The hero shooter genre has long been a staple of gaming, dating back to the arena shooters of the ‘90s like Quake and Unreal Tournament. In 2016, Blizzard redefined this genre with Overwatch, setting the standard for modern hero shooters. Fast forward to 2024, and NetEase’s Marvel Rivals emerges as a contender to the hero shooter throne, offering a unique blend of classic gameplay with the charm of the Marvel Universe.
You can view my feature-length review in the video above this post, but here is a rundown of my thoughts on Marvel Rivals, and whether I think this game has staying power.
Marvel Rivals Gameplay
At its core, Marvel Rivals is an engaging, fast-paced hero shooter where players select iconic Marvel characters to team up and complete map-based objectives. The teamwork requires balanced compositions of Vanguards (tanks), Duelists (damage dealers), and Strategists (healers). Unlike Overwatch, the game lacks role lock, allowing flexible team dynamics but risking unbalanced matches. This adds a layer of strategy, as players must adjust their roles mid-match for success.
I was surprised to find that NetEase makes traditionally less appealing roles, like tanking and healing, feel fun to play. There always will be players determined to hop on the game and make it a one-person show where only they can pop-off, and hopefully the Quick Match mode doesn’t become a cesspool of toxicity.
The longer the Quick Match mode stays a mode for low stakes fun, the longer the fun of the game will last before the competitive scene takes over. The Competitive Mode, complete with a planned tournament structure, should ensure that the game appeals to both ends of the spectrum.
Marvel Rivals’ Team-Up Abilities is What Sets Marvel Rivals Apart
A significant innovation in Marvel Rivals is its Team-Up Abilities. These reward character combinations with special buffs and/or abilities. For example, the Ammo Overload ability with Rocket Racoon, Punisher, and Winter Soldier allows Rocket to distribute unlimited ammo for a short time.
With 15 active Team-Up Abilities and seasonal rotations, this feature encourages team experimentation. Additionally, the seasonal bonuses, which boost specific characters’ attributes, keep the meta fresh and engaging.
This mechanic also serves as a clever balancing tool. Instead of constant nerfs and buffs to characters, NetEase can use Team-Up Abilities to provide counters to overpowered characters, maintaining variety and excitement in gameplay.
Art Direction and Visuals
The game’s art direction shines as it blends comic book aesthetics with cel-shaded 3D visuals. Iconic Marvel characters are brought to life with striking accuracy, from their movements to their personality-driven animations. The destructible environments add an extra layer of interaction, allowing players to manipulate the environment in meaningful ways. For instance, if you see the Punisher raining bullets down from his turret, on some maps you can destroy the entire platform to bring him down.
How Does Marvel Rivals Run?
While Overwatch feels more polished overall, the fast-paced nature of Marvel Rivals adds a unique thrill, with shorter yet satisfying matches.
Marvel Rivals ran poorly on my system during the first five days. Thankfully, NetEase resolved early performance issues with a prompt patch, improving the PC experience significantly. Still, there are times when the framerate dips out of nowhere for no explainable reason. At times the game runs perfectly, and then at other times, perhaps during peak server hours, the game becomes jittery to the point it’s unplayable.
Hopefully, these issues improve as NetEase is able to secure more funding for server improvements.
Marvel Rivals Monetization and Longevity
This is a free-to-play game, which is already a huge plus for Marvel fans. NetEase profits from selling goodies in the game, many of them locked behind the battle pass.
Marvel Rivals adopts a battle pass system that prioritizes challenges over grinding for experience points. It rewards players for trying out new characters and abilities. While this system fosters variety, it risks creating a “checkbox” mentality, where players log in only to complete daily challenges rather than for the sheer enjoyment of the game. This framework likely comes from NetEase’s previous experience developing mobile games.
Character skins will no doubt become a huge moneymaker in Marvel Rivals. NetEase has the advantage of capitalizing on decades of Marvel costume designs. High-quality skins priced around $20 ensure a steady revenue stream, though the price point might not suit every player.
Marvel Rivals Storytelling
Telling a story in a competitive multiplayer live-service game is challenging, but Marvel Rivals integrates its narrative through creative means. Players unlock story fragments through gameplay challenges. When browsing Heroes on the main screen, you can also read their lore on their profile.
A new Marvel Rivals comic series has been released which delves deeper into the premise—a collision of multiverses that pits heroes and villains against each other in a Secret Wars-esque conflict.
Final Thoughts
NetEase has delivered something special with Marvel Rivals. It combines the best elements of the hero shooter genre with the beloved Marvel IP, creating a game that appeals to casual and competitive players alike. With a wealth of Marvel history to draw upon, the potential for themed seasons, new characters, and evolving gameplay is vast.
While Overwatch remains a titan of the genre, the arrival of Marvel Rivals introduces healthy competition that could push both games to greater heights. For now, Marvel Rivals offers a thrilling and accessible experience, whether you’re a Marvel fan, a seasoned hero shooter player, or simply looking for a fun and dynamic game. I highly recommend giving it a shot—it’s a must-try for fans of the genre and the Marvel Universe. It’s also free-to-play, so there’s no real risk in trying the game out.
