When 2024 began, I expected a quiet year after the legendary release lineup of 2023 that took the industry by storm. Of course, I had my eyes peeled for a few surprises, but after the atrocity of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, I was certain the live service train was going to derail itself off a cliff. And honestly? I couldn’t be happier about it.
That all changed when I saw the console announce trailer for Marvel Rivals. The two-minute trailer I saw at Summer Game Fest took a title I’d heard about and wanted dead on arrival and shifted it to one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
Marvel Rivals is a hero shooter much like Overwatch and takes inspiration from Activision-Blizzard’s hit title, but it’s so much more than that. Rivals has that one critical component that Overwatch lost years ago and has kept it from greatness ever since: a passionate, beating heart. It emanates its own identity and gives players a rewarding and exciting experience.
Above all else, thought, it’s just a damn good time. One that I think will finally, thankfully, push this stale section of the industry forward into a positive direction.
Related: The Biggest Video Game Releases of July 2024
From the Ashes of Overwatch
2016-2018 Overwatch was my favorite multiplayer game of all-time. The hero shooter revolutionized my idea of what cooperative and competitive multiplayer games could be. It melded dozens of different characters and playstyles into an experience that felt unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Nothing compared to my fervor for Tracer, D.Va, Winston, and the rest of the cast in Overwatch, both in-game and throughout the franchise’s rich lore.
When I wasn’t in college classes or at work, I was playing Overwatch. It didn’t matter if it was a limited-time event, quickplay, or competitive; I was locked in every night. Overwatch ate the bulk of the free time I had in my early 20s. The crazy thing is, I wouldn’t change that for the world. It was some of the best gaming memories I’ve made; Speculating new characters, watching character walkthroughs, or learning counter-picks, it was a fun time all-around.
Over the last eight years, however, Overwatch has unfortunately lost the magic that made it the phenomenon it was before. Where exciting events, updates, and characters once took center stage, now it feels like the cosmetics are the sole focus, with Overwatch 2 feeling like a way to shift monetization to a scummier model.
With no long-lasting competitors, Blizzard has had free reign, lazing about and letting their IP wither while they sit comfortably atop the foundation of a once great game.
I was optimistic that someone would pick up Overwatch’s torch for a time, but after a decade, I had no optimism for the genre and eagerly awaited its downfall. As soon as I gave up any hope of another competitive multiplayer game ever gripping me as Overwatch did in today’s hellscape of half-baked live service titles, Rivals dropped its Closed Beta Test with plenty of fanfare to get players excited.
When I saw the ‘No One Rivals Doom’ Trailer for Marvel Rivals, though, I realized how much I missed the hype behind an overarching narrative and ever-expanding cast of characters. A universe torn apart by Dr. Doom fighting himself across time and space, with cinematics reminiscent of movies like Across the Spiderverse and industry-defining voice actors reprising their roles as Marvel’s greatest heroes? It’s a thing of beauty.
Melding Style and Soul
What sets Marvel Rivals apart from the mountain of team-based shooters in the genre is the level of care put into every facet of the game. From the moment you load up the game, you’re treated to an incredible animation of the game’s roster flying into 2099’s Tokyo to rest on the main menu panel.
That same level of quality stays consistent in every aspect of the game, from its characters’ stylish and varied abilities to their destructible environments and unique hero movesets. There’s a bombastic style reminiscent of the comic books this cast comes from, one sure to draw the eyes of many curious players like myself.
Even small segments of the game that easily get overlooked by other hero shooters, like character info menus, are overhauled to give each combatant a distinct personality.
Spider-Man thwips across the screen in slow motion, his Spidey Sense blaring in the background before he slowly slips into focus.
Venom pounces, tendrils oozing off its body, before letting out a bloodcurdling scream that paints the screen red and sends organic spikes flying.
It’s not just intros that have that level of care, either. The skins and cosmetics tied to them are a cut above, too. Rocket Raccoon has a bounty hunter skin with an exclusive highlight intro. Seeing my favorite Guardian of the Galaxy torch his bounty poster? They didn’t need to go this hard, but I’m very glad that they did.
Details like this make Marvel Rivals feel alive and filled with soul. The flair adds so much heart to the game. Rivals’ presentation levels dwarf Overwatch’s in 2024, especially when you compare them directly.
The Multiverse is Our Playground
Apart from being one of the prettiest surprise games of 2024, Rivals is a team shooter almost everyone can pick up. Players form teams of six with an array of heroes from three categories. There are DPS (Duelists), Tanks (Vanguards), and Healers (Strategists) in Rivals, functioning as they do in Blizzard’s counterpart.
