Marvel Rivals’ Take on Anti-Heroes Deserves an Encore

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 11, 2024 3 Views 7 Min Read
Marvel Rivals' Take on Anti-Heroes Deserves an Encore

Key Takeaways

  • Marvel Rivals features anti-heroes like Punisher and Scarlet Witch, adding moral complexity to the game.
  • The game’s narrative revolves around Timestream Entanglement, forcing heroes, villains, and anti-heroes to cooperate or compete.
  • Marvel’s anti-heroes have layered backstories and personal struggles, making them prime candidates for standalone adventures in gaming.



Any typical superhero game like NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals might only see heroes and villains clashing in epic battles, but the thing about the extended Marvel universe is that there are plenty of anti-heroes who blur the lines between good and evil. As such, Marvel Rivals doesn’t just feature standard heroes and antagonists for players to choose from when beginning a match, but plenty of anti-heroes as well. In its gameplay and story, Marvel Rivals uses the multi-faceted nature of its anti-heroes to create a more diverse experience for players, in addition to increasing the complexity of its overarching narrative — one of Marvel Rivals‘ defining characteristics in the hero shooter genre.


Marvel Rivals features several different anti-heroes for players to control in the game, like the Punisher and Scarlet Witch, who are largely defined by their personal vendettas and flawed motivations and yet have been made out to be heroes on account of what and who they stand for. This focus on anti-heroes is a breath of fresh air in a space where it is primarily crystal-clear heroism that is celebrated, and it opens the door for future games to be bold enough to feature these characters at the forefront of their narratives. Especially as Marvel films are increasingly embracing flawed protagonists such as these, Marvel Rivals presents yet another reason for future Marvel games to explore the complex nature of its anti-heroes.

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Marvel Rivals Sets the Stage for Anti-Heroes to Get More Recognition


Marvel Rivals’ Narrative Is Driven by the Moral Ambiguity of Its Anti-Heroes

At the heart of Marvel Rivals‘ narrative is the Timestream Entanglement, a catastrophic event triggered by the time experiments of Doctor Doom and his 2099 counterpart in which multiple realities have merged, bringing together a wide variety of heroes, villains, and anti-heroes in the process. Ultimately, the Timestream Entanglement forces characters of diverse backgrounds, personalities, and motivations to either cooperate or compete, as their ethical boundaries are tested in the shadow of the greater dangers at hand. This is the battleground upon which anti-heroes thrive, as they are essentially the most pliable elements of Marvel Rivals‘ story.

Take Scarlet Witch, for example, who wants the Darkhold for her own purposes and can’t seem to shake her desire for it amid the overarching threat of the Timestream Entanglement. Additionally, while the Punisher has seemingly gone all in on the heroic side of things in Marvel Rivals, his history suggests he might be open to doing whatever it takes to get justice, which could clash with the necessity for cooperation. Venom is yet another anti-hero on Marvel Rivals‘ roster with complex motives that often prioritize personal survival over the greater good, which positively affects his host as well.

Venom’s ultimate goal in
Marvel Rivals
is to either defeat or imprison Knull, which is noble but could end very badly.


Marvel’s Best Anti-Heroes Would Make for Compelling Standalone Adventures

Thanks to their moral complexity and general desire to serve their own interests, Marvel Rivals‘ anti-heroes are proof that the gaming space needs more standalone adventures featuring such characters. Characters like Venom, Scarlet Witch, and the Punisher have layered backstories chock-full of personal struggles, questionable choices, and moments of redemption, which arguably primes them for compelling solo games. Providing players with an opportunity to actually walk in the shoes of these anti-heroes would be unique among the traditional black-and-white superhero games, and Marvel Rivals sets the stage for such an act.

If nothing else, Marvel Rivals is a perfect demonstration of the untapped potential of Marvel’s most famous anti-heroes, and proof that they are more than capable of leading games that are just as thought-provoking (if not more so) as a traditional superhero game. Their multi-faceted nature is more than worth exploring, and may even be enough to offer players a choice-driven experience unlike the majority of superhero games out there that force players to stay on one side of the aisle. Hopefully, Marvel Rivals is just a sign of things to come in that department, and the industry will see quality anti-hero-led games emerge in the coming years.


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