Marvel Rivals Review in Progress

I’m quite familiar with the hero shooter genre, having invested over 1,000 hours into Overwatch since it came out in 2016. Looking back, it feels like that was the perfect time for Marvel Rivals to debut. I should have been excitedly counting down to its release while reminiscing about the loss of Harambe, reflecting on English football’s disappointing moments against Iceland, and, importantly, enjoying the thrill of Captain America: Civil War. Nevertheless, what’s on the horizon for 2024 is a fun hero shooter that has already brought me a lot of enjoyment while testing it on pre-release servers this week. It’s set to launch with a diverse lineup of heroes, along with some great maps and game modes. The big question is whether Rivals will manage to attract a dedicated fanbase like Blizzard and Marvel did in the past—a challenge that many recent hero shooters have faced. I still need to explore more on the live servers before giving my final thoughts, but if Rivals struggles to find its audience, it seems like the gameplay itself won’t be the issue.

Imitation is the highest form of praise – just ask Taskmaster – and it’s fair to say that you can see Overwatch’s influence all over Marvel Rivals. The game features 6v6 teams made up of roles similar to tank, damage, and support (renamed here as Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist) as they engage in classic escort and point capture gameplay that has become a hallmark of the hero shooter genre. Players will find themselves transporting Marvel-themed payloads, like a Statue of Bast, through recognizable settings like Wakanda, trying to stop them from reaching their target, or vying for control over a central area. There’s nothing groundbreaking happening here, but these tried-and-true tug-of-war game modes serve as a solid foundation for the thrilling action of Rivals.

At launch, players can choose from a diverse lineup of 33 characters, where you'll notice a strong resemblance to the classic Overwatch elements. As you browse through the roster, you might find yourself recalling iconic superhero references. There are new characters worth checking out, but some are clearly reminiscent of others in a playful way. For instance, Hawkeye nearly matches Hanzo in terms of abilities, and I experienced the same excitement in scoring headshots with him as I did when using Hanzo's bow. Then there's Scarlet Witch, who resembles a Moira that has come to terms with being a more aggressive character—perfect for those who enjoy spamming a button to quickly drain an opponent's health. It’s a guilty pleasure we all indulge in. Lastly, we have Black Widow, who plays the role of a deadly sniper, much like Widowmaker. While it's a bit on the nose, it’s certainly convenient when you hear your teammates yell "Widow!" as a bullet flies by, reminding you of that familiar threat.

I realize I've been talking quite a bit about Overwatch in this review of Marvel Rivals, but it only takes a brief look to understand why. Even the game’s menus and user interface remind me of Blizzard's hero shooter, much like the X-Men's distinctive style. While the hero designs might not be the most original, it’s hard to criticize them too much, considering many of the characters reflect fun archetypes that go back to Team Fortress 2. It’s refreshing to see superhero designs that acknowledge and celebrate their comic book roots, rather than using the Suicide Squad tactic of giving every character an assault rifle.

As I settled into this new yet familiar environment, I found myself drawn to characters that could serve as stand-ins for the Blizzard heroes I was already familiar with. I quickly started looking for a replacement for D.Va and realized that Bruce Banner and his alter ego, Hulk, share some similarities in their dual identities. Penni Parker with her high-tech spider-mech also falls into this category. However, neither of them has really resonated with me yet, as their large size and slower movement make them easy targets to deal with. It could also be that their abilities are geared towards close combat, which hasn’t been the most enjoyable approach for me in Rivals so far. Melee fighters can sometimes get lost in the fray, making it tough to track where the damage is coming from. This results in a rather chaotic experience, where the noise and vibrant visuals make for less strategic battles.

Honestly, I haven't found many of the tanky Vanguard heroes I've experimented with to be enjoyable so far. I need to spend more time with them to pinpoint exactly why, but at the moment, it seems like they feel more like DPS characters with higher health pools, rather than true anchors that support the team in capturing a point. It's still early in my experience, but currently, it seems there's not much emphasis on positioning and map awareness; instead, the gameplay focuses more on directly confronting enemies.

A great example of this is Venom, who is easily the strongest tank I've encountered (and tried to take down) in the game. He moves in and out of battles, dealing significant damage from behind enemy lines. He’s incredibly damaging, and although I haven’t fully figured him out yet, he seemed to overpower most of the matches I observed before the game launched. The only real downside for me is that he heavily depends on his symbiote swinging to surprise opponents, but the swinging mechanics don’t feel right. This issue also applies to Spider-Man; the limitations of the arenas restrict my swinging range, and it can be frustrating not to find nearby structures to grab onto easily. I know that you can’t create a stellar Marvel team without Spider-Man, but he really feels a bit out of place in this setting.

