Since 2008, Marvel has dominated the box office with its high-flying, sometimes comedic movies that don’t seem to have an end in sight. Video game studios have since partnered with the massive IP in hopes of dominating the games industry, with the latest release being Firaxis’ Marvel’s Midnight Suns. 

Unlike other Marvel games like Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy, Midnight Suns is a tactical RPG that takes a lot of notes from XCOM (understandable given it’s from the same studio). With a wide range of heroes to choose from, you must prevent Lilith from taking over the world and summoning Cthon. Do you have what it takes to stop the Mother of Demons?

Midnight Suns…Assemble!

The game begins with Iron Man and Doctor Strange trying to enlist the help of Johnny Blaze. The elderly Ghost Rider isn’t interested in helping the two Avengers, and just when he’s about to ride off, fiery demons emerge from the ground. These are only a taste of the enemies you’ll fight against trying to stop Lilith. The game has several different enemy types, ranging from simple Hydra agents to 12-foot-tall demon witches. 

This isn’t Lilith’s first attempt to take over the world. She was defeated several years ago by her child, known as the Hunter. With the threat of Lilith once again threatening reality, members of the Midnight Suns are forced to reawaken the Hunter to assist them in battle. But before you hop into battle, you’ll first need to create your Hunter. The character customization is pretty extensive and does an excellent job of letting you have the freedom to create a unique Marvel hero. 

Besides the Hunter, Marvel’s Midnight Suns have 12 different Marvel heroes that will take up arms in the battle against Lilith: Blade, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes), Iron Man, Magik, Nico, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, and Wolverine. Each of them has their unique abilities that you’ll need to fully understand to get the most out of them. You’ll choose three heroes for each mission, and their abilities can be paired together to make defeating enemies and complete objectives easier. 

The Heart Of the Cards

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is heavily inspired by XCOM’s gameplay. You’ll start each mission with a handful of cards from each of your heroes, and you’ll need to strategically play, move, and discard them to succeed. You’ll only have three card plays each round, but certain plays can refund card plays, so it’s vital that you understand what each card does. On top of the general card plays, certain cards require Heroism Points to use.

Each hero’s decks contain eight cards divided between Attacks, Skills, and Heroic abilities. Attack and Skill cards are free to use, and you will gain Heroism Points that you can stock up for Heroic ability cards. Generally, Heroic cards offer more damage or support results but don’t overlook the Attack and Skill cards. In addition, Heroism Points are used to interact with environmental objects that can also damage enemies. Using environmental objects will not use up a card play, so utilizing environmental objects is also key to clearing missions. Cards can be upgraded in the Yard using Essence gained throughout the game.

Another aspect of Marvel’s Midnight Suns that you don’t want to overlook is Friendship Levels. Whenever you’re not on a mission, you’ll have the opportunity to talk with other heroes and get to know them better. Having conversations with them will lead to them wanting to hang out with you more, which will increase their abilities in missions. You can also give heroes gifts that can greatly increase their Friendship with you.

Exploring the Abbey

When you’re not on a mission or hanging out with anyone, it’s recommended to explore the Abbey grounds. Marvel’s Midnight Suns have a ton of content, and some secrets can be discovered around the Abbey that only enhance the story. You’ll learn more about Lilith and the Elder Gods, find new hangout locations and uncover side missions for other heroes.

To make exploring more accessible, you can fast travel to practically any location on the map, whether it’s the Abbey or somewhere on the grounds. You’ll also find Arcane Chests that contain cosmetic upgrades and other rewards. Once you find them, they’ll appear on the map, and you’ll be able to return to these chests periodically.

Verdict

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a massive game that contains plenty of goodies for any Marvel enthusiast to go bananas over. The story is presented very well, with memorable character performances. The combat system can seem a bit tedious, and missions might take a bit of time, but it’s well executed once you get the hang of it. There’s plenty of customization in the game, from character costumes to what cards you use in missions. Even if you’re not a fan of tactical strategy games, we recommend checking out Marvel’s Midnight Suns if you’re a fan of the superhero genre.

Score: 8/10

Pros:

• Wide range of Marvel heroes
• Plenty of content
• Customization with heroes and card decks
• Interesting story

Cons:

• Missions can take a lot of time
• Easy to get lost exploring the Abbey

Marvel’s Midnight Suns review code provided by the publisher. Game tested on the PlayStation 5. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.