This game has been on my wishlist since I learned of its existence. I was disappointed when the release date was pushed back from May as I was planning on getting it for myself as a birthday present. This past weekend there was an open beta and so I tried the game out and I’m so glad I did.

It’s bad.

Like I’m the target audience for this game probably. I’m not very critical because I’m pretty useless at games and I love Marvel. Getting to play as my favourite characters = instant success, right? Well normally but with this game? Yeah not so much.

Ok so why do I think it’s bad?

Well this ‘open beta’ is basically code for free trial/stress test for the MMO aspects maybe. The game is coming out in less than 2 weeks so it should be pretty polished. I didn’t even make the first cinematic before it bugged out on me.

But alright bugs happen, I’m usually pretty forgiving of those so long as it’s not constant and it’s not constant. So why the bad review? Mostly because it’s not fun. I scanned a few reviews on Steam other people had left (I’m too chicken to leave my own hence my rambling here) and one person said the combat was like Lego Marvel with AAA graphics and I laughed because it’s true.

The combat is so uninspired and it’s marvel it should be fun! But you alternate between pressing X and Y and then eventually you get a powerup and hit LB/RB and there’s a big effect which often doesn’t hit (might be because I’m bad at aiming idk). The heroes aren’t distinct because it’s the same buttons for all of them and THEY DO THE SAME DAMAGE! Like I’m sorry and all because I love Nat very much, she might have been my favourite to play in the opening sequence, but Hulk should punch harder than Black Widow. It breaks immersion.

The mobs are just waves of drones basically, I think most of them are robots but they might also be #generic bad guy. I understand as it was the beta there was some playing out of order which makes the story harder to follow but to be honest I wasn’t interested in following the story as the combat (bulk of the gameplay) is so lackluster.

I was really hoping this game would be like Jedi Fallen Order which I loved. I thought that was an amazing game. It’s not without its critics but I really enjoyed it. The combat in that was stellar, the story was interesting and it’s a game I will return to and replay (and pick up my last 6% to 100% it) so it’s well worth the time and money.

With IP’s like Marvel I’m usually easy to please, I’m very much “take my money” but with this? Maybe I’ll pick it up one day if it goes on sale but I’ve gone from planning on pre-purchasing the deluxe to deciding not to buy it at all.

Perhaps I’ve become more critical with games. I enjoyed Jedi Fallen Order very much and so naturally I compared Avengers to it. I also discovered the Assassin Creed franchise and I loved that so much I now own almost every single game from it. So I’m not hurting for games to play, I have quality games in my library and Avengers just falls very short.

Even though I’m still stunned because it’s marvel and I really thought I’d love it and I really really don’t.