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garrettsthings · 2 years

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Top 10 Marvel Heroes I Want to See Get Video Games

On Friday September 9th, we’ll have seen the first ever Disney & Marvel Games Showcase! I know everyone probably has their own set of expectations and hopes for what they will see there, but for me, the biggest draw is that we will finally get to see Amy Hennig’s highly anticipated Marvel title! In anticipation of this, I thought it would be fun to make a list of the ten Marvel heroes I would love to see get a big-budget story-driven AAA video game.

Before we begin, this is just a wishlist of characters I want to see lead their own game. It is not meant to be a prediction of what we will se on Friday (though in the unlikely event that one of these games IS the big reveal, I will be insufferable to be around for years). As such, it will not include characters we know are already getting games (Wolverine), or characters who are strongly rumored to have games in development (Black Panther, Iron Man, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, and Ant-Man (the latter three being the front-runners for what Amy’s game will probably be)). And also, no character who have received games in which they were the primary protagonist in the last ten years (team games like Ultimate Alliance don’t count). With that out of the way, let’s dig in.

10. The Hulk

The only reason I am rating this one as low as I am is because even though it’s older than 10 years old, the perfect Hulk game already exists. Released in 2005, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction was an open-world action game that gave you full control of the Hulk’s nearly limitless destructive potential. You could leap forty feet into the air, run up the sides of buildings, and of course, unleash Ultimate Destruction upon your enemies with the ability to weaponize nearly every object you could get your hands on. Everything you’ve ever fantasized about doing as the Hulk, this game let you do. However, because it’s been so long, and because the Hulk is absolutely a character in need of a modern story-based AAA title, I’m throwing him on here.

9. Black Cat

This one is also low only because it would be similar to an existing game, but I can’t be the only one who played The Heist DLC of Spider-Man (PS4) and wondered what the game would feel like played from Felicia’s perspective. While the open world and stealth might have similarities to Spidey’s gameplay, Black Cat would probably have a different fighting style, a whole new suite of gadgets, and most obvious of all, a different goal. Instead of saving New York from destruction, you’d be robbing its rich and powerful blind. While Spider-Man had addicting and engaging minigames and sidequests about science, Black Cat’s would be all about lockpicking, safecracking, and casing potential targets. We’ve played thief-centric games before, but the idea of one set in the Marvel universe would certainly set Black Cat apart. And considering the extensive network of criminals and corrupt businessmen in Marvel’s version of New York, there is plenty of material for a rich and exciting Black Cat story packed with fun gameplay.

8. Blade

Okay, this one actually was rumored for a while, but those rumors were recently dispelled so its safe. Blade is a character who feels like he was tailor made for a video game, with his cool sword, arsenal of weapons and gadgets, vampire-like powers, and his penchant for picking fights with creatures of the night. Not only that, but the horror side of Marvel is something that hasn’t been explored much outside of comics for a while now, so this would be a whole untapped side of the Marvel Universe to bring to gamers. Whether its as a Devil May Cry styled action game, or an Assassin’s Creed-like open world adventure, a Blade game would be a welcome entry in the collections of Marvel fans.

7. Thor

That one poor attempt of a movie tie-in game aside, I am honestly flabbergasted that there hasn’t been a Thor-centric video game before now. While Norse Mythology isn’t exactly a novel concept in regards to video games, Thor has the unique advantage of being able to tie mythological narratives to a contemporary setting with his ability to enter our world. And then there’s the obvious appeal of fighting bad guys with a mix of brutal hammer strikes and Asgardian thunder magic. With familiar enemies from mythology coupled with Thor’s lesser-known Earthbound nemeses like The Wrecking Crew and Radioactive Man (no, not the one from the Simpsons), a Thor game would give players plenty to do.

6. Doctor Strange

When someone thinks about the mystic side of the Marvel universe, Doctor Strange is probably going to be the first character who springs to mind. Whenever a magical threat threatens the safety of our universe, the good doctor is never far away. A Doctor Strange game, like a Blade game, would allow players to enter a relatively untapped area of the Marvel universe. And with Strange’s myriad of magical abilities at player’s disposal, its easy to imagine exciting gameplay to match the story. While I initially balked at the prospect of a Doctor Strange game because of the sheer overwhelming breadth of his available powers, seeing recent gameplay footage of Forspoken (just the gameplay, mind you) set my mind at ease that a real-time action game can certainly handle a wide range of magical abilities.

