Summary

  • Marvel tried to break into the world of multiplayer games four years ago with Avengers, but it was a major flop.
  • The looter shooter format was ill-fitting and none of the characters felt true to their comic or even movie counterparts.
  • Marvel Rivals is exactly what Avengers should have been, a hero shooter that embraces the variety and unique powerset of every single hero.

Marvel has all the perfect pieces for a multiplayer game, with so many unique heroes who have instantly recognisable silhouettes and varied powers that make each distinct from the last. But when it tried to break into the space four years ago with Marvel’s Avengers from Crystal Dynamics, it was a catastrophic dud.

Marvel’s Avengers tried to balance a bunch of different heroes so that none would be more powerful than the other, but when you have a rampaging behemoth like the Hulk side-by-side with someone like Hawkeye (both Hawkeyes, the first two characters added to the game in a string of bad decisions), they shouldn’t be comparable. At least, not in a PvE setting.

It shouldn’t matter that one character is significantly stronger than the other because it’s not a competitive game. But because Marvel wanted a multiplayer experience, it was trying to inflict PvP sensibilities where they didn’t fit.

Each unique ability felt watered down and insignificant, an albatross around some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes who we’ve seen thrive in standalone games previously. Multiplayer is a tough nut to crack, but trying to wedge these characters into a live-service looter shooter doomed them from the start. Marvel Rivals on the other hand is the perfect genre for a multiplayer Marvel outing.

Hero shooters get a bad rap, mostly because they try to ape Overwatch without a unique style to set them apart. But the genre itself is a refreshing take on the usual FPS format as much as battle royales or survival sandboxes, spicing up the basic deathmatch mode we’ve been enjoying since the ‘90s. There’s a thrill to mastering different heroes and synergising with your team, which is why games like Valorant, Team Fortress 2, Apex Legends, Overwatch, and Rainbow Six Siege have become some of the most iconic shooters in history.

The issue is that games like Paladins and Concord try to cash in on the hype without ever building up their own identity. They are Overwatch-lites right down to their foundations. I won’t sit here and pretend that Marvel Rivals is unique (it has its own Tracer, Bastion, and even Doomfist), but the rich history of superheroes gives it an identity right out of the gate that so many of these competitors lack, and these superheroes come with abilities that cut through the clones and offer far more original playstyles.

The emphasis on melee combat gives Rivals a standout gameplay element that makes so many of its heroes feel unlike anything we’ve seen in the genre.

This rich tapestry of hero shooters has also proven that you can have bold characters with even bolder abilities fighting against one another without turning them into a bunch of kids firing Nerf guns on a bouncy castle, something Marvel’s Avengers never grasped. Reinhardt’s hammer swings with an oomph, and D.Va’s devastating ultimate ability can easily wipe out an unaware team, but Hulk always felt like he was walloping enemies with foam hands.

Rivals steps onto the scene with an 85-year history of some of the most iconic fictional characters of all time that don’t need to be flattened to the same bland level to fit into a gradual loot model of uninteresting and minuscule stat increases. There’s no Hulk rib cage gear piece here.

Like Marvel’s Avengers, it can continue adding new characters over the years, but unlike Marvel’s Avengers, the live-service model is a natural fit. People come back to shooters time and time again because they want to hone their skills and become the best that they can be. It's a thrill to climb up the ranks and feel yourself improving.

With events, new heroes to try, cosmetics that tap into that near century-long history, there’s so much more to keep people invested on top of that ingrained hook than the MCU-lite money vacuum that was Marvel’s Avengers. This is the big superhero crossover Marvel wanted four years ago, realised at last by embracing a genre that slips on like an Infinity Gauntlet.

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Marvel Rivals

Third-Person Shooter Action Multiplayer Systems 7.8/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 78/100 Critics Rec: 84% Released December 6, 2024 ESRB T For Teen // Violence Developer(s) NetEase Games Publisher(s) NetEase Games Engine Unreal Engine 5
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!
Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!

A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.

Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.

Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more!

Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!

Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!

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