Marvel Rivals: Assemble, battle, conquer!
View(s):By Mahesh de Andrado
If you’re a Marvel fan and you wanted your own re-enactment of the Civil War, then Marvel Rivals is definitely worth a look at. Launched in December 2024 by NetEase Games (who are also behind games like Once Human, Cyber Hunter, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, LifeAfter and Destiny: Rising), Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play, third-person hero shooter that brings the Marvel Universe to life in a dynamic and engaging way. Think Overwatch meets Marvel, and you get the idea. As such, Marvel Rivals offers a fresh twist with its unique character synergies and destructible environments.
The game mechanics are simple: Pick from a roster of 33 heroes, and get on the objective. Heroes are broken down into 3 categories.
● Vanguards: Think of them as the Tanks in Overwatch. The Vanguard’s duty is to protect the frontline, absorb damage and lead the charge. To do that, they have a hefty health pool and abilities and skills to boot. Examples of Vanguards include Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and strangely (pun intended), Dr. Strange.
● Duelists: Duelists are your primary attackers, specializing in dealing high damage. The Punisher (aka Frank Castle) is a perfect example of a duelist as he has both an assault rifle, and a shotgun. Oh, and he also has a deployable turret as a skill. His ultimate ability gives Frank two massive Gatling guns and a shoulder-mounted missile launcher, all of which have unlimited ammo, albeit for a short duration. Other Duelists include your neighbourhood friendly Spider-Man (who’s amazing, by the way), Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Wolverine, to name a few.
● Strategists: Strategists are the lifeblood of the game, literally. They are support characters that provide healing, buffs, and other utilities to assist the team. Characters like Adam Warlock can provide a cocoon to Luna Snow, for example so when she dies, she can respawn instantly. Rocket Racoon’s weapon fires energy projectiles to damage enemies but also fires healing orbs to heal his teammates. He can also provide armour packs, zooming around on his jetpack, while also dispensing a Cosmic Yarn Amplifier that grants allies a Damage Boost. Other examples of strategists include Jeff the Land Shark, Cloak & Dagger, Loki, and the Invisible Woman.
Similar to Marvel Rivals is the “Dynamic Hero Synergy.” This is where certain character combinations unlock special abilities when paired together. Teaming up Hulk and Wolverine enables the classic “Fastball Special,” where Hulk hurls Wolverine into the fray, adding a strategic layer to team composition. Rocket Racoon’s “Ammo Invention” launches an ammo overload device for the Punisher and Winter Soldier, where they both receive buffs of infinite ammo and faster firing. Trust me when I say, the team composition and dynamic hero synergy will play a vital role in how you play each match.
Team composition
While Marvel Rivals doesn’t enforce strict role requirements, a balanced team is the ideal: two each of vanguards, duelists and strategist or at least one strategist and one vanguard. Experiment with different hero synergies, and see what works for you.
Game modes
Marvel Rivals offers a variety of game modes to keep players engaged. Among them are Convoy, where teams alternate between offence and defence. The offensive team’s goal is to escort a moving payload to its destination, while defenders aim to halt their progress. Domination has both teams battling it out for control over a single point on the map. Holding the point increases your team’s score, and the first to reach the target wins. In Convergence, the offensive team captures sequential checkpoints and defenders strive to prevent their advance. Each mode offers a distinct challenge, encouraging players to adapt their strategies and explore different hero combinations.
Visuals and performance
The game boasts high-quality graphics, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and you can easily get 60FPS on a mid-range PC and even on consoles. Character models are highly detailed and the environments, both destructible and vibrant make battles feel dynamic and impactful.
Final Thoughts
I’ve been playing Marvel Rivals for about a month now and I just love it. I’m by no means a professional gamer, but I do manage to do my part, either healing my teammates as Rocket Racoon or Adam Warlock, or doing some good damage as Punisher or Moon Knight. It reminds me a lot of the good old days of Overwatch and indeed feels like it too. The gameplay is engaging and fun. You also need to work on team communication and strategies, especially if you’re going into ranked matches.
Overall, Marvel Rivals offers a breath of fresh air to the third person shooter category, especially if you’re a fan of both Marvel and hero shooters. The game provides a fun and intuitive way to immerse yourself in epic superhero battles. Marvel Heroes is available for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S and features cross-play across all supported platforms.
Searching for that next furry family member but couldn’t find one in your area? Hitad.lk has the solution with our extensive listings of dogs for sale in Sri Lanka!