Lately, I’ve been feeling the need to play a team-based co-op game since my days of retiring from Overwatch. I was beginning to miss the competitive rush of working with a team to dominate a map and show off how much more time on my hands I have than other gamers. Enter Marvel Rivals. When I first caught wind of this game, I didn’t really think too much of it being a Marvel branded game and it’s cartoon like appearance. I figured it was a Disney “play school” version of Overwatch meant to keep gamers under 10 busy and take their parents money. Well, Let me get into Marvel Rivals by NetEase/Marvel Games before I get carried away.
What’s the Gameplay Like in Marvel Rivals?
The gameplay is pretty standard when it comes to a 3rd person team-based game and follows the events of Doctor Doom meeting his doppelgänger and messing up the timeline causing heroes to fight each other, from what I can gather.
Teams are split into two groups of 6. Each team member can pick one of several Marvel characters each with a specific role like: healer, tank, or damage dealer in this game called Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist. Each character has unique powers and abilities as well as their own set of weaknesses which players need to learn in order to be a good asset to the team. I personally prefer Iron man as a duelist, he can fly high above the action and boost away when coming under fire. I like to play cat and mouse and distract opponents. Adam Warlock or Rocket Raccoon are my favorite as a strategist. They both do decent damage and are fun to play in a support role.
I think it’s important for players to learn a couple of roles and characters in order to get the most enjoyment out of Rivals. The objective of the game is team based combat to accomplish a goal, not to get the most kills, unless it’s a deathmatch round. I’ve seen a few teams lose matches because they were caught spawn killing and a player snuck past them to move the statue or take over a control point and turn the tide of the game.
The role selection needs a lot more work, in my opinion. I can see a system like the one Overwatch uses doing some real good here. If you’ve never played, in Overwatch, players are put into specific queues for individual roles and have to wait for their turn to join a game. Yes, sometimes it means waiting a few minutes but it lends to a much more enjoyable and balanced game. I’ve been in too many matches in Marvel Rivals where everyone is a duelist and nobody survives.
The gameplay environment is also something to be both appreciated and considered during gameplay. Players can destroy parts of buildings that their opponents might be using as cover. Some of the gameplay locations include places like the Spider Islands, Wakanda, and Yggsgard.
How Many Game Modes Are in Marvel Rivals?
There are 5 types of games modes in Rivals. They are: Convoy, Domination, Conquest, Convergence, and Doom match.
- Convoy: Teams are randomly places on offense or defense. On offense, the team is responsible for escorting the statue or cart to the final destination. On defense, the object is to stop the team from moving the object by eliminating players until time runs out.
- Domination: Both teams attack a single location and fight for control of the point. The team that can hold the point to 100% will win the round. The first team to win two rounds wins the match.
- Conquest: Players are divided into two teams. When a player is eliminated, they will drop points that opponents can pick up. Teammates can pick up the points to deny the opposing team the score. The first team to 50 wins.
- Convergence: Teams are assigned offensive or defense. As offense, the team needs to capture the first point. If the team is able to capture the first point, there will move onto the second point on the map. The offense will win if they capture all three points on the map. As defense, the point is to stop the offense from doing that.
- Doom Match: A free-for-all Deathmatch between 12 players. Every player is on their own and the first six to reach 16 points win the match. If time runs out before the winners can be decided, the top scoring 6 players will win.
What Characters Are Available to Play in Marvel Rivals?
It goes without saying, although I just did, that the major draw of Marvel Rivals is that players get to play some of their most favorite superheroes from the Marvel Universe. At the time of this writing, there are 37 playable Marvel heroes in the game with more rumored to be released with future updates.
What are the types of Roles in Marvel Rivals?
Characters are broken up into 3 classes, with unique abilities both active and passive, as well as special moves: Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist.
Some characters have “team-up” abilities that become active when a compatible partner is on the team. For instance the Hulk, when teamed up with Logan/Wolverine, can do the “Gamma fastball” where Hulk tosses a curled up Wolverine into enemies.
Players can learn about different heroes lore, cosmetics, abilities, and more under the Hero profile tab.
Vanguards are the “tanks” of the game. They are capable of taking and dealing damage up close.