You’ll fight over capture points, push payloads, and defend objectives with your team, but there are key changes here. There is lack of role queue and class limits because of an idea exclusive to rivals.
The game-changing mechanic in Marvel Rivals that sets it apart from Overwatch is the Team-Ups. Depending on who you have on your team, you can unlock new abilities for specific characters. Pair up Scarlet Witch and Magneto to give Magneto a new powerful attack imbued with chaos magic.
Want to ride around on Groot and take damage reduction? Pick Rocket Raccoon or Jeff the Land Shark to use the talking tree as your walking shield. Add Spider-Man or Peni Parker to Venom’s team, and you will get access to a Symbiote attack that spears any enemy nearby.
Partner Adam Warlock with Star-Lord and Mantis to get a free resurrection from the Guardians’ golden wonder. These Team-Ups alter how you build your team, and seeing who my teammates chose often had me swapping things up.
After seeing how impactful this mechanic is, I’m glad there isn’t a role queue or character archetype limits. Sometimes, having one tank and an extra DPS can work out with the right Team-Up. It all depends on how you coordinate these powerful abilities.
While some Team-Ups were way too strong in the beta (I’m looking at you, Scarlet Witch and Magneto), I’m sure that with some balancing, this idea can be the driving force behind how players approach team comps. If you haven’t had a chance to check out Marvel Rivals yet, trust me when I say that this mechanic alone makes Rivals distinct enough from Overwatch.
A Delightfully Unorthodox Roster
While it would have been easy for Marvel to use only the most popular characters, Rivals mixes well-known fighters with niche hits. Aside from Marvel’s biggest characters, like Iron Man and Hulk, there are several surprise choices this time.
My personal favorite of the lesser-known characters to play was Magik. This mutant’s ability to create portals and summon demons while swinging a herculean great sword is incredible. Chasing down the enemy team and wiping them for a game-winning ace is one of my favorite moments from the beta. The wild thing is that Magik is only one of those deep-cut characters.
The Joys of Rivals (and Jeff)
Another deep character and the breakout star of the beta is, without question, Jeff the Land Shark. This adorable little guy became an overnight sensation when they added him on July 27 alongside Thor. This cute little critter spews water to heal teammates and hurt enemies, looking absolutely precious in the process. Kudos to Marvel for the adorable reveal video of him singing.
My only complaint is that we have no merchandise for this little guy to buy. Hook me up for Christmas this year, Marvel. We need Jeff plushies, posters, and figures. I’ll buy ’em all. This is easily the best mascot since Baby Yoda debuted in The Mandalorian, and I’d be shocked if Jeff didn’t catch fire the same way he did several years ago.
Adorable mascot characters aside, Marvel Rivals had an impressive Beta rollout—the smoothest I’ve ever seen (once I finally got a code). Aside from the occasional frame drops when Dr. Strange used a portal or a building blew up, the game ran smoothly. The best part of the Closed Beta Test was how well NetEase rewarded player participation.
Those who reached level 30 in the Closed Beta Battle Pass unlocked a permanent Cyan Clash Venom skin. Reaching level 40 also unlocks the Golden Abyss player card for those who return on launch. It’s a small gift, but one that those who helped test the game can brandish these cosmetics with pride in the months to come.
Completing challenges lets users get through the pass to unlock these permanent rewards. The one complaint I did have with this system was the inability to earn XP outside of challenges. That changed in just a few short days when Rivals updated the game to offer experience to those who played several games, making the grind far less tedious.
This is Only the Beginning
Marvel Rivals feels like a direct answer to the stagnation of Overwatch: a game that aims to take all the mistakes of its competitor and remedy them with its own identity. With so many incredible parts pushing this incredible title forward, I don’t think Marvel Rivals is doing anywhere anytime soon.
They’ve done everything right so far, all we need is the launch to smoothly and we finally have a hero shooter with soul again on the market. One that pushes Blizzard to take action and remember what made their game the hit that it was.
Whether it’s the sensational gameplay of Marvel Rivals, its incredible art direction, or the exciting prospect of more on the horizon, NetEase made a skeptical player an instant fan throughout the Closed Beta Test.
I can’t wait to see what’s next for this title, and it looks like we won’t have to wait long for news either, with the game appearing at Gamescom in late August. Do I sense another beta on the horizon? Only time will tell, but I’d put money on an Open Beta announcement later this month.
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