Well, it’s been a month since Marvel Heroes launched and I thought I’d give an update on the game and how I think it’s doing. I’ve beta tested for several fairly big MMO’s in the past (DC Universe Online & Champions Online to name two) and I have to say that Gazillion has been surprisingly awesome with the fans, more so than any other game company I’ve seen.. Not only are they very interactive on the forums, with the constant patches that have been rolling out and changes that have been made they are obviously listening to the feedback fans have been giving and been trying to improve things as best as they can. The game still isn’t perfect, but it’s a blast to play and it seems it’ll only keep getting better as we go.
They’re having their first sale on heroes in honor of the holiday today, and the sale runs through July 8th. In honor of Canada Day and Independence Day both Captain America and Wolverine are half-off with the price of 600Gs ($6), and the three most expensive heroes (Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Deadpool) have been reduced by $5. All other heroes have received a slight decrease in price as well, as has many of the costumes. The pricing on heroes and costumes has been one of the biggest points of contention among fans and the rumor is that the prices seen during this sale, with the exception of Captain America and Wolverine, will end up being the new permanent prices on the 8th after the sale has ended.
In response to fan complaints the drop rates on heroes and costumes have been upped and many of the characters have been significantly buffed- especially Iron Man and Spidey. I play tested Spider-Man during beta and wasn’t too impressed by him. I unlocked him in-game the other night after the latest patch buffed a majority of his powers and I have to say he’s been a blast to play with. His moves are fast and his animations really sell the feeling that you’re Spider-Man.
I’ve been trying out Captain America the past few days as well, and with the sale price at 600gs he’s a steal. They’ve really nailed the feel of his fighting style, and with defensive abilities like Quick Block Cap is one of the better tanks in the game at the moment. Ms. Marvel (now Captain Marvel in the comics) has been a lot of fun as well and is a good hybrid melee/ranged character, though her melee powers are the most effective. By far my favorite character has been Deadpool. I’ve lost count of how many times his random comments have made me laugh out loud. Nolan North is Deadpool, and I never get tired of playing with him. His play-style is a ton of fun (do yourself a favor and focus on all the gun abilities).
The biggest surprise for me is that the starter heroes that everyone gets 3 for free (one you choose at the beginning, the second is a reward after the prologue, and the third is a reward drop after defeating Dr. Doom) are actually some of the best characters in the game at present. While they might not be the most well-known, they’re all extremely powerful in their own right, and many players who have most or all of the characters available unlocked still find themselves playing as one of the freebies. Thing is hand-down the best tank in the game; Hawkeye does amazing single-target DPS and is a “boss killer” in endgame; Black Widow has become the sleeper favorite for many players, as her melee build combined with grenades/micro drones makes her an unstoppable force in endgame; Storm and Scarlet Witch have extremely powerful AOEs, and Daredevil, when skilled right, is a great melee character.
If you haven’t checked out Marvel Heroes now is a great time to give it a try. It’s completely free to download & play, and with the sale currently going on if you do decide to pick up a few heroes and costumes you’ll get the most bang for your buck.
J.R. Broadwater is the author of the non-fiction book Down with the Thickness: Viewing the World From a Fat Guy’s Perspective, the sci-fi detective novel You Only Die Twice, the fantasy novel The Chosen: Rebirthing Part 1 & 2, and the superhero tale Just Super, all available now in digital and paperback formats. Sample chapters and more information about these books can be found here. Kindle editions on sale for a limited time for $0.99 as a part of the Independence Day Sale! Be sure to take advantage!
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