Vanguards and their abilities are:
Bruce Banner/Hulk
“Gamma Ray Gun” Bruce Banner fires a gamma blast at enemies
“Gamma Grenade”- Banner tosses a grenade for area damage.
Hulk
“Heavy blow”- Hulk punching like the Hulk punches
“Indestructible Guard”- Shields Hulk and nearby Allie’s
“Incredible Leap”- Allows Hulk to knock down flying enemies
“Radioactive Lockdown”- Paralyzes enemies
“Gamma Burst”- Hulk slaps gamma radiation at enemies for damage
Special Ability:- “Hulk Smash” transferring himself into Monster Hulk for a short time and dealing massive damage.
Captain America
“Sentinel Strike”- Cap lands a combination of blows ending with a shield throw.
“Leading Dash”( and leap)“- Cap runs into battle with his shield raised
“Vibranium Energy Saw”- Captain America hurls his shield striking enemies
“Liberty Rush”- a raised shield charge
“Super Soldier Slam”- An air attack that lifts enemies up into the air
“Living Legend”- Captain America’s raised shield, sends projectiles flying in random directions. Captains Special Ability: “The Freedom Charge”- Grants the Captain and Allie’s continuous bonus health and movement boosts along the path that the Captain runs.
Doctor Strange
“Daggers of Denak”- Casts daggers towards enemies
“Cloak of Levitation”- Lifts and enters Doctor Dtrange into a brief state of flight
“Maelstrom of Madness”- Doctor Strange hurls dark magic for damage
“The Pentagram of Farallah”- Opens portals for players to travel through
“The Shield of Seraphim” creates a protective barrier against damage.
Special Ability: “The Eye of Agamotto”- Separates nearby enemies from their souls causing damage, because I’m sure that doesn’t feel good.
Groot
“Vine Strike”- Launches vines to attack nearby enemies
“Thornlash Wall”- Creates a wall of vines that will attack nearby enemies
“Ironwood Wall”- Grows a wall that when damage is dealt by Groot and nearby allies Groot gains bonus health
“Furious Flora”- Combo performed with Groot’s arms that will launch the enemy airborne on the third hit
“Spore Bomb”- Throws an explosive spore that splits into multiple small explosive spores.
Special Ability: “Strangling Prison”- Groot fires a vine cluster that pulls nearby enemies to its middle where they cannot move.
Magneto
“Iron Volley”- Magneto fires magnetic orbs forward at enemies
“Metallic Curtain”- Changes the magnetic field around Magneto to form a curtain blocking all enemy projectiles
“Metal Bullwark”- Conjures a metal shield around a chosen ally; damage taken will transform into rings on magneto‘s back
“Iron Bullwark” Conjures a metal shield around magneto himself
“Mag-Canon”- Converts the rings on magneto‘s back into a canon that launches a metallic force forward, higher stacks of rings increase the damage.
Special Ability: “Meteor M”- Magneto draws in all materials to forge an iron meteor that deals massive damage upon impact.
Peter Parker
“Cyber-Web Cluster”- Launches cyber webs for damage
“Bionic Spider-Nest”- Generates a bionic spider nest at a targeted area periodically spawning spider drones. While in the cyber web, Peni Parker gains healing overtime and movement boost, arachnid-mine deploys arachnoids that can be concealed
“Cyber-Bond”- Shoots a red strand that links to the targeted area or cyber web, Penni Parker can climb up the surfaces of walls
“Cyber-Web Snare”- Casts a futuristic webbing that Immobilizes enemies, or creates a cyber web for additional healing and movement boosts while in the web.
Special Ability: “Spider Sweeper”- Enhances the spider suit launching up enemies in its path and deploying arachnoids, spider mines, and cyber webs repeatedly. Arachnophobics beware!
Thor
“Mjölnir bash”- Thor smashes enemies with his hammer
“Storm Surge”- Allows Thor to spin Mjölnir before dashing forward and knocking back enemies
“Lightning Realm”- Thor summons lightning to restore Thorforce based on the number of successful hits “Hammer Throw”- Classic move of Thor throwing Mjölnir forward to have it returned to him.
