{"id":26328,"date":"2022-11-30T15:00:12","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T14:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1747881"},"modified":"2022-11-30T16:08:23","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T15:08:23","slug":"marvels-midnight-suns-review-a-fresh-take-on-superhero-games","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/marvels-midnight-suns-review-a-fresh-take-on-superhero-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Marvel\u2019s Midnight Suns review: A fresh take on superhero games"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Rob Leane\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 30 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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<\/div> 4.0 out of 5 star rating<\/span> <\/span> <\/div> <\/div>

When it was announced that 2K\u2019s Feraxis team, the company behind the turn-based tactics franchise XCOM, was working on a Marvel game, it was hard to picture exactly what to expect. The XCOM games tend to pit underpowered soldiers against enemies that are vastly more powerful than them, while any superhero-themed experience tends to do the opposite. So we couldn\u2019t help but wonder, how is this collab between Feraxis and Marvel Games going to work?<\/p>\n

The resultant game is called Marvel\u2019s Midnight Suns<\/a>, and we\u2019re pleased to report that it\u2019s a breath of fresh air among superhero games. This writer was somewhat sceptical that a Marvel game could work with turn-based combat in place of the traditional action gameplay that we\u2019ve seen in the recent Spider-Man games by Insomniac (and the Avengers\/Guardians of the Galaxy games by Square Enix). But, remarkably enough, the more thoughtful and tactical approach here feels really great to play with.<\/p>\n

In combat scenarios, you tend to bring three heroes with you \u2014 the main player character is a fresh creation called The Hunter (you can choose their gender, appearance and outfits), and from the start you have at your disposal Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Blade, Ghost Rider, Nico Minoru from The Runaways, and Magik from the X-Men (you might remember her as Anya Taylor-Joy\u2019s character from the ill-fated film The New Mutants). As you progress through the game, you\u2019ll unlock other heroes like Spider-Man and Wolverine.<\/p>\n

Each character has their own unique set of moves, and these are represented to the player as cards that can be collected and upgraded. You can\u2019t bring every card into battle with you, so you\u2019ll find yourself editing each hero\u2019s deck until you have a selection of moves that work for your style of play.<\/p>\n

This customisability forces you to be thoughtful in your approach to each mission and each hero, which makes it feel all the more satisfying when you overcome a horde of baddies \u2014 it\u2019s certainly more of an achievement than just hammering the \u2018punch\u2019 button in an action game until everyone falls down.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never really played a turn-based tactics game before, we\u2019d encourage you not to worry. Marvel\u2019s Midnight Suns does a solid job of explaining how this system works, gradually introducing you to new elements and giving you plenty of chances to learn the ropes without dire consequences at stake.<\/p>\n

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The Hunter versus a Hydra goon in Marvel\u2019s Midnight Suns.<\/span><\/figcaption> Firaxis\/2K\/Mavel<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Before long, even the most inexperienced player will know who their favourite heroes are, what their favourite moves are, and how they work together with other characters to make a formidable force on the battlefield.<\/p>\n

On said battlefield, you\u2019ll be facing an array of enemies, led by the supernatural big bad Lilith (who is actually The Hunter\u2019s mum), an ancient evil intent on causing chaos. Lilith is in league with Hydra, giving her an endless supply of goons to throw at you, and she also recruits familiar foes from the Marvel universe including Venom and Sabretooth.<\/p>\n

Just like each hero is different, each villain brings their own unique quirks into combat, which stops the battles from ever getting too repetitive. In fact, it\u2019s always a thrill to start a new combat situation and use your brain to work out the best solution. (For example, Venom can trap heroes in his trademarked black goo \u2013 do you waste a turn saving a trapped hero, or do you forge ahead with an all-out assault instead?)<\/p>