Fraxis Games, long known for their work on the XCOM and Civilization franchises, stepped into unfamiliar territory last year when they took on a licensed title and released Marvel's Midnight Suns. This marks a significant departure for Fraxis given that it's both an external IP, and that the game is not a top-down tactical sim, but a card-based battle sim. It is a departure for Marvel as well as Midnight Suns is the first AAA Marvel game to depart from the third-person action genre in many years.
While the initial uptake was slow, word of mouth is spreading among fans, and the vast majority have very positive things to say about Midnight Suns, particularly in regard to the game's card-based combat. However, this is still a Marvel game, and Fraxis would be doing fans a disservice if they didn't sneak a few Easter Eggs and references to other Marvel properties (and the MCU) in their game. The good news is, they succeeded there as well.
10 Khonshu's Exhibit
During an early battle with Venom in the streets of New York City, players scanning the environment will notice a lot of flavor details that help cement these events in the Marvel universe as a whole. These details appear throughout the game, but this one, in particular, stands out because it's a reference to Moon Knight.
While Moon Knight doesn't actually appear in the game, a billboard that is visible during that fight sequence suggests he's out in the world somewhere. The billboard in question is advertising an exhibit at the Mid-Manhattan Museum that showcases a host of ancient Egyptian gods, and explicitly mentions one in particular, the Moon God Khonshu. Khonshu is, of course, the god who gives Moon Knight his powers. Maybe there is some Moon Knight DLC on the way?
9 Sister Grimm's MCU Connection
The Wicca sorceress Nico Minoru is one of the playable characters in Midnight Suns and acts as one of the game's main protagonists given her close connection to the dark magic side of the Marvel universe. While less invested fans may not know this, Nico Minoru, aka. Sister Grimm has already been introduced into the MCU.
This introduction took place via the Hulu series Marvel's Runaways. Much like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Runaways is considered canon in the MCU despite its fairly loose connection to the films and Disney+ series. In Runaways, Nico is played by actress Lyrica Orkano, and that same actress also lends her voice to Nico in Midnight Suns. For fans of the Hulu series, her voice is almost immediately recognizable.
8 Insomniac's Spider-Man
Here's another Easter Egg that comes about as a result of a character's voice actor. The Spider-Man who joins forces with Hunter in Midnight Suns is voiced by Yuri Lowenthal, the same voice actor who plays Spider-Man in Insomniac's smash-hit Spider-Man PS4 game.
While there's no official confirmation that this is the same Spider-Man that appears in Insomniac's game, Lowenthal's credit here suggests that there may be an interconnected Marvel video game universe in the works. At the very least, it does a good job of differentiating this Spidey from Tom Holland's on-screen version. Now it's just a question if Steve Blum, who plays Wolverine in Midnight Suns, will take on the role of Insomniac as well.
7 The Fantastic Four
Despite their absence from the Midnight Suns character roster, the legendary Fantastic Four have their fingerprints all over the game's world. There are so many references to them in the game that it's almost shocking to not have them make an appearance at any point.
To start, there are a dozen cosmetics and collectibles that reference the dysfunctional superhero family. There is a shirt that Hunter (the player character) can wear with The Fantastic Four's logo displayed proudly on the front. There are also Tarot Cards scattered throughout the Abbey that feature Johnny Storm aka. The Human Torch, Doctor Doom, Silver Surfer, and more.
6 More Fantastic Four
There are far more references than just that. As the player converses with the many Marvel heroes that populate the Abbey, those heroes will discuss interactions they've had with other Marvel characters who aren't present in the game. Of those many heroes mentioned, both Reed Richards and Doctor Doom come up frequently.
Then there's a stained-glass mural found in the Abbey gardens. It's easily missed, but upon closer inspection, there's really no ignoring it. That's The Fantastic Four's logo sitting dead center in the mural. The stained glass is part of Agatha Harkness' altar, which players return to often throughout the game, which means Fraxis wanted this particular Easter Egg to be noticed.
5 Even MORE Fantastic Four
This one is a spoiler for the post-credits scene that plays after players have completed the main campaign. Anyone looking to keep the conclusion of the story, or the post-credits reveal, undisclosed should skip ahead.
After Lillith is defeated, Hunter and their squad return to the Abbey to celebrate. However, all is not sunshine and roses. A portal opens up and none other than Doctor Doom himself reaches out and steals the Darkhold. It's hard to say if this is a hint at some upcoming DLC or a full-blown sequel, but there's no doubt that a book that powerful in the hands of Victor von Doom spells bad news for Fraxis' Marvel universe.
4 Demon Days
This one is another cosmetic Easter Egg, but it's not a reference to other Marvel properties. This particular hoodie instead references the real-world rap group Gorillaz and one of their most iconic albums.
The hoodie in question features the profiles of Nico Minoru, Magik, Blade, and Ghost Rider - all playable characters in Midnight Suns - aligned in a grid. The profiles, as well as the art style of their images, are clear references to the artwork for Gorillaz's album Demon Days. There are no other Gorillaz mentions in the game, but maybe the devs over at Fraxis are fans of the group.
3 The New Mutants
With the inclusion of Wolverine, Magik, and Scarlett Witch among the game's roster (and hints towards the arrival of Deadpool via DLC), the Mutant presence in Midnight Suns is unmistakable. However, the younger mutant group, the New Mutants, doesn't have much of a presence. Although Magik does technically join Xavier's younger mutant team in the comic universe, she never mentions them in the game.
Thanks to eagle-eyed Reddit user u/KAL627 the New Mutants have been spotted in the game. A framed photo in Magik's room depicts the New Mutants as they're drawn by Rob Reis in their current Marvel comics run, written by Vita Ayala. Their inclusion further cements the expansiveness of the Marvel universe that Fraxis are working within.
2 The MCU's Sanctum Sanctorum
It's very clear that Fraxis went to great lengths to differentiate its Marvel universe from the global popularity of the MCU. Characters in the game behave more closely to their comic book counterparts than their movie adaptations and make reference to their relationships with other Marvel characters that are sometimes starkly different from what MCU fans are familiar with.
However, the reach of the MCU is expansive, and there are several visual nods to the movie universe that can't be ignored. For one, Tony Stark's "arc reactor shining through a t-shirt" look popularized by Robert Downey Jr. is rendered almost identically in Midnight Suns. Then there's Doctor Strange's base of operations, the Sanctum Sanctorum, which is designed faithfully as a nearly exact replica of how it looks in the MCU, right down to the Window of Worlds on the third floor and the MCU's take on the Seal of Vishanti that adorns it.
1 Civil War II
While many MCU fans will remember the third Captain America movie, Captain America: Civil War, in the comics a full-on battle between Marvel heroes has happened more than once. That second showdown, known as "Civil War II," is referenced in Midnight Suns.
That reference comes via a conversation with Doctor Strange, who asks Hunter (and therefore the player) to help him resolve a dispute. When the player picks a side in that dispute, they are essentially aligning themselves with a side in "Civil War II." While the events of that showdown never come into play during the game, it's still a cool addition to let the player pick a side for Hunter in that conflict.
Marvel's Midnight Suns was released on December 2nd, 2022, and is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.