Special Ability: “God of Thunder”- Thor soars upwards and smacks the ground after charging for duration inflicting damage on enemies.
Venom
“Dark Predation”- Launches tentacles forward to attack enemies
“Venom Swing”- Launches webbing forward allowing for a singular swing in a direction
“Symbiotic Resilience”- Generates bonus health against damage
“Frenzied Arrival”- Dashes to the target location from height sending enemies into the air and dealing damage
“Cellular Corrosion”- Launches tentacles to slow enemies within reach.
Special Ability: “Feast of the Abyss”- Venom burrows underground and, after duration, devours enemies above and deals damage.
Duelists are the damage dealers of the game but can easily be killed without support and strategy. This category currently has the most hero’s in it.
Black Panther
“Vibranium claws”- Slices at enemies with Black Panthers claws
“Spirit Rend”- Black Panther lunges forward and deals damage to enemies.
“Spinning Kick”- Spirals Black Panther forward with a kick
“Subtle Step”- Allows the Black Panther to run up and perform a jump off a wall
“Spirit Toss”- Black Panther tosses a Vibranium energy spear forward, creating a force field and attaching a mark to its enemies.
Special Ability: “Basts Descent”- Summons Bast, a large panther spirit, which pounces forward dealing damage, hitting enemies and refreshing Spirit Rend.
Black Widow
“Widows Bite Baton”- Black Widow strikes with enhanced electric batons
“Red Room Rifle”- Allows Black Widow to attack from range
“Fleet Foot”- Allows Black Widow to dash forward and enable a powerful jump.
“Edge Dancer”- Unleashes a spinning kick to launch up enemies and allow her to zip to the target with a grappling hook for a second kick
“Straight Shooter”- Allows Black Widow to enter into a sniper mode to fire high energy rounds.
Special Ability: “Electro-Plasma Explosion”- Black Widow switches to the rifle and a destruction mode and fires electro plasmablasts damaging enemies within range and leaving plasma on the ground to slow nearby enemies.
Hawkeye
“Piercing Arrow”- Shoots a powerful arrow for damage
“Blast Arrow”- Shoots three explosive arrows
“Crescent Slash”- Unleashes a katana and slashes forward launching back enemies
“Hypersonic Arrow”- Shoots a hypersonic arrow dealing 2 instances of damage to enemies in its path and inflicting them with slow ability and can knock down flying heroes
“Ronan Slash”- Swings the wakizashi to strike enemies and deflecting all incoming projectiles.
Special Ability: “Hunters Site”- Allows Hawkeye to shoot at “past” images of the enemies and deals damage to their corresponding body.
Hela
“Nightsword Thorn“- Hela throws thorns at enemies for damage
“Astral Flock“- Hela transforms into a crow to glide forward
“Soul Drainer“- Projects an explosive sphere to stun nearby enemies and pull them into the blast zone
“Piercing Night“- Hela fires multiple thorns that detonate after a delay.
Special Ability: “Goddess of Death“- Hela sores into the sky and unleashes crows from each hand at enemies for a lot of damage. One can say, she murders from above?
Iron Fist
“Jeet Kune Do” strikes the enemy reducing the cooldown of Dragons Defense with every hit
“Yat Jee Chung Kuen” dashes forward to unleash a flurry of attacks on the enemy
“K’un-Lun Kick” delivers a flying kick, damaging nearby enemies, dealing additional damage to lower enemy health.
“Harmony Recovery” Lin Lie crosses his legs to recover health
“Crane Leap” performs three consecutive jumps while in the air,
“Dragons Defense”- Iron Fist takes a defensive stance to block incoming attacks and gains Damage reduction.
Special Ability: “Living Chi”- Boosts Iron Fists speed, damage, and attack range delivering stronger hits.
Iron Man
“Repulser Blast”- Ironman fires nano pulse canons forward
“Unibeam”- Ironman fires a beam of energy from his chest
“Hyper-Velocity”- Fly over the map for a period of time
“Armor Overdrive”- Enhances damage of repulser blast and unibeam
“Micro-missile barrage”- When hyper-velocity or Armor Overdrive is used, Iron Man can launch a missile bombardment.
