I’m a little on the outs with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as of late. I like the characters and most of the storylines, but the majority of what Disney and Marvel have released on the big and small screens over the last five years hasn’t quite hit home with me. Thankfully, we have video games!
Marvel Cosmic Invasion isn’t following any MCU-tied narrative, instead going all in on the intergalactic battles seen in various comics from the last 20 years. The 2D pixel art beat ’em up from Tribute Games has burst onto your PC and console with some great gameplay and style! If you’ve been a fan of any of the more recent games in the genre in the TMNT and Power Rangers franchises, this one is a no-brainer. The kinetic action and great roster of heroes and anti-heroes make this one you need to add to your library.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is Comics in Motion
Dotemu and Tribute Games have been very active and vocal about their development process lately, showing off the wide array of comics that inspired the cosmic story you’ll be playing. I’ve never been someone who dug very deeply into comic books, but I’ve always enjoyed giving the games that inspired them a try. From the early days of X-Men, Spider-Man, and Wolverine on the SNES and arcades, pitting superheroes against a massive swarm of enemies and a wild story has always gotten me excited.
That’s precisely what the team at Tribute has done, and it works really, really well! The story is massive and original, but at the end of the day, I saw it as a terrific way to bring an extensive roster of characters together to save the universe. On top of that, the game’s look and feel are very comic-book-like, like a ’90s cartoon come to life. It’s exactly what the developers did a few years ago with TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and it’s once again a massive success in Marvel Cosmic Invasion.
If you’re like me and grew up with the cartoons and video games from the 90’s, games like this really hit the nostalgic feels. But there’s a whole lot more meat on this comic bone as Marvel Cosmic Invasion builds upon ideas and mechanics from Tribute’s previous games and breaks out on its own.
Marvel Heroes and Villains in Action
The beat’m up genre has had a massive resurgence lately and Marvel Cosmic Invasion has brought in some great ideas from other classics like Marvel vs. Capcom to keep the 2D action fresh and engaging. If you’re unfamiliar with those games, one of the key components is the ability to play as a team, even when playing solo. So on top of the obvious fists, kicks, and skills, Marvel Cosmic Invasion let’s you queue up as two different heroes in order to take down Annihilus and his universe ending hordes.
I put this at the forefront because it feels like the biggest and best innovation the game has to offer. With a simple button press you can either call in an assist from a friendly hero, or switch them into the action while they dive or swing at the enemies on screen. Each one has their own set of moves, just as they would if they were your primary character. Creating flashy combos and balancing yourt health and abilities is the key to success, especially when playing the game solo. There have been other games that used this system, many of them fighters, but I don’t recall many that felt this exciting.
While you move from left to right or top to bottom, your crew is made up of a wide variety of characters; some well-known and beloved, some that only the most hardcore comic fan will recognize. With over a dozen to choose from, you can team up as Wolverine, She-Hulk, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Nova, Phoenix, Black Panther, Beta Ray Bill, and more! With their own set of moves and styles, none of them feel the same. For example, Black Panther has incredibly fast and satisfying attacks and dodges, while Wolverine plays similarly: he jumps and slashes at enemies instead of grabbing them and tossing them aside like most others.
No matter who I played as, I really enjoyed getting to know their kits, strengths, and weaknesses. In the demo last month I praised how She-Hulk felt “My favourite became She-Hulk. Her lighthearted quips (like Spider-Man) were a blast to listen to, but her move set was also unique and felt strong while also being agile.” This rang true throughout my campaign and Arcade Mode playthrough of Marvel Cosmic Invasion. But no matter who you choose, I am confident there will be at least a handful of characters you’ll gel with and become your go-tos.
Lots To Discover and Lots to Play In Marvel Cosmic Invasion
The primary campaign will run you a few hours of bashing and dashing, with ample opportunity to play each character at least once. As you progress, you’ll unlock a few fan favourites like Silver Surfer. Each level also has a set of challenges and a hidden collectible. Those challenges are there for an added challenge and to help you unlock new skins, music, and arcade modes. Some will ask you to pull off massive combos, destroy a certain number of enemies with your special move/power, or avoid getting hit by traps, for example. None of it is necessary, as you can complete every level with any character you’d like, so I tried to accumulate as many as possible.
The campaign has unlimited continues, while arcade pits you up against a more retro feel with a finite number of lives. Both can be played solo or in co-op play. You’ll also slowly upgrade each hero, adding to their health pool, ability metre, or passive statistics. The bump in power isn’t immediately noticeable in most cases, but in later stages (especially in arcade playthroughs), the increased stats will make a difference.
Despite having the same basic premise and setup of each stage: get from A to B, maybe rescue some civilians, dismantle a few blockades, defeat enemies, etc. No two stages felt alike. I went back to test out and level up some heroes I didn’t use as much in my campaign run, and found something to enjoy each time. I definitely had my favourites at the end of it all, but even fighters at the bottom of my list provided some fantastic action opportunities and new chances to unlock great-looking costumes and cosmetics.
Verdict
It’s often hard to iterate and improve on a genre that’s been around for decades, but Marvel Cosmic Invasion makes the most of that opportunity. It might feel like you’ve done this song and dance before, but with a deep and otherworldly story, a great cast of characters, and excellent visuals and music, it’s an absolute blast to play.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC/Steam Deck
