Best Default Costumes In Marvel Rivals, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Marvel Rivals
  adapts iconic Marvel heroes and villains with unique visual styles to stand out in the world of Marvel video games.
• Characters like Psylocke and The Punisher show what can be done with creative liberties with famous character designs.
• NetEase Games’ attention to detail, distinct gameplay styles, and iconic designs make characters like Cloak & Dagger and Hawkeye stand out.

With the successful launch of Marvel Rivals, comic book fans and gamers are introduced to their favorite Marvel characters in a new way. Not only is it a hero shooter in the same vein as Overwatch and Rogue Company, but it adapts famous Marvel heroes and villains in their defining visual style.

In some cases, the characters match their comic book counterparts, or some are radically different, but in a good way. The visuals are the first thing that hooks a player into the characters and NetEase Games have provided the community with a plethora of instantly memorable default costumes to do just that and help Marvel Rivals stand out from other games.

10 The Punisher

Frank Castle Would Fit In Other Third-Person Shooters

• Class: Duelist
• Difficulty: 1/5
• First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #129

Frank Castle has had many looks over the years as The Punisher, from a simple t-shirt and pants with the skull logo to resembling a spec ops operative. Marvel Rivals leans more to the latter, with armor from top to bottom, but more fantastical in design combined with white skull warpaint on his face and ridiculously large proportions.

As a result of NetEase Games’ redesign, The Punisher can be compared to characters from the Gears Of War franchise, but in a good way. It matches the tone of Punisher in the game with his ultra-edgy disposition while wielding an assault rifle, shotgun, machine gun turret, and exo-suit used to mow through enemies.

9 Jeff The Land Shark

The Cutest Shark That Has Ever Lived

• Class: Strategist
• Difficulty: 2/5
• First Appearance: West Coast Avengers #6

Characters like Yoshi from the Mario Universe show that cuteness can enhance a great character even further, and that is the case with Jeff The Land Shark. Likely, few expected the dog-like shark with legs to be a part of a hero shooter like this, but he quickly won over players’ hearts with his big eyes, innocence, and puppy-like demeanor that made him look like a living plushie doll.

The overall design for Jeff The Land Shark is effectively adorable, but Jon Bailey’s high-pitched vocalizations for the character make him even more enjoyable. Add in animations like swimming on his back to go backward and eating a fish to refresh his attacks. Even the fact that he shoots bubbles and jet streams to heal teammates is cute in concept and in gameplay.

8 Magik

The Ultimate Goth Warrior Of Limbo

• Class: Duelist
• Difficulty: 3/5
• First Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1

In the comics, Magik is known for her combination of black outfits and bits of armor, to help deliver a mix of an urban gothic aesthetic and a little bit of punk. Marvel Rivals takes that concept and amps it up, with Magik having more extravagant armor pieces to make her even more warrior-like, akin to an emo-punk WarCraft character.

The attention to detail is to be commended, with her shirt and leggings being tattered to not only show off the character’s nonchalant personality but also enhance her punk aesthetic. Adding in her massive sword and the game’s unique visual style are just icing on top of the cake, which is a top-tier Magik design.

7 Cloak & Dagger

Two Exquisitely Designed Characters For The Price Of One

• Class: Strategist
• Difficulty: 3/5
• First Appearance: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #64

NetEase Games showed their commitment to characters’ lore while creating distinct gameplay styles, such as with Cloak & Dagger. They are two characters in one and the player is forced to swap between them for different abilities: damage or healing. Just the visual of them swapping is dynamic and never stops the flow of matches, which is worthy of praise already.

However, Cloak & Dagger both feature their own unique details, with Cloak appearing as a ghostly void that floats around while Dagger runs with distinct animations as well as abilities. On top of it all, their light and dark appearances are like opposites, yet complement each other enough to give them an iconic look as a duo.

6 Thor

The God Of Thunder Aged Like Fine Wine

• Class: Vanguard
• Difficulty: 2/5
• First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83

Rather than the typical youthful Thor that fans are used to, Marvel Rivals has an older Thor with graying hair, a longer beard, and more mature features. He also wears a less ornate uniform, with runic armor, pelts, and a red shirt with rugged gauntlets that are clearly references to his Unworthy era in the comics.

