Summary
A good hero shooter lives and dies by its roster of playable characters, and thankfully,Marvel Rivals' current cast of iconic heroes and villains is already proving to be suitably spectacular. Currently undergoing a limited Alpha test,Marvel Rivalsis playable for a lucky handful of fans, all of whom get to spend the next few weeks trying out the game’s initial 19 playable characters, each one coming with their own unique set of special moves, Ultimate abilities, and Team Up powers. While a lot ofMarvel Rivals' rosterbears an undeniable resemblance toOverwatch’s own cast of heroes, they still have plenty of unique quirks that set them apart.
Spider-Man is one of the best examples of this. While Spidey’s general playstyle inMarvel Rivalsmight look familiar to Genji mains, his special abilities are uniquely Spider-Man, with the hero being able to web-up foes, crawl up walls, and of course, web-swing. But it’s this last ability that could use a little work, withMarvel Rivals' web-swinging currently sharing a bigMarvel’s Avengerspitfall.
Marvel Rivals' Spider-Man Shares a Marvel’s Avengers Issue
Marvel Rivals' Spider-Man Web-Swinging Is Awkward
Far from the game’s only issue but by far one of its most infamous,Marvel’s Avengersfeatured a rather disappointing iteration of Spider-Man. ThoughAvengers' Spidey had some solid story moments, the character’s gameplay left a lot to be desired, especially when it came to his web-swinging mechanics. Though it controlled fine,Avengers' Spider-Man web-swingingfelt absurdly slow in open-world environments but felt much too fast and imprecise in more claustrophobic, interior locations. Another big issue fans had was that Spidey’s webs didn’t attach to the environment, making gameplay feel quite arcadey.
Thankfully,Marvel Rivals' web-swinging is a whole lot better thanMarvel’s Avengers. Web-swinging inMarvel Rivalsfeels very fast, webs actually attach to buildings and structures, and the hero’s swinging animations feel a bit more authentic. ButMarvel Rivals' web-swingingstill carries over one bigMarvel’s Avengersissue. In more restrictive interior locations,Marvel Rivals' web-swinging feels rather erratic and clunky.
The speed at which Spidey is thrust forward, paired with a very wide swing arc and the unpredictability of where Spidey will attach his web, all culminate in players frequently being thrown wildly into various parts of the scenery, or far past their intended destination.
There is a way players can ease this a little, however. InMarvel Rivals' settings, players can turn off “Automatic Swinging” for Spider-Man. This means that players can now manually aim at a surface and attach a web line to it, letting Spidey swing from that specific point if he’s traveling at the right angle. This lets players have a bit more control over where Spidey goes during a web-swing, but it still doesn’t fix all of the mechanic’s issues.
How Marvel Rivals Can Improve Spider-Man’s Web-Swinging
When all is said and done,Marvel Rivalsis still only in Alpha, and one of the express purposes of being in Alpha is to make changes based on player feedback. So, hopefully, Spidey’s web-swinging will look and feel a whole lot more natural and responsive whenMarvel Rivalsfinally releases in full.Marvel Rivals' web-swinging clearly has strong foundations already, it just needs a little tweaking to work effectively. More specifically,Marvel Rivalsneeds to reduce the speed of its web-swing slightly and reduce the swing’s arc quite a bit to give players more control over where Spidey goes during the swing.
Marvel Rivals
WHERE TO PLAY
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!A Deep and Varied Marvel RosterChoose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game DynamicsWith intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.Dynamic Hero SynergyCoordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot’s back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man’s armor for massive damage, and so much more!Creative Environment DestructionTear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch UpdatesThe Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
