Marvel Heroes

Everyone wants to pretend to be Iron Man. You've got all of the ingredients of greatness: a crippling alcohol problem, a problem with authority, a tendency toward self-destruction... wait, those parts aren't cool. So perhaps it's for the best that Marvel Heroes focuses instead on the fun parts of Iron Man, wherein you have totally awesome power armor and the ability to fly. The latest trailer for the game cashes in on excitement for the upcoming movie, showing off everything that you can do inside the suit.

All of the standard Iron Man powers are on display, ranging from repulsor beams to flight to force fields. But which version of the armor do you have to use? Whichever one you want, as the game sports variants ranging from the original Iron Man armor up to ones lifted from the upcoming film. But you don't have to take our word for it, as you can watch the full video just past the break.

Continue Reading

I've been talking about superhero games in the conceptual state over the past few weeks, which has been great for those of us who really enjoy that sort of thing. (I also got some very nice feedback from the folks at Missing Worlds Media regarding last week's article, so that's also keen.) But there are two titles in the genre already out, plus one that's not yet out but is rapidly approaching launch. So rather than speak in the abstract, let's talk about the news in review, yes?

Marvel Heroes has been making the biggest waves recently with a major beta update that trimmed up systems, changed statistics, and revamped crafting extensively. Champions Online's latest event became a point of some contention when the finale was swapped from being a high-end event to being something for everybody. And DC Universe Online waited until I had just wrapped up my month in the game to launch a big update including housing. So in no particular order, let's talk about all of this.

Continue Reading

Have you ever found yourself playing a game and thought that while it's fun, it would be much better if you could just destroy everything around you with controlled explosions? If so, you may be Michael Bay, but regardless of your secret identity, you can enjoy the latest Marvel Heroes trailer, in which that is exactly what happens. This trailer is not about fine details of gameplay; it's about superhuman beings wreaking destruction all over the place.

While the trailer clocks in at only about a minute, it certainly finds many things to make explode, including cars, streets, and in one particularly baffling instance, a portable toilet. (The Thing has powers that we weren't aware of, such as turning a toilet into an explosive device.) But don't take our distinctly non-poetic word for it; jump on past the break to watch the trailer and revel in the destruction yourself. Complete with classic and appropriate music.

Continue Reading

While we've had several occasions to check out Marvel Heroes' journey through the beta process, Gazillion Entertainment wanted us to know that our previous glimpses are now obsolete. The makers of this superhero action-RPG have implemented a major beta update that has virtually transformed the look, feel, and function of the game.

We spoke with Gazillion about the update, which clearly is a major step toward a finalized release version. The most obvious change to Marvel Heroes is a revamp of its user interface. The UI has been streamlined and modernized, with a crisper look and more color overall. The placeholder minimap has been scrapped and replaced with a new radar that functions in perspective, a friends list is now in place, and new arrow icons float around the edges of your screen to direct you to nearby events. And since loot is quite vital to the appeal of the game, the devs made sure to color-code all of the icons so that telling item rarity is an instant and effortless process.

There are a few more surprises that were announced today, so hit the jump and we'll walk you through them!

Continue Reading

The idea of spending nearly $200 on a free-to-play title before it releases seems counterintuitive. Still, if you want the Ultimate Pack for Marvel Heroes, that's precisely what you'll need to do, a move that's sparked enough controversy for Gazillion's CEO Dave Brevik to comment on the pack.

While Brevik admits that the price is quite hefty, he emphasizes that it's a substantial long-term discount for players and isn't so unusual when you consider the variety of other games offering collector's editions at similar price points. He points out that he's already spent much more than that playing League of Legends through a variety of small purchases.

Brevik also takes the time to defend the game from other criticisms regarding its interface, graphics, and story, arguing that he is happy with the game in its current state while stressing that it is currently a beta. He also mentions that the pre-purchase packs are entirely optional and much of the content within can be earned within the game. Marvel Heroes is currently on track for a release in the spring of this year.

