As someone who’s been a die-hard fan of both Marvel and Overwatch for years, I can confidently say that Marvel Rivals has turned my world upside down – in the best possible way! Every expert, including myself, has been proven wrong about this game, and it’s absolutely thrilling.

Initially, I was skeptical about certain heroes like Wolverine or Hulk due to their perceived lower tiers at release. But then along came players like TeamCaptain and Nevix who flipped the script by mastering these seemingly ‘weak’ characters and reaching top ranks. It’s mind-boggling, yet inspiring, to see how skill trumps all in Marvel Rivals.

What I find particularly fascinating is that a large portion of high-level players have an Overwatch background. Names like Necros, Flats, Eskay, Emongg, and more, who were initially wrong about some heroes in this game, are now leading the charge in Marvel Rivals. It’s almost as if they’ve traded their Widowmaker for a Thor hammer!

The beauty of Marvel Rivals lies in its unique approach to character interactions. Unlike Overwatch where certain matchups can feel unplayable, Rivals offers more freedom and skill expression. You don’t have to swap heroes just because someone on the enemy team has a flying character. Instead, you can hone your skills with melee heroes like Wolverine or Hulk, and even pull enemies out of the air!

In conclusion, Marvel Rivals is not just another hero brawler; it’s a game that challenges our preconceived notions about character interactions and encourages us to master the heroes we love. It’s like playing dress-up with superheroes, but instead of swapping costumes, you’re swapping abilities! So grab your favorite Marvel hero, practice makes perfect, and remember: in Marvel Rivals, even a Spider-Man can beat a Hulk… with enough practice!

Since the debut of Marvel Rivals, the hierarchy of heroes in various tier lists has dramatically shifted due to innovative strategies unveiled by advanced players. As a result, most tier lists, including mine, yours, and those of professional gamers, might be inaccurate. And I wouldn’t want it any other way because change brings about exciting new possibilities!

Initially, it was apparent that certain characters were superior, but less popular figures such as Hulk and Wolverine have climbed up the ranks over time, becoming formidable choices for expert players who’ve mastered their potential.

In this stage of the game, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to distinguish between skilled and inexperienced players due to exceptionally committed individuals disrupting the usual game dynamics with seemingly weak characters. It appears that the primary constraint hindering some underutilized heroes from shining is the proficiency of their users.

Every expert is wrong about Marvel Rivals

It’s not unexpected that many skilled Marvel Rivals players and streamers, such as Necros, Flats, Eskay, Emongg, among others, previously played Overwatch. These individuals have rapidly risen to become the game’s leading content creators and high-ranking competitors simultaneously.

Each of these gaming professionals possesses a deep understanding of Overwatch and overall game design, a fact that’s evident in their performance. However, it’s important to note that not all of their assumptions regarding certain characters in the game were accurate.

Wolverine was typically considered a lower-tier character, often placed in categories C or D on creator’s rankings. However, TeamCaptain has significantly changed this perception by mastering the character to achieve top rank and becoming the world’s best Wolverine player. Remarkably, he managed to outperform some of the creators who initially rated his character so poorly.

He excelled at playing Wolverine in Marvel Rivals, and it could potentially turn into a full-time profession for him, as his skills were so impressive that they garnered over 1.4 million YouTube views within just one week.

— TopMob (@TopMob) December 28, 2024

Previously professional Overwatch player Nevix climbed almost exclusively to Rank 1 using Hulk. Interestingly, Hulk was among the lowest-rated Tank heroes, sharing that spot with Captain America. However, it’s been found by players of Captain America that every melee attack can be canceled, which nearly doubles his attack speed. This technique could theoretically boost him to higher tiers.

The character Black Panther is often deemed as one of the least effective damage dealers (DPS) among heroes in the game, yet players are performing extraordinary actions with him that appear incredibly challenging and intimidating to face off against.

learning black panther in marvel rivals

— chazm (@chazm_ball) December 29, 2024

It’s great that Chazm is among the top Ball players in Overwatch, but it’s particularly impressive to see how his skills on that hero have effectively transferred to Rivals. This individual is executing numerous precise 180-degree turns quickly, making himself nearly invulnerable to attacks.

