Marvel's Midnight Suns

Familiar, yet original. That seems to be the mantra behind Marvel's Midnight Suns. Everything from the story to the gameplay takes bits and pieces from things players expect, and yet fits them together in a way that's unique and different. This is a wholly original story in its own unique corner of the multiverse. For comic fans new and old, this is a great way to get reacquainted with the robust cast of characters from the Marvel Universe without feeling like you've already heard it all before. And there's plenty of time to get to know these characters thanks to its social element. You'll spend a lot of time between missions building friendships with your teammates through conversations, giving gifts, and participating in special hangout opportunities. You'll also explore the grounds and halls of The Abbey, your interdimensional base of operations, as you gather up interesting collectibles and resources, uncover hidden secrets, and gain new insights on the history of the Midnight Suns. While the visuals in these in-between moments aren't the sharpest, the voice acting is fantastic, and the script is packed with entertaining banter and engaging storytelling.

Gameplay in Marvel's Midnight Suns is a hybrid of turn-based strategy and deck-building card games. This blending of mechanics is instantly comfortable to fans of either genre yet still offers something distinctly different that defies expectations. Players take their team of three heroes into battle, each equipped with eight character-specific cards. Each turn, players get to play up to three cards from their randomly drawn hand, redraw and replace up to two cards, and move a team member once for better positioning. While this seems basic on the surface, it actually opens up a lot of fun options when it comes to chaining moves together or working as a team. The game lacks the cover mechanic of other strategy games, but allows heroes to interact with the environment in other ways for additional attacks, which keeps the flow of combat moving at a steady, action-packed pace. What Marvel's Midnight Suns ultimately does best is that it creates that grandiose comic book crossover event sensation and invites fans to be a part of the story in a much more personal way.