AN OVERLOOKED MARVEL
This game is great to the point that I'm feeling guilty for not having it on my radar after nearing 4 years of it's release. When X-Men '97 came out, other than my readthrough of the comics, I also wanted to play all the Marvel games that I've played and also the ones I have yet to play. This game was the last on that list and I only put it after accidentally seeing it on the Steam store. Before that, I kinda see this game as the same tier as Marvel Snap or Marvel Future Fight. Both are fun games (I haven't play Snap tho) but essentially they aren't Marvel experiences in video game format but moreso video games with Marvel characters in it. I remember watching the launch trailer giving me the impression that its a card game with Marvel characters.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE. I think every Marvel fan loves this game and they just don't know it. This is a Marvel game that is a hybrid of a card game, an RPG, & management simulator. It doesn't commit to any of the genres, creating this sort of unique identity only this game has, at least according to what I've played throughout the years. The closest thing this game is similar to is the Persona series making it probably a Persona-like game.
The story is great but its mixed in with some weird quippy MCU dialogue especially at the beginning. The intro of the game can be a bit of a pain to go through and honestly the gameplay is what carried me forward. But then you start spending your time in the Abbey which is your hub is where the writing truly shine. The story feels like having two different style of writers with the quippy MCU ones relegated to the big action moments and the Abbey moments from a team that actually writes very well to be entertaining, and fortunately the Abbey is where you spend a lot of time in experiencing other characters stories and everything that happens in the Abbey.
This game made me interested into the more magical aspect of the Marvel universe. As far as I've read the Marvel comics (mainly just X-Men), I usually don't like the space operas and also the magical ones. Even reading the Magik mini-series and although I do like Magik's story and introduction (mainly because Claremont being Claremont), I was not really that interested in Limbo or Belasco that much and the more the story pivots away from there the better. This game made me want to learn more about the magicks like Oshtur and Wundagore. And for Wundagore, I didn't even know MCU already had it in the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness movie.
Characters you play as are great both gameplaywise and storywise. Everyone is a highlight but I found myself playing with Magik and Nico the most. The stories for the characters are genuinely great from Magik to surprisingly Tony Stark which for me I really like the direction it went. I don't want to spoil except for Tony Stark being very hateable at the start and the writers know it. Gameplaywise, every character plays distinctively different. I haven't play the game deep enough (ironic considering my 90 hour playtime) to know the ins and outs but I really enjoy, again, playing Magik and Nico.
This isn't my first tactical game because that belongs to Final Fantasy Tactics but the combat, like I've mentioned before of the game not committing to any of its genre, does have some step backs mainly with the level design and the music. The levels are mostly flat with positioning being key if there's interactables but mostly its just random. Basically, there's no moment of baiting the enemy to be at the correct place at the correct time to do big damage and mostly positioning is just waiting for the enemy to move wherever they want. Magik can just move enemies where ever she wants but still its not as. let's say tactical, as FFTactics. Also I wish the music has some more variety to not be grating. Maybe there are different musics for battles but they all sound the same for me.
Outside of combat or missions, most of the time will be spent in the Abbey. The Abbey is basically your hub where you manage your characters, equip their Ability Cards, level up stuff, craft stuff but also storywise you can nurture the bonds of your team and each heroes you have. Leveling up their relationship will give pretty helpful buffs but outside of gameplay, you also get to know characters like Magik and Nico (have I mentioned it yet that I also play a lot of Magik and Nico?). There's some very fun story stuff I won't spoil happening in the Abbey and the Abbey also provides an exploration, kinda open world section where you get to explore, search, & learn stuff. The open world is not too deep to be a proper open world game but also not too shallow that you can just dismiss because other than the lore stuff you can learn, the stuff you find is helpful in battles even though they are just items and cosmetics.
This maybe because of my old system but the loading screens are incredibly long to the point that I have to surf stuff on my smartphone. On average probably one minute but it shouldn't especially with the game already demanding a lot of time outside the missions. Again, probably just my less than minimum requirements specifications.
I do feel somewhat sad to hear that this game didn't do well. I hope, hope, hope that a sequel is secretly in the works. Even better, make an X-Men game with this gameplay. I will eat that game up like Psylocke's ass.
Overall, an overlooked and great Marvel experience.
5/5
