8Bit/Digi

From Page to Fist

The Marvel Universe has shone favorably upon us again, offering up its lovely IP to the great beat ‘em up genre once more, and we have been blessed. This game reminds me of the arcade heyday, when we had Captain America and the Avengers, The Punisher, or one of the best to ever do it, X-Men. This time, however, there’s no need to focus on a specific team, as an impressive array of heroes from all across their comics have gathered to battle a dangerous threat from outer space, taking on corrupted friends and foes, in MARVEL Cosmic Invasion.

Ladies and gentlemen, grab your shield, reload those web cartridges, and pop some claws, because we are ready to rumble and listen to me gush about this game. Yes, this is almost a title built to my specifications, targeting everything I enjoy in video games, but it’s also a solid outing using the license and feels like a fitting entry into the genre. That’s not a huge surprise once we know that the development duties fell to Tribute Games, who worked on the wonderful TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge as well as Mercenary Kings, and was published by DotEmu. These are names that players have begun to expect quality from, and so far–they deliver.

With that in mind, let me go ahead and get the biggest negatives out of the way. For anyone who isn’t fond of the beat ‘em up genre, this game is likely to lose its luster after a single playthrough, or maybe sooner, whereas I have already beaten it multiple times and will be going back for more. Cosmic Invasion tackles all of what we expect from a strong installment into the genre expertly, while not doing much outside of the box to create new fans for this style of gameplay. There’s also the story, which honestly feels more tacked on, just kind of there to haphazardly link a few elements together. Now, that was pretty common back in the arcade era, but it feels like we could do more. Because they’ve brought in so many characters and have players jaunting all across Earth, notable parts of the universe, and maybe even other realms, there is a lack of focus in the narrative, and some important non-playable characters receive almost no time. All we really need to know is that Annihilus is causing some major problems, so we have to kick his ass, and that’s the real reason we’re here.

Knuckle Up, Buttercup

Cosmic Invasion is incredibly enjoyable to play and control, rich in fundamentals, and easy to pick up, throwing us right into the satisfaction of knocking some bugs flat on their asses for freedom. We have a good number of characters to choose from and must select two for battle, offering a little bit of strategy and adding a few extra tag moves to the arsenal. I always enjoy controlling a brawler first and putting a flyer as my backup, but there are a couple of additional things to consider as well. Some characters dodge while others guard, and that roll isn’t always as reliable as we’d like. Pair that up with some recharge time for certain attacks, and we need to put a little thought into all those frays we’re jumping between.

The game isn’t overly punishing, but it wants to remind us we aren’t invincible, no matter what legend we’re playing as. Sometimes we’re popped for being too eager or completely whiffing our targets, while several enemies have mechanics that need to be remembered to dispose of them easily. It allows players to be aggressive, not forcing us to sacrifice health for our bigger maneuvers, and offering plenty of health, which I promptly kept stealing from my wife. The game gets more difficult as it progresses, but characters level up and get stronger the more they’re used, so dying never felt like a huge deal, and I always knew we’d get it on the second try. I played the majority of the game through the blessed state of two and four-player couch co-op, something I feel we don’t get enough of these days, but even on solo runs, I often felt like a bull in a china shop, out to ruin Annihilus’ party, and there was nothing he could do to stop me.

The more I played with the various characters, I’d often find new little mechanics, tricks, and strings to try so I could juggle an enemy until he was reconsidering his existence. I’d challenge myself to get bigger combos and imagine Captain America giving a henchman one of his classic speeches to get this poor soul’s life back on track before I’d finally let him splat on the pavement. 

Evil doesn’t pay, and I don’t play. 

This is a stacked roster, full of characters I love and a few I’ve barely read about. None of these people I’m playing with know who Beta Ray Bill is! I was a little surprised by how many of the characters I enjoyed – who would have ever thought Nova could be fun – especially when teaming the heroes up with the right partner. A couple of them feel OP, but no one comes off as weaker or useless, even Jean Grey. I’m surprised too.

The Cosmos is Beautiful…and Scary

I truly dug the art, a masterclass in pixel work, where the colors are loud, and the characters flow through pretty naturally, with some incredible animations, no matter what outfit we choose for them. Backgrounds are exceptional representations of comic landmarks, vibrant and bouncing, pulsing to life as we roll through areas. Character models are plump, bold, and easy to pick out for the most part. Nothing feels too out of place in the arcadey vibe. The stages have hazards and interactive elements and are full of details and fun references, making them feel packed while being short. 

The experience is backed up by strong musical choices, with a few notable tracks sticking out over the others. The SFXs are also handled well, while the voice acting is cheesy and enjoyable, fitting the motif. Cosmic Invasion features some recognizable character work from performers who are currently doing shows like X-Men ’97 or have appeared as the same hero in previous games. I like little stuff like that, and this title has several small touches and subtle homages to the comics as well as other Marvel games, making it even more enjoyable for the hardcore fans.

Each stage has a set of challenges for the completionists out there, and there’s an alternate game type for those who want to add more to the gameplay or put their skills to the test. This mode allows players to change modifiers, such as giving the enemies twice as much health or making special moves hurt us when we use them, old school style. My favorite little addition is an option to allow all of the participants to play the same character, so we can have that team of She-Hulks I know some people have been dreaming about. There is also unlockable: bios, music tracks, modifiers for the previously mentioned mode, and character palettes to customize a champion, or make them wear a ridiculous color. It’s a small thing, but these are the kind of incentives that feel like they’re missing from many games now. Tribute Games wanted to give us a particular experience, something that felt like the old glory days of these arcade powerhouses, and I think it worked. Not sure what the DLC situation will be like, but I’m there, and in the meantime, I’ve definitely committed to a few additional playthroughs. I want more games like this: comfortable little beat ’em ups with various IPs, energetic brawlers that just scream fun and let me enjoy a few carefree hours, trouncing the baddies. Give them all the properties, and let’s see some more wonderful games. Until then, sign up, help fight the Cosmic Invasion!

Disclaimer: The publisher, through a PR representative, provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion (PC)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• Wonderful beat ‘em up action that’s easy to control.
• Excellent art and sprite work.
• Many enjoyable references and homages.
• Unlockables and replay value for those who want a challenge.
• Travel the Marvel universe and battle through some excellent levels.

Cons

• A lackluster story to connect the levels.
• Doesn’t innovate on the genre, just stays solid.