As promised, 2K Games and Firaxis Games didn’t keep people waiting long to get a proper look at Marvel’s Midnight Suns, their upcoming superhero-filled tactical strategy game. Following the reveal of Midnight Suns at Gamescom last week, the two have gone ahead and released the first footage of the game in action.
Bucking the usual trend of having superhero games centered on bombastic real-time combat, this one will instead set the action in turn-based tactical battles akin to Firaxis’ popular XCOM games. Midnight Suns will boast several of Marvel’s top heroes, including Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Ghost Rider, and more. Leading them against a new supernatural foe will be the Hunter, an original hero that players will control and be able to customize throughout the story.
With the game slated to launch in March, 2K and Firaxis have shared a substantial glimpse at Marvel's Midnight Suns’ gameplay, courtesy of a new cinematic trailer and extended walkthrough video they shared with IGN. Both of these tease more of the story, alluding to the Hunter’s history with the demonic villain Lilith, and how the organization HYDRA factors into the threat that Lilith and her forces pose.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns will spice up its tactical gameplay with the use of a card-based ability system that will provide each hero with a selection of cards each turn. Players will also be able to use their surroundings as a weapon as well, with the walkthrough video specifically highlighting that enemies can be knocked into environmental features like exploding barrels and off ledges to finish them off faster. With these combat options, it’s clear that Midnight Suns will be more than just XCOM with Marvel characters.
Perhaps the most notable difference, though, is the emphasis being placed on non-combat gameplay in Midnight Suns’ hub, known as the Abbey. Here, players will be able to use their rewards from battle to forge new abilities and upgrade existing ones, as well as discover secrets hidden throughout the grounds surrounding the Abbey.
It’s also where players will be able to hang out with some of pop culture’s most iconic superheroes. 2K hypes Midnight Suns as the first Marvel game to let really fans live with these heroes instead of just fighting alongside them. In a Mass Effect-esque move, players will be able to spend hours engaging in various conversations and activities with each of the heroes, allowing them to grow closer over the course of the campaign. Fostering these relationships will be key to unlocking valuable rewards in both combat and the Abbey. However, some fans may be disappointed to learn that Midnight Suns won’t feature romance options.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is slated to launch in March 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.