It fits his lore within the game as a Thor who was banished by Loki from the timeline and makes him look like a Viking warrior closer to his father, Odin All-Father. Compared to most Marvel Rivals characters, Thor is a bit more grounded, which could have made him not fit in with everyone else, but instead, the older Thor stands out in the best way.

5 Psylocke

Her New Japanese Origins Gave Her An Iconic Look

• Class: Duelist
• Difficulty: 5/5
• First Appearance: Captain Britain #8

The developers use a lot of Eastern influence in Marvel Rivals and Psylocke is a prime example of that. Taking influence from Demon Days: X-Men, Psylocke has her purple hair, a scarf, and overall aesthetic that fans expect from the character, but updated just enough to match the developers’ vision of a demon-slaying warrior from Japan.

Psylocke still has her signature blade and psionic powers, but they are expanded upon in the best way possible. Now Psylocke looks, sounds, and feels like a character found in an anime, showcasing that change from the comics is not inherently a bad thing.

4 Hawkeye

Culmination Of Clint Barton’s Costumes And Careers

• Class: Duelist
• Difficulty: 4/5
• First Appearance: Tales Of Suspense #57

Over the many years of being a member of the Avengers, Hawkeye has been seen in various costumes across movies, video games, and animation, with some remaining iconic. Hawkeye’s costume in Marvel Rivals feels like the developers took bits and pieces of them all and fused them.

One of the better ideas NetEase Games implemented was having pieces of Clint Barton’s other vigilante persona, the Ronin. He wields a Japanese blade, mask, and scarf that elevate his purple superhero costume to resemble a shinobi, while also granting him some of Ronin’s abilities in-game.

3 Storm

An Instant Classic That Shows Love To Ororo’s Comic Book History

• Class: Duelist
• Difficulty: 3/5
• First Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1

Storm is known for her regality and elegance combined with a fierce intensity as a leader of the X-Men and her costume is meant to enhance that. NetEase Games seemed to understand that, creating a suit that fits the fantastical aesthetics of Marvel Rivals while still maintaining the blueprint of Storm that gives her a queen-like appearance.

Additionally, Storm features a reference from the comics: her hair derives from her famous mohawk look from the 1980s. Little details go a long way with fans, showing respect for the source material while making a fresh yet familiar suit to stand out with the Marvel Rivals visuals and gameplay.

2 Venom

Sticking To The Basics Works For The Lethal Protector

• Class: Vanguard
• Difficulty: 3/5
• First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #300

Developers seem to love bringing Venom to life in video games, given how often the character is seen, Marvel Rivals included. Venom’s costume is as classic of a Venom as one can get. He’s a massive, sharp-toothed, slimy alien monster with a long tongue and a white spider emblem sprawling across his chest but executed just right to make Venom look stellar.

Sometimes there is no need to fix what isn’t broken, but that’s not to say NetEase Games didn’t put any flair on Venom. The Marvel Rivals version has Venom with a constant swirl of symbiote matter swimming through his body and top-heavy proportions. The visual style of Marvel Rivals gives the lethal protector so much expression and personality in his movements.

1 Moon Knight

The Fist Of Vengeance’s Armor Shines Like The Moon

• Class: Duelist
• Difficulty: 3/5
• First Appearance: Werewolf By Night #32

While Moon Knight is not new to the world of Marvel video gaming, he has rarely had an iconic appearance. Thankfully, Marvel Rivals goes all out with him, mixing ancient Egyptian mythology, styles, and culture with a healthy blend of modernized superhero elements that are used just enough to make Moon Knight stand out.

The armor fittingly makes him look like a knight to a god without looking too busy, but Moon Knight also sports design aspects meant to reference the god he serves: Khonshu. For example, his hood resembles the bird skull that Khonshu takes the form of in the comics. Other pieces of the costume, such as the cape becoming a crescent and the Ankh symbols are nice bonuses.