Special Ability: “Invincible Pulse Canon”- Fires a devastating pulse to a targeted area.
Magik/Darkchild
“Soulsword”- A slash forward with the soulsword that damages enemies.
“Stepping Discs”- Magik tosses a disc that teleports her a short distance becoming invincible while teleporting.
“Umbrian Incursion”- Dashes forward and launches enemies airborne.
“Eldritch Whirl”- Spin while swinging the soulsword after exiting a stepping disc
“Magik Slash”- Sends a strike of air forward damaging enemies.
“Demons Rage”- Summons a Limbo demon that attacks enemies after exiting a stepping disc.
Mister Fantastic
“Stretch Punch”- Stretches out a forward punch to attack enemies.
“Reflective Rubber”- Stretch body to absorb damage before launching it in a targeted direction.
“Flexible Elongation”- Gain a shield, and dash towards a selected target dealing damage and shielding allies.
“Distend Grip”- Extend arms to grab and pull an enemy or knock them into a nearby enemy.
Special Ability: “Brainiac Bounce”- Leap upwards and smash the ground slowing enemies and jumping again.
Moon Knight
“Crescent Dart”- Unleashes crescent darts forward that bounce between enemies.
“Night Glider”- Enters Moon Knight into a glide
“Ancient Ankh”- Fires an Ankh to knock enemies within its radius airborne.
“Moonlight Hook”- Launches a grappling hook pulling Moon Knight
“Triple Eclpise”- A combo attack with the Truncheon sending the enemy airborne.
“Rising Leap”- Moon Knight performs a double jump.
“Moon Blade”- Launches forward a Moon Blade that bounces between enemies.
Special Ability: “Hand of Khonshu”- Opens a portal that bombards enemies with Talons from the sky! They must be very sharp talons…
Namor
“Trident of Neptune”- Launches a trident towards enemies. On a critical hit, Monstro spawn and attack enemies.
“Blessing of the Deep”- Summons a protective barrier in the sky
“Aquatic Dominon”- Summons a Monstro spawn that attacks enemies
“Tide Fall”- Slows Namor in a fall using his ankle wings
“Wrath of the 7 seas”- launches a trident at enemies and spawns Monstro to perform enhanced attacks.
Special Ability: “Horn of Proteus”- Summons Giganto to leap on enemies dealing damage and disabling mobility
Psylocke
“Psionic Crossbow”- Unleashes bolts that cause damage and reduces the cooled down of her abilities
“Psi-blade dash”- Dashes forward and slices through enemies with a psionic blade
“Psychic Stealth”- Goes stealth and gains a movement boost
“Wing Shurikens”- Launches a volley of recallable shurikens that stick to enemies.
Special Ability: “Dance of the Butterfly”- Slashes at enemies with a psionic katana dealing lots of damage!
Scarlet Witch
“Chaos Control”- Unleash chaos magic on enemies to deal health based damage.
“Mystic Projection”- Enters into a phased state of free flight
“Dark Seal”- Lands a force field that stuns enemies within range
“Telekinesis”- Slows Scarlet Witch during a fall
“Chthonian Burst”- Consumes Chaos energy and fires magic missiles at enemies.
Special Ability: “Reality Erasure”-Scarlet Witch flies into the air and unleashes massive damage
Spider-Man
“Spider Power”-Spider-man swings and kicks dealing damage and attaching a Spider-Tracer
“Web Cluster”- Shoots a web-cluster that deals damage and attaches a spider-tracer to the enemy
“Web-Sling”- Shoots a web for slinging into battle or out of it.
“Get over here!”- Just like Scorpion for MK, Spider-Man slings a web that pulls the enemy towards him
“Amazing Combo”-Launches enemies upward dealing extra damaged to tagged enemies.
“Thwip and Flip”- Spider-Man performs a double jump
Special Ability: “Spectacular Spin”-Spider-Man jumps in the air and fires web-clusters all around stunning enemies.
