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I’ll start by saying that hero shooters were never truly a gaming beat for me until now. I tried a few in the past, especially that big one that got a sequel, but I always found them a bit daunting. However, NetEase Games and Marvel Games have created something truly approachable, flashy, and highly addictive, which, in turn, has slowly made me fall in love with this genre. Recently, I had the chance to try an early build of Marvel Rivals, which led to this review in progress. I say in progress because while there are many things and heroes to try right now, nothing compares to the full release of a live-service game.
Alongside other journalists and content creators, I had the opportunity to access Marvel Rivals ahead of launch. While many features were disabled, the meat of the game was ready for us to try. Quick matches, custom lobbies, and practice vs AI. Even if the time was short with it, I have to say it was impactful. And more importantly, it hyped me even more for the full release. If, like me, you’ve been waiting for a proper hero shooter that’s both beginner-friendly and boasts fast-paced action, my fellow gamer, you may well have hit the jackpot with this one.
[Note: The following review is still in progress and will be updated and scored after the game’s full launch]
A Roster Like No Other
It should go without saying, but a hero shooter is only as good as its roster. Yes, shooting mechanics and game modes help a lot, too, but without many characters to pick, it will suffer. Fortunately, Marvel Rivals features a whopping 33 characters at launch, with 31 of those available during the review period. If that doesn’t sound appealing, other games of the genre have launched with fewer heroes. Furthermore, this will all be free for players as soon as they fire up the game, so that’s a huge bonus for all.
Since finding matches was a bit difficult due to the number of people in this build, I spent most of my time in custom lobbies and practicing vs AI. I mention this because it isn’t the same to try a hero in a live environment compared to one with limited options. Still, I was able to try the majority of them or at least my favorites, and I’d say my experience was mostly positive. I say ‘mostly’ because I certainly feel there will be a meta as soon as the game launches, and some heroes will just gather dust on the bench.
For instance, almost every match featured Magneto and Groot, which seem to be the go-to Vanguards right now. Vanguards, which features the DPS-oriented heroes, has more variety, but there are many favored ones. Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Iron Fist were some of the most common ones I saw. The latter is an absolute blast to play, by the way.
I don’t think this is bad, but I can already see a few heroes being sidelined due to the lack of survivability or utility. While some team-up moves counter this and make some characters more useful, I feel some need further ability tweaks to keep them relevant throughout the game. Then again, this is what I saw from a limited playtime with a small number of players, so things might change at launch.
Fast-Paced and to the Point
The absolute best thing about Marvel Rivals is how fast-paced it feels. One of the things I noticed that helped with this was the high mobility almost all characters have. Captain America and Black Widow can sprint through the map and jump high distances. Venom and Spider-Man can webswing. Iron Man can fly and attack as he hovers around the arena. This makes the moment-to-moment gameplay faster and adds a welcome degree of vertical gameplay to Rivals.
I always found playing ten matches in a row tedious in other hero shooters. It was not because of the objectives but the actual loop. You become familiar with a map and already know where to position yourself. However, combat in Marvel Rivals is as chaotic as it can get. With enemies flying above you, blasts will start coming from everywhere. In addition, you’ll have foes shooting straight at you and, even better, destroying your cover. Yes, some of the environment is breakable.
And despite feeling that some heroes lack that future-proof element, I feel everyone contributes to the overarching mayhem. Even the character at the lowest tier will create some shenanigans to add more chaos to the mix. For instance, Strange will summon portals to help heroes traverse the map faster. Venom, meanwhile, can launch himself from the air to smash the ground. Elsewhere, Little Jeff will swallow you whole, and Groot can put up as many walls as needed. All of these whacky details give Marvel Rivals a unique feel that we desperately need in the genre.
Stylish Heroic Antics
One thing I noticed during my review time with Marvel Rivals was how it sets itself apart from other competitors. The main skeleton of the game might be similar in many ways. However, it is the style, the abilities, and the art direction that make Rivals stand out so much. Plus, you have some of Marvel’s best characters already there, so what else can we ask for?
In all seriousness, though, the art style is gorgeous. The cel shading-like models, which you can actually see in a third-person perspective, are impressive. While I have a few gripes with some design choices, mainly Wolverine’s normal outfit, all the others are terrific. Furthermore, each location is a blast to explore and much more memorable than other settings I’ve seen in certain hero shooters. It might also be more impressive because I’m a superhero nerd, but regardless, all locations are a visual treat.
However, the highlight — or highlights in this case — are all the abilities and how they are designed. Both in visual and gameplay terms, all heroes and villains have their own unique antiques that just elevate the already outstanding looks of the game. You have Peni Parker with her Spider-gadgets. Psylocke has butterfly motifs in all her skills. Squirrel Girl flings nuts left and right. Beyond the flashy and distinctive skills, NetEase and Marvel Games understand the audience and, most importantly, the universe that serves as the cornerstone of this game.
A Super(b) Hero Shooter
While this isn’t the full review yet, Marvel Rivals is already scoring high in my books. It’s flashy, destructive, chaotic, addictive, and most importantly, engaging. Hero designs are top-notch and the plethora of abilities each character possesses just make things even better. In a way, it seems like Marvel Rivals wants to embrace the chaos that made the genre so well-known during its beginnings. Instead of playing it safe, it throws caution to the wind to create an entertaining experience for everyone.
Still, I’ll wait to properly score the game until it goes live. Right now, I have the pre-launch bliss. However, the launch period is also important. There are many heroes I still want to try in a live environment. I’ve yet to see some of the skins and other systems coming to the game, and those are important in a live-service title. But for now, I can say that Marvel Rivals has everything it needs to stick around as one of the best hero shooters we’ve had in a while.
Review copy provided by Publisher.
