Combining the mega popular Marvel IP with a card-based strategy game developed by Firaxis seemed like it would not turn out well, but Marvel's Midnight Suns has proven the doubters wrong. Each hero feels fully realized in a game that offers over 30 hours of superhero mayhem for players to indulge in. The card-based gameplay seemed like it was taking inspiration from mobile games, but Firaxis crafted a surprisingly deep combat system that is a ton of fun to play with. Marvel's Midnight Suns is shaping up to be one of the best modern superhero titles around, and maybe more popular IPs should follow its lead.
A lot of pre-established IPs tend to stay within the action-adventure genre or are relegated to mobile nowadays. Games like Mad Max, Marvel's Spider-Man, Batman: Arkham Knight, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Hogwarts Legacy have all brought their respective IPs to the same exact genre. The industry seldom deviates from this trend, but games like Marvel's Midnight Suns help show that experimenting with different genres can lead to title that is a step above the rest.
Marvel's Midnight Suns Was an Unlikely Success
Marvel's Midnight Suns was met with a lot of skepticism from players when Firaxis finally showed off what it was attempting to do. The strategy genre felt like an odd choice for this supernatural superhero team, and the combat system looked like it was ripped straight from a mobile game. It did not seem like a game like this could work since it heavily deviated from all the other AAA superhero games on the market, and card-based games had gained a bit of a bad reputation over recent years. On top of all that, it was coming fresh off the heels of the failures of Marvel's Avengers and Gotham Knights, which both cast a shadow over the superhero market.
While Marvel's Midnight Suns had some performance issues at launch, the game proved to be a hit. The supernatural team meshed really well with the strategy genre, and the card-based combat was surprisingly deep and intuitive. The game also boasted over 30 hours of content for superhero fans to enjoy, and the story was not half bad either. Firaxis' experimentation paid off, as Marvel's Midnight Suns quickly became one of the best superhero titles of 2022, and it may even be one of the best modern superhero games so far.
More Established IPs Should Adopt the Strategy Genre
Marvel's Midnight Suns helped show that developers should experiment with popular IPs more. Action-adventure titles are fun, but there are so many of those on the market these days that some of these franchise-based titles can get lost in the crowd. Games like Marvel's Spider-Man, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Mad Max have very similar mechanics with a different coat of paint. Firaxis chose to go a completely different direction with its superhero title, and that helped the game set itself apart from the rest. It was different, unique, and filled with superhero fun.
There are so many franchises out there that are getting video game adaptations, and some of them should venture into new genres like strategy. It may seem unlikely that franchises like Harry Potter and DC Comics would work in the genre, but Marvel's Midnight Suns showed that unlikely combinations can lead to stellar titles. If enough care is put into crafting a fun exciting experience then it should not matter what genre it ultimately ends up being. Fans of the IPs will flock to any game if it does the franchise justice, and Firaxis has shown that the strategy genre is the perfect place to let these characters shine.
Marvel's Midnight Suns is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, with PS4, Switch, and Xbox One versions in development.
