I managed to get this review done in about 2/3rds the normal words. Partly this is down to the set having a little less power than some of the more recent offerings but mostly it is down to me making an effort to be more concise and spend less time on the more niche cards.
I am also unsure how I feel about the aesthetic of the set. It certainly fits in and feels like a magic set despite the futuristic setting which is an impressive achievement. Even so it somehow doesn't sit quite right for me. As I have been a little disenfranchised with magic in general over the last few years this set would mark a good place to actually stop if I felt so inclined. I have often thought about having a cube that is pre Modern Horizons as that would solve a lot of the issues surrounding some of the most obnoxious cards. The issue with that is that I love a lot of the new cards and feel like they add to the cube experience. For every oppressive Plague Engineer and Fury such a move would cull we would lose delights such as Abundant Harvest, Jwari Disruption, You Find Some Prisoners, and my long awaited Ignoble Hierarch! I don't plan on stopping but I am certainly slowing down and if that continues alongside too many cards being released, too many samey things, too many obnoxious cards, too much price gouging things, then I might well retrospectively limit my cube to things 2021 and earlier. At least there appears to be nothing actually broken from this set which is a good start.
With there being relatively little needed as it were for cubes these days I am mostly looking for cards that will make magic better. This is good support cards, things that reduce RNG, and things that provide options. This set has some of these things, most notably in the channel lands which are like better versions of the MDFCs. I also rather like the design of the March cycle and look forward to seeing how they play. Lastly I am a fan of the flash and phasing planeswalkers that add a little twist to the means such things obtain survivability.
Overall the power of this set seems to be about where it should be. A good amount of interesting stuff, some things that will be making an impact and nothing too obnoxious. The best cards from the set are good due to being incredibly playable rather than having high power and that is also no bad thing. There is also somewhat of a colour imbalance favouring white from this set which is probably no bad thing, if not the weakest cube colour it is certainly still the dullest and will take all the help it can get.
I am less of a fan of the various alternate arts than I usually am (except for the full art lands which I am excited to play with) but this is no problem as I will just get normal versions of cards and avoid the garish and bitty nature of the alternate stuff.
* commander set cards
Additions (best to worst)
Boseiju, Who Endures
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
Otawara, the Soaring City
March of Otherworldly Light
Spirited Companion
The Wandering Emperor
Reckoner Bankbuster
Kaito Shizuki
Seismic Wave
To Test with High Expectations
The Kami War // O-Kagachi Made Manifest
Kyodai, Soul of Kamigawa
The Modern Age
Biting-Palm Ninja
Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
Lion Sash
Moon-Circuit Hacker
March of Reckless Joy
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
Reflection of Kiki-Jiki
Gravelighter
Reinforced Ronin
Jugan Defends the Temple // Remnent of the Rising Star
To Test with Low Expectations
Goro-Gor, Disciple of Ryusei
Kiari, the Swirling Sky
Junji, the Midnight Sky
Selfless Samurai
Inventive Iteration // Living Breakthrough
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architech of Restoration
Tribure to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail
Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion
Okiba Reckoner Raid // Nezumi Road Captain
March of Wretched Sorrow
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
Touch of the Spirit Realm
Blade of the Oni
Farewell
Dockside Chef
Ogre-Head Helm
Rabbit Battery
Tamiyo's Safekeeping
Eater of Virtue
Invoke the Ancients
Kumano Faces Kakkazan .. Etchings of Kumano
Swift Reconfiguration*
For the Constructed Reserves
Satoru Umezawa
Silver-Fur Master
Thousand-Faced Shadow
Michoko's Reign of Truth // Portrait of Michiko
Simian Sling
Secluded Courtyard
Scrap Welder
Moonsnare Prototype
Hotshot Mechanic
Lizard Blades
Circuit Mender
Reality Heist
Discover the Impossible
Hinata, Dawn-Crowned
Sky-Blessed Samurai
Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice
Weaver of Harmony
Roadside Reliquary
Isshin, Two Heavens as One
Patchwork Automaton
Containment Construct
Mnemonic Sphere
Virus Beetle
Experimental Synthesizer
Commune with Spirits
Ecologist's Terrarium
Iron Apprentice
Kappa Cannoneer*
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