Comic book and video game fans alike are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Marvel's Avengers, currently scheduled to release in September. While the game was met with mixed reactions when it was announced, subsequent announcements have been promising. Still, there are some questions about what the final product will be. Many will be hoping the new game will be able to emulate the success of 2018's Spider-Man for PlayStation 4, which received praise from both critics and fans.
Of course, with a title like Marvel's Avengers, Square Enix's game has a lot to live up to, especially when it will inevitably draw comparisons to Insomniac's masterpiece. With Spider-Man widely regarded as one of the best Marvel video games to-date, let's take a look at what Square Enix's game can learn from it.
Combat
Spider-Man allowed players to wield Peter Parker's powers with devastating effect in seamless, free-flowing combat sequences. With a strong variety of attacks, Insomniac managed to capture the intensity and speed that one would expect in a Spider-Man fight, which helped immerse the player into a convincing super-hero world. Acrobatically dodging punches whilst simultaneously slinging webs and finding creative ways to take down opponents appeared incredibly elegant and cinematic. Throughout the game, players would improve their fighting prowess by unlocking new maneuvers and tactics, things that helped them tackle the challenges of the later game.
Here, Marvel's Avengers has a huge challenge to overcome because, while Spider-Man masterfully translated what it would be like to be the web-slinger, Avengers needs to accomplish this fluid and natural combat for all of its playable characters. Square Enix's gameplay demo showed off some exciting features. Each character has their own unique skill-set and powers, making them all play differently. However, one of the most important things the game needs to get right is how each character's combat evolves as the game progresses. Unlocking new abilities and putting them to use will give players a greater sense of accomplishment, and each hero needs to grow beyond what they are capable of at the beginning.
Additionally, while the characters will obviously play differently, each needs to provide fun and engaging gameplay. While the likes of Thor and Hulk impressed in the demo, some found Iron Man and Black Widows repetitive shooting mechanics got old quickly. Of course, some people will always prefer certain characters and gameplay styles over others, but ideally the game would encourage players to use them all for something other than story requirements.
Fleshed-Out Villains
Like Spider-Man, it appears as though Marvel's Avengers will have several different villains throughout the game. These antagonists should be at least slightly empathetic characters with motives more complex than just conquest or destruction.
Spider-Man's Doctor Octavius/Octopus is a key example of a multi-dimensional supervillain. His life's work was confiscated by his former colleague and contemporary rival, Norman Osborne, whilst he simultaneously lost all control of his motor functions. Doomed to die insignificant and forgotten with no real accomplishments, he turned to a life of crime to receive the recognition and power he never had. Mr. Negative also gained his powers in an experimental accident which killed his parents. His alter-ego, Mr Li, is a generous and charitable man, but he cannot control the malevolent criminal within himself.
Marvel's Avengers' villains should have arcs that are as well-written as their heroic counterparts. Taskmaster and Abomination have been revealed to be playing a big roles in the game, but they need to be more than just mindless grunts, terrorists or invaders. For the sake of a compelling story, the game's villains should have layered and understandable ambitions like those in Spider-Man.
Strong Character Relationships
One of the strongest aspects of Spider-Man was Peter Parker's relationships with Mary Jane, Miles, Mr. Li and Aunt May. Humanizing the main character, his friends and family, gave players a greater desire to see their missions through successfully. There was a strong feeling of risk and consequence should Peter falter, feelings that were validated with a bittersweet ending.
Marvel's Avengers has the perfect opportunity to accomplish this by showing the Avengers as a team. Players need to see the conflict and cooperation between each of the heroes that fans of the comics and films have come to expect over the years. These interactions will be essential in the game's portrayal of the Avengers as a team greater than the sum of its parts.
Just as in Spider-Man, the details are important here, and the character's conversations and behavior will make a difference in whether players connect to these familiar characters or not. Based on Captain America's supposed demise in the A-Day Prologue demo, the game seems to be full of emotional moments where no one is safe and anything can happen, the kinds of moments rely on the audience's connection to the characters to be successful.
A Vibrant World
Unlike Spider-Man, Marvel's Avengers won't be an open-world game, and it will take place in different locations, starting in San Francisco. Spider-Man was successful in capturing the essence of New York City so, again, Avengers will need to find a way to bring all of its locations to life.
Players should be able to gain a sense of familiarity with each place before moving onto the next. These shouldn't just be the backdrop for a mission or two, but memorable parts of the game's world in their own right. Even if they can't be fully explored at the player's will, returning to previous settings will create a breathing and ever-changing world to delve into.