Developed By: Netmarble Monster
Published By: Netmarble
Platforms: iOS & Android
Reviewed On: Red Magic 6 Pro
Publisher Netmarble is no stranger to the Marvel Universe as it also handled the Marvel Future Fight game in the past. Having the experience handling such a high profile license, it only makes sense that after so many years, it is time to bring a new era to mobile gaming, or would you say a revolution.
Avengers Assemble?
Marvel Future Revolution starts off with a bang where the multiverse is going to collide as our superheroes try to prevent the catastrophe from happening. The game lets your take control of some of Marvel’s iconic heroes like Ironman and Captain America as you make it through the initial start of the game that also serves as the tutorials for the hero roster.
The story is somewhat predictable especially if you read the comics but it does have a few minor twists here and there which is no surprise since they do have the whole Marvel Universe to play with. So be prepared to experience a blend of Marvel storylines from the comics from which the game takes inspiration.
You start off by selecting a few Marvel superheroes of your choice to form a squad. I am happy to report that the variety of heroes are excellent and it also includes the elusive X-Men in the game. Each hero will have an introduction mission before they join together with Omega Flight. These missions are easily the best missions in the game as it is unique to each hero and which makes you want to delete your character to try another due to the limited hero slots.
An Eye-Catching Mobile Game
Marvel Future Revolution is not shy to push mobile phone gaming to the limit by making itself look so good. The game looks like it could be from a console game at times with its detailed character models and cutscenes. Sadly this is not standardized amongst all the game assets as there are some rough textures with certain environments and NPCs.
The voice acting in this game is excellent but only when it is available. Not all conversations have them and that is to be expected with such a huge cast of characters in the game. There were also some animation problems like the NPCs’ mouths not moving but those are usually on generic NPCs. The in-game soundtrack is also good and makes a great effort in keeping you hyped up as you battle iconic villains.
Having the game looking this good on mobile does have its price. The game does make your phone extremely hot especially if you are running on a lower-end phone. I tested on my Honor Play and it was barely playable with my phone heating up after 10 minutes of gameplay and suffering frame drops consistently. This is nothing new as some other high-quality games do the same thing for example Genshin Impact. Just take note that you might need a new phone if you planning to play this game especially on its highest settings.
Action Packed
The game is an open-world action RPG, and it places you in zones which you can freely roam around to attack enemies and complete quests. Each hero has their own skills which will also change your playstyle in battle. Players can string combos using skills and normal attacks which is easy thanks to the game auto-targeting system. The combat can seem a little hectic at times but seeing the attack animations and damage numbers do give you the feeling that you are really dishing out the damage. Boss fights are more interesting as you have to learn the boss attack patterns and avoid their devastating attacks. One mistake and the boss can take you out forcing you to restart the mission all the way from the beginning.
Improving your hero is obviously one of the most important things in this game since it is an RPG. You can achieve this in many ways by equipping new gear, Omega cards, and many more. There is a lot of things to collect, and I easily was overwhelmed by it but one of my favourite things was that you are able to equip your favourite costume skin over your equipment for free once you collected it once. This is easily the best thing about the game and for me, being a Marvel fan, mix and matching different costumes is ever so enjoyable.
The game does come with a lot of automated features which is good if you want to play AFK a little. The autoplay helps you complete quests or attack enemies if you select them from the map or quest menu. There is also an auto potion system that actively heals you depending on your health which you can set. These functions do a great job to help you play while you are busy with other things in your life but you can still get killed by bosses later on in the game.
Universe of Heroes and Villains
Once in the open areas, you will meet other players running around and doing their own quests. Seeing other heroes about does make the game feel lively but it does get weird if you see another player use the same character as you. Luckily the amazing costumes customization helps differentiate each other so no hero will look the same.
Enemies in the game are like in any other RPG with mobs lurking around the map. Certain maps will also have elite bosses which are called Villains and also a Most Wanted Villain which is usually a Super Villain from the Marvel Universe. Now, these Most Wanted Villains will spawn randomly when you take down a Villain and they are no pushover as it will take a team to take them down. Rewards are given depending on the amount of damage you have dealt to the villain and can really net you some great items.
There are collectables also scattered around the maps and I like how they can be tracked easily so you easily know when you have completed all quests and have collected everything in the zone. Some might find it a hassle but collecting them all does give you a generous reward.
A Multiverse of Activities
The first few hours in-game you will be mostly doing quests to gain levels and it does get boring at the beginning. As other activities slowly unlock, the game has a lot of things to do from completing daily tasks, blitz and even raids. There is an excellent matchmaking system in place to pair you up with other players to do these activities. Most activities are usually just simple boss battles but they are essential to get the best loot in the game.
PvP is also in-game where you face other players in a 1 versus 1 battle in the arena. If you’re looking for more player versus player action, you can visit the Dark Zone, which is basically a PvP server with people farming Villains as a group or farming other players. Sadly most activities or basic gameplay features are locked out until you reach quite late into the game.
I’ve Come to Bargain
Like every other free-to-play game out there are microtransactions in this game. Most equipment is gained by gacha mechanics with even stronger items hidden behind paywalls. Gems are given periodically but there are obvious advantages to spending money in this game. Extra character slots are also sold using gems so if you want to play all the heroes, get ready to invest in this game. (My game version didn’t allow me to delete characters so I could not try all of them. Hope this is fixed)
This is even made more confusing with multiple currencies and PvP modes which any little advantage may mean a win and loss. Time will only tell how microtransactions will affect gameplay but what is shown so far there seems to be a pay-to-win element to the game however minute it may be.
A Variant in the Multiverse
The game is unfortunately not flawless as well with the current build I played with still having placeholder item names and some Korean words untranslated. The game does perform smoothly most of the time but there are random moments where the game just freezes for 2-3 seconds before resuming. I also experience crashes every now and then for no reason and it can be replicated on my phone easily as you can see below.
What I Liked
- Excellent use of the Marvel License with a variety of heroes and costumes
- Character models look great for a mobile game
- Variety of activities to do
- An interesting story and excellent voice acting
What I Wished was Better
- The game needs more polish. Untranslated text and placeholder item names are everywhere.
- Certain textures look very blend and pixelated which make them look out of place.
- A lot of basic gameplay features only unlocks after long hours in the game
Should You Join the Revolution?
Overall Marvel Future Revolution feels like the great Marvel license wrapped around a generic ARPG mobile game. It is a solid ARPG but it does not bring anything new to the mobile ARPG genre. What the game excels at is the use of its Marvel License from its story, characters and universe. Being free-to-play, the game is impressive with the scope of activities it has to offer, but it does require a LOT of polish to iron out issues. Fans of the Marvel Universe will have a blast as the game is one of the GREATER Marvel ARPG games that are currently available and the game has great potential once every issue is fixed.