Squirrel Girl
“Burst Action”- Shoots bouncing burst acorns…
“Tail Bounce”- Rocket upwards with a tail bounce
“Mammal Bond”- Reload burst acorns and can use an ability without a cooldown
“Squirrel Blockade”- Launches an acorn and unleashes Squirrel Guards
Special Ability: “Unbeatable Squirrel Tsunami”- Summons a horde of squirrels that charge forward dealing damage and bouncing off of structures
Star Lord
“Element Guns”- Shoots enemies with dual pistols
“Rocket Propulsion”-Uses rocket boots to soar in the air and float like Mary Poppins…
“Blaster Barrage”- Shoots a flurry of shots in all directions
“Stellar Shift”- Dodge and swiftly reloads becoming both unstoppable and invincible while dodging.
Special Ability “Galactic Legend”- Star Lord flies into the air and locks onto enemies below.
Storm
“Wind Blade”- Launches wind blades at enemies
“Weather Control”- Controls the weather to boosts allies. Tornado grants movement boosts while Thunder grants damage.
“Goddess Boost”- Channels the weather to boost herself and does damage to enemies. Tornado slow while Thunder inflicts damage.
“Bolt Rush”- Unleashes lighting bolts.
Special Ability: “Omega Hurricane”- Storm transforms into a hurricane to draw in enemies and deals damage
The Punisher
“Adjudication”- Fire at enemies with an Automatic Rifle
“Deliverance”- Fire at enemies with a shotgun
“Vantage Connection”- Launches a hook and cable for fast movement
“Culling Turret”- A turret that blocks front damage and deals massive pain!
“Scourge Grenade”- Throws a smoke grenade and leap backwards
Special Ability: “Final Judgement”- Unleashes two gatling guns and missiles
Winter Soldier
“Roterstern”- Fires explosive rounds that damages enemies and those behind them
“Troopers Fist”- Dashes forward launching enemies into the air
“Tainted Voltage”- Charge up and launches an electrical punch. This ability can also knock down flying opponents.
“Bionic Hook”- Launches a hook with his bionic arm, reeling them in a hitting the enemy sending them airborne.
Special Ability: “Kraken Impact”- Leap high and dash forward and slam down with the bionic arm damaging enemies and marking them. Marked enemies will die if their health falls below a threshold.
Wolverine
“Savage Claw”- Slash’s with adamantium claws
“Feral Leap”- Leaps and pins the enemy smashing them to the ground finishing with a berserker claw strike
“Undying Animal”- Howls to reduce incoming damage
“Vicious rampage”- Dash forward and unleashes a claw strike
Special Ability: “Last Stand”- Launches up enemies and spiral through the air launching enemies and dealing damage on impact.
Strategists are the support class of Marvel Rivals and focus more on supporting team players and causing secondary damage.
Adam Warlock
“Quantum Magic”- Launches quantum energy to real damage.
“Soul Bond”- Bonds with allies and grants healing over time and sharing damage taken
“Avatar Life Stream”- Targets allies and deals bouncing energy
“Cosmic Cluster”- Launches gathered quantum energy at a targeted enemy.
Special Ability: “Karmic Revival”- Revives downed allies
Cloak and Dagger
“Light force Dagger”- Throws a dagger that damages enemies and heals allies.
“Shadows Embrace”- Switch to cloak
“Light Explosion”- Heals enemies and grants them a healing boost
“Dagger Storm”- Launches daggers creating a bubble of healing
Special Ability: “Eternal Bond”- Dashes while healing allies and dealing damage
Invisible Woman
“Orb Projection”- Creates a force field that can damage enemies and heals allies
“Psionic Vortex”- Creates a psionic vortex that pulls in and damages enemies.
“Force Physics”- Can push and pull enemies
“Agile Strike”- A three hit combo ending with the enemies airborne
“Veiled Step”- Generates a force field that propels her forward and invisible
“Guardian Shield”- Shields a targeted ally and heals overtime
Special Ability: “Invisible Boundary”- The Invisible Woman creates a force field that makes allies undetectable and heals over time.
Jeff the Land Shark
“Joyful Splash”- Shoots out healing water
“Aqua Burst”- Launches a water sphere that bursts upon impact.
“Hide and Seek”- Dives underground granting healing, movement, and wall climbing.
