Marvel’s Midnight Suns isn’t just a great Marvel game; it’s arguably one of the best RPGs of 2022. While that might seem a bold claim in a year that saw the release of titles like Elden Ring, Midnight Suns delivers a compelling experience. If you enjoy deep gameplay, strategic combat, and a roster of iconic characters, this game is tailor-made for you.
The game unites the Midnight Suns, a supernatural team featuring Ghost Rider, Blade, and Magik, with familiar faces like the Avengers. They join forces with a new original character, the Hunter, to confront Lilith, the game’s primary antagonist. Hydra has unleashed this ancient, mystical being upon the world, and she’s empowered by demonic forces, enhancing villains like Venom to carry out her sinister plans. The result is a narrative filled with thrilling action and memorable set pieces.
Combat takes place in small arenas, where you control the Hunter and two chosen heroes. Gameplay revolves around a deck-building system, with cards based on your selected heroes and their unlocked abilities. As the game progresses and difficulty increases, careful card customization becomes essential. A balanced deck with healing, passive effects like bleed, and powerful attacks is crucial for success.
The turn-based combat follows a familiar formula: play a set number of cards before the enemy attacks. However, Midnight Suns adds layers of depth and strategy. The key is chaining cards and attacks efficiently and in the correct order. Using a high-damage card on a low-health enemy, or worse, freeing a bound ally prematurely, can have dire consequences.
Beyond cards, environmental attacks add a dynamic element to combat. These attacks don’t consume card plays and can dramatically shift the battle. “Heroism” earned in combat can be spent on powerful cards or these dynamic attacks, like throwing objects, detonating explosives, or launching aerial assaults. Repositioning characters also plays a crucial role, allowing for better attack angles or evasion.
For example, Captain Marvel’s beam attack is most effective when enemies are lined up. Repositioning her allows you to maximize damage by hitting multiple targets. These subtle mechanics provide a diverse range of tactical options, rewarding creative thinking. The game offers a satisfying level of control, empowering players to strategize and plan, akin to a game of chess.
Adding further complexity are in-battle challenges, such as disabling a helicopter within a set number of turns, retrieving an object mid-combat, or rescuing civilians. These objectives add pressure and force players to consider both attack strategy and mission completion.
Between missions, you explore the Abbey, a sprawling estate serving as the heroes’ base in a pocket dimension of Salem, Massachusetts. Despite the turn-based combat, the Abbey offers free exploration, filled with secrets, interactive content, and character interactions. Discover hidden rooms, witch caves, upgrade stations, and opportunities to bond with heroes through activities like playing cards, fishing, and watching movies. These interactions unlock unique dialogue and strengthen friendships, impacting gameplay stats. You can even customize hero attire, adding a touch of casual comfort to the Abbey.
The Abbey offers a wealth of activities, including the Forge, where Iron Man and Doctor Strange help research artifacts and unlock new abilities. Captain Marvel runs an ops center, allowing you to send heroes on missions for valuable rewards. These systems provide depth and control over character progression, without feeling overwhelming.
A mission table offers story missions and optional side quests, which form the core gameplay experience. While the main narrative, featuring a villainous witch wreaking havoc, feels familiar, it’s elevated by the characters and their dynamic interactions. The diverse cast, with varying backgrounds and powers, blends surprisingly well. The game successfully captures the unique personalities of each hero, from Blade’s dry wit to Spider-Man’s quips, creating engaging banter.
While the story may not be groundbreaking, Marvel’s Midnight Suns excels in other areas. The charismatic characters, deep gameplay, and player freedom in and out of combat create a rich RPG experience. It’s a game that will appeal to superhero fans, satisfy turn-based enthusiasts, and potentially even convert genre skeptics.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Marvel’s Midnight Suns launched on December 2nd, 2022, for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC, with Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch versions planned for a later date.
