Marvel Heroes released in 2013 on PC and has steadily expanded its roster of playable superheroes, as well as grown its player base through numerous updates. The newest update to the game, which came in June 2017, ushered in a rebranding to Marvel Heroes Omega, and it also rolled the game out to consoles in addition to its PC roots.
Marvel Heroes Omega, now available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC, is an action RPG set within the Marvel Comics universe. Gameplay will be familiar to anybody who has played Diablo or similar titles. You pick a character from the game’s roster and run through various levels, fighting bad guys and collecting loot. Loot is expansive, and it seems like you’re always finding a piece that’s better than something you already have equipped. The loot varies from character to character, with Hulk getting things like new purple pants while Captain America gets new shields.
While battling tons of thugs, aliens, and other villains, you’ll gain experience and level up your character. This, in turn, opens up new abilities and options for you to customize the way you play and fight. There’s a huge roster of heroes you can play on the PC version. The console editions of Omega launched with a more abbreviated listing of heroes, but that’s sure to expand over time, just as the original PC version did. Even with a smaller starting lineup, there still are plenty of choices on the console edition.
Characters can be unlocked for play using in game currency, which can be earned through gameplay or purchased through real-money microtransactions. Given that the game itself is free to play, this monetization model makes a lot of sense. Marvel Heroes Omega has designed the character system to prevent buyer’s remorse, as you have full access to play with any characters up through level 10. Once you hit level 10 with a character, you’ll have to buy them to continue leveling. That gives you enough free play time with any given character to make an educated decision about who you actually want to buy and commit to playing.
In addition to the characters themselves, there are loads of costumes you can add to your collection. Every character has multiple looks that pay homage to different eras or versions of that character. For example, you might play as the Scarlet Witch in either her classic comic book costume or in her outfit from the recent Avengers movies. Costumes, like the characters, can be purchased through in-game currency.
Marvel Heroes Omega is a PVE and co-op centered game without any focus on PVP. The PC version has offered PVP for a while, but it’s clear that the games focus is on fighting bad guys rather than other heroes. As such, the console versions—at least for now—are entirely PVE. The central story you can play through with any of the characters is written by comics luminary Brian Michael Bendis. Cutscenes play out in a motion comic style, serving to bridge the gap between action levels. The narrative sets you up to go into a new level (Hell’s Kitchen, Madripoor, and many other familiar Marvel locales) to fight through bunches of villains, eventually facing bosses like Green Goblin, Tombstone, and Madame Hydra. You can go through these levels solo or teaming up in co-op with other players. The story is very much a secondary thing and can be ignored entirely if you just want to focus on beating up baddies and collecting loot.
Just as Diablo’s controls mapped excellently from PC to console controllers, Marvel Heroes Omega feels very much at home on consoles. If you’ve played either of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance games, this game plays somewhat similarly. Movement is done with the traditional left thumbstick, and abilities can be customized onto any of the controller’s face buttons, with an extra lineup of moves available when you hold the trigger. It all feels very natural and plays smoothly with a controller.
Players who are new to the overall game can jump into Omega now with no problems at all. In fact, it’s a great time to get on board because most of the launch heroes for the console version are available in discounted founder bundles right now. Those are good to grab if you know you want to build out your own roster quickly.
If you’re a Marvel fan, you should check this one out. It serves up plenty of fan service and gives you a chance to interact with and play as loads of familiar characters. And if you’re not specifically into Marvel but like the Diablo style of action RPGs, you still might want to give Omega a spin. It’s a fun game with addictive fights and satisfying progression that will keep you coming back for more.