“Healing Bubble”- Spits a Bubble for allies to pick up and heal
Special Ability: “It’s Jeff”- Dives into the ground and resurfaces to swallow both enemies and allies damaging enemies and healing allies.
Loki
“Mystical Missle”- Loki fires missiles that damage enemies and heals allies
“Regeneration Domain”- Creates a magical field that heals allies and converts damage to healing
“Doppelgänger”- Create an illusion that can cast some of Loki’s abilities
“Devious Exchange”- Swap with an illusion
“Backstab”- Attack enemies with a dagger, extra damage for attacking from behind
“Deception”- Become invisible and conjures an illusion at the same time
Super Ability: “God of Mischief”-shapeshift into a targets enemy or ally and use their abilities
Luna Snow
“Light and Dark Ice”- Fire ice shots that damage enemies or heals allies
“Ice Arts”- Fire shards damaging enemies and healing both herself and allies
“Share the stage”- Alllies tagged with be healed when Luna heals others
“Absolute Zero”- Cast ice to freeze the enemy and heal allies
Special Ability: “Fate of Both Worlds”-starts dancing to grant allies healing or damage boosts
Mantis
“Life energy Blast”- Fires energy at enemies and gains life from a hit
“Spore Slumber”- Can put enemies to sleep
“Allied inspiration”- Grants allies a damage boost
“Natural Anger”- Grants a damage boost to self
“Healing Flower”- Grants allies healing over time
Special Ability: “Soul Resurgence”- Releases energy around her granting healing and movement boosts
Rocket Raccoon
“Bombard Mode”- Fires energy at enemies for damage
“Repair Mode”- Shoots bouncing spheres to heal allies
“Jetpack Dash”- Dash forward and upward using the Jetpack
“B.R.B.”- A beacon that revives fallen allies and send out armor packs
Special Ability: “C.Y.A.”- A beacon that grants allies a damage boost
All of these hero’s have unlockable skin variants by completing challenges, participating in special events, or for purchase in the store.
Something that I want to point out to some older players, especially when it comes to character selection and I think is important to keep in mind, is that there are a lot of younger players that are playing this game. You might want to mute your microphone if you’re prone to loud outbursts. I know players don’t wanna go scarring some poor six-year-old who just wanted to play Spider-Man because it’s their favorite superhero and they got them printed on their pajamas and bedsheets. Also, keep in mind that they might not be able to play the game as well or even get the point, so have fun and take it easy.
What are the Seasons like in Marvel Rivals?
For those that truly like a little more competitive play, gamers can take part in seasons where players are separated by rank based on their performance in game. Seasons last about three months. the current season will end on April 11, 2025. Players aren’t just competing for bragging rights; they can enter into the official Marvel Rival Tournament to win some real-world money being put up by Netease games. The top player this season will be winning a cool $6000 while others up to the top 16 get smaller amounts of real-world money.
So far, I’ve noticed It’s hard to get out of the lower ranks because you are matched with a bunch of random lower players, so patience, being a team player, and consistency are needed if you want to get into the higher ranks…I’ve done neither.
What kind of DLC or Game currency does Marvel Rivals have?
In game currency is called Lattice and runs .99 for 100 and $99.99 for 11,680, with smaller packages available for purchase.
Players can also buy skins using “units”. Units are earned by playing in matches and completing daily and weekly challenges.
Players can purchase a seasonal battle pass which unlocks additional skins, emotes, and sprays.
Overall thoughts on Marvel Rivals?
Overall, I think that Marvel rivals is a fun Game especially for free. Rivals did satisfy that desire I was having for competitive gameplay, but also reminded me why games like Overwatch lost their appeal to me to begin with. I feel that I waste game time when I’m teamed up with a toxic player who just wants to ruin the fun for everyone else, and I experienced that a lot with Rivals. The in game reporting system is pretty easy to use and I actually got a reply back telling me that the game had taken action against the infringing player, which was nice to know,
I really do hope that the developers implement a better queue system for player roles to bring more balance to Marvel Rivals, the game has a lot of potential. As of right now, the randomness of partying is the biggest negative to the entire experience and unfortunately a big reason why I don’t play more Marvel Rivals
