Quick Look: Marvel Rivals

We’ve spent a bit of time in Marvel Rivals now and got a good feel for it! Whilst there’s plenty more to learn and master, it feels like the intricacy is just around the characters and abilities. Everything else in Marvel Rivals comes together pretty swiftly.

As Overwatch has slowly wandered towards its own death, it’s nice to get some competition in the genre and see if Blizzard will react to it, too. I miss Overwatch, for sure, but I’ve had all the same receptors tingling with Marvel Rivals, so maybe I just have to accept it and move over here instead.

Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch

Marvel Rivals, launched on 6th December 2024, quickly amassing a player base of 480,990 concurrent players just after launch. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, it throws down the gauntlet to the reigning champion of the genre, Overwatch. While it undeniably takes inspiration from its predecessor, Rivals distinguishes itself with its own unique Marvel flair and intriguing gameplay mechanics.

Both games feature a diverse cast of heroes with distinct abilities and roles. Rivals cleverly translates iconic Marvel powers into its gameplay, allowing players to soar through the air as Iron Man with repulsor blasts or charge into the fray as Captain America, wielding his vibranium shield.

These abilities often draw parallels with those found in Overwatch; Hulk’s earth-shattering slams are reminiscent of Reinhardt’s Earthshatter, for example. While Spider-Man’s web-slinging mobility mirrors Widowmaker’s grappling hook. However, Rivals ventures into more fantastical territory with abilities like Scarlet Witch’s reality-bending hexes and Doctor Strange’s mystical spells, adding a layer of depth not present in Overwatch’s more grounded abilities.

Work together

One thing I really like with Marvel Rivals and team composition, is the “Team Ups”. Providing you and your team mates with passive buffs and additional abilities, it’s really cool!

Here’s the run-down of the abilities:

Ragnarok Rebirth

Heroes needed: Loki, Hela, and Thor

When Hela lands a final hit in defeating an enemy, she can instantly resurrect Loki and Thor in the respawn phase, or grant them Bonus Health if they are still alive.

Metallic Chaos

Heroes needed: Magneto and Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch can infuse Chaos Energy into Magneto to enchant his greatsword. Upon receiving the Chaos Energy, Magneto can unleash its full force, striking down enemies with his enchanted greatsword.

Voltaic Union

Heroes needed: Storm and Thor

This team-up allows Storm to harness Thor’s lightning powers, enhancing her electrical attacks and providing additional crowd control capabilities.

Planet X Pals

Heroes needed: Rocket Raccoon and Groot

Rocket Raccoon can ride on Groot’s shoulders, receiving damage reduction.

Symbiote Bond

Heroes needed: Peni Parker, Spider-Man, and Venom

Venom shares his symbiote abilities with Spider-Man and Peni Parker. Each of them also gets access to a low-damage crowd control ability.

Gamma Charge

Heroes needed: Hulk, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange

Hulk charges Doctor Strange and Iron Man with gamma radiation. When Doctor Strange uses Maelstrom of Madness, he unleashes excess gamma energy. When Iron Man uses Armor Overdrive, he initiates a gamma upgrade.

Ammo Overload

Heroes needed: The Punisher and Rocket Raccoon

Rocket Raccoon throws an Ammo Overload Device in the target direction. Upon entering the device’s range, The Punisher receives the buffs of Infinite Ammo and Faster Firing.

Dimensional Shortcut

Heroes needed: Black Panther and Magik

With the Dimensional Shortcut Ability, Magik can open up a portal for Black Panther

Guardian Revival

Heroes needed: Adam Warlock, Star-Lord, and Mantis

Adam Warlock fuses his Cocoon Revival ability onto Mantis and Star-Lord. Both heroes, upon dying, will be able to move to safety and reanimate at their own will. During the cocoon phase, heroes will have the ability to travel both vertically and horizontally.

Chilling Charisma

Heroes needed: Jeff the Land Shark and Thor

Jeff the Land Shark can summon a massive ice storm with Thor’s help, freezing enemies in place and dealing significant damage.

Allied Agents

Heroes needed: Hawkeye and Black Widow

Hawkeye grants Black Widow a new active ability, which allows her to spot and damage enemy afterimages.

Atlas Bond

Heroes needed: Iron Fist and Luna Snow

Iron Fist grants Luna Snow a bonus active ability, which causes an ice ring to explode around her when activated. This ring launches enemies up and heals nearby allies.

ESU Alumnus

Heroes needed: Spider-Man and Squirrel Girl

Spider-Man gives Squirrel Girl a bonus active ability, which allows her to web up enemies via a special web bomb.

Fastball Special

Heroes needed: Hulk and Wolverine

Hulk and Wolverine can agree to team-up with a button press, allowing Hulk to throw Wolverine a great distance.

Shortcomings

Marvel Rivals is not without its shortcomings. It struggles to fully escape Overwatch’s shadow, with many abilities and gameplay mechanics feeling somewhat familiar.

The vast roster also suffers from balancing issues, with certain characters dominating the meta while others feel underwhelming. I’d say the absence of a role queue system can lead to frustrating team compositions, hindering strategic gameplay and team synergy.

This will likely all come out in the wash and we’ll see balance updates in the coming weeks. Marvel Rivals has started strong with some rough edges to sand-off.

Overall

Overall, Marvel Rivals delivers a solid hero shooter experience, capitalising on the beloved Marvel universe. Having such a solid roster of mostly globally-recognisable heroes is a massive strength, and seeing how they’ve been implemented into the game is a pleasure.

Marvel Rivals definitely needs further refinement to address balancing issues and establish a stronger identity distinct from Overwatch. With continued development and updates, Marvel Rivals has the potential to become a major contender in the hero shooter genre. Particularly where the old king is on it’s last legs.