Marvel Rivals Continues To Succeed Where Many Hero Shooters Failed

I still can’t believe I’m here talking good stuff about a hero shooter of all things. Back when Marvel Rivals was first announced, I paid it no heed. We were living in an era of failed and copy-pasted hero shooters after all. What was another one going to accomplish? That’s what I thought when I reluctantly gave it a try for FOMO’s sake, but I never expected I would come out of that experience as a changed man.

There was a certain charm to it back then that just clicked, and continues to do so even now. I always keep some time aside from some Marvel Rivals sessions now and then, and I’ve yet to be bored with it, which speaks volumes. I’m even tempted to buy Marvel Rivals Lattice during some great seasons. Praise where due, Marvel Rivals nailed this formula, but the question is, what is it that makes it stand out among all the other vain hero shooters?

The Marvel IP Hype

I think the most important factor that gave Marvel Rivals the initial push it needed was the fact that it was a Marvel game, and a really good-looking one. Brand new characters are very hard to sell, but fan favorites who have a rich history practically sell themselves. When all the Marvel characters we know and love appeared on the screen in a unique and honestly pretty good art style, even the reluctant people gave it a try.

Marvel Rivals really doubled down on its strengths from there and kept piling on with more beloved characters and an authentic representation of their abilities. I know a lot of people who play this game simply because they want to control their favorite Marvel characters. All the competitive elements are just a bonus on top. Plus, the anticipation for the ever-expanding roster and the prospect that “the next character to be added might be my favorite one” keeps you playing, waiting for that to happen.

IMO Marvel Rivals has made me more excited about the Marvel brand than anything else has in a long time
byu/ddsling1197 inmarvelrivals

And while some people come to play as their favorite characters, others just like to beat the hell out of the Marvel characters. All the Jeff fans are divided into these two categories. Fanservice goes both ways. Still, fan favorite characters can only do so much for a game if it’s not mechanically interesting enough to retain all the fans those beloved characters have so masterfully baited. You need something a lot more long-lasting than just “come play as your favorite Marvel hero.” 

Marvel Rivals, An Engaging Hero Shooter Done Right

The Marvel hype may have been the initial driving force for all the fans, but it isn’t the only success factor here. After all, if the game didn’t live up to the hype, there was a lot more Marvel content out there that the fans could have migrated towards. You can tolerate a boring game only for so long. Doesn’t matter if it has your favorite characters. If the game feels and plays bad, that wave of affection quickly passes by, and only boredom remains.

Thankfully, Marvel Rivals wasn’t just a barebones fanservice package carried by character hype. It used its Marvel roots as an incentive to grow, not a safety net. A third-person hero shooter is a unique experience, but beyond that, Marvel Rivals makes playing as every Marvel character genuinely fun and mechanically challenging. These heroes have their own unique kits and abilities, which make a lot of sense in the scope of a hero shooter.

This game is actually, really good
byu/imDaddey inmarvelrivals

You have broken stuff, not-so-broken stuff, and hard to master stuff that becomes broken in the right hands. The game’s well-balanced, but above all, the core gameplay loop is about innovating the hero aspect rather than keeping it a stale shooter. It genuinely reminds me of the old Overwatch days. Even with the Marvel hype on its side, Rivals makes the hero shooter gameplay rewarding and fun, while letting you play as your favorite heroes. It sounds simple, but trust me, making a good hero shooter in this day and age is no small feat.