„The perfect Marvel couch co-op game” Marvel Cosmic Invasion will be another hit from veteran beat ’em up developers

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The Summer Game Fest was brimming with numerous terrific brawler games; it’s an exciting time for fans of the genre. Recently, I penned a piece about the roguelike game Absolum, which currently has a demo on Steam, and Scott Pilgrim Ex was unveiled during the Summer Game Fest event. The team behind the renowned Scott Pilgrim game and the previously successful TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Tribute Games, is now working on another massive license: Marvel Cosmic Invasion. During the recent Play Days, I got to test a demo and converse with the developers. This seems like another triumph for this experienced beat-’em-up developer.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is the perfect Marvel party game

In the Marvel Cosmic Invasion, the fights align perfectly with any traditional side-scrolling brawler. An intriguing feature is that players can pick two characters from the get-go. By pressing a button, you can seamlessly switch between these characters whenever you want. However, there are other entertaining methods to swap. Your second character can jump in for a quick strike, or the switch can be more dynamic. Unlike a simple character change, your second character can burst into action, launching an attack as soon as they enter. This aligns well with the notion that these superheroes are collaborating as a team and leveraging their powers simultaneously. It’s one of the reasons why I was thrilled about the idea of Marvel Tag Team fighting game, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, revealed at the State of Play.

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At the Summer Game Fest exhibition, the crew unveiled two fresh characters – She-Hulk and Rocket Raccoon. The game Cosmic Invasion is slated to feature a total of fifteen characters, though some remain undisclosed as of now. In earlier previews, we’ve glimpsed figures like Spider-Man, Venom, Captain America, Storm, Wolverine, along with two lesser-known ones: Phylla-Vell (also known as Quasar) and Nova. However, my familiarity with them increased since I got to try out almost all the characters that have been announced so far. Regrettably, She-Hulk and Rocket were absent from the demo I had a chance to play.

Discussing with the development team while playing the demo is always beneficial because it helps me understand that the game is inspired by the Marvel Comics’ Annihilation series, showcasing a villain named Annihilus. The developers told me they aimed to create an iconic villain with a horde of enemies having a unique appearance yet fun to fight multiple times. This concept, in part, led to the development of insect-like humanoids as common adversaries within the game. I’ve heard that Quasar and Nova are significant characters from this comic narrative, which explains why they are incorporated into the game.

In many team-based games at gatherings like these, I was matched with a random companion for cooperative play. However, by the game’s end, we were as close as buddies. This game is ideal for a bunch of pals to enjoy while lounging on the couch together. It offers a ‘come-and-go’ system, which means if someone needs to step away for a bit – say, to grab a drink or use the bathroom – they can leave the game without forcing everyone else to stop playing. When they return, they can easily rejoin the team. The game, Cosmic Invasion, also has the ability to automatically adjust its difficulty based on the number of active players. So, if you have four players but one person takes a break during a level, the game will automatically adapt without missing a beat. Tribute Games has truly crafted this game to be an enjoyable choice for casual play among friends.

To put it simply, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Venom in the game. The exceptional graphics and animations in

Concerning the beat-’em-up genre, there’s an aspect that troubles me: the way they manage to blend real player skill with continuous button pressing. I’ve only had a brief playtime of around 30 minutes, but during that time, I felt like I was gradually understanding some character moves. The combat encounters we encountered didn’t seem too difficult, which might just be due to the demo. In essence, it appears this game could appeal greatly to casual players, and potentially to fans of Marvel lore or the genre itself. At the moment, I can’t comment on how complex the combat system is or how much mastering it will enhance the overall gaming experience.

I’m grateful to Tribute Games, Dotemu, and Gamirror Games for giving me a sneak peek at the early demo of Marvel Cosmic Invasion. I can’t wait to delve deeper into this game at a later date. Moreover, there are six additional characters yet to be revealed, which makes me wonder who they might be. As of now, Marvel Cosmic Invasion doesn’t have a set release date, but it is scheduled for some point in the latter half of this year. The game will be playable on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.

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2025-06-18 21:32