Fortunately, most of the characters perform significantly better. Winter Soldier’s strong hand cannon combined with his cybernetic arm for close combat creates a lethal combination. I've also had a blast soaring above foes and striking them with lightning as Storm, plus unleashing a fantastic tornado as my ultimate ability. Interestingly, my favorite character so far has been Star-Lord. He combines elements of Overwatch's Tracer and Soldier 76, featuring a simple but effective set of skills with dual SMGs and a speed boost, all while having a low health pool that makes playing him thrilling yet risky.

However, it's important to note that NetEase, the developer, isn't merely copying others; they've incorporated some clever features that make Rivals feel unique. A standout element is the team-up abilities. For instance, when Star-Lord joins forces with Adam Warlock, he gains a self-revive capability, albeit after a lengthy cooldown. These combinations—both passive and active—add an interesting dynamic to the gameplay. They can shift momentum when used skillfully, yet they don’t overpower the game or make players feel forced into specific hero choices at the beginning of a match. Another example is when you choose Rocket Raccoon if your team includes Groot. This pairing allows Rocket to literally ride on Groot’s back while launching attacks, benefiting him with damage reduction. This design promotes strategic team-building without leaving players feeling neglected or pressured to align with others' constant requests to partner up.

When you combine these dynamic systems with the enjoyable absence of stun locks, Marvel Rivals truly shines when everything’s in motion. This hero shooter encourages players to fully utilize the unique powers it offers, with barriers—both literal and figurative—being hard to come by. Initially, I was unsure about the third-person shooting perspective since I usually prefer first-person games, but Rivals does a great job of making each weapon feel unique and enjoyable to use. I tend to gravitate towards hit-scan characters in shooters, and this game is no exception. However, the pace of Rivals is exceptionally fast, with heroes zipping around the screen, which has turned sniping into quite a challenge. It seems like mastering the game requires a high level of skill, with a steep learning curve for newcomers. Currently, the strongest characters seem to be the brawlers, but as I mentioned earlier, they are also the least enjoyable to play. I hope that, over time, the balance among characters will improve, making them all equally viable.

It's still quite early in the game, but I've noticed that individual fights are taking center stage rather than teamwork. Wins often feel less like a collective achievement and more about who inflicts the most damage. Every character, including those meant to heal, seems to be expected to join in the combat. While this keeps the action exciting, it also means that the game could use more strategic depth for now. As the community continues to explore the maps and characters, I hope we'll start to see some effective tactics and interesting character combinations develop.

An innovative aspect of the game is the destructible environments present in every map. For instance, in Tokyo 2099, the futuristic walls can collapse, revealing new vantage points for snipers, while the stone bridges in Yggsgard can fall apart, eliminating an opponent's strategic advantage. This clever map design encourages players to navigate chokepoints in novel ways, ensuring that each round feels fresh and engaging compared to the previous one. This feature is especially important for the game's initial launch appeal, as there are only eight maps available from the start. Although this isn’t a vast number, the maps are visually unique enough to create a real sense of variety during lengthy gaming sessions.

It's undeniably fashionable as well, featuring eye-catching comic book elements like the burst animations for Star-Lord's blaster attack and Banner's transformation into the Hulk, which are particularly impressive. I also appreciate the ability to check out each player's personal highlights once the match concludes. While it means you lose a bit of the thrill from making everyone in the lobby watch your “Play of the Game,” it does ensure that everyone gets their moment in the spotlight (even if I secretly wish I could take all the credit after snagging a quadruple kill).

So far, I've been enjoying Marvel Rivals enough to want to keep playing. It feels like the exact type of Overwatch clone I expected – polished and enjoyable, though lacking the boldness that games like Valve's Deadlock are bringing to the hero shooter and MOBA scene in 2024. However, it benefits from the popular Marvel brand and a free-to-play model, which should help prevent any major failures like Concord. I'm excited to dive into more matches now that the servers are available to everyone, and it will be interesting to explore its microtransactions and the evolving gameplay strategies. Stay tuned for my in-depth review of Marvel Rivals coming up in the next week!

Marvel Rivals is a team-based shooter featuring superheroes! Gather a top-notch Marvel crew, create endless strategies by merging abilities to unlock special Team-Up skills, and engage in battles on dynamic, destructible arenas set in the constantly changing Marvel universe!