Gamers and superhero fans, rejoice! Marvel's Avengers has finally arrived and you've come
to the right place if you just can't wait to leap into battle. This is everything you
need to know about Marvel's Avengers.
As with most modern AAA titles, Marvel's Avengers has had a long and complex development cycle
and its release window has undoubtedly felt the effects of it. While originally slated
for a May 15, 2020 release, Crystal Dynamics took to its website in January 2020 to provide
an update that surely took fans by surprise. The post, which shared the development team's
desire to "[deliver] an original story-driven campaign, engaging co-op, and compelling content
for years to come," also announced that the title would instead be released on Sept. 4,
2020.
Though a number of video games, television shows, and movies were delayed in early 2020
due to the coronavirus pandemic like the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Black Widow film it seems
as though this was not the case for Crystal Dynamics' new game. Instead, in its update,
Crystal Dynamics wrote that the delay was required in order to "[focus] on fine tuning
and polishing the game to the high standards our fans expect and deserve."
Crystal Dynamics hasn't been shy about showing off Marvel's Avengers ever since the "Avengers
Project Announcement Trailer" dropped way back in 2017. In the teaseriest of teasers,
the trailer gave viewers their first look at, well... not all that much, save for a
few shots suggestive of everybody's favorite superheroes, including images like Bruce Banner's
broken glasses in front of a Hulk-smashed door and Iron Man's flickering palm repulsor.
The genuine article, which finally showed off the Avengers, didn't crop up until E3
2019.
"Thor, what's your status?"
"There are humans trapped — and lots of small angry men with guns."
"Was that a joke? Did Thor make a joke?"
Blending a little bit of the game's story with a dash of gameplay, some ominous foreshadowing,
and a hefty helping of patented Banner-Stark bickering, the first full-length trailer held
fans over until the next big reveal.
October 2019 saw a new trailer featuring none other than Kamala Khan AKA Ms. Marvel. It
also introduced Advanced Idea Mechanics, or "AIM," a villainous, anti-Avengers organization
that would get its very own trailer come August 2020. By far, the most interesting trailer
dropped in June 2020. In it, viewers were treated to a deeper look at Ms. Marvel's storyline
and how it intersects with one of the game's big bads, MODOK otherwise known as the "Mental
Organism Designed Only for Killing."
Thankfully for gamers who have yet to pick a side in the console war, Marvel's Avengers
won't force you to choose between Microsoft's Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. And, sure,
while the game will be available on the PS4 and Xbox One, gamers who go next-gen will
be able to upgrade their games for free. What exactly does that mean? Well, according to
Crystal Dynamics' Chief Technology Officer Gary Snethen, the PS5's GPU will allow for
a slew of graphical and gameplay improvements including increased texture resolution, enhanced
ambient occlusion, and improved frame rate specifically, "60 FPS with dynamic 4K resolution."
Worried about starting on your Xbox One, upgrading to the Series X, and losing all of that vital
progress? Don't be. Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that the game will allow you to transfer saves
across console generations. In a Square Enix press release, Crystal Dynamics explained,
quote, "Those moving their saves to next-gen will transfer their player profiles and progression
so they can pick up right where they left off."
Marvel's Avengers will also be available on PC and Google Stadia.
"So, here we are. Avengers, assembled."
"Who are you people again?"
Crystal Dynamics tapped some of the biggest talent in the video game industry to step
into your favorite heroes' supersuits in Marvel's Avengers.
Playing genius billionaire playboy philanthropist Tony Stark AKA Iron Man is Nolan North, a
long-time voice actor who boasts hundreds of television and video game credits ranging
from Saints Row 4 to the Uncharted series. Fellow Uncharted actor Troy Baker another
super-famous video game veteran metaphorically dons the green guy's tattered shorts as Bruce
Banner/The Hulk. Like North, Baker's voice has graced countless titles including The
Last of Us, in which he portrayed Joel, and Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding.
Gears of War 4's Laura Bailey — yet another video game voice acting superstar — plays
super spy-turned Avenger Natasha Romanov, AKA Black Widow. Steve Rogers/Captain America
is played by Resident Evil 3 actor Jeff Schine, while Thor's IRL counterpart is none other
than Laura Bailey's hubby and talent behind Marvel's Spider-Man villain Kingpin, Travis
Willingham.
Rounding out the main cast is Sandra Saad a newcomer to video game voice acting who
takes on the role of Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan.
The very first substantial trailer for Marvel's Avengers offered gamers a glimpse at the fast-paced,
hero-based combat that would make up the majority of the title's gameplay. Each Avenger boasted
their own set of killer moves, and action was fast, fluid, and frenetic. Then came June
2020's War Table Extended Gameplay reveal and everything changed.
In the nearly 26-minute video, the folks at Crystal Dynamics showcased the broad range
of attack styles which include melee, ranged, aerial, and ground-based combat skills. Players
can also upgrade skill trees using skill points gained through experience, which allow players
to mix and match advanced moves and unique combat styles for each Avenger. To top it
all off, there's also gear and perks which both affect your team's stats. Some even boast
nifty status effects, like "shrink," which literally transforms enemies into diminutive
versions of themselves.