Superhero fans have another reason to look forward to the end of winter besides a break from the cold and snow: Come spring, they will be able to to adventure as their favorite caped -- or non-caped -- crusaders in the free-to-play action RPG Marvel Heroes. To help fans get ready for the upcoming launch, Gazillion Entertainment has announced a program offering players special limited-edition packs that include unique costumes, access to favorite heroes, early game access, and even in-game currency to buy more once the game releases.

This Founders Program offers three tiers for purchase. Fans can choose the starter pack with one hero of their choice for $19.99 USD, the premium pack with a team of four preselected heroes for $59.99, or the ultimate pack that includes all heroes and all costumes for $199.99. Each pack also includes XP boosts, item-find boosts, in-game currency, and early access time, although the specific amounts vary per tier.

For more details and a look at all the different costumes available, including newly announced outfits and exclusive ones, check out the gallery below.

[Source: Gazillion Entertainment press release]

Oh, I had a great Perfect Ten prepped as the first list of the year, but my meanie-face editor slammed on the veto button and told me, point-blank, that I was going to be counting down the best MMO prospects for the year. Then she drove a lawnmower through a Nordstroms while huffing paint thinner and throwing empty cans at the security personnel. Even so, her idea is probably more interesting than what I had.

Let me give you a few notes on today's list because I sense that I'm going to tick more of you off than normal here. My goal was to sift through the possible releases for 2013 and pick the 10 most promising, both in "will it actually launch this year?" and in its potential for success. The combination makes it a tough call because some of these will undoubtedly be delayed to 2014 or beyond and some of these we still don't know as much as we'd like about them.

But who cares? Let's have some fun and kick this year off right. Here are my picks for new MMOs to watch in 2013.

Continue Reading

Looking forward to Marvel Heroes? Want a chance to pit your own impressions against the Massively impressions from earlier in the week? Unfortunately, if you're not in the beta, you're not going to be able to get a hands-on experience with the game for a while longer. But the team at Gazillion Entertainment did the next best thing by posting a new video wherein president David Brevik walks you through the earliest parts of the game.

Brevik starts off by explaining a bit more about the game for those unfamiliar with its premise, and then dives right into the tutorial mission. Along the way he demonstrates power leveling, hero switching, discovery missions, and all of the combat action you can shake a Marvel-branded stick at. So if you haven't gotten your hands on the game but still want to see what it looks like in action, jump past the break to see the opening play.

Continue Reading

Sometimes it's best to meet a game at its level instead of trying to project wishes and dreams on it. That's the attitude I tried to take while giving Marvel Heroes a test drive. Instead of thinking of it as a superhero MMO in the vein of, say, DC Universe Online (blasphemy for them Marvel chumps, I know), I recognized what it was trying to be almost instantly: a superhero-flavored Diablo.

And you know what? That's what it is. Whether that's a horrible, shirt-rending event or something that sounds like a cool mix is up to you. Personally, I like the idea of dealing with the massive Marvel cast directly instead of creating lame clones, especially since there are added layers of costume and build varieties on top of that. And I especially liked the notion of just jumping into a game without all of the typical MMO complexity and just pew-pewing with Iron Man.

So for better or worse, here are my thoughts as I spent a couple of nights with Marvel Heroes taking a few characters through the prologue and chapter one.

Continue Reading

Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get into Diablo. I tried several times, but whatever strange alchemy kept turning me off from other roguelikes was still in full effect. Despite that, I can respect that the game has made an enormous impact on gaming as a whole -- even disregarding the effect it had upon MMOs and RPGs in general, we're currently amid a glut of Diablo derivatives (including Diablo III itself).

This is relevant because Marvel Heroes is very clearly meant to be Diablo: Online With Superheroes Edition.

So I'm not fond of the design style. But I'm very fond of superheroes, and especially fond of the Marvel universe. A well-done Diablo-style game could have easily won me over and convinced me that while this wasn't the Marvel game I necessarily wanted, it was good enough. The trouble is that the game doesn't have the marriage of playstyle and source material that it needs; it wants to be Diablo with a superhero skin, and it misses both marks.

