Marvel’s Avengers Is An Okay Game That Begs To Be Greater

When Marvel’s Avengers was finally shown for the first time back in 2019, the game was met with a tepid response. Sure there was excitement surrounding the game considering it was riding off the coattails of Avengers: Endgame at the time, but I distinctly remember there being a general lack of interest, which persists even to this day. Whether that be fans comparing these new renditions of the characters to their wildly popular MCU counterparts, burnout from the property as a whole, or the mundane opinion that the game just wasn’t landing for whatever reason. What I’m getting at here is that from the jump, this game was already fighting an uphill battle. Matters weren’t made any easier when it was revealed that the game would be following a Games-As-A-Service model, or taking the “live game approach” a-la something akin to Destiny or the ill-fated Anthem. Anyone who’s remotely clued into the industry knows that those games have their own reputations within the gaming community which are tumultuous to say the least.

Players tend to state their dislike of these kinds of games stems from a lack of meaningful content, which is neglected in order to stuff the game with microtransactions and other kinds of expensive DLC. And, I don’t think there’s anything necessarily misleading about those opinions. Anthem flopped hard because not only did it deliver a lack-luster spread of initial content, but there didn’t seem to be any real plans on the part of the developer for fixing the game or adding to it in a meaningful way. That’s likely due to the fact that the game had very rough development cycle, but that’s a different story entirely, and largely why I don’t think the game is a good representation of what live games can be. However, looking at Bungie’s Destiny as the “best foot forward” for this genre of game doesn’t exactly paint the best image either. Destiny is in a constant ebb and flow of regarding player reception and quality of the content that’s being put out on a regular basis; all the while their real-money cosmetic store never seems to have a shortage of fun and interesting items for sale. One of the game’s most recent stumbles saw players grinding a boring “public event” for upwards of three months, with the only tangible growth that their characters would see coming in the form of a battle bass which also has a $10 seasonal microtransaction built into it. All of these things combined, players feel they’d be getting more for their money if they just played a regular MMO or, any other kind of game. The only downside is that when games like Destiny are in a state which is considered good, there really isn’t anything else like it on the market. Unfortunately, Marvel’s Avengers didn’t seem like it would be launching in one of those states.

My first impressions with the game started with the beta periods which ran over the course of the last few weekends in August. Now, hopes weren’t exactly high going in considering the fact that every other day a random company like Verizon, Intel, Virgin Mobile, and even 5 Gum announced deals where their customers would gain access to exclusive cosmetics in the game. It was made very clear why, where, and how publisher Square Enix and developer Crystal Dynamics saw potential for monetization. Then, once I actually got my hands on the thing, I was left a little more than disappointed.

Some skins were exclusive to companies like Verizon and Virgin Mobile.

First of all, the PC beta ran extremely poorly. Constantly stuttering and dropping to low frame rates, even at times crashing for no reason. This exacerbated shallow third-person action combat and traversal systems which I just wasn’t having that much fun with at all. It felt like combat was simplified in order to fit within a structure that was open to endless expansion and potential for growth into a game which was miles wide but only inches deep. Furthermore, my friend and I couldn’t join a co-op session to save our lives; when we did, none of the UI was intuitive and we weren’t exactly sure what we were supposed to be doing. Our disappointment only grew once we got into the missions themselves and found them to be nothing more than generic rooms where you’d simply walk through a hallway and kill a crew baddies and then- that was it. We felt that this game didn’t need to be a live service, it wasn’t good at trying to be one, and that we’d get a far superior product had they attempted to create a more structured and solidly designed single-player experience more akin to something like the Batman: Arkham series or Marvel’s own Spider-Man on PS4. Thankfully, the game actually kinda was one of those, it’s just that this detail was largely obscured to the public before release.

I’m happy to say here that Marvel’s Avengers does have a singleplayer campaign, and that it’s actually good. I don’t think that it’s as good as the aforementioned Arkham games or Spider-Man, but it’s entertaining to say the least. Clocking in at just under 11 hours for me, not really bothering with any side or multiplayer content, I think that it was a perfect length and it didn’t really overstay its welcome. The story was paced well, and ends on a satisfying, yet expectedly open-ended note. The plot takes a lot of cues from the Naughty Dog school of narrative design. Big action set pieces, quiet moments of exploration, and a few surprisingly well-acted and well-written characters. Particularly in the case of Sandra Saad’s Kamala Khan and Troy Baker’s Bruce Banner who stand out among the rest of the cast as being the best realized and thoroughly enjoyable throughout, which makes sense considering that these two take on most of the story’s emotional heavy-lifting. Unfortunately the rest of the Avengers fall a bit flat for most of the journey, with predictable voice acting from other industry mainstays like Nolan North, Laura Bailey, and Travis Willingham paired with writing that attempts to capture the wit and charm of the films but just falls flat at almost every quip. However, that’s not say that each of them don’t have their own moments, especially Nolan North’s Tony Stark and Jeff Schine’s Captain America in one particular mission, but for the most part don’t expect to really fall in love with these versions of the characters any time soon. Despite that, I really enjoyed my time with the campaign in Marvel’s Avengers, it was simple and sweet- exactly what it needed to be. Its greatest downfalls however still trace back to fact that Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix refuse to leave it at that.

