Marvel’s Midnight Suns review: brilliant turn-based card combat

Marvel’s Midnight Sons Built on the promises of hell. Take XCOM restarted studio Combine it with a card battle system inspired by titles such as and more for stunning results. kill the spire When encryption, then add the Marvel superheroes that have defined pop culture for the past 15 years. And while each of these pillars stands alone, Firaxis Games uses them to support a title that is completely unique, full of character, and full of clever systems.

First thing to clarify is that this turn-based strategy game isn’t really XCOM. You don’t micromanage your positioning, face constant roster rotation, or hold your breath riding a thin line in your shooting rate. Overwatch doesn’t exist, and sound tactical maneuvers don’t exist. Instead, tradeoffs, tensions, and gnashing of teeth are all framed around a hand of cards.

This system has a duality between tight limits and free creativity. He is limited to three characters per battle, selected from an initially somewhat small but blossoming roster over the course of her 60-hour campaign. Icons like Captain Marvel, Iron Man and Wolverine are fully controllable. Each hero brings his deck of eight cards representing various, sometimes symbolic, abilities. In each round of combat, a hand is randomly drawn from a combined pool of his 24-character character his cards, giving him a sense of unease about the turn-he-to-he-turn combat options at his disposal.

Individual character decks are midnight sunThey’re how you interact with the battlefield, but they’re also how you exercise your creative agency more than your tactical experience. By building each deck over the course of the campaign, you can recreate the big personalities of the Marvel Universe. Spider-Man binds enemies with his bind attack, and his blade deals massive bleed damage. But it also gives the build plenty of room to fill a specific niche in a three-man squad. As we delved deeper into deck building, a natural pair or group of heroes emerged and we began to rely on them. While Ghost Rider deals tons of damage, Captain America can tank hits in binary form.

Everything feels mundane and small early in the game. Play 3 cards every turn, kill a few grunts, and possibly even bigger enemies in a long effort.In fact I was somewhat unimpressed early in the morning midnight sunThe card system felt competent yet measured. I was skeptical that the card battle framework would be combined with the Firaxis turn-based battlefield. My opinion changed a lot when the card pool grew and I could play 6 he and he 7 cards side by side in one turn. It was exhilarating when I dealt hundreds of damage with one blow for the first time. It was that turn when I was at death’s door, but I was able to turn it around by triggering a lifesteal and throwing in some huge combo attacks to fully heal — it was drunk I got

Image: Firaxis Games/2K

The exhilaration of the card system is regularly enhanced, which contrasts with the boring overall narrative. Pitch: A demon named Lilith is teaming up with the evil organization Hydra to threaten the world. On the other side, the Midnight Suns are a group of young misfits led by a veteran hero named Caretaker. The story has obvious similarities to Professor Xavier and her X-Men, and this dampens the novelty you get elsewhere. The plot itself may be comical, but by focusing on the personal stories of the heroes trapped in the game’s hub, the monastery, it sparks and pushes things forward.

First, create an original character named The Hunter. This character is a lukewarm avatar that makes dialogue choices and action decisions. midnight sunExecution time. Ultimately, while Hunter’s backstory and plot his arc is just a distraction (it’s hard to create an exciting hero with simple cutscenes, and his Firaxis falls short in this regard), the character’s plays a key role in the engaging social interactions that unfold at Midnight Sun. headquarters.

Image: Firaxis Games/2K

this freeform Persona 5-Quirky relationship building brings hunters to life. You can also join Blade’s book club, shop Ghost in his group to work on his Rider’s Hell Ride, or even play video games with various allies. Relationships are measured in Friendship Ratings, and engaging in these activities earns experience points and new benefits. Since it is impossible to devote time to every Abbey visitor, it becomes a difficult decision as to who to hang out with and exchange war stories with. Not only is it the source of unlocking new passive abilities, it’s very motivating. , I built a ridiculous deck that synergizes Bleeding and Healing and has a large range of effects. These advancements encourage character development and exploration, and promote socialization in the Abbey.

Marvel’s Midnight Sons It is a game full of rich textures. The voice acting is excellent, and Abbey’s relationship building is the perfect interlude to tactically sophisticated card play. The two formats are beautifully intertwined with additional cards and abilities, and there’s real satisfaction in deepening both your battlefield prowess and your social role-playing connections. midnight sun is not XCOM, but ultimately that is its greatest strength. It is completely unique and completely exceptional.

Marvel’s Midnight Sons will release on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X on December 2nd. This game was reviewed on PC using a pre-release download code provided by 2K. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.