Continue Reading

Superhero games have never been dominant in the MMO space, and sadly, the genre was dealt a nasty blow last month by the loss of the pioneering City of Heroes. But now on the horizon is Marvel Heroes, a free-to-play superhero MMO published by Gazillion Entertainment and set against the traditional Marvel backdrop. Whether it constitutes a "real" MMO is a matter of opinion; insiders have likened it as much to Guild Wars as to the Diablo series, the latter especially as relates to the title's choice to implement playable iconic characters rather than customizable ones.

So how does it play? Will it be an asset to the superhero corner of MMOland or just another grindy wannabe? Massively sent two veteran reporters -- Eliot Lefebvre and Justin Olivetti -- to investigate the game in its most recent beta phase, bringing along their own predilections and preferences about MMOs in general and the superhero genre in specific. Read on for each preview!

Last week was painful, not just for me but for a lot of you was well. I'm touched by the number of comments I received on last week's article, and I can understand why a lot of you thought that this was curtains for the column as well as for the game. It was a sad ending, with a note of hope almost buried by all of the crushing emotion. You and I lost a friend that's been with us for more than eight years; it's hard to be optimistic.

But I'm still here. And I'm still the same person I was a week ago, if somewhat diminished by loss. And now it's time to move along.

I've written the last word there is for me to write on the subject of City of Heroes, but as it turns out, I still have a lot more to say about the genre. This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to regular readers. I'm a guy who loves superheroes, and losing a home hurts, but it doesn't mean I'm hanging up my cape. It means that I need to find a new home. And I'd be remiss in not asking anyone else along for the ride.

Continue Reading

It would be a mistake to assume that just because Marvel Heroes is taking the form of a Diablo-style action game it's lacking any substantial lore. In fact, Gazillion chief writer Brian Michael Bendis claims in a new dev diary that the writers have a truly epic tale in place: "This is the kind of story so large that we probably couldn't do it in the comic books without it taking 75 issues."

The story kicks off with Doctor Doom as the primary antagonist. Doom has captured a powerful artifact and is in the process of freeing villains from a massive prison. The writing team says that players will learn more about Doom's sinister plan as the game progresses.

One of the key tools that the team is using to tell the story is a series of motion comics to give what the devs call an "authentic Marvel experience." These cutscenes are illustrated by the folks at Marvel and voiced by actors who have played the characters in the past. The studio claims that over 9,000 lines of dialogue, including witty banter, will launch with the game.

Check out the story of Marvel Heroes after the jump!

Continue Reading

What better place to learn more about a game based on comic books than a comic book convention? Marvel Heroes had its own panel earlier today at the New York Comic Con, where devs not only shared a new trailer but announced three new playable heroes. And luckily for folks who missed the chance to see the panel live, Gazillion Entertainment has been sharing the announcements via Twitter! Along with such iconic heroes as The Hulk, Wolverine, and the Human Torch, players will also have the choice to play as Phoenix (Jean Grey), Luke Cage, and NOVA.

Although fairly brief, the new features trailer shows off different abilities, a variety of costumes, a quick peek at some multiplayer zones, and a glimpse of a few iconic villains. Check it all out after the break.

Continue Reading

It's been a great day for preview videos and tours, and we've got another fascinating one for you if you have 25 minutes to spare. Gamespot posted a playthrough video of Marvel Heroes, complete with developer commentary, and it's a doozy.

The video portion follows Deadpool through an instance called The Raft -- a giant ocean prison tower. While the combat isn't too sophisticated, it's cool to see scripted events and impressive entrances made by enemies. Later on, the devs show off a public zone where Iron Man blasts through hordes of enemies while encountering Daredevil, Storm, Wolverine, the Thing, the Hulk, and the Scarlet Witch.

If you're looking for a superhero-slant on Diablo-style gameplay, then give this video a watch and see if it might be right for you.

Continue Reading