Marvel Rivalshas no shortage of great qualities, from its vibrant comic-inspired art direction, to its clean menu UI and general presentation, to its great performances from actors who have become synonymous with the roles. But that would all be for nothing ifMarvel Rivals' gameplaywasn’t fun.
Thankfully,Marvel Rivalsis a really engaging hero shooter that strikes a really great balance of being accessible enough to welcome newcomers to the genre, while still offering enough complexity in its mechanics to reward veterans of the genre.Marvel Rivalsalso strikes a pretty good balance with its roster, in several key ways. But developer NetEase can’t rest on its laurels.
Marvel Rivals' Roster Needs To Be Carefully Maintained
Marvel Rivals' Roster Is Home to a Variety of Heroes
One ofMarvel Rivals' biggest strengths is the variety of its roster.Marvel Rivalshas shipped with an impressive total of 33 characters, each one coming with a very distinct moveset. While the roster is home to household names like Hulk, Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Black Panther, it also has its fair share of lesser-known heroes. Interestingly, it’s several of these lesser-known heroes who have become the breakout stars ofMarvel Rivals, with Iron Fist becoming a notorious back-line menace, andJeff the Land Sharkbeing an adorable little team-eating fiend.
Marvel Rivals' Roster Strikes a Solid Balance Between Roles
Another solid balance thatMarvel Rivals' roster strikes is between its roles. While the number of heroes in each ofMarvel Rivals' classes are far from equal, it still feels as though there’s a solid balance overall while playing. WithMarvel Rivals' 6v6 team structure, at least half of the team is expected to choose to be a Duelist (Damage), and there are 18 different heroes to choose from, giving players a ton of playstyle variety and giving teams a plethora of different strategies they can work with.
Though there are far fewer Vanguards (Tanks) and Strategist (Supports) inMarvel Rivals, there’s still plenty of variation for players to experiment with. The complexity of some ofMarvel Rivals' Vanguards and Strategistsalso requires a bit more skill to master, meaning that it can often be more rewarding to play as a tank or support despite the fewer heroes available to players.
Marvel Rivals' Roster Could Lose Its Balance Quite Easily
But whileMarvel Rivals' roster is striking a solid balance right now, that could be thrown out of whack pretty easily if developer NetEase isn’t careful. There are currently18 Duelists inMarvel Rivals, and just 8 Vanguards, and 7 Strategists. That’s obviously a sizable gap, and though it’s solid for a launch-day roster (Overwatch 1had just four Support heroes at launch), it won’t be long before fans start to demand more heroes to fill that void.
Though it’s surely tempting to put more Duelists inMarvel Rivalsas their abilities only need to focus on dishing out damage, NetEase needs to make sure it adds new Vanguard and Strategist heroes first. Maintaining this careful balance is pivotal to the success of a hero shooter.
Marvel Rivals
WHERE TO PLAY
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!A Deep and Varied Marvel RosterChoose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game DynamicsWith intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.Dynamic Hero SynergyCoordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot’s back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man’s armor for massive damage, and so much more!Creative Environment DestructionTear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch UpdatesThe Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
