‘Marvel Rivals’ Could Be the Competition ‘Overwatch’ Needs (Hands-On Impressions)

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I jumped into Marvel Rivals for the first time. I had seen pre-release footage but was unable to participate in the closed Alpha or Beta for the game. Going in, I was floored by the number of features implemented. However, some issues need to be addressed if NetEase wants to see Marvel Rivals succeed and overtake its competitors.

‘Marvel Rivals’ Looks and Runs Great, Even During Heavy Action

Marvel Rivals is quite a stunning game. Excellent character designs, great map layouts, and plenty of screen-filling specials make each match feel exhilarating. Even when the chaos is at its climax, with Ultimate Attacks making the action almost incomprehensible, Marvel Rivals still chugged along like a champion.

I have a fairly mid-to-high-spec PC I’ve been carefully building over the years. Even with relying on AMD FSR to smooth out some of the rougher edges? It was impressive to see how well my PC could handle Marvel Rivals on higher graphical settings. Every stage was impeccably detailed. They offered an easy-to-follow roadmap that made each match carry on in the most bombastic of fashions.

The character designs are also some of the best I’ve ever seen in a Marvel project. Each character received a design worthy of their own comic book. They ooze personality and drip style, no matter if it’s the massive Venom or the slick Iron Fist. Even if characters tend to yap a bit too much for my liking during a match, it fits well with the source material. I mean, what would a Marvel project in 2024 be like without a few quips thrown out here and there?

The star of the show here has to be the MVP animations, however. These unique animations play if you’re the lucky one who claimed the MVP of the match, and they’re all stunning. The standard MVP animations look gorgeous. Additional movies can be bought alongside cosmetics. Compared to other Hero Shooters on the market, there’s nothing quite like the animations Marvel Rivals brings to the forefront.

An Impressive Launch Roster Gives Players a Chance to Play Who They Want

Marvel Rivals is a massive game, and it’s launching with a huge roster. With over 30 super-powered people to choose from, I never felt like I’d have to fight over who I wanted to play. During my time, I primarily stuck with Star-Lord for DPS and Groot for Tank — and loved how each character felt. Some characters, such as Spider-Man and Iron Fist, are going to have a much higher skill ceiling, whereas basic characters like The Punisher are simple to use and difficult to master.

It’s impossible not to draw some comparisons to other games like Overwatch, but the heroes of Marvel Rivals try to separate themselves as much as possible. Squirrel Girl feels like a better Roadhog, whereas Black Widow will feel right at home for fans of Widowmaker. They do just enough to feel unique, but expect some comparisons from those who want to dunk on Marvel Rivals and what it has to offer.

Even during the playtest, new characters popped up. Which was a nice little treat for those who wanted to test them out. I’m horrid with a sniper rifle, even on a keyboard and mouse. So, my time with Black Widow was minimal, to say the least. But other characters, such as Psylocke and Jeff the Land Shark, offered enough variety to keep me interested throughout the matches.

Yes, Jeff the Land Shark is a playable character, and it’s as adorable as you may expect. The team cooked with the design and personality of these characters. Balancing may need some additional fine-tuning once the game hits its full stride. Even during this Early Access period, matches felt fair for the most part. I could see some characters getting buffed and nerfed within the first few days, however.

A few Baffling flaws in a Hero Shooter Like ‘Marvel Rivals’ Have Me A Bit Worried

One of the biggest flaws I noticed during my time with Marvel Rivals was the lack of a Role Queue. At the start of a match, players could pick and choose who they would want to play. But even in quick play, the lack of a Role Queue feels like an oversight. Marvel Rivals essentially figures that you’ve got a full squad of friends ready at the drop of a hat and you’ve communicated exactly who you want to play.

During my Early Access playtime, another player mentioned that they wanted to play DPS. In the seven hours they had played, they always got stuck as Tank because someone else snagged a DPS class first. I gave up my spot and let them have a turn. It feels like a major oversight and something they need to correct as soon as possible, especially for the sake of longevity.

Marvel Rivals can also get incredibly visually busy at times. While it does run fantastic even in the most hectic of moments, some players may not enjoy the pure chaos that can unfold. As someone who thrives in Final Fantasy 14 raids with all the effects turned on, this wasn’t a huge bother to me. I did, however, hear other people mention this during play sessions and felt it deserved a mention.

If All Goes Right, ‘Marvel Rivals’ Will Be the One to Beat

There are a lot of hero shooters on the market now. And honestly, the Marvel name and production values give Marvel Rivals an edge over most. Thankfully, it isn’t relying on just its star power to draw players in. It’s doing many things right, and only a few things wrong. For example, it’s following the example of Halo Infinite and making Battle Passes accessible at any time after purchase. It’s not following the FOMO method of games like Fortnite, and I’m beyond thankful for that.

It’s great to play casually. It could be the perfect introduction for someone wary of Overwatch‘s vibes. And it has the potential to be the next big thing in Esports. It all really depends on if NetEase can polish up the few issues it currently has. It’s a faithful, loving tribute to Marvel Comics and deserves your attention. Even if you’re not the biggest Marvel fanboy, there’s a lot to enjoy here.

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Marvel Rivals will be available on December 6, 2024, on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. A code was provided for impression purposes by the publisher. Played on PC.