Best Games To Play If You Love Marvel Rivals

Marvel has smashed expectations once again with the release of its latest video game endeavor, Marvel Rivals. Crossing over into the hero shooter genre, Marvel Rivals is a third-person team, team-based, objective-focused shooter game where players can choose from a dozen of Marvel’s classic characters to team up with friends against other teams. Characters in the game fall into designated roles that aid in team composition, such as Vanguard, Strategist, and Duelist.

Classic characters like Iron-Man and Wolverine make appearances, as well as newly discovered characters like Penny Parker and Jeff The Shark. Marvel Rivals features multiple game modes to engage players with different tastes. If somehow players get all “Marvel Rivaled-out,” there are other great games in the Hero Shooter genre and beyond to take for a spin.

Related

7 Best Hero Shooter Games To Try If You Are Not Into The Genre

The hero shooter genre is absolutely huge, but what are the best ones to try if you aren’t into the genre?

8

X-Men Legends 2: Rise Of Apocalypse

A Classic Gem That Drops Players Into The Marvel X-Men Universe

X-Men Legends was a smash hit upon release, allowing gamers to dive into the vast world of the X-Men and take on some of their most formidable foes solo or in a group of four. X-Men Legends 2 introduced a more bleak story, where players took on the original mutant, Apocalypse, as he returns to lay claim over the Earth.

As the sequel to the previous title, X-Men Legends 2 received an increased roster size and a more diverse cast of mutants, both hero and villain — characters like Cyclops, Juggernaut, Bishop, and the Scarlet Witch.

7

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

An Endless Sea Of Marvel Characters At Players’ Fingertips

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is another sequel to the team-based system created by X-Men Legends, but expanded to include the entire Marvel universe. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 follows the jaw-dropping Civil War storyline that placed heroes against heroes after a grave tragedy occurred due to superhero malpractice.

Related

Marvel Rivals Nails Something Few Hero Shooters Get Right

Marvel Rivals has come out of the gate swinging with its 33 playable heroes, and its roster nails one thing that very few hero shooters get right.

A great divide sees once-great friends on opposite sides of the battlefield fighting for what they believe in, with Iron Man leading the Registration side and Captain America leading the Resistance. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is a vast game that allows players to explore the Marvel universe and take control of some of the most powerful characters in the comics, like Captain Marvel and The Hulk.

Marvel Heroes Clash In Player Vs. Player Fights

Marvel has a long history of fighting games, starting back in the 90s with X-Men Children of the Atom, X-Men Vs. Street Fighter, and the coveted title Marvel Vs. Capcom. Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite is the fourth game in the franchise and takes a different approach to the classic-styled three-versus-three combat, switching to a tag-based system in two-versus-two.

The game pulls from some of the most significant characters in the MCU and Capcom’s history with unique movesets and callbacks to their greatest moments. Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite has been out for some time, but thanks to the likes of MaximilianDood, the game has received a massive overhaul due to a mod that he and his team have created, making it a great time to get back into the game.

5

Marvel’s Midnight Suns

Marvel Universe Tactical Turn-Based Combat

Midnight Suns is one of the most recent video game releases from the Marvel catalog. The game comes from the same developers as Xcom, and features similar gameplay. Players can gather a roster of available characters to take on the monstrous threat that has been released in the Marvel Universe.

Hydra has summoned the demon queen Lilith, and now Marvel’s darkest, greatest heroes must send her back where they belong. Midnight Suns features turned-based combat with unique skills per character that must be used strategically, along with a built-in card system.

4

Predecessor

High-Quality MOBA Combat

Predecessor is a third-person MOBA game that has recently been re-released from its previous counterpart, Paragon. The game features lane combat with rolled stations where players must fight for real estate, progress to the enemy team’s base, and destroy their core.

The highlight of the game is the high-quality graphics of the team, featuring incredibly detailed and unique character models. Predecessor is available on PC and console and receives frequent updates.

3

Smite 2

An Intense MOBA Strategy Game

Smite 2 is the recently released sequel to the original game, featuring updated visuals, maps, items, and new characters. In top-shelf MOBA-style combat, players can team up in online competitions in teams of three or five using an extensive roster of legendary characters.

Related

Marvel Rivals Leak Reveals New Scarlet Witch Skins

A prominent Marvel Rivals leakers share gameplay footage of new Scarlet Witch skins expected to come to NetEase Games’ hero shooter.

Players fight against AI or other players for objectives and lane progression until the enemy team loses their base. Smite 2 bases its roster on mythology and religion, pulling legends and myths into the game world. Characters such as Zeus, Baba Yaga, and King Arthur are just a few of the big names available.

2

Paladins

A Team Game Focused On Rival Characters

Paladins is a hero-shooter created by the same developers behind the Smite franchise. The characters are completely original designs and some of the best-crafted kits that combine utility and fun. Teams of five compete on large maps in several different game modes, such as team Deathmatch, Siege, and Onslaught.

Related

Marvel Rivals: What Are Spider-Tracers?

Spider-Tracers play a core part in Spider-Man’s kit, and even those who don’t use him in Marvel Rivals may want to know how they work.

Each game mode requires strategy and a unique team composition, where the proper position at the right time can make or break a round. The game features a diverse cast of characters with extraordinary designs that make it stand out from its competitors.

1

Overwatch 2

The Peak Of Team-Based Shooters

Overwatch 2 is the sequel to the game that sparked an entire generation of hero shooter games and still stands supreme as one of the most played games of the genre. It features several game modes with role-focused combat where players face off against each other in epic combat using the cultured roster of characters available to them.

Overwatch 2 excels at competitive and intense gameplay that really pushes players to focus on teamwork instead of solo play. The game continues to receive frequent updates and crosses over with other franchises to implement more content into the game.

Systems

Released

December 6, 2024

Developer(s)

NetEase Games

OpenCritic Rating

Strong