Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a 2022 tactical role-playing game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. The game features comic book characters from multiple Marvel Comics properties, such as Midnight Sons, Avengers, X-Men, and Runaways. Players are able to create their own superhero named “The Hunter”, who must lead other characters to rebel against Lilith, the “mother of demons”, as she attempts to bring her master, Chthon, back to life. Combat in the game is turn-based and mixed with deck-building. Between combat missions, players manage their base of operations called “The Abbey” which they can walk around in a third-person view, research upgrades, interact with the game’s cast of characters and build friendships with them.
Marvel Games approached Firaxis Games for the development of a new Marvel project in 2017, after being impressed by their work on the modern XCOM games. Initially, the team attempted to apply the XCOM gameplay formula, such as a focus on cover system and permadeath, on Midnight Suns, though they were scrapped as they realized that they did not make thematic sense in a game centered on powerful superheroes. Its deck-building gameplay was inspired by games such as Slay the Spire, while its social elements were inspired by Japanese role-playing games such as Fire Emblem and Persona. The game was inspired by Saturday morning cartoons, and Rise of the Midnight Sons and Inferno were the comic book events that influenced the game’s setting and characters.
Midnight Suns released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on December 2, 2022. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released on May 11, 2023. A Nintendo Switch version was also planned but later canceled. The game received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the game’s strategic gameplay, narrative, and its focus on relationship building with Marvel heroes. Its writing, however, has been criticized. It was nominated for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year at the 26th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Despite the game’s strong critical reception, it was a commercial failure for its publisher. Firaxis released four downloadable content packs, which follows the Midnight Suns as they fight against Dracula and his forces of vampires.
Midnight Suns is a tactical role-playing game. Players take the role of “The Hunter”, the child of Lilith, as they lead a selection of heroes in various missions to defeat her. Combat is turn-based, mixed with deck-building. Each hero, including the Hunter, has their own customizable deck of eight cards. At the start of each mission, players choose three heroes to take into battle, with their decks combined into one that is to be drawn from each round. In each turn, players have three Card Plays, two opportunities to redraw cards, and a chance to move and reposition one of their heroes. The heroes will automatically move to attack their enemy after a card is chosen.
There are three types of cards: Attack, Skill, and Heroic. Attack cards deal damage to enemies, some of which have a “knockback” effect, allowing players to push them towards environmental hazards or other allies for additional damages. Skill cards play a support role, such as healing characters, redrawing cards, and applying status effects on both the heroes and enemies. Heroic cards are powerful attacks that resemble the iconic abilities of each hero. Using Heroic attacks consumes “Heroism”, a resource that is generated through using Skill and Attack cards. Players can also take advantage of items in the battlefield to launch environmental attacks, which consume Heroism but do not consume a card. Combat typically occurs in an arena where the player’s squad of heroes must battle several waves of enemies. Some cards have a “quick” property, which refunds a Card Play to the squad if the card defeats an enemy. This allows players to chain the use of several cards together without using up any Card Plays.
The base game includes 13 playable characters (Blade, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Hulk, the Hunter, Iron Man, Magik, Nico Minoru, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man and Wolverine), with four additional characters (Deadpool, Morbius, Venom and Storm) released as DLC. Each hero has their own unique skills and abilities, and plays different roles in combat. For instance, Scarlet Witch specializes in abilities that can deal area of effect damage, Blade has cards that allow him to attack enemies and drain their health, and Magik can reposition enemies by sending them through portals. Players can customize the Hunter and their superpowers from over 40 different abilities. The Hunter has three types of abilities: Light skills, which focus on supporting the team and generating heroic points; Dark abilities, which deal powerful damage to enemies at the cost of the Hunter’s health or heroic points; and Power skills, which provide a balanced mix between offense and defense. Eventually, players will obtain a neck collar and outfits, which also grant them passive perks. While the Hunter exists as a blank slate for the player, players can align them towards the light side or the dark side for role-playing purpose through ability usage and interacting with other heroes. Players can also play as The Hunter’s pet, Hellhound Charlie, in specific missions.
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