Both movies and video games featuring superheroes often follow the same principle. “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” breaks new ground and lets dozens of heroes compete in turn-based tactical battles. The concept works, but has its weaknesses in other areas.
Marvel superhero movies are always full of action and epic battle scenes. If you look at the latest video game titles – “Spider-Man”, “The Avengers” or “Guardians of the Galaxy” – the virtual offshoots are not inferior to the cinema films. With “Marvel’s Midnight Suns”, on the other hand, developer Firaxis Games relies on the tactical variant and combines turn-based battles with card and role-playing elements in a genre-typical doomsday scenario that allows a deep look into the superhero universe. The refreshing approach works and ensures fun. When interpreting the hero commune, however, the developers rely on too much harmony.
The story focuses on an apocalyptic prophecy about the demonic witch Lilith, who is awakened by the evil secret organization Hydra. The player slips into the role of “Hunter”, Lilith’s son or daughter – depending on how you design your character. Together with a whole series of superheroes you have to stop the witch from now on. There is pretty much everything that has rank and name in the Marvel universe: Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Blade, Spider-Man through to Wolverine, but also lesser-known heroes such as the Midnight Suns, consisting of Nico Minoru or Illyana Rasputina, get a chance to shine.
The game focuses on two central elements: A role-playing element, which is reflected in the development of the self-created hero “Hunter” and his relationship to the other heroes. This is mainly driven by conversations in the form of optional text boxes.
The tactical battles are the second big block – and a really successful implementation of the superhero genre. The combat system is refreshingly different from Firaxis’ genre-defining “X-Com” games. Each member of the team of three heroes chosen for a mission has their own customizable deck of eight cards. In this way, a combination of attacks, healing spells and boosts can be put together.
In a tactical battle with Hydra’s henchmen and super villains, three cards can then be played per round and the heroes can perform one movement action each. For used cards, new ones are drawn from the deck, so that you can usually always choose from five cards. The movement actions can be used to move the heroes into a better position or to use objects on the field. For example, you can throw stacks of newspapers at opponents or explode oil barrels.
The missions are all about taking out enemies quickly, or at least weakening them. “Heroism” is generated with lighter attacks, which is used later to carry out significantly stronger or area-wide actions. The developers have done an excellent job of making the turn-based combat feel energetic too. The attacks are effectively staged like superheroes, the powerful team attacks put on a good show.
However, getting started with the game isn’t exactly user-friendly. In the first few hours it is very exhausting to find your way around the complex combat system. There are far too many in-game currencies in the game for upgrades, to improve relationships or for cosmetic knick-knacks. Only after the first act do you have a perspective, can design your own deck of cards individually and find your way around the superhero headquarters – the abbey.
“Marvel’s Midnight Suns” also offers side quests: collect items that improve relationships with the other superheroes, go through labyrinths or solve rather unimaginative puzzles – that often seems unspectacular. Some boring story parts can’t be avoided either. You are sometimes forced to go to a movie night with your fellow superheroes when you should actually be busy saving the world. Since every background story is extensively chewed through in the conversations, it seems very lengthy. Yes, that’s the whole deep look into the Marvel Universe, but also an enormously time-consuming one. The player is overloaded with information here.
In addition, the individual superheroes are all too happy to show their funny side in conversations and do not skimp on “cheeky” jokes. In many situations, the characters even try to outdo each other with one-liners. All of this has – despite the good German dubbing – an enormous potential for shame that goes well beyond the level of the Marvel films. With more than 60 hours of play in the campaign, this can get on your nerves.
Simply skipping through the dialogues is not possible either. After all, they have an influence on the tactical battles. The friendships between “Hunter” and the other superheroes can be positive or negative in the conversations. Depending on how you stack up with your colleagues, powerful passive abilities are unlocked for the character in battle – it’s worth it, Captain America
“Marvel’s Midnight Suns” is particularly convincing because of the innovative tactical battles, even if it takes a little time to get the hang of it. Once it clicks, the mechanics of the card game work beautifully with the turn-based combat. The apocalyptic tale isn’t new, but it’s a nice superhero who’s who that’s sure to please Marvel fans.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is available for PC, Xbox and Playstation.