Considering that Marvel's Avengers is a live-service game meaning it'll be constantly updated — the
devs at Crystal Dynamics will surely add new gameplay elements to keep players invested
in its gameplay loop as time goes on.
Marvel's Avengers doesn't adapt any particular story from the MCU films or its comic book
counterpart. Instead, it tells a brand new story centering around a disastrous event
dubbed "A-Day," along with the dissolution of the Avengers team and its re-assembly.
"The kid is Inhuman. We did this, and she needs your help."
A-Day was meant to be a celebration of the Avengers as they unveiled their new San Francisco
headquarters but things take a turn for the deadly when Taskmaster and his goons attack.
It turns out that this assault was a distraction meant to allow the bad guys to rig the Avengers'
helicarrier to explode by overloading its experimental Terrigen Reactor. Not only does
the ensuing explosion seemingly kill Captain America, but it also makes a mess of San Francisco
and releases a Terrigen mist that transforms regular citizens of San Fran into "Inhumans"
with special abilities.
Following the devastation of A-Day and the rise of AIM an organization that believes
science is responsible for maintaining order, not superheroes the Avengers go their separate
ways. It's up to Kamala Khan, whose ability to "embiggen" resulted from her exposure to
the Terrigen mist, to reunite the superhero team and take the fight back to AIM, MODOK,
and all the rest of the big bads.
Kicking bad guy booty is fun but kicking bad guy booty in style is even better, which is
why the cosmetic customization options in Marvel's Avengers are so nifty. Feel like
letting Thor dress down for the day? No problem! Stick him in his Donald Blake outfit. Is Hulk
in the mood for a little morally ambiguous Vegas pizazz? Throw his Joe Fixit skin on
and get to smashin'. Just like in many other modern video games, these skins are unlocked
both through mission chains and the game's online marketplace.
While each hero has their own sort of "Battle Pass" in the form of Hero Challenge Cards
40-tier reward trees that can unlock all sorts of spiffy stuff by completing various challenges
players can also buy credits using real-world money. Yes, ladies and gentlemen: For better
or for worse, Marvel's Avengers will have micro-transactions for skins, emotes, nameplates,
and takedowns, which are basically flashy moves that show off your favorite Avenger's
style.
Marvel's Avengers will allow players to dish out real dough to score in-game skins, emotes,
and the like. And while micro-transactions have become pretty common and stigmatized
in gaming, Crystal Dynamics is doing something a lot less common when it comes to DLC. They're
giving it to players for free.
"Every new superhero and every new region will be delivered at no additional cost."
As the persistent world of Marvel's Avengers grows, the folks behind the scenes will be
distributing free DLC characters like the upcoming Hawkeye along with free regions.
In other words, co-op squadmates on a budget will never have to suffer from hero envy while
they watch their BFFs bash skulls as their favorite paid-DLC-only Avenger.
That said, there is one caveat, and it's kind of a stinker at least for Xbox and PC gamers.
In early August 2020, Crystal Dynamics announced that Spider-Man would be joining Marvel's
Avengers exclusively on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The jury's still out on whether
Xbox and PC players will get their own exclusive characters.
While the main cast of Marvel's Avengers is sure to keep players pleased for now, Crystal
Dynamics aims to give gamers an even broader roster of heroes to choose from "aims" being
the keyword here.
While the devs teased Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye as a DLC character back in July 2020, the
team confirmed the addition of ... another Hawkeye on Sept. 1, 2020. Enter Kate Bishop,
Barton's young protégé and fellow archer extraordinaire.
"I believe some of you know Kate Bishop."
"Oh, we've met."
Bishop was first introduced during Marvel's Avengers' Launch Week War Table, which also
showcased "Operations" post-campaign, single-player DLC packs that will boast new heroes, villains,
regions, and gear. Bishop's Operation is called "Taking Aim," while Barton's Operation is
dubbed "Future Imperfect." A PlayStation blog post describes them as a "double feature."
According to the post, Bishop is voiced by Emmy Award-winning writer and fan-favorite
video game voice actress Ashly Burch of Horizon: Zero Dawn fame. Barton, on the other hand,
will be portrayed by Grey's Anatomy actor Giacomo Gianniotti.
While Crystal Dynamics also announced Spider-Man as a PS4 and PS5-exclusive hero, the web-slinger's
operation if he has one has yet to get a formal reveal.
One of Marvel's Avengers' first big selling points was its co-op gameplay, which would
allow players to team up with three of their pals to pummel the living daylights out of
Marvel's Most Wanted. Although the title's online multiplayer mechanics were mentioned
in press releases and trailers, it wouldn't be until June 2020's War Table that prospective
players would get a peek at Marvel's Avengers' four-player co-op mode. Its name? War Zones.