Kamala and Bruce are without a doubt the stand out cast members.

Firstly, I don’t think the actual gameplay, which I found to be rather shallow in the beta, was improved upon all that much in the final release. While characters do open up and provide players with more opportunity for interesting combos and some light synergy between teammates than they did in the very limited scope of the beta, it still just isn’t that fun to be an Avenger. Which is probably the worst ten words I’ve ever had write. Due to the game’s insistence of including light MMO mechanics like leveling and gear score, these characters feel outright weak until you’ve spent enough time grinding out the necessary skill points and loot drops. Enemies are massive damage sponges, especially one late-game addition in particular called the Adaptoid. What other successful superhero games have pulled off in the past is making you feel like you’re actually inhabiting those characters when you take control of them. It doesn’t feel great to spend five minutes wailing on a single human-sized robot as Thor (the God of Thunder), only to get staggered by ranged attacks all the while being two-shot by the robot’s massive lasers. These are supposed to be the Earth’s mightiest heroes, and the fantasy of stepping into their shoes is stymied by an incessant adherence to a model of game design which just doesn’t fit here. From the moment you take control of Batman in Arkham Asylum you’re crushing bones with devastatingly precise martial arts, and stalking thugs from the shadows- instilling fear in their hearts. The very first thing a player does in Marvel’s Spider-Man is swing effortlessly through the New York City skyline, throwing themselves headfirst into danger. In Marvel’s Avengers each new character can do little more than throw a simple punch or let off a ranged attack without upgrading their skill tree first. It’s hard to sell the idea of becoming Thor and Captain America when it doesn’t feel like a player actually ‘does’ until they’ve put upwards 4-5 hours into the character first. None of this is to say that you can’t eventually have fun with the combat in Marvel’s Avengers, but I don’t really know how long that enjoyment will last.

This fantasy of becoming these characters is further interrupted when you realize the fact that all of them ostensibly play the same. Because its expected that players will be required to switch between them, as a result of only one being allowed on the field at a time, it would alienate some players if they were forced to play as one which felt wildly different to control. That wouldn’t be a problem in a game where a player could just pick who they wanted to be without worrying about other people, but that isn’t the intention of the game’s design. As a result each Avenger has a melee attack, a ranged attack, and their “intrinsic abilities” which largely just manifest in the form of holding down a button to deal more damage if you have a full meter. All of these things are mapped to the same buttons for each character, and largely function exactly the same. The only three real differences between characters come in the form of their two special abilities, an ultimate ability, and their size. The Avengers are pretty much just character classes at this point, which seems counter-intuitive to having a varied and diverse selection of heroes pulled from all corners of the Marvel universe when the only differences between them is a new set of spells.

Characters can really open up, if you’re willing to put in the work. But that doesn’t mean they’re very different from each other.

Secondly, the content which is designed and intended to be repeated by nature of the Games-As-A-Service model doesn’t really provide a reason with players to do so. Now, it would make sense if parts of that campaign which I enjoyed so much were locked behind level or gear score requirements, but they aren’t. The most mystifying decision of all here is that the campaign and live service aspects of the game are actually separate modes. When you first boot up Marvel’s Avengers, you’re presented with two options of play, those being “Campaign,” and something called the “Avengers Initiative.” The first being rather explanatory, and the latter described by an onscreen tool-tip as being “post-campaign” multiplayer content. While yes, all of your character progress carries over from one section to the other, and there is multiplayer allowed within the campaign, players can just outright ignore one or the other if they so choose. Now I don’t think this is a bad thing necessarily, considering I think the singleplayer is far better than the multiplayer, but it strikes me as such a bizarre refusal to commit to the kind of game being made here, when the moment-to-moment gameplay suffers so much as a result of being a live game. It also directly spoils the story for anyone who happens to make their way over to this mode or decides they want to hop into that content first. And while the latter are the kinds of players who likely wouldn’t want to bother with the singleplayer anyways, and only want start grinding as soon as they can, it robs the story of any emotional intent or presented value. Who cares about the mystery that these writers have come up with surrounding Captain America’s death and fate, when at the press of a button any player can take him into a co-op session and grind out some epic loot. But with very little in the way of endgame content at the moment, and little to none of the actually interesting stuff in the game being gated behind higher level requirements, that gear isn’t really useful at all.

