Do you like Marvel? Do you like classic retro arcade beat-’em-ups? Well, good news, because Marvel Cosmic Invasion is definitely the game for you.
The latest nostalgia-fuelled action game, developed by Tribute Games and published by Dotemu, is a brawl-fuelled experience that refines the core retro gameplay and brings it into the modern age.
Comic fans are sure to be happy as Annihilus takes centre stage in the game, which draws plenty of inspiration from the classic 2006 Annihilation run.
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After escaping the Negative Zone, Annihilus, being the evil space bug he is, has launched an attack on the galaxy with his army of mind-controlling monsters and has thrown the universe into chaos. You’ll face off against possessed villains and heroes, or the most power-hungry villains looking to take advantage of the havoc unfolding.
Players will start in the humble streets of New York, eventually finding themselves facing off against Annihilus himself in the deepest depths of the Negative Zone.
Some of this review will spoil some of the upcoming levels and characters in the roster, so if you’re looking to go in blind, avert your eyes at all costs. Or, feel free to come back in five or more hours after you’ve beaten the main campaign.
A new arcade classic
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is an absolute delight for anyone who’s remotely a fan of Marvel or action arcade games. If you grew up playing the classic 1992 X-Men Arcade or Marvel vs Capcom, this is definitely going to send you back to those days like Anton Ego eating Ratatouille.
Of course, there are some neat twists here that help the game feel fresh, but also not as demanding as those previous games.
In Marvel Cosmic Invasion, you get to bring two characters into a level, letting you pair your favourite characters together for some stylish team-up brawling. These pair-ups will let you perform some flashy partner attacks to reach even higher combo scores and enact the most damage you can within particular windows.
The game’s story mode will let players try out the entire roster, learning how different pairings can complement each other and bring out each hero’s strengths (and weaknesses).
Sadly, I didn’t get to play the game with anyone during the review period (we can dunk on my friendless behaviour later), so I can’t speak to the game’s co-op. But the game is more than enjoyable for a single player run.
From my somewhat inexperienced arcade action game perspective, the bosses felt tailor-made for a solo playthrough anyway. Bosses will have telegraphed wind-ups for attacks, with most giving you a decent amount of time to block, dodge or reposition out of harm’s way. These can be tough to read on your first try, and I can imagine that if you’re playing co-op, it could get a bit too crowded on screen to read what’s happening fully.
Surprisingly, the game’s biggest difficulty spike lands fairly early, prompting you to lock in and start learning your opponent’s moves instead of spamming the attack button and hoping for the best.
For me, this happened in the Midgar level while fighting Hela. Her attacks will fly at you fast, knocking you back and dealing some gnarly damage. You also don’t get a lot of time to respond, either, as she’ll go invincible and fly to the other side of the screen after a combo.
But learning the most optimal way to take on a boss is what makes replaying levels all the more worth it. Seeing yourself make short work of a once gruelling fight is what makes this style of game so fulfilling, and I think the team at Tribute Games have definitely crafted an experience that does just that.
Roll-call: The good, the unsurprising, and the pleasant curveballs
Marvel games have been hitting it out of the park lately with fun and diverse rosters that aren’t always what you expect.
Last year’s Marvel Rivals pulled in characters like Jeff the Shark, Magik, and Squirrel Girl to create one of the most diverse rosters in a Marvel game ever.
In Marvel Cosmic Invasion, fans will get to play as comic favourites like Beta Rey Bill, Cosmic Ghost Rider, and Phyla-Vell, all of whom are a treat to play and feature unique, fun playstyles.
While some may be disappointed that Thor or Captain Marvel aren’t part of the roster here, I think it’s neat that the game is introducing lesser-known characters who have yet to make a proper debut in the MCU.
Of course, there are some staples on the roster that fans can all expect, like Spider-Man and Wolverine, both of which carry over their very familiar fighting styles from other games.
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I do have to admit that I was a little disappointed by the lack of the core Fantastic Four members on the roster, though. Especially given their relationship with the Annihilus character in the comics.
But I digress, it’s still a great showing here. And, at the end of the day, it’s all a fun setup to let gamers play as their favourite heroes and fight popular villains in famous set pieces. So if that’s what you’re here for, you’re definitely going to have that itch scratched.
While I’m not the biggest fighting game guy (2D or otherwise), I can’t deny that Marvel Cosmic Invasion is an absolute treat with a lot to love. The soundtrack, level design and combat are all immaculate, with plenty of depth for fans to explore.
Whether you’re a Marvel fan and want to see your favourite characters interact together, or an action fan looking for a challenge, you won’t have to search hard to find it here.
Quest Daily scores Marvel Cosmic Invasion:
8/10
Marvel Cosmic Invasion releases today, and you can pick it up on the PlayStation, Xbox Series S | X, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
A review copy of Marvel Cosmic Invasion was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