Existing outside of the single-player campaign, War Zones allow up to four players to select
their favorite Avenger customized gear and all and team up to rain hell down on the AIM
threat. As described in the June War Table video, War Zones range in both objective and
size. While some take place in large environments "designed for exploration and team traversal,"
others take place in smaller, more cramped and more chaotic environments. As the War
Table video points out, variety is the name of the game when it comes to War Zones. Their
objective-based challenges differ from mission to mission and so do their rewards.
Marvel's Avengers has been marketed as a persistent four-player co-op action game but that's not
to say it'll be lacking in the single-player department. On the contrary, its solo campaign
will allow players to embody specific Avengers as they each tackle missions respective to
their character. These solo experiences are called Hero Missions, and according to June's
War Table, they give players the chance to dive deeper into each hero's story. Simultaneously,
these missions showcase the game's diverse hero design a fancy way of saying that each
mission is tailored specifically to its respective hero's abilities.
"You should know: I'm not in the best of moods!"
June's War Table shows off one of these experiences, using the Thor-focused Hero Mission "Once
an Avenger..." as an example. In the mission, Thor is tasked with eliminating the AIM robots
that are attempting to burrow into the hull of the Chimera helicarrier. Action-packed,
task-based, and story-driven, Hero Missions allow gamers new to the Avengers to learn
about the heroes and let longtime fans watch familiar stories unfold in new ways.
In movies, TV shows, and video games, the bad guys are just as important as the good
guys. After all, what's the point of a superhero squad without villains to challenge them?
It turns out that there will be plenty of those challenges in Marvel's Avengers at least,
if the game's roster of confirmed baddies has anything to say about it.
Revealed in the aptly named "MODOK Threat Trailer," the grotesque MODOK also known as
George Tarleton appears to be pulling the strings behind AIM's anti-Inhuman propaganda.
A founding member of the organization, Tarleton believes that he could improve the world through
science. Unfortunately, he is transformed following the events of A-Day, after which
he begins to push the agenda that superheroes are beyond the public's control. This allows
him to turn the public and AIM's technologies against the Avengers.
But Modok isn't the only big bad butting heads with Earth's Mightiest: A team led by Taskmaster
the photoreflexic dude in the skull mask from the first trailer is apparently responsible
for blowing up the Avengers' Helicarrier on A-Day. And the big, green Abomination — AKA
Emil Blonsky will be throwing down with Hulk at a certain point in the game.
Though Marvel's Avengers' $59.99 standard and digital versions are complete packages
in their own right, gamers willing to dish out big dough are in for equally big bonuses.
At $79.99, the Deluxe Edition of Marvel's Avengers includes the base game plus a handful
of cool goodies: namely, the exclusive Obsidian Outfit pack so you can deck your Avengers
out in sleek, sci-fi style. It also comes with a handful of Obsidian-themed nameplates
along with 72-hour early access for players who pre-ordered this package.
Deluxe is cool and all, but real fans may want to get a little more bang for their buck.
The Earth's Mightiest Edition of Marvel's Avengers boasts the beefy price tag of $199.99.
And while that's no chump change, what you'll get for that price is a proverbial treasure
trove of Avengers swag. As explained by its listing in the Square Enix store, it contains:
"Marvel's Avengers: Deluxe Edition, Exclusive SteelBook®, Black Widow Belt Buckle, Iron
Man's Prototype Armor Blueprints, Mjolnir Keychain, 6" Hulk Bobble Head, Honorary Avenger
Pin, [and a] 5x7 Avengers Day Group Photo."
Marvel's Avengers doesn't start with a bang, but rather a fangirly squeal as players meet
the ever-cheerful Kamala Khan. The young Avengers superfan instantly emerges as the heart of
the game as she spends the opening moments of A-Day trading comics with a fellow attendee
and sampling all of the high tech games the event has to offer.
Sandra Saad's performance as the hopelessly optimistic Khan might steal the show, but
the entire cast of Marvel's Avengers really hits their marks mostly. Performances range
from Troy Baker's subdued, against-type take on Bruce Banner to Thomas Willingham's oh-so-close-to-cringy
Thor hamfest.
"Lucky for you, I am mighty!"
Graphically, the game is what you'd expect from a 2020 AAA title. Environments and action
set pieces are rich, if a bit repetitive and animations are fluid for the most part. Thankfully,
having been further polished by Crystal Dynamics' artists, the digital Avengers themselves look
far less uncanny than they did back when they were revealed.
The gameplay, while button-mashy at times, is both frantic and fluid with Black Widow's
early scuffle with Taskmaster being a highlight. The fight which combines fast-paced combo-based
combat with cinematic quick-time events evoked the best melee moments from Insomniac's Spider-Man.
Marvel's Avengers feels like one of those "more than the sum of its parts" type deal.
It does character moments, combat, and cinematic bombast pretty dang well, culminating in a
big, sometimes messy, always blustery superhero game with a long lifespan thanks to the promise
of free future content.
Looper received a review code from the publisher. We played Marvel's Avengers on a PlayStation
4 Pro.
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