As a long-time fan of Marvel comics and hero shooter games, I must say that my life has been quite literally “Rivaled” with the release of Marvel Rivals. This game takes all the best elements of the genre and adds a unique twist that makes it stand out from the crowd.
In the realm of hero shooter games, Overwatch 2 has stood tall as a dominant force, rarely being challenged for its leading position in the market. Games such as Valorant have managed to establish their own following, but the number of failed attempts like Battleborn, Concord, Dirty Bomb, and LawBreakers is quite substantial. Interestingly enough, high-quality superhero games are not abundant outside of Insomniac’s Spider-Man series, as the genre hasn’t exactly flourished in terms of quality offerings over time.
Step into the world of Marvel Rivals, created by NetEase Games, boasting an extensive lineup of famous superheroes and villains. Unlike attempting to carve its own niche in the hero shooter genre, it squares off directly with the gameplay style of Overwatch 2. However, what sets it apart is that in numerous aspects, it’s even more enjoyable. It champions a competitive shooter design that appreciates both teamwork and thrilling solo moments, all while introducing fresh mechanics to keep things engaging.
It seems that at some stage, certain imperfections and negativities might be inevitable, but luckily, we now have a worthy contender to Blizzard’s dominance. A noteworthy hero shooter game is emerging, ready to challenge Overwatch 2, which will debut in the same week as Path of Exile 2. This challenger even surpasses Diablo 4? It feels like Christmas has come early!
Regarding the character designs, there’s simply no denying their excellence. They evoke memories of Marvel’s 2003 Tsunami imprint, but they surpass it in nearly every aspect.
In the world of Marvel Rivals, I’ve found myself immersed in an engaging tale that beautifully weaves together familiar superhero lore with a minimum of fuss. Essentially, our contemporary Doctor Doom crosses paths with Doom 2099, leading to quite the confrontation! The timeline seems to have taken a twist, and unexpected locations challenge established norms – take Wakanda transforming into an Intergalactic Empire, for instance. And here’s the kicker: Galacta, daughter of Galactus, finds herself right in the thick of things. With heroes and villains clashing left and right across both camps, it’s a free-for-all brawl that promises excitement!
It’s kitschy and over-the-top, and much like Overwatch, there isn’t much in-game reason for these all-powerful beings to keep grinding out the same objectives in match after match. Nevertheless, the background story for each leverages comic book lore in some pretty cool ways. Tokyo 2099, for example, sees the Master Weaver trying to take advantage of the Timestream Entanglement created by the Dooms for the sake of the Web of Life and Destiny.
In this scenario, Spider-Zero’s Disciple aims to prevent something, creating two contrasting factions. If you support her, she successfully seals the rift, foiling her master’s scheme, and the victory screen shows her in a victorious pose. On the other hand, backing the Master Weaver results in him ominously appearing, towering over Spider-Zero, with the outcome remaining uncertain. This subtle change adds more depth to the ongoing conflicts instead of using plain “Victory” or “Defeat.
Regarding the character designs, there’s no denying they’re outstanding and remind me a bit of Marvel’s 2003 Tsunami imprint, but with even more impressive details. For instance, Psylocke’s scarf flickers butterflies at the end, in keeping with her motif. What stands out most is how closely their animations resemble their comic book counterparts. Some voice lines could use a bit of polish during interactions, but moments like Rocket Raccoon praising Star-Lord for a kill or Punisher commenting on the strange objectives are genuinely enjoyable. I’d appreciate more diversity in character voices, particularly for Galacta, whose lines have become quite repetitive.
As a gamer, I’ve found that teaming up with specific characters can really amp up the action! For instance, joining forces with Peni or Peter Parker and unleashing the Symbiote feels fantastic. And let’s not forget about going all-out with the Punisher, backed up by Rocket. These combos make me choose certain heroes not just for their overall strength, but also for how well they synergize together!
Marvel Rivals follows the same team composition as Overwatch, dividing characters into three categories: Strategists, who assist allies with healing and enhancements; Vanguards, who absorb damage and control space; and Duelists, the primary damage-dealers. Although there are significantly more Duelists compared to other classes, a diverse range of playstyles is still present. Thor, as a Vanguard, emphasizes melee attacks and hurling his hammer while building up his thunder abilities for ranged bursts. With enough charged hammers, Mjolnir enables you to fly a moderate distance to engage airborne targets.
