[Review] Marvel's Avengers (PS4/Xbox One/PC)
As an avid collector of comic books, the concept of this game was mind blowing. A beat-em up game with Marvel characters? Yes please! The team at Square Enix did a fantastic job making you feel like an Avenger through its awesome battle mechanics, heartfelt campaign and stunning visuals.
When I first started the game's campaign, I felt a sense of nostalgia like no other. It was like I was 9 years old again, playing X-Men Legends. And it felt great. Back then, I used video games to help get over my father's passing and I always wanted to be a superhero, as a form of escapism. But also because superheroes rock!. Games like X-MEN Legends or Marvel's Ultimate Alliance had that similar beat-em up gameplay but there was always something missing. Never did I feel like I was as cool as Tony Stark or as powerful as Thor, the god of thunder. Until I played Marvel's Avengers.
For those who have played the other games previously mentioned, you will feel right at home with the gameplay. The combos are very simple and intuitive. Very reminiscent of games like Dynasty Warriors with a mixture of light, heavy and aerial attacks. Each character has an expansive skill tree which gives you crazy abilities. Stuff you'd only see in Hollywood blockbusters or comics - let's take Iron Man for example. It makes sense that Tony would have a lot of weird and wonderful tech built into his suit. When playing as Iron Man you can fly freely, within the confides of the map, travelling to objectives incredibly quickly whilst dodging enemy drones and missiles. In addition to that you can switch between lasers, rockets, and repulsor blasts. And while your button combinations remain the same, the ability to switch allows for a range of play styles. You can provide air support with auto-targeting rockets, stun enemies with repulsor blasts or go all-out, slashing your way through enemies like a samurai with your lasers.
You can probably tell by now, I enjoyed the gameplay mechanics. Square Enix and the team at Eidos Montreal paid serious attention to detail throughout the development process of game. The story is fantastic. The way the characters are written are very faithful to the comics. Even the voice casting choices are fantastic, featuring excellent performances from big voice actors like Laura Bailey and Nolan North. But the star of this game has got to be Ms. Marvel.
Kamala Khan is basically a superhero otaku, she's got dreams and aspirations of being a hero and making a difference. I relate to her a lot, she starts off as this kid with no powers writing fan-fics and attending cons. Throughout the game you see her grow into this bad-ass hero, and I love that you experience the story through Ms. Khan, because (hopefully) you end up growing with her. I know I did. It might be silly to say this, but I've learnt a lot from Kamala and how she overcomes obstacles in her way. I can see this character becoming an inspiration for a lot of people. I must say bravo to Sandra Saad for an absolutely smashing performance throughout the game.
As awesome as the game is, I must say I am not a fan of how they dealt with micro-transactions. The game heavily focuses on loot, and because of that the game can get complex. I found myself in and out of menus constantly, upgrading and recycling equipment that I no longer need. There is a lot of micro-transactions in this game, yes it's all cosmetic (costumes and emotes). However, it's unfortunate when each character has a battle pass that takes ages to complete. Usually I'm ok with battle passes, but this is a poor implementation of that system. You can only progress the battle pass by completing 2 daily challenges and 2 weekly challenges or you can pay to complete it, unlocking all its included content.
Outside of the main campaign, missions can get a bit repetitive and grindy, although it's still incredibly fun to play with a group of 4 people, talking and using each character's strengths and abilities to access new areas or do some crazy combos. Teamwork is a core part of this game and without a solid team, you might find it incredibly hard to progress later on when the missions get increasingly difficult.
All in all, Marvel's Avengers is an awesome game. I am extremely happy with it, it's incredibly satisfying playing as these iconic comic book characters. I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Marvel's Avengers, which new characters will be introduced and how the story will progress. A must-get for fans of the Avengers and the Inhumans!
Overall Rating : 8.5/10
Pros:
+ Fantastic UI
+ Beautiful Visuals
+ Well-written, Heart-warming Story
+ Amazing Voice Acting
+ Cracking Combos & Movesets
+ 4 player Co-op
+ Thor & Iron Man
Cons:
- Missions outside of the campaign can be a bit repetitive
- Too many menus
- Grindy battle pass
- Lack of cross-play
This review covers Marvel's Avengers for Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Square Enix for providing me with the opportunity to play this game and write this review.