I’m pretty well known as a comics fan, so when we got the chance to check out the demo of Marvel’s newest game Marvel Battle Lines, I jumped at the chance. Then again, it also helped that they’ve been doing some pretty snazzy tie-in covers for the comics that look pretty epic.
Sitting down to play, the first thing I noticed about the game is the amazing artwork, which is by far the strongest quality of the game. Each character has artwork for their card, and comic panels are interspersed with a story throughout the game. From Hawkeye to Jessica Jones, each character portrait has been rendered to make them look as cool as they possibly can, and I for one am here for it. The comics throughout the game tell the story of a shattered cosmic cube, which you and your motley band of heroes and villains must collect in order to save the universe. So, pretty standard Marvel fare there.
The actual gameplay that takes place is in the form of strategic battles, which occur as the story progresses. Fighting on a 3x4 grid, you drag your character cards around the grid to prevent any enemy from forming a “battle line” and attempting to form your own. Each character card has its own unique abilities, and the aim is to collect more cards as you continue through the story, with 200 total being currently touted as available on launch. Rearranging your deck as you go through battle allows you to win easier victories and to more efficiently deal with enemies, as each battle you come across is different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owPxPyk7KsE
The game also has different modes, from exploration to PvP, allowing you to battle other players or continue on in story mode. My biggest complaint about the game so far is that the X-Men aren’t included as characters, which is a huge let-down personally. However, the demo also did not go over any of the monetary aspects, such as what it would cost to purchase more cosmic shards, or paying for premium characters.
Overall, Marvel Battle Lines seemed like a fine game. It’s not personally to my taste, but for those who like a mix of story and strategy gameplay, this could scratch that itch.
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Courtney Ehrenholfer is an aspiring novelist and screenwriter, and current journalist who greatly enjoys video games, especially those of the point and… More about Courtney
