Bulent Marvel's Midnight Suns Review

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a turn-based tactical RPG that's positively stupendous. Building customized card decks for iconic heroes like Iron Man and Spider-Man, players take on missions to obliterate otherworldly enemies using move-sets in line with their abilities. Positioning on each battlefield is key, and initially the rules for movement feel restrictive. But once you master them there's a huge range of creative possibilities. Eventually you'll be bouncing Captain America's shield off the noggins of your opponents, or using Ghost Rider's penance stare to punish the unworthy – and then deploy both heroes to chain together devastating combos. The surprising thing, though: this is only half the fun. Midnight Suns is also a superhero hangout simulator, complete with awkward social interactions, relationship building, and the option to chill in a hot tub with... Wolverine? You'll inevitably develop a fondness for certain characters, like the stoic Blade and the misanthropic Magik, and the social sim aspects are not entirely pointless. Building relationships will improve combat performance and unlock new abilities. It's an ambitious swing for a cohesive narrative and gameplay experience. Some drawbacks: Prepare to be bombarded with tutorials explaining a myriad of upgrade systems, currencies, and resources. While the game insists on introducing them all upfront, many are redundant and can be safely ignored – unless you're a completionist. And some strange bugs do pop up in the PC version, like characters randomly losing their clothes or allies becoming invisible. Load times were curiously long, even with the game installed on an SSD. The game would absolutely benefit from further polish, to be sure. Despite these quirks and technical hiccups, the innovative design and engaging gameplay really shines through. If you're a fan of turn-based tactics or simply crave a superhero experience that breaks the mold, Midnight Suns is absolutely worth your time. Here's hoping a sequel leans further into its strengths and streamlines the weaker elements.