I know, I know, I’m late to the party. But after seeing all of the hype around Marvel Rivals, I figured it was time I checked out the new free-to-play player versus player (PVP) from Marvel Games.
Today is exactly one month from the official release of Marvel Rivals. Released on December 5th, 2024, the new video game from Marvel Games and developer NetEase Games have hosted over 20 million users since. Boasting a “very positive” rating on Steam with over 135,000 reviews, I felt compelled to download this breakout hit. Admittedly, while reporting on the game earlier this year, I found myself rolling my eyes at another Marvel video game. Marvel has released several mobile apps and video games over the last few years, with, in my opinion, the Marvel’s Spider-Man games being the only standouts. But that many people can’t be wrong, can they?
Jumping into Marvel Rivals for the first time, players will find themselves looking at a gorgeous backdrop of Tokyo 2099, the basis of the game’s conflict. After Doctor Doom has a run in with Doom 2099, the crossover causes a timestream entanglement that brings heroes and villains from across Marvel stories together for an epic battle. Now with over 30 different superheroes and villains all together, players are welcomed into Marvel Rivals, where they will find unforgettable battles against players from around the world.
After clicking to start the game, you’ll be welcomed to a standard home screen, allowing players to pick between game modes, the shop, the battle pass, and more.
Mind you, while this game does have a story, there isn’t a “Story Mode.” Similar to Fortnite, there is an active storyline happening during seasons, which allows the game to add more content and characters through the game through events and battle passes.
Speaking of the Battle Pass, the game does require players to purchase the Luxury Battle Pass upgrade to make the most of the unlockable content. Again, players do not need to do this to enjoy the game, but if you wanna look as cool as possible when playing against other players, it might be a worthy purchase for committed gamers.
Because I hadn’t played the game yet, I decided it was best to jump in by playing through the games tutorials.
The game’s tutorials are extensive, teaching players how to do the basics, like moving around, jumping, and destroying objects. In the Hero Tutorial, players are welcomed to experience playing as different Marvel heroes and villains. Divided into three categories with Vanguards, Duelists, and Strategists, players will be able to take on different roles within their 6 v 6 online matches. Vanguards are mostly about strength, duelists are all about damage, and strategists focus on supporting and healing other players. Each character still holds their own unique attacks and ultimates that makes gameplay interesting no matter which character you choose.
Something really cool about Marvel Rivals is the ability to team up. Certain characters can combine abilities when on the same team to deal extra damage to opponents. When playing as Iron Man, players can team up with Hulk to launch gamma infused rockets.
Afterwards, the game’s Domination Tutorial and Convoy Tutorial invited you to practice some of the multiplayer game’s objectives. In the Domination Tutorial, you are sent to claim a certain area of the map, where you’ll need to keep clear of enemies for a specific amount of time to win. The Convoy Tutorial has you escort a convoy, where, when unopposed, will move forward through the map. Players will need to get it to a specific location to win.
After completing the tutorials, it was time to jump in. In addition to Convoy and Domination, Quick Matches and Competitive Matches also feature two more game modes. Convergence will see one team assigned defense and the other team assigned offense. With offense trying to capture areas on a map and defense trying to prevent them. Defense will win if the timer runs out and offense will win if they capture the checkpoints. Conquest divides players into teams, with each kill dropping points onto the ground. Opponents can pick up these points, and the first team that gets to 50 or the team with the most points when the timer runs out wins.
My first game, I decided to play as Squirrel Girl. While other similar games, like Overwatch 2, require certain roles to be filled, Marvel Rivals allows players to choose whatever hero or villain they would like to play as. I was welcomed into a match of Convergence and I was responsible, along with my 5 teammates, to move the convoy across the map. It was surprisingly action packed. I was facing off against the likes of Iron Man, Magneto, Black Panther and more, while fighting alongside Groot, two Spider-Men, and Mantis. While we did end up (barely) losing, it was a great first step into the game, and I was surprised at how much fun I had. I played for a few hours, trying to get every gamemode, and found myself enjoying the random assignments and varying maps. I did not play Quick Matches with any other character, but did try my hand at a few in the practice arena. I just couldn’t get over Squirrel Girl’s ultimate, which sees her send out a hoard of squirrels to attack opponents.
I also had a chance to try the game's holiday modes, playing as Jeff the Shark, which was incredibly fun. I see myself hopping on again soon and trying out more rounds of the seasonal offerings.
If I’m being 100% honest, Marvel Rivals is a great game. I will say that it feels almost identical to Overwatch and Overwatch 2. However, with Overwatch 2 failing to recapture my attention that made me fall in love with the first game, Marvel Rivals, along with its entirely new set of characters, reintroduced me to the joy of this type of PVP game. I regret not jumping in a month ago. I love how different many of the heroes and villains playstyles are, including range differentiation. Fighting with Black Panther requires you to be close to enemies, hitting them with your vibranium claws, where Iron Man is always flying above the map. The game also combines classic comic aesthetics with iconic MCU looks, allowing players to purchase and acquire skins that represent which version of the character they love. While I do hate how expensive some of the skins and add ons are, I’ll just need to keep myself in check when it comes to how much money I know I’m gonna wanna spend on all of the themed cosmetics. I’m surprised at how much fun Marvel Rivals is, and I highly recommend anyone who has been hesitant to try it to go ahead and bite the bullet. Marvel Rivals is out now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles.
Also, Beginning on January 10th, the first season of Marvel Rivals, titled Eternal Night Falls, will be released, bringing characters from The Fantastic Four.
Read More Marvel: