Stuff - UK (2020-11)

TESTED GAMES

In its 10-12 hours, the campaign

is just about serviceable

as entertainment: visually

spectacular but as linear as

a PS3-era Uncharted game.

Mostly, though, it serves as a

glorified tutorial to prep you for

the initiatives post-game.

Marvel’s Avengers has all

the trappings of Destiny, from

the vendors and factions on

board your Helicarrier HQ to

the colour-coded gear. This

will be familiar to anyone who’s

played Bungie’s looter shooter;

but for everyone else just

wanting to have a good time

playing superhero with their

mates, it’s deeply confusing

and unappealing. Why are there

half a dozen different types of

upgrade resource?

Perhaps more enticing are

the costumes taken across

decades of Marvel history,

but unlocking these requires

ponying up extra cash – when

a pack of 500 credits costs

£3.99 and a legendary skin is

worth 1400, that doesn’t come

cheap – or hours of grind,

which exposes how repetitive

the missions are.

But this is a long-term

project for developer Crystal

Dynamics, with more heroes

coming as free DLC, including

the PS-exclusive Spider-Man.

Let’s hope the gameplay will

also evolve into something

more varied and exciting.

It’s an expanding

Marvel universe

Captain America: “Why
does nobody want to
play frisbee with me?”

Hulk: “Why does nobody

want to play wrestling

to the death with me?”