For most characters in the game, there are instances where they excel, such as a Storm specialist consistently reaching high ranks, or a Jeff player making it into the top 500 by doing what one would typically associate with Jeff – snatching opponents and flinging them off the map.

Nearly every hero often finds themselves in action-packed situations alongside someone performing extraordinary feats. The difficulty lies in evaluating their strength, as character experts are constantly redefining the playing field and challenging our traditional notions of what makes a powerful choice.

Over the past few weeks following the game’s release, we’ve made numerous revisions to our ranking system to move characters around and stay abreast of the constantly changing competitive landscape, or meta.

I’ve brought up numerous Overwatch streamers for a reason: during that time, many players, including myself, believed that certain characters were at a disadvantage because they had fewer tools compared to others and could be easily countered. However, the concept of straightforward counters is nearly irrelevant in Marvel Rivals as it doesn’t work in the same way.

Getting past the pitfall of applying Overwatch expectations

In the game Overwatch, there are certain matchups that can seem nearly impossible to win. When two equally skilled players are facing off against each other, it often becomes necessary to switch characters based solely on who their opponent has chosen.

If an Overwatch player controls the ball character and an enemy switches to Sombra, they will no longer be playing as the ball. In most situations, it’s best to either switch characters or face defeat, as Sombra can significantly disrupt the ball player’s game. Characters like D.Va also have a similar challenge, as non-projectile damage sources easily penetrate her defenses and cause substantial harm.

It might be contended that the game Overwatch benefiting from hard counters and encouraging character swaps is advantageous. This is because some gamers take pleasure in solving puzzles, specifically understanding precisely which characters they should use to defeat a rival team’s formation.

In simpler terms, Marvel Rivals differs from other games. While teaming up has significant advantages, you can still focus on mastering a single character effectively without missing out on much. The primary cause for this is that skill outweighs everything else in this game.

As a fan, upon its launch, it felt like the flying characters had an edge over the melee ones in this game. Applying Overwatch’s logic to Marvel Rivals, I would switch from a close-combat character like Wolverine and opt for a ranged attacker such as Hela or another hitscanner to take down flying heroes before they could even reach the ground.

In Rivals, both swapping characters and mastering melee heroes can be successful strategies. Heroes such as Wolverine and Hulk were intentionally designed to grab enemies mid-air with their jumps, which is not an exploit but a feature purposefully included by the game developers.

I was today years old that you can hold onto walls with the Hulk.. #MarvelRivals

— Zero (@zerowontmiss) December 31, 2024

In Overwatch 2 and even more so in Overwatch, a scenario such as Doomfist knocking Mercy from mid-air is quite exceptional, typically witnessed at the highest skill levels. Conversely, this kind of move is what developers anticipate you to achieve in Marvel Rivals, despite its challenging nature, it’s definitely doable.

As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I must say that Marvel Rivals has truly revolutionized the way I approach strategy and gameplay. The game’s focus on giving players control over their fate is something I’ve never encountered before in other games.

The crowd control abilities in this game are not just thrown around haphazardly; they’re earned and require careful planning and execution. Most of these abilities function as ultimates or have a short duration, adding an extra layer of strategy to the gameplay. Moreover, they can easily be broken by damage, keeping players on their toes and making each battle unpredictable.

What I appreciate most about Marvel Rivals is that it doesn’t rely on overpowered abilities that can silence characters for extended periods or inflict anti-heal effects. This makes the game more balanced and fair, allowing everyone to have a chance at victory. In short, Marvel Rivals has taken the concept of player control to a whole new level, and I’m excited to see where this innovative approach takes the gaming world in the future.

It’s impressive that less experienced heroes in Rivals have climbed ranks swiftly, demonstrating the high quality of their design. While some heroes are stronger against others, no matchup is insurmountable. Improving your skills with your preferred hero is usually more effective than switching characters.

With each update introducing fresh mechanics and characters joining our game’s lineup, I fervently wish that the essence of creative control and skillful play remains intact.

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2025-01-01 19:48