I may still be a bit unsure about whether or notMarvel’s Avengerswill live up to expectations, but that is actually one of the reasons why it is my most anticipated game of 2020.The initial 2017 tease excited me, and I was eagerly awaiting its unveiling over the next two years. That being said, when it watched its reveal trailer and even sawthe A-Day demo behind closed doors at E3 2019, I came away underwhelmedlike my fellow editor Logan Moore.
Despite this, I could see thatMarvel’s Avengerswas brimming with potential and may have just demoed badly. As we’ve seen more and more of the game, I do really think that is the case, which is why I’m surprised that Square Enix still isn’t showing more of it.Marvel’s Avengershas great prospects in a world dominated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe and could even keep Marvel Comics in the discussion during a down year movie-wise. We just need to see more of it, and I can’t wait for when we do.
[pullquote]“Marvel’s Avengershas great prospects in a world dominated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe."[/pullquote]
So far, only seven characters have been confirmed forMarvel’s Avengers: Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Hank Pym, and Ms. Marvel. While Square Enix tried to make a big deal about the inclusion of these heroes in 2019, we still haven’t seen Hank Pym in action as any of his possible personas (Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath, or Yellowjacket) and, with the exception of Ms. Marvel, the rest of the confirmed roster seem like shoe-ins for anAvengersgame. The Marvel universe is teeming with tons of interesting characters, so I hopeMarvel’s Avengerstakes advantage of them.
While I don’t expect the roster, at least initially, to be as big asMarvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, I’d still like to have at least 10 or more heroes with more depth to them. Doctor Strange and Brother Voodoo have been confirmed for thetie-in novel, and I hope they make an appearance in the game as well. Other heroes I’d like to see included are Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, Blade and personal favorites like Falcon and Hawkeye.Marvel’s Avengers' greatest obstacle will be homogenizing the playstyles of so many different heroes, but if Crystal Dynamics can pull it off, this may be one of the best superhero games ever.
Until recently, the game’s structure was also pretty confusing, though an overview trailer in November cleared that up. Surprisingly,Destinyis an apt comparison toMarvel’s Avengers. As players progress, they should be able to improve the Avengers' new base of operations, a decommissioned Helicarrier, and upgrade their character with new gear. The game will feature both single-player story missions and multiplayer missions for players to go on. We have not really seen this kind of approach with a superhero game yet, but it has a lot of potential.
Even though I’d still be averse to invasive microtransactions and the like, I would be interested in finally having a multiplayer “forever game” that really grabs and maintains my attention. I tend to stick to single-player games, so the fact thatMarvel’s Avengerswill give me both is enticing. The closest thing I have to a forever game right now isSuper Mario Maker 2, and its online functionality is terrible. If any game can get me to consistently return to it to have fun with the grind and unlock new gear, it will beMarvel’s Avengers.
The 2010s served as a renaissance of sorts of the superhero genre on consoles. Yes, we didn’t receive as many of them as a whole, likely due to the rise of mobile games, but the games we did get on consoles were mostly outstanding.Batman: Arkham Cityis one of my favorite games of all time, andBatman: Arkham KnightandMarvel’s Spider-Manare also highlights of the decade for me. As the first major superhero game of the 2020s, I’m hopingMarvel’s Avengerssets the superhero game standard for the decade just likeBatman: Arkham Citydid back in 2011.
[pullquote]“Marvel’s Avengers' greatest obstacle will be homogenizing the playstyles of so many different heroes."[/pullquote]
Marvel’s Avengersis an important title for Marvel Games in general too. The gaming division of Marvel Entertainment is finally starting to pay more attention to consoles and needs to prove that they weren’t a one-hit-wonder in the AAA space withMarvel’s Spider-Man. Insomniac’s game set a high bar of quality within the Marvel-verse of games alone, so that’s a standard thatMarvel’s Avengerswill have to meet and uphold going forward.
Are Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix up to the task? I think so. Even if they aren’t, I thinkMarvel’s Avengerswill still be one of the most interesting games of the year. If it’s great, the game can ride on the wave of MCU mania in what is a relatively low key year for their films, and if it’s bad, it will likely draw just as much attention beyond release. Either way,Marvel’s Avengerswill be one of the most exciting games to come out this year, so I can’t help but have it as my most anticipated game of 2020.
Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer to get a good taste of what is actually being offered.Marvel’s Avengerscomes out for PC, PS4, Xbox One and Google Stadia on August 04, 2025. You canpre-order the game now over on Amazon.