It’s a completely different playstyle from Peni Parker, who works better at defense and zone control, deploying mines and a station to provide health and shields. However, she also has a fair bit of mobility and crowd-control abilities, which can come in handy for shutting down some Ultimates.
The list goes on, whether it’s Rocket flexing between damage, healing and amplifying allies or shifting between Cloak and Dagger to deliver healing or blinding abilities. The number of options with the Duelists is also pretty hefty. Despite both being flankers, Psylocke and Spider-Man fulfil completely different purposes. The same goes for Winter Soldier and Punisher, though they’re both technically hitscan and Wolverine and Iron Fist, who prefer up-close melee encounters.
From a gameplay perspective, it’s impressive how the developer manages to strike the perfect balance, making things neither too fragile nor invincible. Occasionally, it might seem as if enemies are indestructible given the abundance of healing in play. However, one wrong move could lead to swift elimination by Hawkeye or even a few hits from Hela. The game allows for easy domination and spawn trapping of teams, suggesting that certain characters might need some adjustments for fairness.
Despite being challenging to master melee attacks with characters like Venom, they’re incredibly enjoyable to play. The Team-Up Attacks are fantastic, especially when you unleash the Symbiote with characters like Peni or Peter Parker, or go on a rampage with the Punisher while Rocket offers support. This encourages choosing certain heroes for synergy effects, even if they may not be the best overall.
Regarding the maps, I found the majority of them quite enjoyable, with Hydra’s base being particularly captivating due to its unique transformation features. Despite their basic nature, the occasional environmental destruction adds an exciting twist, and the visuals are generally pleasing.
Of course, the greater issue is the lack of a role queue in any mode. Conquest feels more like Team Deathmatch/Kill Confirmed, so a more free-flowing composition makes more sense. However, Quickplay often comprises five Duelists – if you’re lucky, the sixth person will take on a Strategist or Vanguard role. Better teamwork almost always wins the day, but when you lose out simply because of no healing, it can feel frustrating. It may not be what many want to hear, especially given the controversy over role lock in Overwatch, but it’s a necessary evil.
Regarding the maps, I found many of them enjoyable, and Hydra’s base was particularly noteworthy due to its unique transformative qualities. Despite being basic at times, the occasional damage to the environment adds an exciting twist, and they look decent visually. Most offer a good balance of high ground advantages and sneaking routes, while remaining easy to understand. The only map that seemed less engaging was Klyntar – its symbiotic traits didn’t leave a strong impression, particularly when compared to other environmental elements.
The game “Marvel Rivals” could benefit from having additional maps and game modes. Having just one map for Conquest, a mode that’s enjoyable once you get into the chaos, feels restrictive, even for a free-to-play title. Furthermore, there’s no Ranked Play available yet, which is noticeable given the other features of the game. Although it’s common for developers to add Ranked Play at a later stage, its absence here is more noticeable compared to the rest of the game offerings.
Overall, the game’s performance on my PC has been generally stable, but there was a brief instance of stuttering and one unexpected crash occurred. The connection quality has been excellent, with minimal to no noticeable lag.
Marvel Rivals is definitely a great choice to join. It’s got that comfortable feel for those who love hero shooters, yet it offers unique features that distinguish it during gameplay.
The only other demerit against the title is how it handles cosmetics. Additional outfits or skins must be purchased with real money or earned from the battle pass. You can pay about $5 for the Luxury battle pass, which grants some genuinely great-looking skins, but there’s also a free tier for spending in-game currency to unlock Units used to purchase cosmetics and bundles. However, you can also spend money on Lattices and convert them into Units. All this is fine and dandy, but like Helldivers 2, you must unlock a certain number of options from the Battle Pass before getting to the latter tiers where the Units lay.
As a passionate player, I find that I can access sprays, avatars, and KO Prompts by improving my skills with the characters. If you’re looking for a quicker way to earn Credits and unlock skins or emotes, it might be challenging, as the current offerings are rather limited. It’s essential to acknowledge that the scarcity of options is an issue worth discussing.
Regardless of everything, however, Marvel Rivals is well worth jumping into. It’s familiar enough for fans of the hero shooter genre to dive into while offering more than enough to set it apart in gameplay. There’s always a long road to consider with such titles, especially as balance changes and new heroes shake up the meta, but even with the sheer anarchy that matches can devolve into, it’s a fun time.
This game was reviewed on PC.
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2024-12-10 20:15