Marvel’s Avengers
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows (Steam Deck: Not happening)
Current goal: Beat the single-player campaign
Buy it from: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop
You know, I hadn’t really thought about Crystal Dynamics’ Marvel’s Avengers since April, when I blogged about the game unlocking almost everything for all players for free. Then YouTuber Austin Eruption dropped a video on July 31 that made a compelling case for the failed live-service superhero RPG, and I felt convinced to jump back into the skintight suits of Black Widow, Captain America, and everyone’s fave PlayStation-exclusive superdude Spider-Man.
It’s…rough. The combat feels good, and while all the GaaS (games-as-a-service) elements like loot boxes and microtransactions have been removed, it still feels a bit bloated with RPG systems that don’t totally make sense for the Avengers. Still, I’m having a great time traveling from outpost to outpost, cracking skulls and stopping evildoers. Despite the monotony of fighting the same handful of baddies over and over, Crystal Dynamics succeeded in delivering a raucous brawler that puts the ever-popular MCU troupe in your fingertips. I just hope I can beat the game and do everything it has to offer before online support supposedly comes to an end later this year. — Levi Winslow
