The Marvel heroes we all know and love have been forcing themselves into gaming more and more over the recent years, as Disney has made a push to give a variety of different studios license to use their heroes across different genres. This led to Firaxis of X-Com and Civilization fame to start working on their own title with the supes – Marvel’s Midnight Suns. It’s a tactical RPG that sees you create your own hero and team up with some familiar faces to take on Lilith, Mother of Demons, in battles across the world. So for a breakdown of all we know about Marvel’s Midnight Suns, including the release date, trailers, and gameplay, read on.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Release Date
Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be released on October 7, 2022, meaning players won’t be waiting long to get their hands on the title. It was initially set for a March 2022 release date after its announcement during Gamescom 2021, but later in November, Firaxis decided to delay it to the second half of 2022. Part of this seemed to be due to the negative reaction from some fans about the card mechanics, but with those still present in the game, it could have just been a case of adding polish.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Trailers
Our first look at the game was a CGI reveal trailer that debuted during Gamescom 2021. It begins with some of the more supernatural heroes in Marvel’s catalogue, such as Doctor Strange and Nico Minoru, performing some sort of ritual around a large coffin. Before long, it cuts into a flight sequence in the middle of NYC, as tonnes of heroes fight off demons and then reveals the big bad of the game, Lilith, Mother of Demons. Finally, it ends with a scene of the default main characters (you can customise them) and a bunch of heroes walking toward the camera before cutting to the title.
The trailer does a good job of setting up the main conflict of the game and showcasing the heroes that players will be able to play as and interact with. With the announcement, there was also some gameplay shown, but the second trailer didn’t come until Summer Game Fest 2022. This one was subtitled “Darkness Falls,” and showcased Venom becoming corrupted by Lilith and changing into a more demonic form. We then got the reveal that Spider-Man would be in the game, before it cut to panning shots of the demons about to face off with the heroes.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Gameplay
From what we have seen of the gameplay and based on what Firaxis has said, the game will be a tactical RPG very reminiscent of X-Com in a few clear ways, but with enough difference to set itself apart. The combat is turn-based and makes use of a deck-building mechanic, where at the start of every mission you’re given a set of random ability cards that dictate what moves you can perform. There looks to be a big emphasis on teamwork with the other heroes you bring into a battle, and the cards you use can range in their effects. Some are just standard attacks you can use on other enemies, some pertain to the environment, and others can be used on other heroes, such as healing or buffs.
Aside from the number of famous heroes players will already be familiar with, you are able to create your own character, who is called the Hunter. In the story, you are a legendary demon hunter that has defeated Lilith once before, and you can kit them out with over 40 different abilities to make up their superpowers.
Between missions, players will go back to the Abbey, which acts as a hub for the heroes. You’re given a third-person perspective here and are allowed to move around freely to talk with other heroes and interact with parts of the environment. There is supposedly a big emphasis on role-playing during these sections, as interacting with heroes can influence their abilities and role in gameplay.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Characters
The roster of playable characters is set to include:
- Iron Man
- Captain America
- Wolverine
- Spider-Man
- Venom
- Hulk
- Scarlet Witch
- Doctor Strange
- Captain Marvel
- Blade
- Ghost Rider
- Magik
- Nico Minoru
We’re unsure how playing certain heroes will work, as the latest trailer shows Hulk and Scarlet Witch on the side of Lilith, with Venom and someone else. Presumably, you can bring them over to your side in the campaign, or there will be choices about who becomes corrupted during the story, but we won’t know until closer to release.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Platforms
The game is set to release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It will also come to the Nintendo Switch at a later date, though we don’t know when this is.
