Marvel Rivals review: So what if it’s an Overwatch clone? It’s still a blast

digitaltrends.com:

Marvel Rivals Score Details Pros

• Builds on the best parts of Overwatch
• Gorgeous art style
• Large roster of distinct characters
• Ample free-to-play content

• Chaotic gameplay
• Expensive microtransactions

Are “clone” games such a bad thing? That question always looms in the back of my mind when I’m playing Marvel Rivals.

NetEase’s new hero shooter is the most fun I’ve ever had with the genre, largely thanks to how deftly it utilizes all its Marvel characters and locales to create a game with tons of personality. Sure, it’s not a very original game; everything from its modes to the individual abilities of some of its heroes have direct correlations to Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch 2. The similarities overlap to the point that I’d call it a clone, a word I don’t throw around lightly in an industry that thrives when games build on ideas from each other. It’s the Ben Reilly to Overwatch’s Peter Parker.

• The best characters in Marvel Rivals
• All Marvel Rivals Team-Ups and how they work
• Marvel Rivals tips and tricks: how to be the best superhero you can be

While calling Marvel Rivals a clone might sound damning, the reality is that it’s the best multiplayer game I’ve played in a long time. It unabashedly follows the path that Blizzard trailblazed to do something I’m shocked took this long to happen: a hero shooter with actual comic book superheroes. The Marvel IP gives Marvel Rivals the pizzazz that other uninspired hero shooters like Concord didn’t. With how smooth its launch has gone, I’m not surprised Marvel Rivals has captivated millions of others like myself. There’s a great chance it’ll appeal to you, too.

A maximalist Marvel multiverse

Marvel Rivals is a multiversal brawl between heroes and villains from the Marvel comic book