Marvel’s Avengers : Know The Game

Hello gamers and welcome to the VeryAli channel, your one-stop shop for all things gaming. Today we are looking at a game that is set to take one of the most successful movie universes ever produced and translate it to video game form. Of course, we are talking about Marvels Avengers. This title released an open beta from the 21st to the 23rd of August 2020 and gave all of us a sneak peek at this ambitious take on the beloved franchise. While many weren’t too pleased by the overall result of this experience, it’s clear that this title is competently made and deserves a fair shake. 

So that’s exactly what we are here to do. You may be wondering if this one is worth your time and money and as we deep dive into this superhero adventure, we hope we can provide that answer for you. So set your prejudice and pre-made opinions at the door and enter with an open mind as we talk all things Marvel Avengers.  

Narrative 

Firstly, let’s talk about the overall plot for this title. While there was a fear initially with fans that this title would be a rehash of already told stories, it seems that this game will tell its own tales. The story begins on A-day, a ceremony to celebrate the opening of a second headquarters in San Francisco. This allows the player to explore this iconic city and the day’s festivities as Kamala Khan, the game’s protagonist. However, a terrorist attack by lead antagonist, Taskmaster, leads to the destruction of the majority of the city and a terrigren crystal in the process. 

This causes the spread of Terrigren mist which turns civilians into super-powered beings known as Inhumans. The Avengers disband after the public backlash and the events pick up five years later as we follow the story of Kamala Khan. 

What has to be said about the plot immediately is that the concept is fantastic on paper. The inclusion of the Inhuman disease that makes reference to a group from the Marvel comics that first appeared way back in 1975 is an inspired choice. Then on top of this, the fantastic voice acting for a number of characters, the intricate world-building of A-Day and the areas that proceed it, plus the seemingly more linear approach that didn’t seem apparent in the beta all have us feeling very optimistic for this game on release day. 

Gameplay 

Next up, let’s talk about how this one handles. Firstly, on the more positive side the co-op heavy, Destiny inspired content does seem to be much less frequent and much more optional than in the beta. The story missions that you are treated to in the first five hours of playing really show what this game can do. It follows a linear path with lots of set pieces, stealth sections, platforming, combat sections and much more and the good news is that these are handled well for the most part. 

Throughout your journey through the story, you will play as Captain America, Ironman, The Hulk, Black Widow, Thor and Ms Marvel. It sounds too good to be true having all these very diverse characters playable in one game but we assure you, this game makes it a reality. However, it isn’t without its pitfalls. While characters like the Hulk have been designed fantastically and is really fun to bound around the open and enclosed spaces with, characters like Ironman, for example, feel unnaturally wedged into areas. In areas where you have to use Ironman with an over the shoulder shooting option and no means of flying around on a whim, it just feels like playing with clipped wings. It’s not awful by any means but it shows the inconsistent gameplay quality that was bound to happen with so many characters to cover in one game. 

Another area we have to talk about is the co-op friendly gameplay. As you get through the initial part of the story, the game opens up side missions and co-op friendly missions to the player. While many saw this as a red flag when playing the beta, thankfully we can say that it’s not as bad as once thought. The campaign co-op missions aren’t as generic as the ones encountered in the beta and look like they have been crafted to not only be interesting and varied but also tailored for the character that is running through the level. 

This system isn’t without its negatives though. You’ll notice that the game constantly throws in-game currencies and resources at you. In fact, there are at least ten in-game resources and currencies that we noticed, which quite frankly seems like overkill. There has been a clear move to monetize this game right from the day of release and it has us reminiscing to the controversy surrounding Battlefront II’s issues. Of course, the makers of this title want longevity for this title and a means to make more money but we can’t help but think that it’s an extremely weak attempt at making this feel natural. 

Visuals And Sound 

When comparing the graphical content to the other AAA games this year, this one doesn’t look out of place at all. The character models are instantly recognisable and fantastically rendered, the environments are varied, detailed and picturesque and the cut scenes are phenomenal with cinematic quality being achieved consistently throughout the runtime of this title. 

This is perhaps best showcased by the initial scenes on A-Day where you can explore the area and see the splendour that the developers have packed into this area. San Francisco is represented in all its glory complete with the scenes with Ironman on the Golden Gate bridge showing that even in fast-paced and frantic moments, the developers still offer a lot of eye candy for the player. Then in the slower moments of these early scenes in control of Kamala, you can literally walk through the festivities of A-day, serving as a museum to the Avengers, complete with life-size models that you can stand in awe of for as long as you choose. In short, this game has massive production value and it shows. The title looks the part and sounds incredible too which we have come to expect from any media involving the Avengers 

Verdict 

If you would have asked us what we thought even a week ago, we would have said that this one was all the worst parts of Destiny with a Marvel skin thrown on top. However, it seems that the majority of the issues that caused a PR nightmare for the developer’s thanks to the beta relate to the multiplayer aspects of this title. The story has a much more linear, action RPG feel to them for the most part. However, the multiplayer aspects can’t help but creep into the main game. The mass of currencies and resources are frustrating and the co-op friendly missions, while not as bad as once thought, still pale in comparison to the fully-fledged story missions. 

The game sounds and looks fantastic which is to be expected of a massive title like this with such a huge budget. The story does seem to have a great deal more substance than initially perceived as well and the range of characters on offer is a real blessing for fans who want a game with all their favourite characters in one place. The characters are a mixed bag in terms of quality mechanics and a fun factor when playing as them but none of them is poorly designed which is great news and as a whole, this game has us feeling hopefully optimistic that it can come together on release and be the superhero smash hit that we all have been craving since Marvels Spiderman. 

Our verdict is that if you are a massive fan of the franchise there will be something for you within this game and you shouldn’t hesitate to but it. However, those expecting a linear action RPG may find themselves disappointed by the change in impetus throughout the title. For the casual player, we would say wait for the hype to die on this title and see if you can pick it up at a reduced price. There is clearly a lot of quality moments in this title but sadly, it just might not be able to deliver a brilliant holistic experience. 

So that’s our rundown on what to expect from Marvel’s Avengers. Did you pick this one up on release day? Are you worried about the Destiny style aspects of this game? What hero are you most excited to play as? Let us know in the comment.