PS5 Fighter Marvel Tokon Actually Does Have Gameplay During Its 10-Hour Story

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Update [Wed 13th May 2026, 6:15pm]: Well, it looks like someone may have cocked up.

Okay, so there was some confusion online, but I just wanted to clear things up – Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls does have actual fighting in its story mode! I was worried for a second based on what I read, but thankfully the 10-hour story isn’t just cutscenes. We get to play!

I’m really excited that the story will still be told through awesome comic book panels! And it sounds like there will be plenty of action and battles to keep things interesting – I can’t wait!

A new quote attributed to Producer Takeshi Yamanaka reads, via Google Translate:

Episode Mode lets you play through battles as you experience the story. It’s designed to be easy to pick up and enjoy, similar to reading a comic book, but with the added fun of being able to interact with the narrative.

4Gamer also added the following clarification, again courtesy of Google Translate:

So, when I first read about this game, it said there wouldn’t be any fighting at all. But the company asked them to change that description, so it looks like battles are coming now!

So, there is gameplay throughout the mode, then, which is a relief.

Most people believed the initial report because Arc System Works released Guilty Gear Strive with a story mode that doesn’t have traditional gameplay – it’s more like watching an anime.

We’re happy this issue was resolved so quickly. We’re excited to experience the campaign when the game is released later this year.

Original Story: Well, this is going to be divisive.

If you enjoy playing fighting games by yourself and were hoping Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls on PS5 would have a deep story mode, you might be expecting something like the expansive World Tour mode in Street Fighter 6 or the story-driven experience in Mortal Kombat 1.

I was so excited to hear from Arc System Works! They just announced in an interview with 4Gamer that they’re releasing a 10-hour comic or manga – and it’s going to have animated panels! It sounds amazing, like a really dynamic way to experience the story.

This experience focuses entirely on the story, presented as a readable narrative without any interactive gameplay or battles. While it will utilize the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback for immersion, there won’t be any choices to make, minigames to play, or other interactive elements.

As a player, I’m really excited that I’ll be able to control how fast the comic moves – I can even pause to really appreciate the art. Plus, they’re doing full voice acting in 10 different languages, and Sony is helping to make sure everything sounds perfect for each region!

As a Guilty Gear Strive player, I already had a feeling of what to expect with this – the story unfolds almost like watching an anime! Just like in Strive’s story mode, you don’t actually play the game during these parts, it’s all cutscenes and narrative.

Producer Takeshi Yamanaka explained, via Google Translate:

Marvel’s core is comics, and we wanted to find a way to make them more engaging. That led us to the idea of bringing comics to life with motion and sound. We’re also leveraging the PS5’s features, like its vibration, to enhance the experience.

Yamanaka explained the content is meant to be read like a comic book – you’re supposed to go through it from beginning to end.

It’s a bit surprising the developer claims there are 10 hours of content, but considering the game features five different teams, it’s understandable.

Yamanaka referred to the format as ‘Episodes Mode,’ leading us to believe the story will be told through five two-hour episodes, each focusing on a different team.

Fighting games are built for competition, and that’s what Marvel Tokon focuses on. However, considering the popular superhero theme, it’s a bit of a letdown – even if the game draws inspiration from enjoyable comic books.

What’s causing some uncertainty is the choice to completely eliminate battles. Games like Zenless Zone Zero are experimenting with storytelling through comic-style panels, but these are shown during gameplay, not instead of it.

Could the comics not have been used to tell the story, with battles along the way?

This will likely disappoint many, but we’re still curious to see what kind of story Arc System Works creates.

The story hints at a central conflict involving a character known as The Promoter. This character is setting up a dangerous tournament called the ‘Challenge of the Champion,’ bringing together many of Marvel’s most powerful heroes and villains.

Want to know what happens? You’ll have to, er, read the interactive comic book to find out.

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2026-05-13 20:37