The Best Marvel Game You've Never Played Is Finally on PlayStation+
Part tactical RPG and part deckbuilder, here's why this overlooked title is more than just another licensed superhero game.
No one would blame you if you said you were sick of superhero games. Comic book universes are inescapable in today's pop culture climate, and it's not always clear which game adaptations are worth playing. After all, for every Spider-Man 2, there's a Suicide Squad.
This deluge of superhero games also makes it easier for lesser-known hero-centric titles to slip under the radar, as high quality as they may be. That’s exactly what happened with Marvel's Midnight Suns, an underrated RPG that deserves more attention than it got. And now that the game is on PlayStation+, you finally have no excuse not to check it out. Here’s why it’s worth adding to your list before it disappears from the service.
Midnight Suns features a mix of familiar and less-known Marvel characters.
The game follows the Midnight Suns, a group of heroes specifically tasked with protecting the world from mystical threats. In this instance, it's a Hydra-backed cult led by Lilith, a powerful magic user who also happens to be the mother of a customizable player character called the Hunter. Initially, the team is comprised of four members: Blade, Magik, Nico Minoru, and Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider. They recruit plenty of A-list Avengers throughout the game, including Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and Captain Marvel, but it's nice to have a spotlight on some more obscure characters, especially ones that haven't appeared in any MCU movies or shows.
Combat is where Midnight Suns really shines. As is expected from developer Firaxis, best known for the XCOM series, fights are turn-based tactical showdowns, but this time, there's a deckbuilder twist. Instead of a set line-up of abilities, each character comes with a collection of cards. When you enter battle, the entire party's cards are shuffled together into a single deck, which you draw from each turn to determine that round's available moves. Some are basic attacks, like Captain Marvel's Jab, while others are major heroic acts, only usable after playing several other cards — Iron Man's Air Superiority, which damages every enemy on the field, is a prime example. It creates an extremely satisfying loop where turns end with huge bursts of energy and destruction, sometimes even wiping out the opposition in one fell swoop.
Spider-Man, Nico Minoru, and the Hunter pose dramatically.
While much of the customization comes in the composition of your party, there are options to adjust cards in individual decks as well, and no deck is more customizable than the Hunter's. Their cards have three types: Light, Dark, and Power. Playing cards from either the Light path or Dark path will influence the character in their respective direction, ultimately unlocking certain gear and abilities. In contrast, Power cards don't affect either direction, so players can mix them with decks that specialize in either card type. This system isn't just fun to build around — it's evidence that Midnight Suns doesn't need to lean on the presence of Marvel characters to make a mechanic interesting. It comes into play out of combat, too. During downtime, you can select Light and Dark options in conversations with other characters, further swaying the Hunter in a certain direction.
This downtime occurs at The Abbey, a pocket dimension in Salem, Massachusetts, where the team resides between missions. Here, you can walk around as the Hunter and bond with members of the group, a familiar concept if you've played recent Fire Emblem or Persona games. Whether you're sparring with Blade, sipping artisan sodas with Spider-Man, or getting to know one of the less famous characters like Nico or Magik, these conversations are endearing and entertaining, giving the player and the Hunter a deeper appreciation for their teammates.
Iron Man, Captain Marvel, and Magik take on some Hydra goons.
In addition to the surface benefit of befriending classic comic book icons, raising friendship levels grants mechanical boons as well, unlocking new abilities to aid you in battle. It's an all-around great addition to the game that works on several fronts, elevating the whole package to a new level. What's striking about conversations at The Abbey is that it's simultaneously a deep system and a potentially unnecessary one — the game would be just fine without it, but Firaxis aimed past that, scoring extra credit on an already great package. The writing team really understands and cares for these characters, and it shows.
And while it's a shame it has taken many people too long to get around to this gem, waiting this long means Firaxis has already released all its planned DLC. Deadpool, Venom, Storm, and Morbius are all available now, rounding out an already star-studded 13-character roster. With new cards and abilities, you can customize your party even more than before, and friendship scenes for added characters let you lift weights with Venom or joke with Deadpool. No need to come back months later for content updates: you can tackle the adventure all at once.
While it's undeniable that there are some soulless superhero-themed tie-ins in the gaming world, Marvel's Midnight Suns is certainly not one of them. It's easy to slap Spider-Man's face onto a product and call it a day, but Firaxis went above and beyond what was required of them. From the flashy, complex battles to the quiet moments between teammates, this is a deep, truly impressive RPG. It's not just a great superhero game — it's a great game, full stop.