5. She-Hulk

Now I know I already mentioned the Hulk, but I think we all know Jennifer Walters is more than just a female version of her cousin. While She-Hulk is just as strong as the Hulk, her increased intelligence means her fighting style is already different enough to justify having her own game. And that’s before taking into account the biggest potential draw of a She-Hulk game: her profession. Not only is She-Hulk an amazing hero in her own right, but she’s also a lawyer. And instead of using that as window-dressing for the plot, I see no reason not to incorporate it into the gameplay. After all, gamers are no strangers to games about the courtroom as evidenced by the popular Ace Attorney series. A game that combines tense legal battles with thrilling superhero battles would certainly set this game apart from other offerings in the superhero game sphere.

4. Daughters of the Dragon

As far as I’m concerned, the only downside to making a game about these characters is that there will be a lot of hate comments from people who have no idea who they are. And to be fair, if Marvel were to make a Heroes for Hire game and add Luke Cage and Iron Fist, I would 100% buy it, play it, and love it. But what I really want is a game starring Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. I’m imagining a gameplay experience similar to the Judgment series, combining private detective intrigue and investigation with the kind of over-the-top superpowered action we expect from Marvel. I would love to play a game combining these two genres, and I can think of fewer heroes better suited to brining it to light than these tragically underrated heroes.

3. Moon Knight

With Moon Knight having both an excellent run in the comics currently and an excellent Disney+ series, it’s been a very good time to be a Moon Knight fan, and the fist of Khonshu is well overdue for a video game. Moon Knight is the kind of character I would love to play a game about, as the hero is just as at home beating up a mugger as he is beating up an unspeakably horrifying monster summoned from the depths of my darkest nightmares, meaning neither the gameplay or story will ever feel boring. Not only that, but his ties to Egyptian mythology as well as his fractured psyche would both equally lend themselves to both thrilling stories and incredible playable set-pieces.

2. Silver Surfer

Okay, I’m kind of cheating here because the type of game I’m envisioning here could be about a number of different Marvel heroes, mainly Captain Marvel or Nova. However, I’m settling on Silver Surfer because he has been a character I’ve loved since I was a kid, and I feel he’s fallen out of focus in recent times. Anyway, the Guardians of the Galaxy game defied expectations by being an excellent game that showed off the cosmic side of the Marvel universe. However, it did so with linear, level-based gameplay. And although I enjoyed that gameplay and felt it served both the story and characters very well, I would love to see the sci-fi side of Marvel explored through an open-galaxy lens, and I feel the Silver Surfer is the character best suited to do that. Imagine zipping freely through the cold reaches of space, coming to a planet, fulfilling whatever quest brought you there, then flying off to another planet with new environments, characters and storylines. That’s the kind of adventure my Silver Surfer-loving younger self dreamed of, and I would love to play a game that brings that to life.

1. Ghost Rider

Alright folks. Here is the big one. The game I would probably sell my soul to play, and what I am secretly hoping Insomniac is working on after Wolverine. After sinking I-won’t-admit-how-many-hours into exploring Spider-Man (PS4)’s outstanding open world, I realized I want to do the same with Ghost Rider. I want to ride my flaming motorcycle through the city streets and up the side of a building. I want to ride from rooftop to rooftop before coming back down to the street like a meteor. I want to slam my ride into the middle of a group of enemies who were just seconds ago completely oblivious to just how bad their night was going to go. I then want to dismount my bike, take out a flaming chain, and unleash horrible, horrible vengeance upon the very unfortunate mooks who survived my deadly bike-drop. I want to do all of that very very much.

And there we have it! I’m sorry if your favorite character wasn’t mentioned, but let me be clear: there isn’t a single Marvel superhero I wouldn’t love to see star in a lovingly-crafted video game with an amazing story (consider Cap my honorable mention!). These are just the ten I reluctantly managed to force myself to separate from that crowd.

Do you agree or disagree with anything on this list? Are there any heroes you’ve been dreaming of playing as in a big AAA game? Please feel free to comment or reblog with your opinions down below!

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