clear the air straight away and get it over and done with. MAG is not Modern Warfare 2. Don’t let that throw you, I’m not labelling either better than the other, I just don’t believe there is a comparison between the two. Modern Warfare is Modern Warfare, MAG is MAG. Though there are definite similarities in the basics, the real meat and potatoes of the two games differ a surprising amount. If you are an FPS junkie, both are worth equal looks when you gaze upon the self at your local games retailer. Clear? Excellent.

With us now secure in that knowledge, MAG is a breathtaking FPS experience. It’s a rare moment when a game’s market blurb bragging about its one feature that sets it apart from the crowd turns out to be dead on the money. I was frankly blown away to be in a battle consisting of 256 consecutive players and for there not to be one tiny pixel of lag or connection issues. The combat is fluent, and I never found myself growing the urge to hurl the controller so hard it’d rebound off the moon. Another rare moment when it comes to online FPS games.

Within MAG’s universe we have three rival factions: S.V.E.R. (the remains of the Middle East & Russia), Raven Industries (well trained and well armed Western European mercenaries), and Valor Company (veteran soldiers consisting mostly of US and Canadian troops). Choose carefully though! Each faction prior to deciding offers a mini recruitment video to sway you to their side, and once you choose your character there’s no swapping sides without totally restarting. I personally went with the Ruskies because if Command & Conquer has taught me anything, it’s to stay loyal to any team who use the word ‘Acknowledged’. Which MAG kindly combined with an option to fully customise my characters voice, so I was guaranteed the perfect accent. It also allows you to edit your appearance, your load-outs (AKA ‘Classes’), and skills (AKA ‘Perks’) which you gain by ranking up and earning skill points.

Once you have your chosen faction, the astounding 256 players are divided into two teams of 128, which in turn consist of four platoons of 32 players, which are made up of four squads of 8. Each squad has a player-controlled leader who has to have reached a certain XP rank and volunteered for the position, and the same system is used for each platoon leader. Why are these required? Because by using a simple point and click interface these leaders will designate the squad/platoon’s objective. Once they have done so, you are then encouraged to follow their orders because you will receive bonus XP for anything you do which the game feels helped to contribute to your leaders’ orders. It may sound like an overly complicated process, but within the first 20 or so minutes of gameplay you’ll have totally adapted and be earning XP left, right, and centre. Striving for an opportunity for that squadron leader position (which I’ve yet to reach… it sounds cool though).

The combat is good, the 256 players handled well, the XP grinding is as desired as ever. However, MAG is not the messiah of FPS games, it does have a few faults which hang around it like an unwanted smell. Let’s start with the menu system; it’s all sorts of confusing. I played the game for a full 60 minutes before discovering the unlockable skills option, and a further two hours before realising I had to go to a completely different menu to activate them, and then have to manually attach them to my equipment. Unless I missed something in the tutorial level which taught me which button R1 was, I’d recommend exploring every menu system to learn the ropes before you start. Now, I understand I already stated that MAG is not MW2, and I stand by that, but MAG does cause you to weep for the lack of a killcam. I lost count of the number of times I spawned, got sniped as soon as I left the spawn point, and then had to wait another 15 painful seconds to respawn and have the same thing happen again. I understand it reflects MAG’s big open world of more realistic gameplay well, but it does not help to endear new players to the experience.

MAG does everything it promised, and it does it well. The 256 player smooth running multiplayer action is currently unsurpassed. The battlefields are huge, elaborate, and tremendous fun when fighting up against 128 opposing players. A revolution of how gamers everywhere are likely to perceive online first person shooters. Fiddly and confusing menu systems and tedious 'get sniped, wait to spawn, spawn, repeat' games add annoyance to what is otherwise a great PS3 exclusive. You might even say it's... MAGnificent (I'm so sorry).