I played Marvel Cosmic Invasion — pure, simple co-op fun that shouldn’t be missed

One of the most enjoyable games I tried at the Summer Game Fest 2025 was undeniably one of the purest fun moments I experienced during my trip to L.A. back in early June.

I got the opportunity to explore Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion, a beat ’em up game currently being developed by Tribute Games and published by Dotemu.

The pair behind the impressive 2022 game “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge” are the same ones at work again, and I’m thrilled to report they’re maintaining a top-notch standard of quality.

The Marvel Comic series, Cosmic Invasion, generally mirrors the narrative structure of the Annihilation comic book saga, focusing prominently on cosmic heroes such as Nova and the Silver Surfer.

I use the term “loosely” to indicate that while this game primarily focuses on outer space, it also incorporates well-known figures such as Captain America, Venom, and more into its roster of 15 playable characters.

As an analyst, I’d like to highlight that while there’s an option to adopt a character already in play by another player, you also possess the freedom to create entirely distinct selections for your own strategy.

As I engaged in split-screen couch co-op play with a partner, it’s worth noting that the game allows for up to four players. So, theoretically speaking, you could have an exciting scenario of four Spider-Men swinging through the city simultaneously! Alternatively, each player could select a unique character, resulting in eight distinct heroes sharing the battlefield together.

Without a doubt, the game is visually stunning, boasting intricate pixel art that flawlessly embodies the atmosphere and style of 90s Marvel comics. The animations are impressive, particularly Venom’s and Storm’s ultimate abilities, which unleash a frenzy of chaotic tentacles and lightning onto the screen respectively.

Engaging battles are delightful, offering swift responses and fluid motion that remains organized even during chaotic on-screen moments. A unique element of maneuverability lies in mastering the art of switching between chosen characters, as this becomes crucial for maintaining control amidst intense action.

Another character could join the fight for a quick, specialized move or step in during a series of attacks, resulting in me stringing together multiple consecutive strikes without interruption, as I seamlessly switched between Venom, Nova, and other characters while maintaining a steady flow of attacks.

In the approximately 20-minute segment I observed, I got to recognize a few recurring adversaries, such as Taskmaster, who wrapped up one stage by serving as a challenging boss battle with distinct tactics.

To be honest, the one issue I had was not getting a chance to experiment with characters like She-Hulk and Rocket Raccoon during the Summer Game Fest, as they were included in the game roster, but unavailable for the demonstration.

I can’t wait to discover which new characters will become part of the roster. So far, the announcements have been diverse, with a slight bias towards more well-known characters, but it’s anyone’s guess who might join next.

It would be great if the team could announce the release date for Marvel Cosmic Invasion soon. When it arrives, this cooperative game looks like it will offer a lot of enjoyable fun that you won’t want to miss.

The Marvel Cosmic Invasion game is planned for release towards the end of 2025 on various platforms including Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam for Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

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2025-06-20 13:09