Thirdly, the rest of the content found within the “Avengers Initiative” portion of the game just isn’t that interesting either. There are a few exceptions such as the Villain Lairs which serve as the small helping of content for dedicated players, as well as a few stand out more traditional missions. Mainly these come in the form of Iconic Missions which are dedicated to wrapping up characters arcs from the campaign, which again, isn’t mandatory. Everything else in this mode is largely the same as what I saw in the beta. A couple generic rooms and hallways, where players are supposed to kill everything inside, or kill a big thing inside, or capture a point, or capture many points. Again, it just isn’t interesting and only exists to provide you with the chance at getting better gear or more skill points. And sure, there are NPCs who dole out weekly and daily bounties much like Destiny, but those only see you ending up back in the generic hallways and rooms again. A game like Destiny, despite all of its flaws current and past, is at least able to make that repeatable content memorable and distinct. The only differences you’ll find with a lot of the co-op content in Marvel’s Avengers is whether or not you’re in a yellow hallway, the desert, the city, or the forest. Wherever you are, the objectives are the same, and the rewards are unimpressive.

A level 105 mission where the reward is a collectible comic book cover.

Finally, this issue is less complex, but it’s still endemic to the Games-As-A-Service model. The microtransactions are frankly too prevalent and in your face. Yes, all of the items which can be bought with real money are cosmetic, but that doesn’t change the fact that having these be largely the only way to personalize your character is quite sad. There are a few appearances for each character which can be earned through the free track of their “Challenge Card,” and a small helping of outfits that come through the campaign or Iconic Missions. However, the “Legendary” skins which provide for the most varied of cosmetic changes are upwards $15-$20. This isn’t out of step for what something like Fortnite or Destiny is charging for higher-end cosmetic items, but that doesn’t excuse the price, which is about a third of the actual game’s cost. And much like Overwatch, which doesn’t allow players to purchase skins with real money directly, each of these cosmetics also has a palette-swapped twin waiting to be purchased as well. Of course, these purchases are all optional but it means that players who can’t or won’t spend the money have less options at their disposal to express themselves in a game which is largely meant to be a social experience. This also hurts the desire to grind out special gear, because without the chase of even a cosmetic upgrade, players will once again see little to no reason to actually do it. Although that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to grind for cosmetics.

For just $14, you can buy Hulk a little hat, or a pair of capris for Ms. Marvel. Yay.

The other big microtransaction in Marvel’s Avengers is similar to another from Destiny is seen in the form of the aforementioned Challenge Cards. These are battle passes which have a free and premium track. However, the most egregious decision on the part of Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics here is that instead of single pass, every character gets their own. These passes are free for each of the launch heroes, but starting next month with the release of Kate Bishop, they will cost $5 each for every new addition. This means that if you want all of the premium challenge cards and their rewards for all of the characters, you would have to hypothetically spend more money every month or so. The developers defend this decision by stating that if you complete a premium track, you will earn back the necessary funds to purchase the next character’s challenge card. Even if you accept that as passable, it’s still another poor excuse to keep players grinding XP, and this time it has $5 minimum buy-in. Then, if a player does complete that premium challenge card, they won’t be able to spend that newly-earned currency on any of the other dozens of skins trapped within the game’s marketplace- which is separate from the challenge card system.

Challenge Cards provide players with more opportunities to… grind. Or spend money.

This is all without mentioning the fact that there still certain skins a player can’t earn unless they switch mobile providers, or head down the convenience store and buy up all the chewing gum. This game’s extra-mechanical content has been chopped up and served piece-meal across a variety of different companies, services, and hidden behind a myriad of paywalls. Again, none of it actually affects gameplay, but it’s kinda gross to see all of this content that a player can’t access through normal means of play- when other superhero games do it so much better.

What’s most disappointing about all four of these points is that those mistakes clearly didn’t need to have been made. The singleplayer, despite featuring the same combat and progression systems as the multiplayer, is enjoyable. I was propelled through the plot because I actually cared about what happened, and I wanted to see what surprises were around each corner. However, the entire time I was playing it I couldn’t help but think about what this game could have been had all of its resources been devoted to creating a solid singleplayer or even co-op campaign and nothing more. Imagine a world where gear actually affected the look of your characters, or cosmetics could be found/earned in interesting ways like most of the suits in Spider-Man. Each character could play as wildly different as they deserve to, rather than fitting within archetypes of flying or big, or whatever, in order to allow for new characters to also fit within those archetypes when they’re added later on. Imagine if this was a game where Iron Man, Thor, Ms. Marvel, and Captain America didn’t all play relatively the same. A character like Hulk could actually be a powerhouse that smashes everything in his path, rather than someone who can be defeated in the exact same way as Black Widow. Although imagination only goes so far as that isn’t the game we got, and we’ve got no other choice than to see where this one goes because it’s a live game, which means it’ll probably stick around a while. Which is a shame... for now.

Marvel’s Avengers is an okay game that begs to be something greater, especially when standing next to its contemporaries. Any areas where the game strives to be truly great, it will always live within the shadow of its own structure; a design philosophy which doesn’t suit the world of these characters. I know it sounds like I’m being harsh here, especially on a game that I enjoyed putting a dozen hours into- but the bottom line is that the game is just barely good, and that’s disappointing considering the pedigree of the IP, and possibilities that come with it. None of the design missteps I outlined in this piece are outright offensive, but the lack of imagination at the core of the game’s design is.