Summary
At a macrocosmic glance, Marvel hasn’t enjoyed a wholly successful or profitable run in the last little while. It may seem like Marvel games have been dominant in the superhero gaming landscape, but that’s largely because it has little to no viable competition coming fromDClately. Moreover, Marvel games have been upheld by Insomniac, whoseMarvel’s Spider-Manfranchise is responsible for why Marvel would appear so omnipotent, andMarvel’s Avengers,Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, andMarvel’s Midnight Sunsare only a few titles that prove Marvel wouldn’t yet be a powerhouse otherwise.
That dominance then belongs to Insomniac, but that could shift positively in Marvel’s favor if its upcoming slate is as diverse and unprecedented as it seems to be.Marvel Rivals,Marvel’s Blade, andMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydraare part of a handful of known games that all might offer a fresh take on the Marvel universe, deflating its bloat and reinvigorating it dynamically. The only big DC game still slated is Monolith’sWonder Woman, and if futureDCgames want to come anywhere close to matching Marvel’s output they need to make equally bold and magnetic choices with their artistic direction.
DC’s Latest Gaming Endeavors Bandwagoned in the Worst Ways
DC has had a fairly rough road in the last decade following the high bar that Rocksteady’sBatman: Arkham Knightput forth. Unfortunately, that’s not really a great excuse for how unimaginative and rote its two biggest games have been since.Gotham KnightsandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehave each received their own share of criticisms and complaints across a wide spectrum and one element managed to elude them both: originality.
Gotham Knights’ narrative success relied entirely on Batman’s death and the Court of Owls being a worthwhile antagonist syndicate; however, Bruce Wayne isn’t kept dead for long before he commits another act of self-sacrifice that eclipses any act of heroism the whole playable Bat Family has accomplished in the meantime, while the Court of Owls is hardly a main antagonist and abruptly becomes a footnote whenTalia al Ghul is revealed to beGotham Knights’ leading villain.
Meanwhile,Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehad the herculean task of succeeding the Arkhamverse and arguably squandered that responsibility. That’s not to say Rocksteady can’t grow and move on from its seminalArkhamgames, but its treatment of a decade and a half of lore and characters hasn’t been fulfilling.
All that aside, aSuicide Squadgame was also a safer choice because DC was hot off the heels of a popular Suicide Squadmovie and likely wanted to capitalize on the humorous and irreverent ensemble if it could. Actually killing the Justice League was surely controversial, to be fair, though that choice has lacked weight besides having Batman murdered and it hasn’t been divisive in DC’s favor.
Marvel Games Pluck at Popular Characters as Much as They Stretch Artistically
For Insomniac to develop a Spider-Man game wasn’t necessarily a wild, left-field choice due to its penchant for kind-hearted, hilarious science-fiction.
Marvel seems to have grasped this same notion for other upcoming projects, assigning games to particular developers who bring unique skills to their brand identity.Marvel’s Bladelooks astonishingly stylish in Arkane’s hands, for example, while Skydance is bringing an unheard-of degree ofhyperrealistic fidelity toMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydraon Unreal Engine 5.Marvel Rivalsisn’t authentic necessarily based on its gameplay genre alone, but it’s a novel approach for a Marvel game that has legs thanks to how much effort has been dedicated toward its beautiful art direction.
Regardless of how fruitless or impossible of an ask it is,Wonder Womanhas a huge weight on its shoulders to succeedwhere past DC games have failed. If future titles can reach into creative corners of their source material and niche gameplay genres with immense quality they’ll have a chance to meet the standards future Marvel games are about to showcase, and only those expectations will be able to continue pushing superhero-related games forward until they’re unable to lie down and become complacent.
Marvel Rivals
WHERE TO PLAY
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 RosterChoose 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 DynamicsWith 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 SynergyCoordinate 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 DestructionTear 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 UpdatesThe 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!
