Soon, Marvel Zombies will become more than just a popular run of comics. The What If…? episode centered on a post-apocalyptic Marvel universe gave fans an idea of what the story is like, and since then, Marvel Studios has confirmed that a dedicated Marvel Zombies show is in the works. With plenty of source material to pull from, the show should be solid, though it should not be the only adaptation of these comics.
A Marvel Zombies video game has potential, and Supermassive Games is the right developer to make it happen. Best known for Until Dawn and the upcoming game The Quarry, Supermassive’s choice-based style and movie-like approach would be a great fit for a story like Marvel Zombies. With experience in horror, it would be great to see the developer deliver a new kind of Marvel game.
What a Supermassive Marvel Zombies Game Could Be Like
Most Marvel games see players controlling big-name superheroes, featuring complex combat systems that let players wield the abilities of their favorite characters. While there is nothing wrong with this approach, there are plenty of games in this style, and more will soon be coming with titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Wolverine. Through Supermassive’s signature style, a different-feeling Marvel game could be delivered.
A Marvel Zombies game could fully lean into the horror aspects that come with superpowered undead, and this would be right in Supermassive’s wheelhouse. Until Dawn did an excellent job of making the Wendigos intimidating, so it could likely do the same with a zombified Hulk that searches and smashes through an area. Trying to sneak up on an undead Spider-Man could be another fun scenario, with the hero’s spider sense kicking in to begin a chase scene full of intense QTEs.
When it comes to the playable characters, Supermassive could go in a few directions. The first would see it following the comics and letting players control some surviving heroes as they fight to save what is left of the world. A neat touch could see the heroes being able to die like the characters in Until Dawn, but once they do, they would be infected and become zombified - forcing players to face off with them later in the story to make for some harder sections.
Another possibility would see Supermassive creating its own cast of characters, letting players control regular, everyday people as they try to survive in a world full of incredibly dangerous zombies. This would be another welcome change since the property rarely focuses on the lives of everyday people. The developer has done an excellent job of crafting memorable characters through the use of horror stereotypes, and going this route could allow it to do the same once again. It could also bring in an array of well-known horror actors like it is doing with The Quarry’s cast.
No matter what route the hypothetical game takes for its survivors, the concept of a Marvel horror game is interesting, and Marvel Zombies would be an excellent place to start. Whether players are hiding from Scarlet Witch, fleeing from Iron Man, or making tough decisions about who to cure, a playable movie based around choices and QTEs could be a ton of fun. Not every Marvel game needs to be a AAA title focused on combat, as plenty of characters and stories could fit well into different genres. With the upcoming Marvel’s Midnight Suns set to deliver a new kind of Marvel game, other developers like Supermassive should continue the trend and experiment with the franchise.